on it. our rankingyhall harks to have it made in order as a substitute. we just say, let's have a vote on whether we could havete wheta vote, and, of course, we had to bring it up as a previous question at that's procedur a memberless do what they do. i think myself i'll be voting, no, and just think, we should di wh there's no real prospect for success. they had their own bill.ll, hor it is at least it takes us to conference. can't do that. let'pa we can work together in a bipartisan way to pass the senate bill. mr. hastert when he was speaker he said he had to have a majority brick the bill to the floor. there was that -- half the members plus one on their side to bring it to the floor and we

could work 0 on a now, either they can't get a majority of the majority or are insisting on 218. in any case, whatever they come up with, it won't be signed or even aproved by the senate or signed by the president. let's just get it done for the american people. time. time is important, and it's about time that we pass this very important jobs bill. and i don't know what -- again what miracle can happen. i'm a big believer in prayer and i engage in it, but i don't use it for legislation, but maybe that's what we needoy r somethi happen over passover and eastei devices we have seen nothing but kicking the can down the road and maybe even suggested they may kick it again. and every day that they kick the can more jobs for the taxpayer goes up and small businesses suffer, for lack of getting a big part of

these projects that will go forward. >> on the -- [ inaudible ] what does it say about the current state of american politics that the most bipartisan plan, the flan puts the most pain on both sides, can only get 38 votes in the house of representatives? >> do you know what's in the bill? >> i know that -- the bill? because if you're making a judgment as to what was in simpson-bowles, then, you know, as i said, i felt fully ready to vote for that myself. thought it was not even a controversial thing. but it is not what that is. and there are swings of tens of billions of dollars means something in terms of the lives of the american people. so i don't think that that's a measure of anything. i think the measure is republicans will vote for a bill that cuts the medicare benefit,

that makes seniors get less. there'ses 3ds $300,000 to theu? isn't that just astounding? don't you feel like taking to the streets and saying, you're getting ripped off in there? that really should be on and, a they did the same thing with the president's budget. they said this is the budget's budget but it was a caricature. so we voted against. this is simpson-bowles, but it was a carriicature so we voted against it. until we saw it in print. keep your eye on what is happening here. that is, we have a shift of resources once again from the middle class to the wealthy. this has beeny members don't like me to say this, but

they have sucked up the money from the middle class from the eight years of the bush administration to the advantage of the wealthy and now have gone one better by even giving more tax breaks to the high end. does nothing to reduce the deficit, nothing create job, nothing about fairness. doesn't invest in the education of our children, and weakens medicare. right now weakens medicare right now and in a few years eliminates the guarantee altogether. it also eliminates the affordable care act provisions in effect now. that means that $3.2 billion, seniors by trying to close the doughnut hole that would be gone. it means the annual wellness checkup without a co-pay, that would be gone. it means the 2.5 million students on their parents policy until age 26 would be gone. every child to the tune of

millions in our country with a pre-existing medical condition, asthma, diabetes, birth defect, you name it -- they cannot be ng medical ed against, because condition. that couwould be gone. do you want me to tell you some more things? this is absolutely so irresponsible, so out of touch with the needs of the american people and their kitchen table concerns that they have, but it's a big day for big oil and wealthy people and the rest of that, and that's who they're here to serve. and with that i'm going to go to the floor to speak against the extension of the transportation bill. >> just to clarify, thebowl broe president, voted on by the president's deficit committee, do you support -- >> yes, yes. >> thank you. >> thank you all. now from the hilton hotel in

downtown washington, d.c. we're a fur minutes away here on c-span3 from a forum on women and the 2012 elections hosted by the feminist majority foundation. a bit earlier today they offered tributes to brash ba mikulski and barbara boxer and ms. maloney. when that gets underway in a few minutes, the discussion on this year's elections we'll have live coverage. as we wait, aan prt e-mails fro morning's "washington journal." for three days this week sh the three branches of government faced off dramatically in a packed room on first street northeast and when it was all over president obama's health care law was hanging by a thread. meanwhile, from inside the opinion pages of two leading newspapers beginning with the "wall street journal" the obama care reckoning. this from the "wall street

journal." this has been a marvelous public education. thedetailed the multiple ways in which the individual mandate upsets the careful equilibrium of the american political system. the obama administration's argument in favor of the mandate buy health insurance -- and finally inside theme" activism editorial. conservative justices seem willing to make policy beyond their constitutional role. "new york times" editorial page writes, the ideological nature obvious on the last day of oral argument. by the time the proceedings were over much of what the conservative justices said in court seemed lllik driven exercise especially because the issues addressed on wednesday were not largely constitutional in nature. in fact, they were t policy questions that properly left in congress in state governments to answer, not the supreme court.

so this question with the debate over health care, is this what the founding fathers had in mind? let's take you inside the some arguments as attorney paul clement, the former solicitor general appointed by id attorney for those 26 states filing this suit against the president's health care law had this to say. >> the way that the exchanges are supposed to work and the text makes this clear is they're supposed to provide a market where people can compare community rated insurance. that's what makes the exchanges function. >> although the exchangeses function perfectly well in utah where there is no mandates. they function differently but they function. the question as always, does congress want half of a loaf? is half a lo loaf better than n loaf? exchanges, seems to me a perfect example where half a loaf is better than no loaf. the exchanges will do something, they won't do everything the congress envision issed.

>> there is situation where half a loaf is actually worse. i want to address that. before i do that, stick with just the exchanges. the question this court is supposed to ask is not just whether they can limp along add operate independently but whether they operate in the manner congress intended. that's when the exchanges really fall down. >> paul clement taking questions from a former solicitor general herself and appointed by obama, >> founding fathers would be appalled at the sweep andcope of this federal government. the founder probably would have been fine with romneycare, not obamacare. the federal government is not a national government or at least it's not supposed to be. henry on the phone, democrats line joining in on the conversation on this thursday morning. good morning. >> caller: good morning. you know, i'm just, you know, the whole, the whole thing is

nothing but a sham. you've got five republican judges and four democrats. this whole thing from the very start is just a big sham. you've got 26 republican governors that rammed it down our throats, like our governor perry, and without representation from the people that really need these benefits. it's just a sham. >> so henry, let me go to the quon this morning, which is the larger issue of the constitution and what the founding fathers had in mind. do you think that this debate what we've seen this week, was part of their intent? >> caller: no. it's just a debate about how they don't want to give benefits to the poor people. >> okay. >> caller: that's just -- bottom line. you got five republicans. roberts court is nothing but an arm of the republican party. >> henry, thanks forral call.

we're going to break away from you this recorded portion of the "washington journal." we always have theose on our website. now downtown, washington, d.c. the feminist majority foundation. a debate over women's reproductive rights and review some of the ballot measures affecting women. live coverage now on c-span3. >> -- this next election, so welcome and welcome to ourienc we are live on c-span. this is the women, money and power forum sponsored by the feminist majority and 51 womens rights labor and civil rights organizations. welcome. m briefly describe the herbolts coalition and then you're going hear from some of its key leadership an t women's votes in the 2012

elections. last august in recognition of the anniversary of the 19th amendment, which women won the right to vote, and in recognition of the great 1963 civil rights march on washington, which happened in the same month, a coalition of women's organizations announced a new multiorganization called "her votes." the goal of "her votes" is to preserve her rights, health and economic rights for women that are at stake in the 2012 elections. there are now 52 groups that literally represent millions of activist women in this country that have come together to harness the growing power of women in the united states. you know that women now comprise roughly half of all the paid work force in this country.

and women are increasingly a powerful political force. if you're following the polling in these elections, you know that we are witnessing unprecedented gender gaps around these issues going into the elections. and the gender gap la held true and is holding true against all ages and all races and ethnic groups. it is not a small phenomenon. this is a powerful political force that can determine the outcome of the elections. "her votes" has outlined threats to the 12 top at stake in this election. you can find out a lot more about each of these issues by going to ervos.org. hervotes.org. it's wonderfully --

>> dot u.s. i'm sorry. can you get to it from any of the coalition partners websites. so you can find the incredible information that is available on the hervotes.us website. just very quickly. and thenin more detail about the threats, but more importantly, what we are doing as a collective force to mobilize women's votes going into the 2012 elections. number one, women's jobs and protections against sex discrimination. you've heard about the impact of the recent majority supreme court rulings on women's rights. you know what is at stake in the attack on the union movement in this country. women have a lot to lose and much to say in these elections. number two. the affordable care act. it not only, for the first time,

will eliminate sex discrimination in the pricing of health c country, but as you know, it covers a broad range of preventive health services that women desperately need in these modern times. number three. women'shto vote is at stake in these elections, because in some 30 states across the country, conservative state legislatures have implemented voter suppression rules and voter i.d. requirements. as many as voting age do not have proper documentation with their current legal name.ng to be asked for when they go to vote. number two, birth control and the right to privacy. i have to say much about that. it is the rallying cry this year, much as stake as weperson

initiatives that appear on as many as eight or nine state ballots this novemnatial family program. for the first time in the history of the country, the house of representatives dominated by conservative the title 10 program. and many states have already done itstates, in fact, including new jersey and most recently now texas. roe versus wade, number six. don't have to say much about that, other than more than 1,000 pieces of legislation have been introduced in the state legislatures across the country that if passed could threaten the very our right to privacy. our right to family an abortion. number seven. social security. the bedrock of older women's

security any this country, increasingly it has come under attack. women depend on social security. as many as three in ten older women, it is their only source of income. medicare, number eight. the nation's health insurance program. again, more than half of all medicare recipients, 56%, are pimm. are women. and you've just seen yet another budget introduced in the house by the conservative majority to end medicare as we know it. number nine, medicaid. provide 19 million women access to vital health services at all stages of their lives. what you might not know about medicaid is that it is -- that more than two-thirds of the elderly in nursing homes depend on medicaid. if medicaid is wiped out,

thousands of women, predominantly women, men, too, will be thrown out of nursing homes. number ten. the violence against women act. expired in 2011. has yet to be reauthorized. so much at stake. number title se discrimination and education programs that receive federal funding. it's being threatened by a combination of administrative budget cuts, regulations, private school voucher systems and pressure fromco connue to threaten to weaken its enforcement. and finally, finally, number 12. the family and medical leavefnl. it's the only federal law that helps working men and women meet the dual demands owork. we just had a terrible decision in the supreme court that is always a favorite target ofut t

enforcement and the availability of family and medical leave.t's. there is good news. the good news is that this incredible coalition has come together determined as never before to m make sure that wome voices are heard at the ballot box this november and that we vote for women's rights. so with that, i would like to introduce you to some of the key leaders in the "her votes" coalition who are mobilizing in campaign within their own ga to mobilize the women's vote. so, linda hallman, president and ceo of theoction of university women. linda.o mu. thank you. so aauw, 130 years of breaking

throughar and who would have thought that at would have tht aboutthe kinds of barriers we a seeing every day? with that, what we are trying to do and what we will be doing is our major get out the vote effort, which we are -- have geared up for and are roll out and we are putting unprecedented human and fiscal resource behind it. auw has always done a get out the vote effort for many, many years. but this one we thought was one of the most critical. you know, is it any wonder that being told what to do and that we're ready to make our voices heard?

we're tired of our rights being used in and it is time women be respected by lawmakers. our get out the vote effort is called it's my heard. and i want to take a moment here to just encourage you to use that phrase in any way you want to use it for inflection because you can use it many different ways. ma. it's my vote i will be heard. it's my vote. i will be heard. there are many ways you can use that inflection depending how pissed off i are on any day. what is the campaign going to look like? aauw state organizations, and we have representation in all states, we have more than 100,000 members and donors throughout the united states.

we have branches or chapters in every congressional district the country. we're on 600 plus colleges and university campuses with our partners so we aref nonpartisan education training events across the country. we will train and support outreach volunteers who will collaborate, targeting women in their states. in april the aauw action fund will be hiring on the ground staff to help coordinate volunteer activities and voter education we'll be distributing psa's, public service announcements, campaign materials, and other resources specifically designed to underscore the impact of the upcoming elections and the impact on the issues women care most about. and then, finally, in the months leading up to election day 2012,

we'll be using all the resources of the aauw action fund, our social and traditional media relationships with aauw's partners, and to drive home that message that elections matter for women and and vote. so i do encourage you in your organizations we're already having coalition partners come in with us. we want to help you in your efforts as well. we have just hired a person on staff to be targeting this now, so i really encourage you. we will help you and we're just as strong -- we need to be together in the coalition. so women are ignored as you know at politicians' peril. and in 2008 women had a higher turnout rate than men with 60.4% of women turning out compared to

55.7% of men. and this gender gap continues to hold true across all ages. women have had a long history of being the key demographic and so we need to keep that going in this election year. women voters want candidates who will move the country forward, ensure economic prosperity, and protect the health and well being of individuals and families. so i'm not going to preach to the choir here about what whole of things that you encourage your friends, colleagues, the people that are listeninto aauw.org and find ou the different ways we can help you but remember voting is a habit, folks. this is something we have to remember. past voting behavior is a good predictor of future voting

behavior. voting is habit forming. once you vote you're more likely to vote again. so that's why our get out the vote initiative is targeting specifically millennial women, because we need to get that demographic and those young women into the voting habit. yes, we're nonpartisan but we want every woman to go out and vote and think about the things that are most important to them. so women voters cannot be under estimated by candidates. both republicans and democrats. and in many ways women's voices will be heard. so it's my vote. i will be heard. thank you. my apologies to you. i should have had you come to the podium but i would like to have -- all of our speakers come to podium and we'll take q & a from the table. so thank you, linda. i know that what the american

association of university women is doing this time is unprecedented and very, very needed. i would now like to welcome to the podium melanie campbell president and ceo of the national coalition on black civic participation and convener of the black women's round table. melanie? >> thank you. don't you feel good in here today? don't you feel the power? pissed us off. it's on. live mike, live mike. i'm honored to be here representing the 35-year-old organization that started in 1976 through reorganizations of the afl-cio, naacp and the joint

center for political studies. one of the first executive directors was gracia hillman who many of you know who in 1983 started th women's round table i think if i'm correct, black women's agenda and others and hite who knew when we talk about coming together as a coalition of black women were key, whenever you talk about the black vote you're he way about black women we vote, and who we vote for, and how we vote, what we're for to maximize that vote in unprecedented case to deal with anda that says that this time we're going to ask for some things for our vote. and so we've been really focusing on something called politics vote, been really excited to work with the coalition, over the last few

months and build go-to kind of coalition that crosses a when i whether you're talking about race or gender or age or income or whatever that if we ever fully came together, really fully came together, what is going on as we speak would not happen. ink in this room and those of us still working around the room we know that we've yet to fully exercise our power. we're focusing in i work w negr women. the lawyers committee, dr. barbara william skin wer the active american clergy. we've just had our first su we brought women who have been working for a year now on a tour with -- for the black on econom security, sustainability for women and girls, education and

global empowerment. names you know like susan taylor th we all came together last week having really come after a year and a half of working on listening sessions and trying to get a handle on we want to do. one thingd upnd ready to fight. so our coalition would be focusing on something called power to vote. the kindsbe going on when it co workers rights. we haveo labor pulling together. camilla brown is a board member and also actively a partner of ours. when it comes to voting rights we're working with the lawyers' committee, all of the women wore issues around voting rights are led by women. kind of a lack of -- when you look at the people running issues around voting rights they're women. ju project, forgot -- of course barbara arnwine. we