japanese prefectures and american states in the midwest and also companies from both countries, that has been a great vehicle and it's going to be in missouri this year. .. over these very many years. thank you very much. >> i gather you folks have to go. thank you so much for your time. i know that our japanese governors wanted to give you a sense of respect and thanks for your hospitality here. thank you so much. we will give you a moment to

leave. [applause]. >> let's talk about workforce development. that seems to be the kind of thing that americans do not think about when they think about the positives of the u.s. economy. we don't have stem education, were behind the rest of the world and this, this, that, and the other thing. yet part of the reason why the direct investment comes from japan is because of the workforce as it is and can be described. >> when it comes to the plan at least 2000 people are needed to walk with us.

will you have the equivalent number of people needed working at the supply plant. so including at least the 4000 employees are needed. at the level that the consumer can evaluate. so our motto was the workforce needs a human element. the human itself makes the -- when we want to expand and have the next line we also need to have other people, how can we recruit those people at the same time maybe the same thing could

happen. >> you need 4000 people to operate the two lines. >> more than that. >> coming you have robots why not just to robots? >> oh i believe the human is the main factor that decides the quality and decide their business itself. >> so again talking about workforce developing, to work with educational institutions? >> it so would like to say my presentation sheet. >> so i wanted to talk about the challenge that we all have with the private industry or the public sector, the workforce development. because we believe the key to

making the product is we need key people so that i continue to seek ways to identify skilled technicians in the future. one of that is that we have been collaborating on with the states it's called the advanced manufacturing technician program. as you can see here we now have partnership in eight states. we look forward to supporting the other states and educate the young people in the states. >> i should mention to these workforce development issues are not just in the manufacturing and some areas it's all so in knowledge and's and to. we'd started and apprentices program basically implemented the european apprenticeship

program into the us. we partnered with the local community college to create a first first of its kind insurance apprenticeship program are basically 20 students are going to the program right now and they work half-time at our facility for pay, and then have time they go go to school learning the insurance business. at the end of two years they're going to graduate with an associate degree and also have a job waiting for them. we are really happy to find is illinois is the center for insurance, we now have an another insurance company signed up as well as two major insurance brokerages to provide those jobs as well. it's not just manufacturing. you. you can actually apply these workforce development models into knowledge work which is important. >> if i may, in our case just to mention an example not unlike toyotas, making batteries in the new tesla giga factory which panasonic is building with tesla, it will take upwards of 3000 new jobs.

for all of those we are working because these are skilled jobs, these are not just porter jobs the material management jobs, their largely skilled jobs. the skills rarely regularly exist all in one place in this country, or anywhere else. so in our case we are working with universities and vocational schools in nevada and in the southwest to create training programs and long-term education programs that orient towards the skills needed with those jobs. we have in in our overall case your north america operations with 12 major universities that for example at georgia tech we have an automotive innovation center on the campus which takes in both co-op and paid students to the course of graduate and

undergraduate degrees. in newark, new jersey our headquarters, were focused on education initiative starting in grade school. panasonic foundation tries to help schools improve their overall curriculum and manage their schools most effectively. even while we take co-op students, as as many as 500 over the course of one year, similar to dennis', to help grow the enthusiasm for science, technology, and related skills that are basically required for electronics and the kind of business solutions that were looking at. >> if i'm a student and i want to take advantage of some of those opportunities, what is my front and, what door to a knock on? >> you can literally knock on my door. but also through the universities that we correlate

with, for example in new jersey, new jersey institute of technology which is here in newark, rutgers university which has a campus indoor, the big campus on the road, and a few other schools, mama than others. as students arrive they are told about industrial opportunities or corporate opportunities. in our case we interview them early on and try to decide whether there is a reasonable placement for the student. >> does every job have to have a placement at a particular facility in new jersey, for instance a? at occurs to me that some of the governors here in the room for some of the staff could pilot programs for direct foreign investment starting with the community college. would panasonic view a set of students from alaska, texas, florida coming and doing and developing the same kind of skills and their state, even if if there is not a panasonic facility there question. >> typically we work in and around panasonic facilities, but once in california and on the

east coast in particular. but practically speaking, they're basically open to anyone who is looking for an entry-level. our human resource department, i'm happy to say decide just take the paperwork side, they actually follow up with the people. it's a really great operation. really great operation. because the breath of skills, but the television company or camera company or something like that, but basically less than 15% of our businesses of those readers. the thing you don't know spores are under the hood and a car, they in a car, they are in the airplane, avionics systems,. >> you mention the giga max factory. >> today mention the battery factory? sorry governor, 7000 of 7000 of those go in your tesla model s. when that factory is completed, up and running it will more than double the entire world's output of the lithium-ion batteries. in that case i will going to tesla which is growing.

happily. >> let's make sure they don't have any headlines like we had last week, that's for sure. >> on the workforce, i am thinking quite differently. the the nature of the business that i have said of the chemical industries are ended up with new materials, sometimes the people in the u.s. do not have enough knowledge to contribute to the development of the technologies. other times the first state, the expectation on the workforces to just that means a transfer from japan. and that's making a copy. of the first city expected all the work force in the united states to follow. and that's what they're expecting in the first stage. but since we started this operation may be the people start with all the knowledge

then they say they expect them to develop that of signing capabilities. so it may take us a year, five or ten years at a time. so that means it is up to the stage of the industry itself. so the workforce is heavily supported, which is located in washington state and georgia tech and another university is also helping and it's in alabama and washington state. but the area where california will we had just started operation where all the technologies have been successful in japan. so we do not say we expect all the u.s. people to developer design all the material. this is a kind of history and

kind of a quality with the workforce we expect the u.s. people today. >> i want to talk about that because i think you really are describing the inflection point or transfer formative moment that exists right now in global trade and global investments. and how in this environment hope also fear of change, that moment could be squandered in some way. we'll talk about that and a moment. how do you see the broadest possible potential in the united states beyond manufacturing, beyond battery wizards and people who are really good designing cars or assembling car parts. beyond insurance event.

[inaudible] in that case usually they deploy tickets with the industry, they they start the business with the east coast and west coast in the go to places like chicago, houston or dallas. so now men -- many industries. [inaudible] the other with human resources or accounting, now developed here so there's so many possibility for movement

happening in the united states. >> d.c. entertainment and asia centering in nashville, memphis or possibly even california? >> let's do a quiz, you'll enjoy this. raise your hand if you know descendents of the sun? raise your hand if you know descendents of the sun here on stage? it is the biggest television property in the world. it is part of the sci-fi soap opera, it's it's actually the biggest tv program going. it is produced in asia, it has a billion viewers around the world, all on live stream and it is an example of the entertainment business that is moving away from hollywood and it is finding huge audiences, but the production technique

still need to be done and that is a skill we have here in the united states. can you imagine studio nashville, k pop studio? could jethro facilitate something like that? [inaudible] some how i say japanese create have very detail so the u.s. creator has dynamic human development. >> the university of colorado denver has got a program it's art department, check it out.

so dennis, what what is this moment and how could it be squandered with the kind of rhetoric that were hearing about with the trade texan all the things that really ignore the kind of numbers that you are presenting just a moment ago? >> i think it's important to be specific in our language. frederick is quite general about foreign companies. they ignore the good story about

global companies with u.s. subsidiaries actually in sourcing jobs. people are often surprised to hear about these foreign companies and who they really are. companies like ben & jerry's owned by unilever, anheuser busch, dannon yogurt, those are not foreign companies at all. my company been here over 100 years. these are global companies with me the choice to do business in the us. if we're not careful, we are all in a global competition for capital from our parents subsidiaries. they're looking to make investments. yes, the u.s. is one they're looking to make investments. yes, the u.s. is one of the largest and most competitive marketplaces in the world. companies will probably not pull out of the u.s. but when the group's allocated capital around the world, where, where they going to choose to move. the rhetoric doesn't help us in that argument. just like tax policy, trade policy. workforce development, infrastructure which is something i hope we talk about as well. all these issues come together in that consolation were corporate parents look at when they're choosing to invest additional dollars. that's why the rhetoric can be damaging and i think the key would be to move the conversation to specific sent talk about companies like ours that have tens of not hundreds of thousands of workers in the u.s. who are making a very good wage and contributing to the

u.s. economy's. >> let's talk about the infrastructure, where and what needs to be approved and what you japanese investors think about deteriorating infrastructure in certain parts of the united states. in answer to the question about what needs to be removed, what is the low hanging prettier? >> two points on that front. one through the governor's question, the city should be very careful i should the feds not to impede innovation. innovation includes the cross-fertilization with other places overseas. companies like ours, but bring intelligence and share intelligence and help grow the innovation in the u.s. states have been focused on the switches terrific and there can probably not be too much focus to help companies like ours and american-based companies improve

both their efficiencies and operations, and advanced to the next level. mike company went to a bad patch about five years ago. we lost 15,000,000,000 dollars. if we did that one more year, we literally come after 100 years would have been out of business as a $70 billion company. >> one year, i would be done. >> that completely reverse the thinking of her senior management. and our focus now is on things such as infrastructure development. for example we've always had a business along these lines with japan and that's where the it started 50 years before coming here. a great example of this is our work now with the city of denver and the governor and colorado in may or intended for have led the effort to create a smart city infrastructure. our contribution to that which was announced a year and half

ago includes everything from smart streetlight and also include security cameras of facilities, data data analytics to move the traffic more smartly. that energy infrastructure with xl energy. a new micro grid with a very high energy storage capacity to use to store the energy that is not used immediately when it's generated. companies actually large solar energy company for medium and large size businesses. and and now utilities. we have created entire smart cities in several places around the world, the first being in japan and just outside of tokyo. the second is underway in yokohama. we have three underway in china, one in singapore, one in india. now here in denver, the effort

is to not just a new build but retrofit to your question about infrastructure improvement. overcoming the issues of old infrastructure with new solutions. both the hardware and software. >> how better the structure issues in the united states? we've seen op-ed pieces in the united states describing our airports, and i will will not even use some of the words that have been described. you travel, president obama has even said he travels around singapore and asia and comes back to the united states and the airports are just a mess. there's a feeling you get of pride when the infrastructure is working wonderfully. but what does that mean in terms of attracting investment in attracting business? >> well but the governor's and

we could have a successful long history here in the united states. it spent 30 years in kentucky, this is this year's very memorable year for us. 30 years years in kentucky, 20 years in indiana and west virginia. and alabama 15 years in mississippi for five years. >> that has nothing to do with infrastructure, it's because you have cheap workers in those states. >> the elements that we consider for having a plant in the states. like the infrastructure including the highway access for transportation and of course the

water and electricity. also the factors that affect our members to stay and to leave like real estate cost and the cost of living. those also affect a lot for us. beyond that, predictable regulatory environment is also very important for us. we have a commitment to the area and we are together with the community. which means -- as needed. >> of regulatory environment could either mean no regulations or steady regulations that don't have the political whims, or regulations that work exactly according to you and nobody else. how do you work collaboratively with the state government, with with intelligent regulations that are meaningful for consumers but also benefit you as well?

>> we have discussion with the state and same time with the plan for the business work. so we need to collaborate and thinking of the long -- >> one of my roles as chief legal officer for north america so i oversee the governmental affairs and we've looked at revelatory environments in the united states. >> actually insurance is heavily regulated at the state level. i have to give a lot of credit to the economic development organization, the ed does that work for the various governors and regions and cities. they have been helpful. i understand your point a predictable regulation but it's not lax regulation. i called revelatory certainty.

we just want to know what it is going to be and we will adapt to it. it doesn't always translate into lax regulation. it's just that certainty so that we can make the right investment. we know our products are appropriate that were marketing and we know things are not going to change radically from jurisdiction to jurors diction to us. in just one thing on it for structure. i do not want to lose that thought. when we did our study five years ago and where we are going to locate her head course we did a transportation study found our employees in illinois actually includes 7,000,000 air myers out of o'hare. so be in next two or adjacent or adjacent to a reliable airport that has international and national flights was crucial. i think it is important for people to realize particularly the governors and ed owes that infrastructure is more than roads and bridges. rail transportation, not just personal transportation but freight and supply is crucial.

right now can take more than two days to get a freight train and that's a choke area and it requires federal intervention because we need supplies whether it's factories, et cetera to eliminate that chokepoint is important. it's it's not just roads and bridges. goes to freight, airports, and some high-tech infrastructure. >> communications infrastructure. the need for more licensed and unlicensed spectrum which the fcc is addressing now it's absolutely crucial to our businesses. medication among our businesses, with her direct customers who are suppliers and sometimes with the actual end customer. >> in five years the clock is ticking. john chambers said something like this recently that in five

years of your going to a community and there's no wi-fi, people act like it's flint. and that's not -- it's just like while things do not really work here. the terror about flint was partially the dishonesty with which that was dealt with. but also trusted network. and people expect the high band worth of communications and wi-fi. we are behind. >> i work with the gentleman from chesterfield county said the delivery of government services expected to be like amazon. >> while you expect your cell phone to work any expect an industry all communication infrastructure to be flawless. always available, always on, and always flawless.

so it's crucial infrastructure. >> that me ask a question about regulation. people say that despite rhetoric of the campaign that corporations are only interested in lax regulations and put pressure on regulations. in in fact the japanese have a track record of honoring regulations is a form of respect and building relationship within the communities. can can you describe what that is? >> we have conducted a study to invest in the united states. at some time we have very good conduct and support from authorities including city and government. but there are regulations that

are diverse to the regions. if the state or region have an international they content to be very tight. where the population is not so high the regulations tend to be a little bit loose. at the same moment we have to think about the infrastructure. that is of bringing up the good benefit for the feasibility of the business. taking into account we would decide that i would have to say is everyone say communication with the people, the dialogue with authority is a very important factor to decide which region is the most beneficial site. from this point a look at u.s. authority is working at county or city or state house.

it's very kind or precise to analyze what is the potential outcome from the study. including ten years in business. >> so once you choose a place that you think is a deal, then your approach is to honor regulations, to be the best corporate citizen that you can be met community as a way of building a long-term relationship. i'm not night for saying that is really what you do. >> will the business itself is changing will what we initially expected but sometime we have to have talk with authorities again and how to modify this area or modify the facility or.me regulations.

these points are very important. if two parties would never accept what the other parties would say, it's impossible. you have to have business. i think it crucial to keep good relationship with the authorities and with the official. >> on give opportunities for questions. while you're getting ready to ask questions let me ask a big idea question here of you, peter. as we looked at the charts dennis had committed look like with the idea that exports are japanese exports but they're coming from the united states and the attempted tax capital that is wiggling itself across borders all over the place. are we seeing ever seen this in

politics of the concert in europe about our population. are we see in a real challenge to the whole idea of national governments as institutions here and that there is a tension between let's go in the direction of virtually no nationstate bottlenecks versus wait a minute we've gone too far and we have to pull back to 1910. >> good question and one in politics as he said. i think it comes down to education, knowledge, awareness of what globalization is already, what it is likely to become, and when when it is right or wrong, to infer something about it that is not really happening.

an example, then flow of capital here that you've talked about, the growth of jobs, the, the higher wages all coming from foreign and direct investment, it's highly unlikely that most people who are concerned about globalization in principle actually know any of those facts. it's also true that if the trade deal seems to undercut you and your family, your personal stake in life, of course you're going to be upset. >> that is different than seeing a trade pact as a user patient of your government. through your being run by some government conspiracy. >> if you've ever been involved in trade negotiations, i assure you no one else is interfering.

everybody is having a tough time. that's what her our trade negotiators do in the u.s. and other countries. they are all reaching for the benefit for themselves, but nobody gets all of the benefit. it's always reciprocal. those deals are not negotiations, their compromises. i think the top part for any nationstate is staying on top so that they have both the education social services and outreach support and basic government support that is needed for their societies to continue to thrive. as a said my own company came through a bad patch we did not see the changes in the market and realize what we're doing was being taken over by others so we would not be able to compete. we lost almost three years of

our corporate quarrel and really sank low and had to completely confront every single decision we made on what to keep and what to grown focus on. the same is true with countries. i think it will be a challenge going forward for all of the nations of the worlds were interacting with each other anyway, the ones that are not shutting down to pay attention to all of those forces and act on them. >> we will get your slide back up. i've been messing up the production here by skipping around so much. >> i would like to touch on our activities here in the united states. >> blame it on me. it's not their fault, it's my fault. >> so it isn't very important to

note that today's topic that the american plans produce about 70% -- more than 90% of the parts and material in the american-made from local suppliers. our other american-made vehicles are about 75% local. so in this case am a 75% of vehicles sold here in the united states produce in north america and when it comes to the honda, almost 90%, produce here in the united states. so many people don't know how the vehicles are sold and imported or exported. also i would like to catch up on an these two are localization

contribute to u.s. exports, last year we exported about 150,000 vehicles which is the equivalent to more than 10% of all u.s. build from the united states. more than 40 countries. for example europe and the other regions including korea. so a free-trade agreement agreement benefits not only japan before the united states. for our business here in the united states. actually we are working together with the u.s. when it comes to -- the u.s. and korea free trade, that actually benefits a business here in the united states.

>> and with the trade when we look up and look back the age of 2000, the time we requested to say stop so because of the security of the supply. and before the u.s. implemented some rule that classified materials should be made in the u.s., made by u.s. so it is approved but it is a rule there's no way to say apply these are the advanced material. so that it doesn't matter for the business but also the business of the united states. and since then, the motive or

the industry, we started to locate all of the facilities in the united states to save care the supply but as i have said, just making with the technology being transferred from japan, but so now the company start designing of the technologies along with the local demand. and this history nowadays trade do not affect too much on the business of it right now. but some companies who is also looking at the same stage as in the past may be is the same so maybe free trade is very much modern to all the people, this is my opinion.

>> this is an opportunity to give an elevator pitch on something that could apply one of your states. questions are here. >> good afternoon. i'm with the chinese embassy and i'm very much impressed by the success of japanese investments in the united states. right now it is true that japan is never one investing in the u.s. but china is catching up. last year, china has surfaced in canada as the number one training partner is the united states. the u.s. is number two chinese trading partner, only after e.u. now, we have about 1600 enterprises doing business and investment in the united states.

last year the figure was about 15 billion u.s. dollars. this year it will double the figure. now were negotiating with the united states on the investment treaty. it it would be a big relief of potential in terms of chinese investment in the united states in the next five years. so i have a question for my japanese friends. what you think of the future prospect of chinese investment in the united states? >> china is growing so definitely as you mention china will be the big investor. although some people argue that the transpacific partnership is

an attempt by key state nations to create, to equal the playing field with china's advantages. i think that is a fair assessment that gdp is inclined to try and contain china's growth, do you believe that? >> i don't think so. do you think it's think it's equal across the board asia? >> i think it will all come to gdp, the competition in terms of trade corporations. >> okay so what do you think about chinese investment in the united states, is it a competitive threat do you think? >> yes, with the united states we should be fair and not need to worried about the state of nations.

>> is the same role in the same material different technologies. and i think it is very near. >> hard you see the emergence of china as an investor in north america? >> i think that's think that's hard. it's been very positive. if you look at the memberships like smithfield foods is a member of aussie, i think were all coming from the same perspective of providing a level playing field for our companies and countries to compete. it's a great blessing to have countries wanting to fight to get a tour markets. hopefully hopefully it will not be that difficult as we move forward. providing the things we talked about in terms of level playing field will attract that investment. to me it comes down to if we want a resilient economy, when that can adopt to the currents of the global economy we need foreign, direct investment. we

need homegrown businesses, we need large u.s. companies and small u.s. companies. we need the investment to come from multiple sources if we can write out the global recession. >> we are promoting for the japanese business, at the same time, -- now one of the targets is china so we have maybe five or six in china and we welcome their business in japan. so we don't don't have anything to worry about china's business. >> in terms of investment in asian investment narratives, i have heard the crazy conspiracy theory, in 20 years apple will be a chinese company and samsung will be american company, what you think?

>> we support the deepening of economic trade between various companies including the united states, china and japan. i think all the companies emerge for the better benefit of the human beings. >> will apple be a chinese chinese company in 20 years. >> may be. will you wonder two of those labels will even apply. these are global companies competing in the global marketplace and companies to change the headquarters from time to time. we obviously have a foreign city in our name and we started in switzerland. more of our employees or outside of switzerland and insight. so we prided so we prided herself on being a global company that happens to be basins was one. maybe the liberals liberals will fall away and will talk about people competing in the global marketplace.

>> thousand interesting question. >> thank you. my name is david, service president ceo of the national -- first i want to thank the nga for putting together this very important panel. it has been very enlightening. i want to think her thank her japanese colleagues for being here. it is a privilege it made this trip to the united states. i'd like to share some observations. we begin the begin the panel discussion by saying that fb a generates exports. i would read respectfully suggest that exports can also generate fbi because once you get a critical mass of experts going out of the united states, there's a likelihood that you will create more capacity, build more factories, which could attract the fdi. that is the first part. so this does not sound can nation discussion i like to

point out that the u.s. export to the middle east and north africa have been doubling every four years. they're very few places of the world to which u.s. exports are doubling every four years. despite the bad news that we are hearing from the middle east and north africa there's actually good news as well. on the other side of the coin, if you, if you look at the fdi coming into the united states from the united states were looking at unprecedented levels of investment in the united states. that's that's reflection of the growing an excellent relationship between that part of the world in the united states and also the recognition that the u.s. economy is an engine of growth and is a good place to put money to the point that is with her japanese colleagues in the rule of law is very strong. finally, our distinguished moderator moderators start out by saying cooperation rather than isolation is a very

important antidote to fight terrorism. i would would agree with that 100%. i was going to say that economic development in the job that economic development creates are also extremely important. the people have jobs they become invested in the economy, they're less likely to get up to no good. >> former secretary of state colin paula once said that hope it begins with paycheck. hope it begins with a paycheck. think for purposes of the discussion today it is important to keep that in mind. thank you. >> let me ask a question. how. how much of that investment in the united states is fear of declining investment opportunities elsewhere. he said the united states is a robust economy to invest inches but there's also talk that a lot of cash liquidity from the middle east is being invested in real estate and then it could be on part as quickly as it's parked,

versus the kind of long-term investment that the gentlemen here were talking about. >> what we historically have seen from the arab world's long-term investments in the united states. typically the arab world looks for long-term partnerships not a quick fix. if you look at the type of investments be made, they're being made by both sovereign wife funds which do not do things quickly we are haphazardly, and by direct to commercial business including right here in the great state of iowa. i think it is a reflection of challenges in the region and the drop of oil prices, think that's true. it's also a reflection of the relationship with united states and who do you want your partner to be for the long-term. the united states is a pretty good partner. >> 's career doing something right in its aggressive approach to business development in the

united states? particularly marketing. i think sam son is an example of a company that while it is invested well, it's also marketed itself very aggressively as a global brand. what is what is the meaning to think of that? >> when it comes to the industry, they're starting to produce people in the united states following the japanese automakers, we have not. i believe that that there are also going together with the community and with a long-term commitment. >> so you see them following the same path? >> i believe and i hope so. because that is the global company that is a global business. >> let's have a little fun. how long have long have you been coming to the united states?

>> one year? >> two years and some five years. >> sometime over five years. >> and the governors have had some educational experience in the united states is many years been coming back-and-forth to the united states. how many years have you been going to japan, dennis and peter? >> 30. and if my duties do not take me to japan as much as i would like. i am in europe between six and ten times per year. >> let's focus on you. or, for although 30 years you have had a chance to see japan like very few americans get to. is there there anything you still will not eat? >> honestly speaking it has nothing to do with broccoli, but but if i had to honestly say something it would be sea

cucumbers. >> so no sea cucumber. is there anything there anything you won't eat in the united states? >> know everything is okay. >> barbecue, no problem. >> breakfast cereal,. >> no problem. >> other questions, what time do we have? okay so will wrap it up. >> i want to make another, rather than a question. >> one area that we should be thinking about investments and trade is small and medium companies, including startups. now all the are basically huge

go about companies, but i think there are many chances among small and medium companies. in japan and the u.s., and of course other parts of the world including china. although there are other challenges with regard to the small and medium companies actually increasing the foreign investments are trade, one is the matching issue. matching with partners in the other country and also bacci with the place that you want to invest in. so again, in this respect there

are a lot of things that government including local governments can do and now innovation is coming from the small and medium startups. so this is i think a thing that we should be pursuing going forward. >> so if a state proposed one of these economic field trips where they hop on a plane and come over and the governor is there and maybe the staff is usually representatives from the biggest companies in the state. you'd be very enthusiastic about the same kind of trade with middle size companies. specifically devoted to mental size companies in middle size -- that be something you be interested in entertaining for many of the states represented here. that's great.

that sounds terrific. to to give us a comment? >> well with today's discussion there are some points for industries to the united states. in my case, i like to present one point, the associate's main target may concern among japanese companies for example a corporation is an air conditioner manufacturer in the world. and they emerge in 2012. at that time the leadership came

[inaudible] this should be the most beautifully constructed along the japan sea. so in that sense, for japanese company to bring up the new main target and main concern. so please remember about that. united states has a great education system and great people here, but we have to bring up global resources. >> i think the quality of this conversation in the engagement that you have shown as an example of how much can be demonstrated in a very short time when people getting

together to share best practices about development, the kinds of fun we can have together from different cultures as well as using the various talents we have to create a much more powerful economic entity. his competition but is a a kind of competition where everyone wins. i think we should continue this conversation somehow. let's talk afterwards, i love these kinds of conversations. they make great radio shows, but that's just my selfish interests. i want to thank the governors here from japan, thank thank you so much for coming. [applause]. it is a gesture of respect and we really are thrilled by that. i know the governors would agree. dennis, thank you, peter, thanks

you and i guess the box of sea cucumbers is in the mail? >> on john hockenberry, thank you so much. [applause]. [inaudible] know no one know no one. [inaudible] [inaudible]

>> the remarks are live at 2:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. c-span's washington journal, live every day with news and policy issues that impact you. coming up on saturday morning, washington post reporter will join us to discuss the start of the republican national convention in donald trump's vice president and picked. we'll talk about the efforts by delegates to separate themselves from voting for mr. trump. craig coleman, government avails lobbyists for public citizen will talk about how the political party conventions are funded and the role and influence that -- watched live at 7:00 a.m. eastern on saturday morning. join the discussion.

>> we are outside the quicken loans arena and this is the facility where the 2016 republican national convention is going to take place. were standing on level iv of the quicken arena. were in one of the suites. normally hospitality suite which is being converted for broadcast purposes for c-span . . .

with steps in the front of those steps were put in and the podium that we call the stage was lowered somewhat to give more feeling of openness, a lot like a 10-foot high battleship approach where you look down and that is enjoying. we have steps and never designed since then. this secular design was brought to us by executive reducer and his company and the designer joe stewart of los angeles and

another designer from new york. they have done this for us before and are expert at it. you can see it has large screens and it has lighted steps than what we are seeing today, the tremendous ways we can vary the look of this with lights, not just on the steps that everything. the lights can change to many colors throughout the stage. people enter from one side and give their speech and they will exit from the other side. a house band will keep the flavor and in there could be other entertainment. we mentioned a lighting grid and other things that hang. i think the lighting is 140,000 pounds which reminds me when we went into the houston astros in 1992 and was built very rapidly. there were no records to show

what the ceiling would hold in the most they had ever hung was 40 or 50,000 pounds and we were going to hang at least 125,000 pounds a week had to do all these major studies to see if it would hold our weight and we did. it was also an acoustical disaster for convention type thing because it wasn't built for the spoken word at the lower level. there was an echo in there. if you said something loudly at that code throughout the place in some capacity for 17 seconds. the sound to go in some of the crevices and come out like an echo chamber louder than when it went would end so we had to deal with that too. that brings us to the fact that these sports arenas are more modern and as we had some acoustical improvements to make here for our particular sound at the floor level but i think this

is their fifth straight convention in a sports arena this size. prior to that we were into dog stadium the superdome in new orleans and 88 and the astrodome in houston in 1992 but for now this has become the standard of what you see. we are and what is known as media wrote in media road is an extension of variation in what traditionally has been known as radio talkshow loan and this summer the safety of our communication directors who very and enhance it and make it more than radio talk shows and it will have broadcast and the digital media of the new angle that this is the digital age and that all been here that will be defined spaces in different variations and we have quite a scenic design to spruce the place up. you can see a few of the initial panels and they started on the scenic design today, the very

beginning of that. you it will be a very popular hub of activity during the convention. interviews going constantly all the time. it's a good place to come by and see and be involved in.

>> today the house oversight committee looked at the urban area security initiative a federal program that awards grants to cities for their counterterrorism efforts. a fema official testified about the program. members also heard from orlando's police chief and he share fall orange county florida or testimony that law enforcement's response to last month's attack on the pulse nightclub. this is 90 minutes. >> good morning. i would like two of them everyone this morning to the committee on oversight and government reform. this morning we are actually conducting a joint hearing with the subcommittees on

transportation public assets and also the national security subcommittee. the title of the hearing this morning is and subject is addressing the oversight and the urban area suburban grant. we can't start this hearing without just may be a moment of silence to remember the 49 individuals who were killed in orlando and as we all saw last night these are great allies that the french lost, 84 people so we will h. just a minute and pause and remember. thank you.

it's quite fitting that we do meet today to discuss one of the government programs that tries to deal with the terrorist threat. i like to thank our witnesses for being with us and the members attending this morning. first i want to say that the subcommittee on transportation public assets in the subcommittee on national security will order without objection and the chair does state at this point that he is authorized to declare recess at any time in this hearing. he ordered as this will be as follows. we will have opening statements from the members that are here and then we will have our witnesses. the witnesses will be sworn in each of them will testify and after we have those introductions and testimony and we will go to questions and wait

on having questioning until we have heard from all of the witnesses. so with that i want to welcome everyone particularly our witnesses and i will start with my opening statement. again we come together to look at a federal program that is designed to help our local and state governments deal with the terrorist threat that our nation and the world is facing right now. this is a program which is urban security initiative. it was established after 9/11 to aid our state and local governments and particularly our first responders with giving them federal assistance because they are our first line of

defense and terrorism and providing federal grants. over the last few years we have given on average a billion dollars a year of these grants to state and local governments. unfortunately i had the experience of working with some of my local governments in orlando and my district 3 years ago was changed to represent more of the urban core of orlando. at that time got a chance to hear from the sheriff of orange county and also the police chief who are two of our witnesses today. they told me there was something wrong with the assessment under this program that is conducted by dhs and fema and they told me that our central florida area,

the risk assessment changed and in fact lowered and it was lowered so much that in fact they were denied federal assistance under the program that was designed to give them additional resources to deal with the terrorism threat. so unfortunately the federal government failed. we won't get into other failures of the federal government we have heard about by federal law enforcement and other agencies but today we are going to focus on the issue of the dramatic failure of missing the target in orlando florida in that particular instance and then this is a just a criticism of that. the particular failure but an effort to find out how we can make our communities safer and make this program work better and how we can get the resources

to those who are on the first line of defense and do that in an orderly and more effective than targeted fashion. unfortunately again working with this issue even before the horrible events that took place in orlando with sheriff demings and chief mina we wrote and appealed the decisions by fema and dhs saying that orlando had a significant security terrorist risk threat. each time we were denied i had to put up on the screen my comments on january 27 of this year and the next to last sentence i wrote to secretary johnson and i said if central

florida became a target it would be a national disaster. those were my words to the secretary back then. since the dhs and also fema would not change their assessment we moved forward even before the horrible pulse massacre we began changing legislative language. i would like to submit for the record also language that we have included and the dhs appropriations bill and that is legislative and report language to make changes in this program so the data and information and assessment prior to it becoming effective. without objection we will put that in the record.

since again the horrible events in orlando, our committee and subcommittees have conducted an investigation. let me just go over it refudiate include with some of our findings. some of this is astounding. of the money since 2011, almost half of the urban area security initiative funds, almost half of these funds are unexpended. we have the slide here that shows $1.1 billion of the 2.80 yen dollars in awards and 40% remain unexpended. it's stunning that while orlando got no money the last two years there are expanded funds, now

listen to this from boston 2011, $591,000. in new york city, $11.5 million since 2012 sitting idle. los angeles sitting idle almost $19 million since 2014, $68 million sitting idle. tampa which was one of the recipients and miami are the two that received awards in florida, tampa had $170,000 left over and about 2014 so we are going to need to look at how we get this money distributed particularly when we have the terrorist threat that we have today. this grant program has awarded $8.2 billion since 2003.

also we found our investigation and review 2012 was the most recent and we found expenditures that were justified in this program. michigan bought 13 snowcone machines. ohio, and ohio we saw funds from the award given to support a five day spot junket featuring actors on the apocalypse. these are just a couple of examples that they found of wasteful spending in the program. so we are in fact asking today and i will ask with chairman chaffetz to ask for a letter we will submit later in the record for review by the inspector general of three areas looking

at the assessment area, looking at unexpended funds and thirdly at wasteful spending. we need an update and we need that now. so, again we know that orlando had received money for four and was denied money for the last two years. we do know that orlando and central florida used body art equipment training readiness exercise and medication systems and other things that probably could have helped. would it have stopped this terrorist attack? we don't know that but again it's our job to make sure that these federal resources are used in a proper manner. those are some of the things that we found. we have tried to warn fema and tried to correct this before this took place and that didn't happen.

with the threat that we face in our community and across the nation as we see we are all vulnerable. we have got to do a better job. i thank you again as witnesses for coming today. let me yield to mr. lunch hour franqui member. >> thank you mr. chairman and chairman desantis and to our witnesses sheriff demings thank you so much chief mina thanks for coming up from florida we appreciate it and mr. sub five and mr. kamole. is that the correct pronunciation? >> it is. >> thanks for being here. mr. chairman at the outset i want to join you in my thoughts and prayers for the people of nice friends that victims and loved ones and all those affected by the horrific terror attacks did this is the third major terrorist attack in france in the past 19 months.

it was confirmed that the victims include two american citizens. they are sean copeland and his 11-year-old son, brodie. they are from the austin texas area and our thoughts and prayers go out to the copeland family. mr. chairman again i think this hearing is especially important in the wake of the horrific attacks in orlando and we continue to grieve and to pray for the victims families in orlando as well. i would like to thank both committees for participating in this hearing and i do want to say sheriff demings and chief mina it has been widely communicated that your director activities and your loyal dedicated service have been a

blessing before and after enduring the attacks in orlando and i think that experience makes you especially valuable in terms of your prospective on how we might more effectively allocate the resources, substantial resources that we have out there especially with these urban area grants. the urban areas initiative known as -- as one of the three programs that make up the federal management agency homeland security grant program and they collectively find federal to states and the chaldees to prevent and respond to attacks of emergency. i think we were helped ironically because the attacks during the marathon and the realization of vulnerability in

the threat assessment in that area gave us leverage. we were not always recognized as an area that needed responding and there are several cities that because of the factors that are applied in these allocations there are cities across the country san antonio i know texas has been dropped from the list. there's got to be a better way for us to recognize in this threat analysis of places like orlando and central florida receive the funding that they need. the purpose of the urban area security grants to assist cities and their anti-terrorism preparedness and response efforts in particular program provides financial assistance to address the planning activities organizational resources equipment training and exercise

needs of the high threat high density urban areas. that's right from the statute that has representatives from the commission of massachusetts including boston and 21 other towns like until you've nearly 18 million the boston area received an urban area initiative funding in 2013 proved critical in the midst of the aftermath of the devastating boston marathon bombings in april 2013 as reported by the federal emerge the management in their testimony before the u.s. senate on lessons learned the funding help to secure retraction bomb robots x-ray equipment and ballistic helmets and vests used during the event. program grant funds helped provide radio systems to increase information sharing between law enforcement fire

service and emergency medical services. this funding supported the boston regional intelligence centers or bombing related analysis and provided cameras used for investigation. over the boston area directed urban area security initiative funds to train s.w.a.t. teams which was critical and our ability to integrate bomb tactical operations was demonstrated following the marathon bombings according to fema. given the importance of initiative grants to the anti-terrorism preparedness response efforts in our cities it is imperative that we conduct meaningful oversight of the program to ensure that no city is justifiably denied assistance. it is my understanding while the orlando area study steadily

indicated the orlando area was to receive nearly $45 million in the u.s. ai funding from 2,042,012 the various did not qualify for assistance in 2013, 15 and 16. the presence of a major densely settled population, a lot of people, a lot of tourist activity in orlando the absence of an urban area security initiative assistance grants certainly bear its re-examination. i would note the primary reason behind orlando's loss of funding has imposed additional guidance and restrictions when it comes to determinations made by the department of homeland security to distribute urban area grants

and three the last five appropriations cycles congress added important language to the department of homeland security appropriations bill that required the agency to place greater weight on certain risks involve abilities of criteria are credibly these rushed actions have resulted in the loss of funding for several cities including orlando. otherwise in highland haile pathway metro cities. these cities have lost security funding over the past so hopefully we will be able to through the re-examination of what happened in orlando we might deal to help those localities as well. mr. chairman look forward to discussing with the witnesses what steps we can take to strengthen the urban area security's training program and i thank you for the time. i yield back. >> thank you mr. lynch. as the ranking member of the

national security subcommittee in particular i want to thank congressman desantis two chairs the subcommittee on national security for their cooperative efforts on this hearing and them on this matter. let me now recognize the chairman of the national security subcommittee my colleague from florida mr. desantis. >> thank you mr. chairman and thank you for spearheading this hearing and raising the alarm about the need to protect central florida. terrorism is on the march. last month's attack in atlanta was the deadliest attack in the united states since its september 11, 2001 and last night terrors mowed down more than 80 people in nice france by running them over with a truck. her homeland security efforts must adapt to this growing threat, threat posed by what is global jihad. as chairman micah mentioned despite numerous appeals from orlando officials and chairman micah himself the department

upon the security and federal emergency management agency denied urban area security initiative funding to orlando for the last two years and has allocated only 1 million last for years. fema's reasoning were tears run likely to attack land of the fema was on the department of homeland security and the federal management agency must allocate funding a way that recognizes recent terrorist trends specifically fema must change his risk ranking methodology and was to the appeals of cities that are closest to the threat. they are on the ground in their the first responders and they know what the risk is. people pour into central florida every year the greater orlando area contains a number of so-called soft targets such as amusement parks which sees large numbers of people congregate in areas. it allows them to inflict a large amount of damage in a relatively short period of time. in the orlando area the risk was the government's methodology to

reflect this fact. i agree with law enforcement personnel from central florida including sheriff hemings as a relative risk for orlando should include fallujah and brevard county. a cohesive strategy includes lake county sending systems to the polls might bubble better protect communities in central florida and the funding should recognize this. look forward to hearing from sheriff deming's and chief mina on their appeal to the federal government how funding can help orlando. these are very trying times for law enforcement appreciate sheriff demings and chief mina testifying today and i yield back the balance of my time. >> thank you mr. chairman and appreciate national security subcommittee cooperating on this hearing. we will hold the record open for five legislative days for any member who would like to submit a written statement for this

hearing. i would now like to recognize and introduce their witnesses. i'm pleased to welcome from central florida sheriff jerry demings of orange county, florida. he heads are sheriff's office. he is also distinguished by just being named the president of the florida sheriffs association. welcome sheriff demings and then we have chief john mina. john mina is probably known across the country with sheriff demings and chief mina for what they have been through, just unbelievable nightmare in our community and he leads that force with distinction in the city of orlando police chief. we have walter purdy who was present at the terrorism research center, welcome and

then we have mr. brian kamole at the federal emergency management agency. gentlemen, this is an investigation to the oversight committee of congress. we do require that all of our witnesses be sworn in. if you would please stand by what minister the oath. raise your right hand. do you solemnly swear the testimony you're about to give in a subcommittee of congress is the whole truth and nothing but the truth? let the record reflect that although witnesses answered in the affirmative. thank you. some of you are new to the congressional hearing process. we tried to get you to submit anything you would like for the record like the statement documentation. we like to have you summarized it in five minutes and your key

points and then we can get two questions. with that we will first turn to our federal witness mr. kamole and fema again, a quarter of this investigation review of mr. desantis and mr. lynch oversee the national securities subcommittee and they oversee dhs but in this program this urban area terrorism risk assessment, fema actually conducts the assessment and in fact will put in the record reference to their response after central florida was denied back in january and malt couple times their response on behalf of dhs. up with that introduction let me welcome mr. kamole.

represented from fema to testify. back thank you chairman mica and members of the committee. i am brian kamole administrator for grant programs that grant programs at the map and to have the secretary jeh johnson administrator jeff fugate thank you for the opportunities to discuss dhs since game is ever too assessed our local and state partners. the recent shootings in dallas and orlando and last night's tragedy and nice france are reminders of how important it is far nation to be ready to respond to all types of hazards including man-made threats. our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of these tragic events as well as with the law enforcement officers risk their lives every day to protect our communities including sheriff demings, chief mina and their officers. today about once a month payments the most program to provide resources to prevent

these events and to plant equip and train should they occur. i will also discuss how we have supported orlando through these programs before and after the shooting that the pulse nightclub on june 12. thanks to your support since 2002 congress the department of fine security has awarded more than $47 million in preparedness funding to state and local governments and a broad array of homeland security partners. in fiscal year 2016 more than one billion dollars was awarded to our partners at the homeland security grant program to build a more secure and resilient nation. it includes the programs the state, security program, the security issued if you watch the end these don't garden program. the state. the state homeland cicada grant program provides board in $2 million to support security.

florida received more than $1.3 million to the operations stonegarden program to enhance the security of the nation's borders. each year dhs prayer ties as usaid funds by conducting a risk assessment of the 100 most populist metropolitans this is a layer is required by the homeland security act. the annual assessment is based on three key factors for each urban area relative threat of vulnerability and consequences from acts of terrorism. threat scores are derived from utilities data compiled by the dhs office of intelligence and analysis. this information could stay to many acts of terrorism disrupted plots credible threats and known or suspected terrorist presence in each urban area. vulnerability scores take into consideration any of the structure that is a potentially high value target for terrorists as well as border crossings. finally comes up and score spectra in urban areas

population economics national and for structure and national security. the results of the risk assessment putting the scores and relative ranking informed the secretary's eligible urban areas and funding allocations better greater than the received more than 44 $.5 million in total uasi funding from fiscal year 2003 to 2012. in 2013 congress for the first time directed dhs to limit the number of tourist agents funded and the program to 25 in order to focus resources in the highest risk group in areas. orlando had a relative risk rank of 30 that year and as a result of not receive funding. in 2014 congress lifted the restrictions on the urban areas that dhs has in the program today today or secretary johnson exercised his discretion and funded 39 areas including orlando which is ranked 33rd and received $1 million in

annual dhs appropriations act for fiscal year 2,152,016 congress again directed dhs to restrict funding for the urban areas that represent up to 85% of the nationwide risk of terrorism. secretary followed the church and designated 28 urban areas eligible for uasi funding in 2015 and 29 areas in 2016. orlando fell outside the funded recent -- region oath of those years. orlando can receive funding supported through the homeland security program. funds awarded to florida in the city of orlando in previous years demonstrated their value during the attack. for example an armored vehicle in the on detention response effort were both purchases through these program. following the attack i immediately prove to request from the ford division of them

american management to reallocate two and $53,000 in unspent h. is tp'd funds for overtime expenditures. also thanks to congressional action p8 just not as funding mechanism to support jurisdictions in their counterterrorism efforts. for this fiscal year congress appropriated $49 million for the complex coordinate a terrorist attack and countering extremism grant programs programs for it supports another theme is a conference of emergency management training for first responders that include counterterrorism courses. cordish with the national counterterrorism center and the fbi we develop the joint counterterrorism awareness workshop series per participant works to identify planning ghassan mitigation strategies. in 2014 orlando posted this workshop with nearly three new participants.

since 2011 famous train 700,000 personnel including many former orlando to respond to active shooter situations. fema center to support shared demings, chief mina in the nation's first responders in these programs written grateful for the opportunity to appear before you today and i'm happy to respond to any questions as subcommittee will have. >> thank thank you and we will get to questions that we have heard from eyewitnesses. but they recognize and welcome share of demings of orange county. sheriff you are recognized. >> i'm not sure if your mic is on. >> good morning chairman mica and chairman desantis and members of the committee. indeed an honor probe to provide testimony today. let me begin by saying that i wish we didn't have to provide testimony because there is no risk of a terror attack in orlando.

let me let you know that is one of the case. i will address adjust the value of projects funded in previous years by the urban areas through the grant program. dhs and fema efforts to reassess their land of kissimmee sanford florida nsa and the need to spread -- secure the region from another terror attack like the pulse nightclub incident. the central florida region has been fortunate to receive approximately five.5 million in funding since 2004 through the orange county sheriff's office which has managed those funds. the funding received prior to 2013 was critical to our region's ability to prevent protect and respond to and recover from not only terrorism but a broad range of other threats and hazards. we are only as good but at

preventing a terror attack is the quality of information that we receive about that attack. one that we have is the central florida intelligence exchange fusion center. the fusion center is a center that operates in central florida and orlando. it is located just outside of the airport. serves as a central repository of databases that are currently being used by the florida department of law enforcement and other criminal state and local law enforcement agencies. in addition to its counterterrorism focus his/her citizen all hazards fusion center assisting in the mitigation and assistance needed to recover from hazards such as hurricanes and other natural disasters. investigations of crimes that contain indexes to terrorist activity are the homeland security issues. due to a lack of funding some

critical needs have been lost. we have reduced the number of analysts which could afford to provide intelligence information that could prevent a terror attack. examples of success stories include an incident in which they assisted the u.s. marshals in locating federal fugitives in another instance assisted the united states secret service and coast guard in locating a -- who made concerning statements about the present prior to the launch of base pay shuttle endeavor mission. numerous other instances in which they provided information with a nexus for national security. through the national infrastructure protection program we received uasi funding for video surveillance camera project in downtown orlando in the areas of the universe is central florida. chief mina will talk more about that.

due to a loss of funding we have not been able to expand the camera project into areas around our top tourist destinations. on june 12, we experienced the benefits of more than a dozen or so uasi training exercises over the past years but i believe the agencies responding to the incident flawlessly initiated an active shooter response paid for through historical uasi funding. you have a list of training exercises in your mid-serial. we have trained to respond to a terror attack or other disasters. in tact on june 12, proximally 150 of my deputies responded with their land of police department to the polls incident. because of the infrastructure connections in our region it is natural to have the original capability and vulnerability assessment.

presently fema uses the office of management and budget geographical boundaries defined in the federal register when calculating the risk. we believe the boundary should the expanded to include the lavar county area to the east and fallujah county metropolitan to the north. in 2015 we began the process of lobbying the federal government to combine the metropolitan orlando with brevard and fallujah. this was broadly supported by members of congress from central florida as well as other state and local elected officials and numerous letters were written to the fema administrator of grant programs programs. they own programs. beyond the statistician and the omb office of information and regulatory affairs. you have a list and copies the letter in your materials.

i really don't have time this morning to get into the details of the methodology used in assigning risk but we suggest that dhs includes domestic and international visitors in the equation and not just permanent resident populations in the story. one credible attack in central florida to a theme park will be disastrous for our economy. with the recent attacks in orlando, the incident in dallas, san bernardino there's a need in this country to have an overall perhaps increase in u.s. funding or at the very least a redistribution of u.s. funding across the nation. that could increase the top msas with the most risk from the current 85% to perhaps 90% of the msa on the high-risk list of the top 100. congressman mica has been a staunch supporter of many of

these efforts and we appreciate the fact that you invited us to participate today. in 2016 euros and a msa was fourth of the best when the fiscal areas were funded printing closing thank you for allowing me to see and i have to pay to the methodology formula dated to. we have now met in -- which makes us more but target. saying thank you sheriff demings brit let me recognizer land of chief mina now. >> at morning chair and mike and desantis. thank you for inviting me to testify in allowing me to provide an overview of the security challenges we face on a daily basis in central florida. and our use of the urban area security initiative funding on

behalf of the city of orlando. i want to offer some prayers. as the committee is well aware on june 12 orlando health and largest attack. and orlando police officer was on the extra duty at the nightclub and engaged the suspect and within minutes more arriving officers entered the club. within minutes more arriving officers entered in the suspect retreated into the bathroom where you was isolated and holding hostages. the suspect reemerged in the hallway when officers exchanged gunfire with him forcing them to retreat into the bathroom. immediately afterwards the suspect was detained at officers on dance floor began to evacuate the dems out of the club.

that night we were faced with many challenges as a suspect claim to have explosives and they worst she should be placed throughout the night club in putting suicide vest he was going going to place on the victims for help updates with almost certain death for suspect detonated an explosive opposition made the nightclub instead told many the critically injured victims safely transporting them to the hospital in the back of -- after negotiations broke down we were forced to breach the concrete wall using explosives and a bearcat arm wrote vehicle to save the remaining hostages and victims and make contact with the suspect is rescue efforts were underway for suspect emerged from where the holes created by her armored vehicle and engaged s.w.a.t. officers in gunfire through the suspect rampage was ended at that time.

49 innocent victims tragically lost their lives. their land of partners have prepared for these instances since the combine massacre. although i believe we demonstrate great courage and resolve to mitigate this horrible tragedy week can only learn from our actions and make them better. i like to share some of the unique characteristics that make central florida region a target for terrorism. orlando is ranked number four in the top u.s. states for destinations for foreign travelers. six of the top of the attractions of the world the orlando kissimmee area and our uasi region about the resident population is 3.7 million the number grew as exponentially every day civilians and visitors

call orlando home. the central border regions under the uasi and program on an annual basis and the purpose of uasi is to enhance capabilities to prevent respond to and recover from not only terrorism but a broad range of other threats and hazards affecting our entire region. this funding allows us to establish measure -- measurable priorities and consequences by since 2002 in the home security act was signed into law by president george w. bush their president george w. bush there'll and president george w. bush their land to kissimmee sanford msa received grant funds annually from 2004 until 2012. the funding stream tragically change in the past four years starting in 2013 and continuing to 2016. orlando kissimmee sanford area has not ranked high enough in relative risk score to receive u.s. funding even though we are ranked number one on the msa for domestic visitor population in

the consequent section of the formative form there. from 2012 to 2016 hour areas appealed to the relative risk lauren asked the department of homeland security and fema to reassess the data. it in may members origin travel washington d.c. and met with representatives from the department home security and fema regarding that concerning threats to our region and the lack of uasi funding our region has received. these critically needed funds are used to strengthen our preparedness and prevention protection response and recovery. uasi funding we are perceived in the past has assisted encompassing many goals. hazmat training is provided for individuals and recognizer protect asian specials level courses specific with identified require and competencies. they're been training including intelligence bomb training

incident command training fusion center training and radiological training and an operable and mitigation training. do these training exercises we have strengthen our core capabilities within our region. he majority of uasi funds are used to purchase protective equipment within the region. this includes the continuation and buildout of the surveillance system which supports our protection plan. when complete this will will give us access to approximate five weather cameras which can be used from command centers. this will aid response for cover from an act of terrorism or natural disaster that would directly affect the areas critical infrastructure infrastructure and identify venues that are key resources to sustaining the economic eye ability of our region. we also utilize uasi programs to fund regional exercises subsequent aftershock reports and improvement plans.

the last full scale exercise and funded by uasi was a medical search exercise at the orlando international airport which involved multiple hospitals and surrounding six counties in the state of the window. these have assisted us in measuring and gauging the progress of regional collaboration and communications capabilities within the orlando metro area. it is absolute critical that we as a region monitoring keep up with emerging trends improvement in technology. you still lack of funding in the past four years this has caused serious response and mitigation constraints as a whole. from a law enforcement perspective this affects much-needed training for palm teams to have the opportunity to train to purchase equipment data for adequate on response. this was a critical component to the polls nightclub incident. in 2015 where did that by the gap analysis and need to purchase a a tactical robot for s.w.a.t. teams and refurbish one

of the aging regional arm robots. due to lack of funding these projects were not funded. finally within that in the last years we have funding through -- we asked uasi to conduct training for the region. this critical training gives law enforcement or fire service to tactics and skills necessary to stabilize in a typical response active shooter personnel will stage until law enforcement leaders for seeing clear even though law enforcement is confident they have captured killed or detained a suspect. this keeps law enforcement officers and fire department the tactics necessary to enter a semi-secure area which reduce time to render aid to victims and save their lives. without continued training these perishable skills will surely deteriorate britain closing i would like to bring to the attention the committee the paradigms of traditional terror attacks are changing.

in the past critical targets of terror attacks. based on the horrific events we experienced at the orlando polls nightclub and the data -- police officers to give their lives off protecting innocent civilians urged the community. i asked the committee reviewed the risk known as the msa. i would like to personally thank congressman mica for his continued and unwavering support not only from the polls assistance pleasure assistance with the uasi grant program and i would like to thank the committee for allowing me to give my statement today and i look for to any questions. >> we'll hear from our last witness mr. walter purdy. welcome and you recognize. hymn thank you chairman mica,

chairman desantis franqui member lynch and other distinguished members of this committee. thank you for inviting me to testify about this very important issue. the terrorism threat in america's one that is constantly evolving. the wake of the terrorist attacks last night in nice boston charleston chattanooga garland, san bernardino and orlando the last thing we should be doing is reducing the levels of funding for certain cities that need these funds to protect america. it's truly unthinkable at this time that president obama's 2017 budget reduces the level of funding for homeland security initiatives through the urban area security initiative known as uasi as well as other funding mechanisms to protect the home lan. the threat to america from terrorists has not gone away and

is constantly evolving. the director of the fbi james comey has warned that the fbi is investigating the issa suspects in over 50 states with more than 900 active investigations. just this last week on the front page of the washington post adam goldman wrote an article talking about 92 isis individuals here in the united states. even the funding for state and local anti-terrorism training conducted through the department of justice has been reduced and compact. talking to an individual is today they said i'm not sure what we are going to do to help local law and force meant that needs this critical training today get the terrorism threat to america seems to continue to grow. last week secretary of homeland security johnson testified at a senate hearing on funding for homeland security. he said he was constrained by

the budget agreement. he wasn't happy but had to make hard choices. yes we all know budgets restrain people but we have to think about how we are spending those resources and given those communities and cities, counties and regions that need them the tools and resources the resources to do the job to protect american citizens and as you just heard all the tours that visit the orlando area. the terrorism threat to america was reduced to going away i would be the first one to support a reduction in funding both for uasi and the department of homeland security but we all know this threat is not going anywhere. it's actually increasing. today we see homeland where to calais terrace conducting attacks as we saw in san bernardino. we see individuals, 1.2 miles from my residence in fairfax virginia getting locked up last friday.

we see in sterling virginia individuals inspired by isis going and purchasing weapons seeking to attack targets in this particular region. we need to be funding local law enforcement. they are the first responders, both the police and sheriffs department and the offices in orlando -- officers bravely doubled that particular incident yet we are asking the law enforcement communities and first responders firefighters and others to deal with this ever-growing complex challenge as funding levels get cut. the