on social media sites. house speaker john boehner and other republican leaders pushed today for a one-year extension of all current tax rates. speaker boehner said extending the bush era tax rates would instill confidence in america's job creators. house minority leaders speak to reporters for about ten minutes. >> calm down. relax. good morning everyone. last week's jobs report was certainly bad news for the american people. once again shows that the president's economic policies have failed. as a result it's really important that we provide certainty to job creators to our country. extending all of the current tax rates for at least a year is

really important if we're going to help job creators gain a little more confidence and put americans back to work. even bill clinton came out for it before he was against it. and then larry summers, president's former economic adviser this morning came out in favor of this. we believe it is time to extend all current tax rates because it will provide certainty for american job creators. >> let me add i was in the middle of a negotiation in december of 10 with the vice president extending the tax rates for two years. the argument the president made and agreeing to do that two years ago was that the economy needed it. the growth right now is actually slower than it was in december of '10. as the speaker indicated it coupling that with bill clinton's remarks it is obvious that the economy needs the certainty of the extension of the current tax rates for at

least a year. that would also give us the time to begin to grapple with something we all agree we need to do on a bipartisan basis which is to reform the whole tax code. i think the republicans and democrats agree that we need to do that once again. >> as the leader and speaker just said i think folks on the other side of the aisle in part of the presidents team are coming to the realization we have to do everything we can to start growing this economy. it is about economic growth and job creation. that is what the small businesses are telling us. that is what working families are telling tus is time to focus on job creation. the biggest impediment to that is the small businesses of america feeling that it is very difficult right now to predict where they should move and how they should allocate their capital because of the unknown in the tax rates. that's why all of us are saying

let's say it to the american people we're not going to allow tax rates to go up on anybody. we are going to pursue tax reform because all sides agree we have to do something to make our code simpler and fairer. one of the bills on the floor this week is the repeal of the medical device tax. i'm really excited that this legislation is coming forward because when you look add the medical device industry it has been one of the most dynamic industries in america. it's really an american success story that over the last 40 and 50 years these medical device companies have been coming up with life saving equipment, great technologies. a few months ago i held a forum with ceos from the medical device industry. one ceo summed it up this way. he said if you wanted to kill an

industry you're doing everything right. that is the wrong message that we should be sending to our job creators. we want this kind of innovation in america. we want these kinds of jobs. this is a dynamic industry. the tax would be devastating on it. we are going to moving forward this week with repealing this medical device tax and keeping these jobs in america. another take away from the round table was that it takes four years longer on average to get kbung proved in america versus what is required in europe. the regulations and tax burden are making it harder on our job creators. let's change that and head in a direction that will keep america competitive. >> it's not often in washington that you get a bipartisan view. if you listen to former president clinton, you listen to summers and our speaker and you listen to our leader which i would like to say happy birthday

to mr. canter. but they are saying the same thing as a small businesses are across america. being a former small business owner you know the number one thing you look at is certainty. the certainty in the idea of a tax code system. the other bipartisan view is our job growth stinks. we need to create jobs. do you realize there is no cash on hand in america than there has been in the last 50 years. the number one reason you cannot make that investment is the uncertainty to the tax code and health care law. both of those can be changed this month. that is why we are asking for the extension so jobs can be created in america and america can get back to work. on friday the american people received even more bad news with the unemployment report. the real news that the 3 1/2

years into his administration the president's policies are still failing the american people. it's all about the threat of serial trillion dollar deficits and the fact that this administration has put more regulations on the book than anytime in america's history. part of it is the rhetoric that vilifies success, attacks the free enterprise system and part of it is the threat of the single largest tax increase in america's history much of which will fall upon small business. obviously president bill clinton gets it. he knows in this economy you should not be raising taxes on anybody. so it will be a good week that house republicans move to repeal at least one portion of the president's tax increase, the medical device tax which doesn't just impact big businesses.

i have a small manufacturer in jacksonville, texas. i went to visit his little plant. he told me if this law is enacted i'm probably going to lay off half of my workers. that's a lot of people in jacksonville, texas. it's time to get this economy moving again. it's time to take away the expecter of the single largest tax increase in america's history. >> i wanted to ask you what it means for republicans this fall. >> i think wisconsin's election shows when you listen to the people of your jurisdiction or the case of governor walker and listen to the people of wisconsin and follow their will they will stand behind you. they have taken bold action in wisconsin. wisconsinites clearly supported him. >> do you think that is legislative agenda what you have

done? do you think that is the type of thing you should be pursuing here and is there a mandate? >> american people have had it with big government and high taxes and a system that knows no bounds. and they want elected officials to take control of the situation so american job creators can go back to what they do best, creating jobs. thank you. . tomorrow federal reserve chairman ben bernanke gives his annual economic outlook to congress. it begins at 10:00 a.m. eastern and we will have live coverage here on c span 3. finally on a personal note michelle and i are grateful for

the entire bush family for their guidance during our own transition. george i will always remember the gathering you hosted for all the living former presidents before i took office, your kind words of encouragement and left me a really good tv sports package. i use it. >> last week portraits of former president george w. bush and first lady were unveiled. >> as mentioned in 1814 dolly madison famously saved this portrait of the first george w. now, michelle if anything happens there's your man.

>> watch the entire event online at the c-span video library. the senate foreign relations committee held a confirmation hearing for president obama's nominee for ambassador for iraq today. served under president george w. bush and president obama. he is joined by the nominees. pennsylvania senator fills in for chairman john kerry during this 90 minute hearing. >> good morning. today the senate foreign relations committee meets to consider the president's nominees to serve as ambassador to iraq, sri lanka. i want to thank the witnesses for appearing to discuss

challenges in these countries and to discuss each nominee's work as well as their work upon confirmation and also, of course, u.s. policy in each of the countries. let me go through a little bit about each place first. in iraq the picture, of course, is mixed. nearly six months after the redeployment of u.s. troops from the country we know that political and ethic divisions remain sharp as iraq recovers from years and years of war. the current government took months to establish in 2010 and a high degree of mistrust still exists among key political factions. iraqis and americans have sacrificed greatly to support the democratic process in iraq.

at this critical time we should continue to support the political reconciliation among key parties in the country as they work to deepen the democratic process. this unsettled political environment exists among a very precarious security situation where groups are capable of and launched significant attacks in the country. just last week six bombs killed at least 17 people, mostly in neighborhoods. on monday a suicide bomber killed at least 26 people in baghdad and wounded more than 190 in an attack on the government-run body that manages shiite religious and cultural sites. while security is a challenge in iraq all loss of life is a tragedy violence has decreased substantially since the height of the conflict.

with the end of u.s. military presence in the country at the end of 2011 iraq has sought to deepen the roots of its sovereignty and play a leadership role in the region. iraq recently hosted a meeting of the arab league in baghdad, a symbol that it is a key player in the region after years of isolation under sudhussain. while i understand the violence over the past year perpetrated by assad's forces is inexcusable. iraq should join with others and use its position in the arab being to bring increased diplomatic pressure to bear on mr. assad. i also continue to have

significant concerns about iran's efforts to exert influence in iraq. i look forward to hearing the nominee's thoughts on this issue and an assessment of the u.s.'s ability to diplomatically mitigate the negative effects of iranian influence in iraq. despite the continuing challenges there is positive news to build upon. this was reflected in a recent public opinion survey by the national democrat institute. found that 48% of iraqys believed that iraq was headed into right direction. oil exports have increased by 20% this year to nearly 2.5 million barrels a day. american companies have increased their presence in iraq and as mentioned violence levels have, in fact, decreased. we are seeing signs of progress but this progress is delicate and fragile.

in october of last year the state department became the lead u.s. agency in the country. the u.s. embassy in baghdad is the biggest presence in the world with approximately 16,000 staff and contractors. questions remain about the state department's ability to operate in this still precarious security environment and handle the work load associated with the processing of billions of dollars worth of arm sales to the iraqi government. a diplomatic presence of this size requires sustained oversight from congress. i look forward to a continued engagement with our nominee upon confirmation to ensure our foot print in iraq is the right size and we have the right amount of resources to pursue our interests. the president has nominated brett to represent our interests. perhaps due to his great

upbringing in pittsburgh, pennsylvania is imminently capable to assume this position. of course, there are other reasons for his preparation but it doesn't hurt that you have roots in pittsburgh. he has been engaged in u.s. policy in iraq since 2004 advising every u.s. ambassador at post in iraq. he has an imminent understanding of political players in the history of iraq as well as the role of the u.s. in the country. his unique experience across two administrations is very good preparation to establish a leadership vision for the embassy that reflects economic interests. the right choice at the right time in u.s. iraq diplomatic relations. we'll hear from you in a moment. sri lanka three years after the

end of more than a quarter century of devastating civil war we see a mixed picture. on the one hand the end of the conflict has led to strong economic growth driven by large scale reconstruction and development projects, increasing commodity exports and a growing tourist industry. however, the war left with a legacy of internal displacement. also, mistrust among ethnic groups and insufficient protection for human rights that have yet to be adequately addressed. according to the internal displacement monitoring center nearly 100,000 people remain displaced and even more have been unable to repossess their

homes. as well as to the deliver of humanitarian aid some observers have expressed concern about the on going ethnic turmoil areas. perhaps the government has failed to meet expectations with regards to investigating alleged human rights violations and holding individuals accountable. international experts have found credible allegations of serious human rights violations committed by both sides in the last stages of the war but the perpetrators have not been called to account yet for their crimes. the recommendations of the lesson learned in reconciliation commission released more than six months ago have yet to be implemented. i and others remain very concerned about the lack of accountability for actions taken during the final days of the war as well as about reports of on

going human rights violations in the country. in march of 2011 i led a resolution in the senate calling for greater accountability. in november of that year i wrote a letter to secretary clinton along with other senators calling for an independent international investigation into the human rights situation in sri lanka. recent reports cite forced disappearances and repression of media and political opposition all as on going problems. the united states should continue to work with the international community to push for greater accountability and protection for human rights. it is an important ally to the

united states. we know that this year's political unrest has threatened to derail the progress that has been made. the u.s. should continue to press for elections as soon as possible to ensure that the seeds of the democrat process planted in 2008 are able to fluorish. i met the ambassador during my visit to lebanon in the region in 2010 where she was in charge of our embassy in lebanon. i was impressed with her ability to navigate a complicated and treacherous political environment in beirut. she has served as ambassador in the united arab emirates in iraq, pakistan, india, ivory coast and haiti.

a lot of experience there. and she'll be well prepared for what i know will be a very challenging assignment in sri lanka. i know your two daughters are in arizona today or at least i'm told that. as they have accompanied you to seven overseas posts over the years they deserve special recognition for their unwavering support. we want to recognize that today. finally tajikistan poses challenges for u.s. policy makers. we must rely upon close cooperation with tajikistan.

this includes bringing materials and equipment into afghanistan that are critical to progress there and disrupting the dangerous flow of narcotics across the border and preventing militants from seeking safe haven and causing instability. however, we must balance these strategic priorities with the need to address serious human rights concerns. the human rights council in march of 2012 reported and revealed worrying trends in human rights including reports of repression of media freedom and the use of torture by law enforcement officials. i'm particularly concerned about the reported restrictions on the rights of women and ethnic and religious minorities and appreciate the work that our foreign service personnel are doing. and look forward to hearing more

about how we will advance this work going forward. the president has nominated susan marsh elliot to be the new u.s. ambassador to tajikstan. i note that you were born in pennsylvania. i can't say it will guarantee your confirmation but it won't hurt. she is the deputy of state for affairs. she served in russia, northern ireland, peru and honduras and has the distinction of having been born in pennsylvania. i would also like to welcome her son who has joined her today for being with her today and i would also like to acknowledge deputy assistant secretary elliot's husband who could not be with us today because he is serving in our embassy in honduras.

please wish him well for us. i want to thank all of our witnesses for being here. we'll start with madam ambassador and maybe go from my right to the left. if you could try to keep your opening remarks to five minutes. if you have a longer statement that will be made part of the record. and then we will get to questions. thank you. it is an honor to appear before you as president obama's nominee to be the u.s. ambassador. i am deeply grateful to the president skpt to secretary clinton for their confidence in my abilities. if confirmed i look forward to working with the committee to represent the american people and to advance u.s. goals.

in my 30 years i have been posted as u.s. ambassador to united arab emirates as you noted. i have considerable experience in south asia having served in india and pakistan and as principle deputy secretary for the southeast asia region. united states has important interests. sri lanka is located along the busiest shipping lanes in the indian ocean a region of a strategic arena in which america's interests are increasingly at play. it has also been a contributor to u.n. peace keeping operations. the united states thus recognizes the importance of maintaining a broad range of partnerships as we encourage a lasti lasti lasting democratic peace in the

country. the united states and other international partners have encouraged the government of sri lanka. serious allegations of violations of human rights law and international humanitarian law committed by both sides at the end of the war remain to be investigated and have slowed reconciliation. in large the human rights council adopted a u.s. sponsored resolution calling on the government to implement the recommendations of the own government appointed lessons learned and reconciliation commission. in april the state department issued its third report to congress on accountability since the end of the conflict in 2009.

achieving genuine reconciluation will ensure equality and justice for all particularly those living in the conflict areas. such steps include demilitarization of the conflict zones, establishment of a mechanism to assess cases of the missing and attained and setting a date for elections in the north. also critical will be the achievement of the agreement between the government and the elected representatives of the community, an evolution of power to institutions. during a may 18th meeting with the foreign minister secretary clinton under scored that an enduring peace is unastainable without measures. she encouraged a transparent and public process with regard to

reconciliation and accountability to strengthen confidence inside and outside and speed the healing of the country. if confirmed i stand ready to lead our efforts and use u.s. efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and foster economic growth in the north and east. the u.s. ambassador is credited. in february following a series of controversial events and protests the former vice president took office after the resignation of the president. the united states continues to encourage to work within existing democratic institutions to resolve political problems peacefully and transparently. the u.s. government has a window of opportunity to step up engagement and recently committed funding to assist and

insuring the next round is free and fair. the united states also recognizes the importance of promoting security in the indian ocean. to that end the u.s. coast guard has provided training to improve its ability to respond to threats of piracy. u.s. assistance also promotes the development of a robust climate resilient islands model. if confirmed i plan to consult with all walks of life of how the u.s. can best support local initiatives to promote civil society and encourage youth exchanges. it would also be my goal if confirmed to engage in commercial advocacy in support of president obama's national export initiative. i would welcome your insights and views as well as any questions you might have for me