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you start to create conditions in which they can return voluntarily to where they are from. that would be an unmitigated good. it is something we are working hard for. we will continue to make sure they can bear the burden of these refugees. it includes isis. i know they work very hard to prevent that. there's an area we can see where the u.s. can actually make a difference in helping maintain

stability despite challenges. the banking system, if you will, something that has been a backbone of their economy, i think maintaining it is important but also as we advise them ensuring that banking system is not exploited by bad elements, doesn't become for money laundering. in fakts the entire existence is where it gets tricky and our ability and the situation that lebanon is experiencing now, the good news is they have a

government. >> thank you very much. mr. snyder of illinois. >> thank you mad dam chairman for hosting or calling this hearing and to our witnesses for being here this afternoon. i want to associate myself with remarks for the work that you do not just in lebanon but around the world. we have talked about this many times but the need to emphasize the three pillars of diplomacy and development and working to protect and pursue american interest around the globe is critical. thank you for all that you do. i want to pick up the conversation. two and a half years ago the president signed as the prevention act. to what extent has that legislation had in effecting the

ability to execute its strategy and achieve its goals? >> so that piece of legislation and others that we have are among the tools in our tool box and one of our overriding objectives is no deny how they get funds. as information in this particular piece of legislation, particular tool that we have, as we get information, as our intelligence community have information to act on we'll pursue those cases. it is a challenges environment. in many cases, so working with our partners is a global problem

to look for all of the ways they are able to raise money internationally. >> it's not just are respect to money. it's with respect to acquiring arms. one is the 150,000 rockets in southern lebanon aimed at israel. there is also growing concern of an indigenous factory. can you touch on that to try to address that issue where you're going is a very important point. this is the sort of mega problem

in finding ways to prevent those flows of weapons is a major priority of ours. it is hard but it is extremely important. it depends not just the security of lebanon depend on us to find ways to push back on that. >> and that's a good lead into my third question which is a similar question we need to have in a location. the deescalation zone and great concern that not just malitias aligned with iran having personnel there but we see it with jordan destabilizing that region into lebanon through syria. what steps are we talking and what steps should we be take further to make sure it doesn't happen? >> as we have undertaken these discussions and that's been the principal group that's been

discussing the area, israelis have been fully knitted into that process. as i go to meet i'm back meeting with the israelis. their information about what's going on is critical to our understanding of that part of syria. clearly one of the reasons is because it's not just for the stability and security and ending the violence inside of syria, it's to take steps that will address the security of syria's neighbors. so they are very much part of these conversations. i'm leaving friday night and that will be the number one topic of my discussions there. >> i wish you a good and successful trip. in the few seconds i have left, what more can we do to help what you're trying to accomplish to make sure as we talk about your security issues but they are continuing to address that in

many cases overwhelming security issues in lebanon. >> thank you. because of the support you given us we are able to help them address those challenges and find win-win projects so that it isn't just syrian refugees but bridging the two groups together and having them see they really shared the same problems and they can also find solutions together as well. >> the investments may be stroied in a conflict. hopefully it can stand far long time.

i thank you very much. >> thank you very much mr. snyder. >> thank you mchairman. >> you may have already touched on this. i want today ask both of you one question. in each responsibility at state and my colleague from illinois just touched on a little bit, what do you find as each of your greatest challenges in the region? what do you guys -- what are you guys doing in each of your areas of responsibility and what would you need from the sub committee or full committee, this entire congress to help eye further your efforts? >> that's a big question. >> the parts that i deal with

are that complexity. within it, whether we are talking about our subject of lebanon, syria that i deal with extensively, jordan, the israeli palestinian file which we are still preoccupied with, all of these extraordinarily complicated questions which we are try to go find stability to bolster the cause of moderation and ability and will to fight back against extremism so that's the complexity. it is critical and finding a way to knit no that all together to assure all of these tools work in concert. it is what we are trying to do after a war that left so many people dead. we are trying to end it in a

decent way. we have certain tools at our dispos disposal. like wise on the lebanon file we are talking about today. that's the challenges and i felt and will tell you my own personal experience we have had a considerable degree of support in correct me if i'm wro from congress in doing that. >> thank you. we have talked a lot about a refugee crisis. the impact of the syrian war, lebanon's committee, lebanese farmers have been impacted because they lost the land routes to their traditional markets for their produce. we have been working with these farmers to improve the quality of their products, pursue more cost effective techniques and help them locate alternative markets. the impact --

>> they interrupt you, is that because of terrorism? >> the closure of the border was syria. >> i have seen it devastate rural communities. we have been able to see some of these come back to life. again, i would just say, your continued support is what's most helpful. thank you. >> thank you both for your service. >> thank you so much for that. thank you. >> and i'm so happy i finally learned how to say your name that i will just say it a lot. >> did they recognize the existence of them? have that documented it? >> i don't know if they document those sorts of precise numbers.

certainly -- >> do they take actions to address it? >> they are not a peace keeping force in the sense of underta undertaki undertaking. >> what role could they play in identifying and locate if necessary we rat kate those missiles? >> the role is a modest one. we'll knowledge that first and foremost. it is one that the lebanese regard is useful. what we have try today ied to d strengthen it. they can't be a force with people on the ground wandering around. they have to be out there inspect and reporting back to the u.n. if there's instances where they are blocked then they

have to be setting the stage which they can take up that role themselves of policing and monitoring their southern border. that's the objective. it is a slow process to ensure they take a more active role. >> is there any indication they have taken on that role of trying to identify and eliminate those rockets? >> so they have started to take on the role of redeploying to the south. that's an important step. the more their capacity builds and the more we are able to build that capacity and credibility and reduce the pervasiveness we would hope their ability to do that would grow. >> so who role can we ask them to play to help accomplish an objective? >> to continue reporting what they see and to continue telling us if there's instances in which their efforts ask obstructed. >> i apologize again, do you see

that's been done? have there been -- is there a document that says we have identified these missiles and these locations? most of our information comes from intell jens -- intelligence sources. >> is that particular locations? >> yeah. they are reporting back to u.n. headquarters. >> would it be reasonable to take on a more detailed role in gives us more detailed information? >> we are trying to take this step-by-st step-by-step. they taking a much more active role in roreporting in which the

have been blocked. it is a gradual process. it was an important step when we incorporated those last month. we made clear that business as usual can continue. we need something that's more active. >> so would it help if the congress was to take some sort of role to make that formal request to provide specific documentation of the details of these rockets? >> can i take that question back and give you a considerate answer? >> yes. >> thank you so much. we look forward to working with you. very interested in the upcoming elections and we look forward to hearing from you in a classified setting to know the efforts we are undertaking to cease the

liberation of permanent residence. thank you so much. with that our sub committee is adjou adjourned. thank you.

live at 11:15 a.m. ooerns we'll be live on cspan3. later today senate democrats will respond to the republican plan to overhaul the tax system at a press conference on capitol hill. we'll have that here on cspan 3. join us this weekend for book tv live at the texas book festival. coverage begins saturday at 11:00 a.m. eastern. kevin young author of the rise of hoaxes, post facts and fake

these. daniel allen and her book, cuz, accosta and his book deep in the shado shadows. on sunday our live coverage starts at 3:00 p.m. eastern with carroll anderson and her book white rage, the unspoken truth of our racial divide. bloodlines, the true story of a drug cartel and battle of horse