sure that this country continues to be a great place to invest in. i believe in this country, i believe in our workers, i believe in our competitiveness and the president's budget supports it. >> so do i, so does everyone in here. the rhetoric -- i wish your budget matched the rhetoric you put forward. but i do appreciate you being here because you've got a tough job. >> budget week in washington. the comments of the acting office of management and budget director jeffrey zients, questions from congressman mike sim soon, republican from idaho. a fellow westerner, alan simpson, no relation, from wyoming, joining us friday morning. he of course is the former co-chair of the simpson bowles commission which looked at trying to rein in the federal debt and deficit. he'll be with to us take your calls and comments. friday morning, the washington journal, heard every day at 7:00 a.m. eastern time on c-span radio. we're asking the question, is washington paying enough attention to the year to year-deficit and the overall debt now approaching close to

$16 trillion. give us a call here at c-span radio. it's our listener feedback line. here's the number. 202-626-7962. we ask that you leave a message, tell us where you're calling from, we'll use some of your comments tomorrow and friday on "washington today." 202-626-7962. >> more "washington today" in just a minute. first, other news. on wall street the dow fell 97. nasdaq down 16. s&p down 7. federal officials plan to kill a private company's plans to start a national high-speed wireless broadband network after concluding it would in some places jam personal navigation and other gps devices. the federal communications commission said it's going to seek public comment on revoking light squared's permit after a federal agency that coordinates wireless signals, the national telecommunications information administration, concluded there's no way to mitigate

potential interference. a state department official says iran and russia are providing weapons to syria that could be used against anti-government protesters. the state department's assistant secretary for international security and nonproliferation, thomas countryman, told reporters today iranian weapons shipments are a matter of deep concern for the administration. he declined to provide specifics but the type of weapons provided to syria by either iran or russian. bashar al assad ordered a referendum on the new constitution that would allow political parties other than his ruling baath party. the super piece of reforms he has promised to ease the crisis, even as the syrian military continued besieging rebellious areas in that country. in politics, wisconsin governor scott walker facing a recall orchestrated by democrats for his attempted curb union rights has given president obama a friendly tarmac welcome in

milwaukee. after air force one landed and the president deplaned the governor presented him with a milwaukee brewers jersey that bore the number 1 and the president's name. this greeting was drawing some attention given the fact that there has been some democratic antipathy toward walker and that tense exchange the president had last month in arizona with governor jan brewer. in a recent fund-raising letter walker said 75ing a recall election would deliver "a devastating blow" to the president's re-election. but governor walker did cancel a planned appearance with the president at a milwaukee factory, the master lock factory. a spokens man for the governor saying that governor walker is still recovering from a nasty case of the flu. in new jersey, governor chris christie is defending his decision to have flags lowered to half staff on saturday for the late singer whitney houston. some criticism partly related to her history of substance abuse.

governor christie says he rejects the idea that whitney houston, a new jersey native, forfeited the good things that she did in her life because of that substance abuse. back in a minute with more "washington today." on "q and a" this weekend, charles evans jr. and victor denoble. evans is the producer and director of a documentary which features former philip morris research scientist victor demobile. the film chronicles denoble's unexpected discovery of an ingredient in tobacco, when coupled with nicotine, makes cigarettes more addictive. they'll talk about the company's efforts to keep the information private. charles evans jr. and victor denoble on "q and a" this weekend here on c-span radio. we welcome you back to "washington today" here on c-span radio. kathleen sebelius testifying on behalf of the president and his budget plan for 2013.

taking questions from among others senator orrin hatch, a republican from utah, member of the senate finance committee, and of course a lot of attention on last friday's announcement of a modification which allows religiously affiliated employers to shift contraceptive costs to insurance companies, part of the compromise or accommodation as the white house put it but still getting sharp questions from members of congress. senator hatch, who is up for re-election this year, posing questions to hhs secretary kathleen sebelius. >> in his statement on friday addressing the supposed compromise on this mandate, president obama said, quote, from the very beginning of this process i spoke directly to various catholic officials, unquote. now prior to friday, february 10th, did you consult with any individual catholic bishop or the u.s. conference of catholic bishops approximate this so-called compromise? >> i did not speak to the catholic bishops. >> okay. that's all i want to know. to your knowledge, prior to february 10th, did anyone in the

administration consult with any individual catholic bishop or the usccb about that so-called compromise, to your knowledge? >> i know that the president has spoken to the bishops on several occasions, yes. >> was it about that so-called compromise? >> i -- >> you don't know, okay. >> i don't know. >> are you aware of any consultation prior to friday, february 10th, by anyone in the administration, the president's re-election campaign or the democratic national committee, with any person affiliated with planned patternhood, naral, or aclu about the so-called compromise? >> again, senator, i know numerous conversations about had with religious leaders, with employers, with insurers, with -- >> with these groups as well? >> pardon me? >> with these groups as well? >> i assume some of those groups were talked to, i really have no idea when you ask if anybody in the acceleration talked to anyone, i -- >> okay. i wrote you last july that your proposed kretschmann date would be "an affront to the natural

rights to life, religious liberty, and personal conscience." i know for the record that your response to my letter completely ignored this issue. last october, 27 senators joined me in writing you again, asking for any analysis requested or obtained by hhs regarding these religious liberty issues. the response from your department completely ignored our request. there were 27 of us who asked for it. the president's chief of staff and press secretary have since claimed this mandate is consistent with the first amendment and the final ruling issued last friday states that it is consistent with the first amendment and the religious freedom restoration act which is the bill that i brought to congress. let me ask you again, did hhs conduct a or request any analysis of the constitutional or statutory religious freedom -- or the statutory religious freedom issues? >> senator, i think -- >> if you know. >> -- what you heard was the president talk about two important principles. the availability of

preventive -- >> no, my question was -- >> women and religious freedom -- >> my question is a simple question. did you or anybody at hhs conduct or request any analysis of the constitutional or statutory religious freedom issues? that's a simple question. >> we certainly had our legal department look at a whole host of legal issues -- >> did you ask the justice department? >> i did not, no, sir. >> that's all i want to get. my type is up. >> just part of the exchange earlier with senator orrin hatch, republican of utah, member of the finance committee, ask hhs secretary kathleen sebelius who also today announced the affordable care account provided approximately 54 million americans with at least one new free preventative service this past year through private health insurance plans, an estimated 32.5 million people with medicare received at least one free preventative benefit in 2011 since the health care bill

was enacted into law last year. read more by logging on to marketwatch.com which posted the story. this is "washington today" on c-span radio. news today about a change at the world bank. some speculating hillary clinton would be interested in the position. robe robert zell leg announcing he is stepping down. is hillary clinton interested in going to the world bank in the drudge report posting a story saying she is interested. this announcement from the state department. >> i was hoping you could give an updated answer to a question you've been asked about of and that is whether secretary clinton has any interest in the position of world bank president. >> the secretary has addressed this issue many times since last year. she has said this is not happening. her view has not changed. >> and can you say with certainty whether any discussions have taken place between secretary clinton and

the white house, specifically president obama, about this position over the course of the past year? >> i can't speak to that but i think the secretary's been very clear about her view with regard to this and that hasn't changed. >> have you checked with her today? >> i have. >> and that has not changed, what she said back in -- last july in zambia is still operative? >> correct. >> okay. >> the comments of victoria nuland, a lot 6 rumors in washington today that hillary clinton was interested in stepping down to take over as the new head of the world bank this summer. but as you heard from the state department spokesperson, that is not the case. well, let's go back to the story that we talked about last month and the headline from the "new york times" is the tensions rise between the u.s. and egypt. the egyptian government barring the exit of six americans, one of whom is the son of ray lahood, sam lahood. he is the director of a nonprofit, nongovernment agency that is working in egypt.

as a way to remind you what the "new york times" wrote about on january the 28th, building tensions between the u.s. and egypt flashed in the open when cairo confirmed that it had barred at least a half dozen americans from leaving the country and the obama administration threatening explicitly to withhold annual aid to the egyptian military. ray lahood, who was on capitol hill discussing the transportation department budget, was asked about all this and the status of his son, sam. questions from senator conrad of north dakota and jeff sessions of alabama. >> i want to welcome everyone to the senate budget committee this morning. our hearing today will focus on the president's transportation budget requests. our witness is the secretary of transportation, ray lahood. this is secretary lahood's third appearance before the budget committee. we're delighted that he could be with us this morning. before we begin, mr. secretary, i want to note my thoughts are with your son sam lahood.

most of us i think know that sam is one of the 16 american nongovernmental organization workers currently banned from leaving egypt. sam is with the international republican institute. one of my constituents, stacy hogg from fargo, is all also among those barred from leaving. both the i. a ira, iri and mdi were created by congress to foster and strengthen democratic institutions around the world. the fact that egypt has taken this action is beyond the pale. it is completely unacceptable. these young people are doing important work. work that is supported directly by the congress of the united states to support constitutional

governments, to support democracy. there could be no higher calling. and for the egyptian government, egyptian authorities, to trump up these really farcical charges -- i was on the phone with stacy the day before yesterday, just after they received the formal charges. as she read them to me. they are farcical. i don't know any better way to put it. so i just wanted to say to you, mr. secretary, i've reached out to the egyptian ambassador to express my concern about these absurd charges. i urge the egyptian leaders to drop them against stacy, against sam, and all of their colleagues. we will be taking additional steps in the days ahead to register our very serious concern about these actions that are absolutely outside the

boundaries of the relationships between countries that respect each other. so i wanted to begin that way. now i want to turn my attention -- >> anything you want to say? >> yes. mr. secretary, it's a very troubling matter. your son and the others that are held there in egypt, to try to help egypt, to help them and work with the people. and it's deeply distressing that we have a nation that i have supported relationships with, believed it's been good for egypt and the united states. we want to see egypt prosper and do well. and they have had some traditions of freedom and liberty in egypt. and to see this happen now is very distressing. and i've been briefed on this subject just yesterday.

and i take it very seriously. if i have the opportunity, and maybe i will in the days to come, to raise it in different forums, i'll be looking forward to doing so. i take it very seriously. it's personal because it's your son and we know and respect and like you. but it's also a matter of national interest to the united states, that our young people, officially part of our government institutions, being detained like this is not acceptable. we just have to make that clear that we will not accept it. thank you, mr. chairman. >> thank you, senator sessions. >> thank you, senator sessions, for your very clear statement as well. we hope people are listening and they understand how seriously we take this. i graduated from high school from an american air force base next door in tripoli so i've lived in that part of the world for several years and i know

senator sessions may be traveling to that region in the days ahead. i hope that in a combined effort, we can send a clear message of what's acceptable behavior and what's completely unacceptable. it is completely unacceptable they be detaining young people who are there to try to help the people of egypt. >> in a town that is so often divided by partisan politics, senator kent conrad, a democrat, senator jeff sessions, a republican, speaking very personally to the transportation secretary, ray lahood, one of a half dozen individuals being held in egypt, including ray lahood's son sam. he works for a nongovernment organization that is trying to help the people of egypt. and you heard the statements from the two senators, pressing their frustration at the egyptian military for holding americans. again, the threat from the obama administration to withhold funds

until those americans are returned. here in washington americans looking for the future of u.s. relations with china, the associated press writing about this as the chinese vice president jinping toeing the line by the man who is set to succeed the communist party chief this fall and ultimately become the next president of china but who's making what the ap is calling a grand u.s. state-like visit here in washington. it's not officially a state visit but has many of the trappings. as we saw yesterday with the president, president obama, welcoming vice president xi at the white house. also a 19-gun salute at the pentagon and a series of meetings and high-level luncheons. following this two-day swing the vice president of china will be heading to iowa where in 1985, as a 31-year-old county-level official, he learned about crops and livestock practices. but today another high-level luncheon sponsored by the u.s./china business council, and somebody who knows a lot about

china, secretary of state henry kissinger, was instrumental in opening the door to china 40 years ago this month, welcomed the vice president of china and talked about u.s./china relations. >> we americans tend to think that every problem has its solution. and every solution can be achieved in a quick period of time. the chinese believe that ever resolution is the beginning of a new set of problems. and therefore, they're engaged in an endless process that will never end. but can always move forward. mr. vice president, you are here at a crucial moment. a moment as significant as the

early opening in our relations was. both countries are undergoing domestic transformations. both countries have to deal with a global economy. both countries have to be concerned with the spread of nuclear weapons. both countries face challenges that have never existed before, like environment, climate, energy on a global basis. and both countries face a unique new challenge. for people like myself who taught international relations,

we were brought brought up on tn of sovereignty and of conflict between nations. and of the inevitability of competition leading to deepen ing and you visit here, mr. vice president, it's the beginning of a process by which our two countries deepened their relationship in a new manner. we can prove to the world that history will laud us not through the conflict of societies, but through the reconciliations. >> 89-year-old henry kissinger, secretary of state in the nixon and ford administrations, played a key role as a national

security adviser and later secretary of state in opening the doors so china. this month, of course, marking the 40th anniversary of that iconic moment as richard nixon walking through the great wall of china and toasting chairman in beijing. celebrating the commemoration of opening relations between our two nations and there are a number of stories related to this 40th anniversary, especially on the "washington post" and "the new york times" website. let's turn to politics. from politico, jonathan martin writing ric santorum may be leading in michigan polls but you wouldn't know it from talking to mitt romney's most prominent backers two weeks before the increasingly pivotal showdown in romney's state of michigan and michigan supporters are kpuding confidence that he'll win and win easily and send santorum into the process. ric santorum is ahead in michigan and a new poll showing he's ahead in ohio. one of a number of states with

super tuesday primaries on march 6th. states we're keeping an eye on and we'll have much more next week as congress recesses and we turn our attention to the primaries in michigan and arizona on february 28th. meanwhile, democrats gear up for the the convention that take place in charlotte, north carolina and the mayor of los angeles. >> i'm last mayor antonio vil are go saw and i'm honored to be asked to serve as chair of the 2012 democratsic national convention. because at this convention, we're making changes. i know something about fighting for change. since i was in high school, i brought together coalitions to make a difference. to make sure that we all got a fair shot at an education at a job. at the american dream. i learned back then if i wanted things to be different, that i had to speak out. now, i want you to speak out.

go to d.e.m. convention.com today and tell us how we can make this a more open and accessible convention. how we can make this your convention. let's do something different this year. let's build a convention that brings us together. that strengthness the nation and creates opportunity for all americans. >> the mayor of los angeles, and he'll serving as the chair of the democratic national convention will gather in early september in charlotte, north carolina. of course, c-span will be there and the week before we'll be in tampa for the republican convention. a lot to talk about especially with primaries in a number of key states including michigan where we saw a number of new ads out today from restore our future, the so-called super pacs aligned with mitt romney and a new ad from the santorum campaign. >> how did rick santorum vote?

wasteful projects including the bridge to nowhere. in a single session, santorum cosponsored 51 billings to increase spending and zero to cut spending. santorum voted to raise his own pay and joined hillary clinton to let convicted felons vote. rick santorum, bic spender, washington insider. >> i'm ric santorum and i approved this message. >> mitt romney's negative attack machine is back on full throttle. this time romney fires his mud at rick santorum. he and the super pacs spent a staggering million opposing the republicans. why? romney is trying to hide from his big government, romney care and in the end, mitt romney's ugly attacks are going to backfire. >> the latest from team romney and team santorum. campaign ads now on the air in

michigan. millions expected to be spent in this state. romney campaign viewing it as a must-win state and the santorum campaign sensing the possibility of victory before the primary in diminish gab and arizona. born in rockford, illinois and served ten terms, 20 years in the u.s. house of representatives and ran for president in 1980, first as a republican and then as a third-party contender and participated in one debate with governor ronald reagan in 1980 and got about 6 million votes in 1980 and began teaching law. congressman john anderson. back in 1992, we talked with him about the challenges of running as an independent. >> i found that in the spring of 1980, in march, in april, there

were national polls showing that between 25 and 30% of the american people said, yes, we would consider voting for an independent candidate in 1980. that was because of the dissatisfaction at that point, with the incumbent, jimmy carter and with ronald reagan. he was simply too conservative in the minds of many people for the office. so, i started from that benchmark. but as the spring wore on and more particularly, as summer, july and august, brought the conventions of the two major parties, the media spotlight swung so completely in the direction, first, of all of the hoopla that went on at the four or five-day conventions in detroit and new york, of the two parties. that the independent candidates simply got lost in the shuffle. it was very hard to keep

reminding people that, yes, despite the conventions and what's going on in the two major parties, there's another live candidacy out there. and then secondly, when i could not get carter to appear in a debate where i was on the platform. i had one debate with ronald reagan, september 21st, 1980, in baltimore, but after that i was unable to get into any additional debates and more particularly when the last debate was held ten days before the election carter agreed and the league of women voters agreed they would stage a two-person debate without me. then, really, i was dealt out of the picture conclusively because on 100 million television sets, there was framed the images of two men, two candidates. and it was very hard for people to seemingly comprehend that there was another candidate in the race. these are some of the problems

that i think per row per per rowe will have to contend with. >> and again, just another example of what's available on c-span's video library, all programming dating back to the mid to late 1980s, all online at cspan.org and click on video library. john anderson who is also the founder of fair vote, an organization calling for the popular vote of presidents. he was considered a potential third-party candidate for the reform party in 2000 and gerald ford stayed about john anderson -- he's the smartest guy in congress but he insists on voting his conscience rather than his party. john anderson, 90 years old today. we'll continue that discussion in the morning at 7:00 a.m. eastern time and 4:00 for those of you on the west coast. call in to talk to datic

massachusetts, barney frank. and two co-authors of a book called "the tea party patriots." the second american revolution. they will be joining us to take your calls and comments about the tea party and its role in 2012 politics. tune in tomorrow morning on the washington journal. thanks for joining us on this wednesday. i hope you enjoy the rest of your evening. in a few moments, defense secretary leon panetta and joint chiefs of staff chairman, general martin december si dempsey talk about the pentagon's 2013 budget request, in a little more than three hours, c-span's "washington today" program and more about the administration's budget request in a hearing with trej a cr