we appreciate it. [applause] >> we are live this way for student conference on future relations between dear states japan and south korea. sosa by the international student conference and the sasakawa peace foundation. live coverage earphone the national press club on c-span2. looks like they're still getting set up. live coverage when it gets underway. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] and

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]

>> due to relations between the united states, japan and south korea, a number of panels look at different aspects of that issue this morning. the focus of a student conference taking place at the national press club in washington, d.c. it's hosted by the international student conference and the sasakawa peace foundation. live coverage on c-span2. it did snow in washington, d.c. last night so that is likely the cost for the delay in the start of the event. we will have live coverage when he gets underway here on c-span2. while we wait will show you some of the remarks from senate leaders yesterday at the start of the opening session of the 115th congress.

>> as we open the second session of the 115th congress, we are pleased to welcome my colleagues back to the chamber. i'd like to extend a particular welcome to our two new senators who were just sworn in. first, senator doug jones of alabama will have big shoes to fill. his state tests in some very distinctive legislator to washington, including our attorney general jeff sessions. senator jones brings a background of law-enforcement having having served as a federal prosecutor in the northern district of alabama, and we welcome him. we also welcome senator tina smith. for three years she served the state of minnesota as the lieutenant governor. now she will join senator klobuchar in representing them here in the senate. i congratulate both of these senators and look forward to working with them in the months ahead to make bipartisan progress and to find common ground on behalf of the american people. the senate will need to tackle a number of important issues this

year it it's my sincere hope that we can do so in a renewed spirit of collegiality and bipartisanship. i know colleagues on both sides of the aisle share the hope and it's urgent that we make it a reality. congress most reach a spending agreement by january 19 to ensure uninterrupted funding for the federal government. among several key priorities, it is vital our equipment provide sufficient resources of our all volunteer armed forces. under the budget control act america's military has been stretched thin by disproportionate cuts that upon our combat readiness. since fiscal year 2013 defense cuts have outpaced, outpaced domestic spending cuts by $85 billion. i'm going to say that again, mr. president. since fiscal year 2013 defense cuts have outpaced domestic spending cuts by $85 billion. to fix this we need to set aside

the arbitrary notion that new defense spending be matched equally by new nondefense spending. there is no reason why funding for our national security and our service members should be limited by an arbitrary political formula that bears no relationship to actual need. so let's come together across the aisle and construct a funding agreement that gets our men and women in uniform the tools and the training they need. i want, on another matter, over the last week one of the often over the cost is iran's regional aggression is come to light. iranians have taken to the streets in protest, demanding that supreme leader khamenei and president rouhani do more to expand domestic economy. iran's action in yemen, syria and iraq, and its support for proxies such as hezbollah, have diverted resources away from economic reform and investment.

while the government has prioritized payments to the military and security elites at clerical institutions, the people throughout iran have suffered. now their discontent is fully evident. as part of our overall strategy towards iran, which should be focused on ending iran's lines activities cost middle east, we should hold accountable any officials behind the crackdown on these protests. the coming days will be noteworthy as a way to see if hardliners use these protests as an excuse to promote even more aggressive policy towards the west and tighten their grip further on the country and its economy. now, one final matter. yesterday, a very distinguished senator announced his intention to retire at the end of this congress. for more than 40 years senator orrin hatch has served the people of utah in this body. he is not only a president pro tem as we celebrate last year

senator hatch is also the longest-serving republican senator in the history of the united states. during this historic tenure, senator hatch has shared three key committees. he's amassed deep expertise across all matters of policy issues, and is build a truly remarkable resume of accomplishments on behalf of the american people. senator hatch has defend our national security and our religious freedom. he's fought to protect americans with disabilities, and a shepherd fine judges on to our courts. and just last month as senate finance committee chairman, he played an integral role in passing the most significant tax reform law in more than 30 years. senator hatch is called that you will be sorry to see him retire. i will miss his friendship, but i know his wife and his beloved family will be glad to welcome him home. fortunately it's not yet time to

say farewell. the institution and american people will benefit greatly from his wisdom and famous work ethic for one more year before his retirement. and, mr. president, i understand there's a bill at the desk due to a second reading. >> the senator is correct. burke a the clerk will read the type of bill for a second time. >> a bill to provide for the compensation of federal employees affected by lapses in appropriations. >> in order to place the bill on the counter under the provisions i i would object to further proceedings. >> objection having been heard the bill would be placed on the calendar.

>> mr. president? >> the democratic leader. >> thank you, mr. president. first, as would begin the second session of the 115th congress i welcome all of my colleagues back from holiday break, wish them a happy new year, wish our country and wonderful 2018. was also very gratified to see to it the best former vice presidents that we have ever had on the floor today for the ceremonies, and glad to see senators, former senators mondale and biden, former vice presidents mondale and biden as strong, feisty and giving us their opinions as they have ever been. it's also very exciting to welcome two new members of this body who will be joining the democratic caucus, tina smith from minnesota, and doug jones from alabama. in joining this esteemed body both bring a wealth of experience and individual passions. former lieutenant governor tina

smith brings with her several years of experience serving at the highest levels of state government where to focus on economic development and expanding access to rural broadband and affordable healthcare, issues she will continue to fight for here in the senate. in that work governor dayton prestress quote, extremely intelligent, quick to learn, and always open to hearing others' views. she was also dubbed the quote, velvet hammer by the mayor of minneapolis for her ability to work across the aisle but also get tough when she needs to be. those are precisely the kind of qualities that make an effective senator. the people of minnesota are lucky to have senator smith and we look forward to welcoming her in our next caucus. we also look forward to welcoming senator doug jones, the first democrat from the state of alabama in a quarter century. he, , too, represents the very best of public service, the very

best of america. the things we aspire to in this country. one story from his biography stands out. as a second-year law student, doug jones skipped class to attend the trial of the klansmen ringleader of the 1963 bombing of the 16th street baptist street church, an event that shook the conscience of a country and help launch a mighty movement for civil rights. that day a young doug jones was moved by the disposition of justice, but he was left with the impression that other members of the conspiracy had escaped the reach of the law. so 24 years later when doug jones became the u.s. attorney for the state of alabama, he pursue charges against two more clan members involved in the bombing, winning their conviction and delivering a long delayed but righteous justice.

with his work, , justice roll dn like a mighty stream. he will continue to fight for civil rights and many other issues here in the city. i know he cares deeply about the chip program which covers 150,000 young alabamians. i hope we can get that done for his state and his country very soon. doug jones was an excellent candidate. like senator smith, he will make an outstanding senator. she for the state of minnesota, he for the state of alabama. the voices of jones and smith will add to the diversity of energy of our caucus. i predict that both will become influential voices in this historic chamber, and each of their states had great football victories this weekend, i might add. i watched alabama win over clemson. sorry, lindsay, tim. i watched minnesota, my favorite

team outside the three new york teams,, and second in the whole nfc and not gain by as we move to the playoffs pixel is a great day for these two states in a lot of ways this weekend and it's a very good so far 2018 with the swearing in of these two senators. the first half of the 115th congress now, let's talk a talk a little bit about the new direction. that the induction of these two this afternoon be the beginning of a new direction for the senate and the second half of this congress. the first half of the 115th congress was not a year to be proud of. partisan legislation emerged from the majority leaders office and was dropped on the floor of the senate sometimes merely hours before we were asked to vote on its final passage. procedural gimmicks were used to avoid the senate long history of debate and bipartisanship. an economy wracked by unfairness and inequality was made even

more unfair, more unequal by the republican majority which almost delighted in revoking consumer protections, to help big business, installed a pro-corporate supreme court, drove up healthcare premiums, and passed a tax bill dramatically skewed to the benefit of big corporations and the very wealthy. all in all, 2017 was a great, great year for wealthy republican donors, but a loss to the middle class and working men and women of this country. we democrats hope this year is different. focus on the middle class rather than the rich and powerful. focused on helping them in the ways we've done in the last decade, both democratic and republican presidents, rather than this trickle-down which benefits the few at the top, and does not benefit the very many in the middle.

these first few weeks, mr. president, we have a chance to start off on the right foot. we have two weeks to negotiate a budget deal. that also must address a host of other issues including chip, community health centers, disaster aid and, of course, the dreamers. democrats would also like our country to make a down payment on urging, on urgent domestic priorities like combating the opioid epidemic, the score that for the first time helped cause our death rate -- discourage -- life expectancy to decline because of our death rate from opioids. we want to improve veterans health care. they served us. we must serve them. and short of pension plans are millions of hard-working middle-class americans who put money in every month, and because of the stock market crash and sometimes corporate misdeeds, are not getting what they put in for. these items are crucial to the

middle class. take opioids, for example, 2016 a record 63,000 -- this is so sad -- 63,000 americans died of drug overdoses. two-thirds or more were opioid related. it's a full-fledged epidemic that strikes the rich, the middle class and the poor alike. it strikes urban america, suburban america and wrote america alike. i've had a father cry in my office because his son had decided to turn himself around and signed up for a treatment program, but the line was so long because the funding is so scarce that the young man died of an overdose before he could enter treatment. the opioid crisis is stealing our youth peer we've known about it for years. it's not new. it's heartbreaking about how much we know about it and how little we have done about it. the american people sent us here to do the nation's business, and that needs addressing its

greatest challenges pixel at to make a real investment in this budget deal in how we treat this scorch. that's the budget deal, but it is the right place to start. a few years ago we made a promise to hundreds of children's, hundreds of thousands of children who were brought to the u.s. to no fault of their own that if the registered with the government we wouldn't deport them. we said we want you to be americans here lord and our schools, , work at her companies can serve in our military. 800,000 dreamers came forward and did that because above all else, they wanted to be americans. they don't know another country. now we are faced with the deadline. in a few much protections for dreamers will evaporate. thousands are losing protective status a week. it's time congress passed daca protections into law and fixes once and for all.

democrats including myself led by our great senator from illinois, a member of our leadership team, senator durbin, have said over and over again we are ready to negotiate. a reasonable package of border security pass alongside daca. we believe in border security. we want to make it work. we want to make it real, not just symbolic but we believe in it. if a republican colleagues and the president engage in good faith and that negotiation, without unreasonable demands like an absurdly expensive, ineffective border wall, that publicly many republicans oppose and privately many more do, i don't doubt we can reach an agreement on daca that's acceptable to both sides. and i'd like to thank our senate pro tem, acting senate pro tem for his active involvement in this regard as well. in contrast to a year chaos and ineffectiveness, a year in which

little was accomplished and what was done was done for the wealthy at the narrow special interests, i hope this year can be one of bipartisanship focus on improving the stock of the middle class. they are the 130 in america. they are the ones who need help. they are the one to worry about the future of this grand, wonderful country. we can start on the budget with opioids, veterans health care and pensions. with childress health insurance and disaster aid and we can resolve the fate of the dreamers and say to these hard-working kids that america has a place for them, too. later today the four congressional leaders will meet with budget director mick mulvaney of the representatives of the white house to begin these negotiations in earnest. i hope and will work for their success. finally, a word on national security, mr. president. the senate has a role in conducting the nation's foreign-policy but as head of

state the president of the united states represents our country to the world. that is a a very serious, a vey sober responsibility. it requires restraint, intelligence, sound judgment and a respect for the moral authority that comes with the awesome responsibility of being the world's sole remaining superpower. over the course of the past year, president trump, unfortunately, has squandered and squandered moral authority that comes with the presidency of the united states. a moral authority that this country has taken generations to build, that helps us bring a light to the world, , and helpss economically in every other way as the world has always looked up to america and our ideals. but, unfortunately, that moral authority is declining under president trump's leadership and declining rapidly. it may have reached the low point yesterday when president trump in tweet after tweet after

tweet offered a very poor representation of the united states to the world. more than that, president trump's foreign-policy by tweet is doing serious damage to the country. where we have serious issues to address a broad, president trump seems happy with macho boasts and belligerent threats that get us nowhere. if anyone of us were in a classroom with someone who behaved like president trump had, we would ostracize them, straighten them out. we don't hear a piece from the vast majority of our republican colleagues about this, so many of whom are hawks. we have serious issues to address a broad here president trump's foreign-policy by tweet when not advance our standing in the world. it will not reassure our allies or other nations that it's better to work with us than against us. what it will do, what it's

already done, unfortunately, is unsettle our allies and a bold our adversaries. what it will do is seed leadership in the world to china, which is eagerly awaiting for every opportunity to drive a wedge between our country and other countries around the world. world. without a steady and reliable hand at the helm, allies may be uncertain that they can continue to trust the united states to honor our commitments and maintain a steady course. china and russia are rushing to fill the void left by an unsteady united states. president xi of china aspire to the position of being the world leader in his new year's speech where he said that china, not the united states, with the quote the keeper of the international order in 2018.

it president trump continues snubbing our allies, recklessly threatening other nations, and show leadership on the world's stage particularly be described as pure eye, the world may look to beijing, not washington for international leadership. and again i repeat where are our friends, republican hawks who have been so concerned about america's leadership in the world who decry the fact that president obama had not done enough for that leadership? my dear friends, if you were here, senator john mccain with typically stand up and speak about this. and hopefully he will be back soon to do so. but for the rest of my republican friends i would say this insincerity and not with partisanship but that of love of the country at the leadership we have shown for decades and decades, they should please our republican friends, tell the president, stop tweeting, start

leading. we are almost through through r year of the trump presidency peer president trump can no longer given the benefit of the doubt that comes with learning one of the toughest jobs in the world. my republican colleagues should not be given a pass by the republican, by the american people if they fail to speak out and take action against this behavior. i have to say it, i feel it sincerely, complicity in the degradation of the presidency and the power of this country. the american people expect our president to represent the united states with dignity and strength. that's not what we saw yesterday. it's time that we all start speaking out against it. i yield the floor. [inaudible conversations]

[inaudible conversations] >> we are live from the national press club this morning for a look at future relations between the united states, japan and south korea. student conference gathering this morning to discuss it. it's all posts the international student conference and the sasakawa peace foundation. live coverage here on c-span2. a little bit of a delayed start due to the weather making its way from the sale of the way up the east coast. we will have this conference when he gets underway live here in c-span2 get we should also let you know that at 11 were going to break away from the conference to bring you live coverage of the u.s. senate. today will be the second day of the second session of the 115th congress. no votes are expected in the senate today due to the weather but the pending business is the nomination of walter of texas be

used as a judge for the western district of texas. >> if i could ask everyone to please start into the seats, we will be getting the program momentarily. thank you. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]