businesses going kind of out of control, out of the checks and balances they need. be @@@@@@@@@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and, of course, they are pushing back, and i say, look. the fact of the matter is that the united states had to come in and take unprecedented action to help the banks and others in this country, not just because we are supporting the banks, but because realize that the small businesses and companies throughout our country are so totally dependent on the banks in order to survive. the capital that they need to hire people, to expand, and to growth is dependent on the banking industry, and the reason it got so completely out of control is that, frankly, you did not have the checks and balances that you needed, and we let it run amok, and it is based on a false economy that is not sustainable in the long haul, said the president had to step in literally from day one and

continue what had begun under the bush administration of trying to give the banking industry support it needed to pull us back from the precipice, and i think we realize now, we look at the gdp, and it has been revised. it is 6.4% in the first quarter negative growth, and we have come a long way, but we still have a very long way to go. negative one so we've come a long way. the president want as proper foundation and pillars to have an economy sustainable over the long haul, so that's why we pass the recovery bills to give us a quick jump start to create jobs over the next couple of years but in addition to that, healthcare reduction of cost is a number one way to get our economy going. renewable energy, passing reform to invest in clean energy and economy we need. green jobs of the future. and then back to education, back to education again. to education again. what the president is lly

trying do is create a framework where businesses can expand and grow and compete in a global marketplace, but we need a regulatory framework so the next initiative coming working it's way through congress and there's already a lot circulating is to provide the checks and balances. the president is calling for a consumer financial manage built. it gets to trying to say we're here to protect you and american people need to have a voice and kinds of regulations that will not just keep us from dangling on the presipis the way we were when the president came in, but where you know you're not going to be taken advantage of. isn't that the kind of simplistic way of putting it but shouldn't you know when you sign for a credit card the terms are not going to change on you. that you're not going to have

exorbitant rates of interest? you know payday loan people will not take advantage when your living paycheck to paycheck. these are simple things the american people have a right to demand. regulatory reform is something we'll ask for your support through congress and will create framework to have a sustainable economy. [applause] . . .no carrier >> polar still be taking advantage of. the question was both on the job

site and the health care side. what is the plan for this health care proposal to ensure less discrimination in the health care process? there's a lot of this insurance that doesn't cover certain people. can we talk about that? >> sure. the fact of the matter, if you look at it in terms of discrimination, if you look at the people who are least likely to have insurance, let's face it, are minorities in this country, people who do not have people who do not have insurance. small businesses are having to drop their insurance because they cannot afford to make payroll and had insurance. the exchange will provide a mechanism so that people who do not have insurance currently can go in and buy it at a more competitive rate.

the overall philosophy, let's make it affordable so that people can afford to buy insurance. the president said this during the campaign. it is not that people do not want have health insurance but they cannot afford it. let's figure out a way to cut the waste out of the system and make it affordable and make it accessible to everyone around the country. you mention the fundamental underpinning. >> green jobs. a couple of questions. [applause] >> we love those green jobs. we like jobs in particular but we like green jobs. i'm sorry to interrupt. i don't know how many of you know dan jones? -- van johns? [cheers and applause]

we had him at the white house. we have been watching him as long as he has been active in oakland and all of the ways that he has, but created ideas that he has. we have all of that energy and enthusiasm. i think green jobs are important because they are the jobs of the future. van as innovative ideas of working in urban areas to focus on training people who do not have jobs -- you can train someone who does not have a job, create an energy efficient technology, go in and try to insulate people songs and bring down their energy costs. it sounds so simple and doing that on a nationwide scale v is nationwidean is all about. -- and doing that on a nationwide scale is what van is all about. that is the direction that we need to go. [applause]

>> i want the audience to know that we are about five minutes shy of are in point. don't be shocked when we wrap up. we had the next question on the screen. this is from jeffrey feldman on twitter. does the president read the press of blogs -- progressive blogs? and if so, which ones? >> talk about state secrets. he does read blocks. i am amazed by his ability to digest information. you never know what he is reading in the course of the day. he has articles all the times that he has read. and in addition to blogs, he reads these letters that people write him every day. i cannot tell you that probably not a day goes by that he does

not mention something that a person said to him in one of those letters. a part of our small business initiative launched several months ago was in response to a small business person talking about their community bank not providing them alone said that they needed. they simply did not have the liquidity. the president talked to the secretary of the treasury and said, let's figure out how to help this person. this is what we did. we look to the american people. i will not tell you which blogs. but he does read them. he has a computer and i cannot tell you which kind. [laughter] >> one more question popped up on the screen and one i already had from the office. the "new york times" front page today says that obama has a hard time activating his grassroots. what are your thoughts on that?

how much of this ground force from the campaign is able to be activated for calls like health care? >> we are just getting started. i have every confidence in the fact that we can activate the grass roots campaign. i know that those of you in this room have a lot to do with this. we'd need to energize our basing get them involved in the process. they are going to getting gates and -- keep in mind, this is august. we have had a lot on our plate for the first few months. we are determined as we push in the fall to get health care reform done this year. i will say that again and again, off because it is an uphill battle and it will not happen unless we energize our base. we're committed to that. that is where he is and he is taking these town hall meetings across the country and we are confident that we will get this done, we really are. [applause]

>> i hope so. i am sorry, this question just popped up. well the president promised to watch my show? >> that is a perfect soft ball to you. we'll ask him. >> the final question, you touched on it earlier, but i would like for you to expand if you can. what does the president and what do you want from this audience? you have an incredible group people gathered here. what would you ask of us? >> i want to thank you guys for coming out this morning. 9:00 on a saturday morning on a beautiful day is a lot. i take your presence here as an indication of your interest on continuing the engagement over

the course of this extraordinary last few years. we want to harness that energy and want you to -- we share your frustration, we share your sense of urgency. that is something that the president has been committed to. he ran for office and that is why he is doing what he is doing each and every day but he cannot do it without you. i cannot say to you how strongly we depend upon you and your out -- and your network to energize the people, not just for health care but for all the tough issues that lie ahead. we want you to feel that you have a voice. that is why he asked me to come here today, off to convey how important you all are to him, to his administration, and to this country. stay engaged, push us, have a constructive conversation with us. but do not stop coming to the table. we need you, we need you out there, and we appreciate what you do.

thank you very much. you have been terrific today. >> thank you very much. bowery jarrett, public engagement right here. -- valerie jarrett, a public engagement right here. by read up? -- fire it up! >> ready to go!

>> your watching public affairs programming on c-span. up next, president barack obama speech at the veterans of foreign wars convention. then a representative of elijah cummings and later, we will hear from the new director of the national institutes of health, dr. francis collins. >> tomorrow morning, an update on the afghanistan presidential elections and security support. we will hear from the head of

the international security assistance force. live coverage of this pentagon briefing begins 11 eastern. later in the day, a discussion on state governments and disaster response. the president of the national emergency management association is at the heritage foundation. the live coverage starts at 3:00 p.m. eastern. now, president of, addresses the veterans of foreign wars convention. topics include iraq and afghanistan. the president spoke to more than 5000 veterans in phoenix arizona. his remarks are about 35 minutes. vf [applause] ->> our next guest is no

stranger to the veterans of foreign wars or the veterans. he was born in hawaii, braised with good midwestern values, and received and i believe -- received an ivy league education at columbia university and harvard law school. he served in the state senate for four years before becoming a senator from the state of illinois in 2004. he would go on to co-sponsor the market vfw supported legislation like the gi bill for the 21st century, and he has given us a historic increase in the v.a. health care budget. this is his third consecutive appearance before the vfw national convention, but the first where -- first wearing the mantle of commander-in-chief could colleagues, sisters, dismissing which guests, i am honored to present the 44th president -- sting which guests, i am honored to present a party for the president of the united states, barack obama.

-- present the 44th president of united states, barack obama. [applause] >> thank you. thank you so much. thank you very much. thank you. please be seated. thank you so much. commander, thank you for your introduction and for your lifetime of service. i was proud to welcome your executive director to the oval office just before the fourth of july, and i look forward to working with your next commander. i also want to acknowledge the gene and sharon and all the spouses and families of the ladies auxiliary. americana's your service as well. -- america honors your service

as well. the governor of arizona is here as well. and mayor phil gordon, our host in phoenix. i want to acknowledge the president of the navajo nation. this was not on my original card, but you may have already heard from our, but i want to publicly acknowledge and thank the secretary to eisenhower who typed up the orders for the normandy invasion and is here today, and what an extraordinary story that is. [applause] members of the veterans of foreign wars, i am honored and humbled to stand before u.s.

commander in chief of the finest military the world has ever known. [applause] we are joined by some of those who made it the finest force in the world. from the air force base, members of the 56th fighter wing. [applause] whether you wear the uniform today or war decades ago -- more expected to go, you are symbols of a fundamental truth is not powerful epidemic are military the strongest in the world, not the sophisticated systems that make us the most to danced. the true strength of our military lies in the spirit and skill of our men and women in uniform. and you know this. [applause]

you know this because it is the story of your lives. when fascism seemed unstoppable and our harbor was bombed, you that lacrosse rocki -- battled across rocky pacific islands and marched across europe. my grandfather and uncle are among their ranks, liberating millions interning enemies and allies. when communism cast its shadow across so much of the glove, you stood vigilant in a long, cold war -- in a long cold war. when that cold war ended, and all the hatreds are merged and new, you turn back aggression from kuwait to kosovo. long after you took off the uniform, you continue to serve, supporting our families and troops when they go to war and welcoming them when they come home. working to give our veterans the care they deserve.

when america's heroes are laid to rest, giving everyone of them that final fitting tribute of a grateful nation. we can never say it enough -- for your service in war and peace, thank you, vfw. thank you. [applause] today, the story of your service is carried on by a new generation, dedicated, courageous men and women who i have the privilege to meet and eat every day. they are the young sailors, midshipmen of the naval academy who raised their right hand and graduation and committed themselves to a life of service. they are the soldiers i met in baghdad who have done their duty year after year on a second, third, or fourth tour. they are the marines at camp lejeune, preparing to deploy in serving in afghanistan to protect americans here at home.

they are air men like those today who provide the close air support that saves lives of our troops on the ground. they are the wounded warriors at walter reed and bethesda and across america. for whom the battle is not to fight, but simply to speak, to stand, to walk once more. they are the families that my wife, michelle, has met at bases across the country. the spouses back, during the parenting of two, the children wondering when mom or dad may come on. the parents watched sons and daughters go off to war. the families who lay a loved one to rest, the pain that lasts a lifetime. to all those who have served america, our forces, and for families, our veterans, you have done your duty. you have to fulfill the

responsibilities -- you have a fulfill the responsibilities and how grateful nation must fulfill hours. -- now a grateful nation must fulfill ours. we have a solemn responsibility to always lead the men and women of uniform wisely. that starts with a vision of american leadership that recognizes that military power alone cannot be the first or only answer to the threats facing our nation. in recent years, our troops have succeeded in every mission america has given them, from toppling the taliban to deposing the dictator in iraq to battling rebel insurgencies. at the same time, forces trained for war and called upon to perform all those submissions. like many years, they've run local governments and delivered water and elections -- like mayors, they have run local governments and delivered water and electricity.

let us never forget that we are a country of more than 300 million americans. less than 1% wears a uniform. that 1% of soldiers and sailors and marines and coast guard and have borne the overwhelming burden of our security. perhaps never in american history have so few protected so many. the responsibility for a security must not be theirs alone. that is why i have made it a priority to invest all elements of our national power in defense of our national security. diplomacy, development, our economic might and our moral example. one of the best exit -- the best ways to meet our troops at wise is to prevent conflicts that cost american blood and treasure tomorrow. as president, by chris responsibility is the security and safety of the american people. my great -- it's responsibility is the security and -- my

greatest responsibility is the security and safety of the american people. it is the first thing i think of what i wake up morning in the last thing i think of when i go to sleep at night. as we protect america, our men and women in the four must always be treated as what they are, -- men and women in uniform must always be treated as what they are, america's most precious resource. i have a solemn responsibility for their safety. there is nothing more sobering than signing a letter of condolence to the families of servicemen and women who have given their lives to our country. that is why i have made this pledge to our armed forces -- i will only send you into harm's way when it is absolutely necessary, and when i do, it will be based on good intelligence and guided by sound strategy. i will give you a clear mission, defined goals, and the equipment and support you need to get the job done.

[applause] that is my commitment to you. " which brings me to our second responsibility to the armed forces, giving them the resources and equipment and strategies to meet their missions. we need to keep our military the best trained, the best lead, the best equipped fighting force in the world. that is why even with our current economic challenges, my budget increases defense spending. we will ensure that we have the force structure to meet today's missions, and that is why we have increased the size of the army and marine corps two years ahead of schedule, and have approved another temporary increase in the army. we have all the personnel reductions in the navy and air force. -- have halted personnel reductions in the navy and air force. [applause]

and it will help us put an end once and for all to stop loss for those who have done their duty. [applause] we will equip our forces with the assets and technologies they need to fight and win. my budget funds more of the army helicopters, crews, and pilots urgently needed in afghanistan. the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance that gives our troops did manage. the special operations forces that can apply on a moment's notice. and for all those serving in afghanistan and iraq, including our national guard and reserve, more of the protective gear and armored vehicles that save lives. [applause] as we fight two wars, we will plan responsibly, but it honestly, and speak candidly about the costs and -- budget

honestly come and speak candidly about the costs and consequences of our actions. my budget includes the costs of the wars in iraq and afghanistan. in iraq, after six years, we took an important step forward in june 3 we try to control all cities and towns to iraq's security forces. -- we transferred control of all cities and towns to iraq must do security forces. -- iraq's security forces. it is a testament to all those who have served in iraq, uniformed and civilian, and our nation owes these americans of all who have given their lives a profound debt of gratitude. [applause] as iraqis take control of their destiny, they will be tested and targeted. those who seek to sow sectarian division will attempt more senseless bombings and more killing of innocents. this we know.

but as we move forward, the iraqi people must know that the united states will keep its commitments, and the american people must know that we will move forward with our strategy. we will begin moving our combat brigades from iraq later this year could we will remove all the dates by the end of next august. we will move all our troops from iraq by the end of 2011. for iraq, the iraq war will end. -- for america, the iraq war will end. we will focus on the war against al qaeda and its extremist allies in afghanistan and pakistan. that is why i announced a new comprehensive strategy in march, a strategy that recognizes that al qaeda and its allies have moved their base from the remote tribal areas -- to the remote tribal areas of pakistan. this acknowledges that military power alone will not win this war, that we also need diplomacy and development and good governance. our new strategy has a clear

mission and defined goals -- to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al qaeda and its extremist allies. in the months since we have begun to put this comprehensive strategy in action, in recent weeks, we have seen our troops to their part. they have got into new areas, taking the fight to the taliban in villages and towns where residents have been terrorized for years. they are adapting new tactics, knowing that it is not enough to kill extremists and terrorists, but that we need to protect the afghan people and improve their daily lives. our troops are helping to secure places for this week's election so that afghans can choose the future that they want. these efforts have not been without a price. the fighting has been fierce. more americans have given their lives. as always, the thoughts and prayers of every american with those who make the ultimate sacrifice in our defense.

as i said when i announced the strategy, there would be more strategy, there would be more difficult days ahead. it did not happen overnight and it will not be defeated overnight. but we must never forget this is not a war of choice. this is a war of necessity. those who attacked american on 9/11 are plotting to do so again, if left unchecked, it will be larger safe haven for which al qaeda would plot to kill more americans. from which al qaeda will plot to kill more americans. this is fundamental to the defense of our people. going forward, we will constantly adapt to new tactics to stay ahead enemy in the our troops the tools and equipment they need to succeed. at every step of the way, we will assess our efforts to defeat al qaeda and its extremist allies and to help

pakistan and afghanistan build the society they seek. we have a third responsibility to fulfill. we must prepare our forces for the missions of tomorrow. our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coast guard men adapt to new challenges every day. but much of our defense establishment has yet to fully adapt to the post-cold war world, the doctrine and weapons better suited to fight the soviets on the plains of europe and insurgents in the rugged terrain of afghanistan. -- this and insurgents in the rugged terrain of afghanistan. 20 years after the cold war ended, this is irresponsible. our troops and our taxpayers deserve better. [applause] that is why our defense review is taking a top-to-bottom look at our priorities and posture, questioning conventional wisdom,

rethinking old dogmas, challenging the status quo. we are asking hard questions about the forces we need and the weapons we buy. when we're finished, we will have a new blueprint for the 21st century military that we need. in fact, we are already on our way. we are adopting new concept, because the full spectrum of challenges demands the full range of military capabilities. both conventional and unconventional. the ability to defeat both the armored division and the loan suicide bomber. the intercontinental ballistic missile and the improvised explosive device. 18th-century style piracy and 21st century cyber threats. no matter the mission, we must maintain america's military dominance. even as we modernize our conventional forces, we are investing in the abilities devilry aren't are forced to the future. -- in the capabilities that will reorient our force to the future.

and maybe that projects power across the oceans and operates nimbly -- and maybe then not only projects power across the oceans but i personally across coastal waters. -- operates nimbly across coastal waters. a marine corps that to move more rapidly across many places. in the 21st century, military strength of a measure not only by the weapons are too scary, but by the languages they speak and the cultures they -- weapons our troops carry, but by the language they speak and cultures they understand. we will not build the military meet and maintain the fiscal responsibility america demands unless we fundamentally reform the way our defense seligmann does business. it is a simple fact -- defense establishment does business. it is a simple fact. every dollar wasted is a dollar weakened on spent to protect our troops or america or prepare for the future.

the indefensible no bid contracts that cost taxpayers billions and make contractors which could be exotic products that are years behind schedule billions over budget intrenched lobbyists pushing buttons that even our military says it does not want. the impulse in washington to protect jobs back home building things we don't need as a cost. this waste would be unacceptable at any time, but at a time when we are fighting two wars and facing a serious deficit, it is inexcusable. it is an affront to the american people to our troops, and it is time for it to stop. this is not a democratic issue or republican issue. [applause] this is not a democratic issue or republican issue, it is about giving our troops the support that they need. that is something that all americans should be able to agree to. i am glad as i -- i am glad i

have as a partner in this effort, a great american, a great arizonan, a man who has shown courage in fighting his waist, senator john mccain. -- fighting this waste, senator john mccain. [applause] i am a proud to have searched for a defense robert gates -- secretary of defense robert gates. i have signed bipartisan legislation to reform defense procurements that weapons systems do not spin out of control. even as we increase spending on our equipment and weapons that our troops do need, we have proposed cutting tens of billions of dollars in waste we do not need. think about it. hundreds of millions of dollars for an alternate second engine for the to and strike fighter. one reliable engine would do just fine. nearly $2 billion to buy more f- 22 fighter jets when we could move ahead with a fleet of new

and more affordable aircraft. tens of billions of dollars to put an anti-missile laser on the fleet vulnerable 747s. billions of dollars for a new presidential helicopter. maybe you have heard about this. among its other capabilities, it would that be cooked a meal while under nuclear attack. [laughter] if the united states of america is under nuclear attack, the last thing on my mind is whipping up a snack. [laughter] [applause] that is pretty straightforward. cut the waste, save taxpayer dollars, support the troops. [applause] that is what we should be doing. the special interests, contractors, entrenched lobbies, they are invested in the status quo, and they're putting the bite. but make no mistake, so are we.

if a project is not support our troops or make america safer, we will not funded. if the system does not perform, we will terminate it, and if congress sends me a defense bill loaded with pork, i will veto it. we will do right by our troops and taxpayers and build the 21st century military we need. [applause] finally, we will fulfill our responsibility to those who serve by keeping our promises to our people. we will fulfill our responsibility to our forces and our families. that is why we are increasing military pay, that is why we are building better family housing and funding more child care and counseling, to help families cope with the stresses of war. we have changed the rules of the military spouses can compete for better jobs and pursue their careers. we will fulfill the

responsibility to the wounded warriors. for those still in uniform, we are investing billions of dollars for more treatment centers so that our troops can recover and return where they want to be with their units. [applause] but as the vfw knows, for so many veterans, the war rages on. the flashbacks that will not go away, but the ones who now seem like strangers -- the loved ones who now seem exchanges, the heavy darkness of depression that has led to too many of our troops taking their lives. posttraumatic stress and brain injury are the defining injuries of today's wars. caring for those affected by them is a defining purpose of my budget. billions of dollars more for treatment of mental health screenings to reach our troops on the front lines and more mobile and rural clinics to reach veterans back home. we are not going to abandon these american heroes.

we are going to do right by them. [applause] we will fulfill our responsibility to our veterans as they return to civilian life. i was proud to co-sponsor the post-9/11 g.i. bill as a senator. thanks to vfw members across the country, and leaders like harry mitchell in congress, it is now the law of the land. [applause] as president, i am committed to seeing that it is successfully implemented. for some many, like my grandfather, the original g.i. bill changed your life, helping you to realize your dreams. but it also transformed america, helping to build the largest middle-class in history. we are seeing the same thing in today's post-9/11 veterans. you pick the school, we will

help pick up the bill. [applause] as the veterans start showing up on campuses, i am proud that we are making this opportunity available to all those who have sacrificed, including reservists and national guard members and spouses and children. including kids who have lost their mom or dad. [applause] in an era when so many people and institutions have acted irresponsibly, we choose to reward the responsible and service of our forces and their families. whether you have left the service in 2009 or 1949, we will fulfill our responsibility to deliver the benefits and care that you have earned. that is what i promise to build nothing less than a 21st century the head, and i picked a lifelong soldier -- 21st century va, and i picked a lifelong soldier to be this fight,

general rick shinseki. we are dramatically increasing funding for veterans health care. this includes hundreds of millions of dollars to serve veterans in rural areas, as well as the unique needs of our growing number of women veterans. we are restoring access to the health care for half a million veterans who lost their eligibility in recent years. since there has been so much misinformation out there about health insurance reform, let me say this -- one thing that reform will not change as veterans health care. no one is going to take away benefits. that is the plain and simple truth. [applause] we are expanding access to your health care. not reducing it. we are also keeping our promise on concurrent receipt.

my budget ensure is that are some really disabled veterans will receive their military retire pay and disability benefits. i look forward to signing legislation on advance preparations for the va to the medical care you need is never held by budget delays. [applause] i have also directed secretary shinseki to focus on a top priority, reducing homelessness among veterans. [applause] after serving their country, no veteran should be sleeping on the streets. no veteran. we should have zero tolerance for that. and we are keeping our promise to fulfill another top priority of the villa, cutting the red tape and inefficiencies that cause back blocks and delays in the claims process -- that cause backlogs and delays in the claims process. this spring, i directed the

department of defense and veterans affairs to create one unified, lifetime electronic health record for the members of the armed forces, a single electronic record with privacy guaranteed that will stay with them forever, because after fighting for america, you should not have to fight over paperwork to receive the benefits you have earned. [applause] today, i can announce that we are taking another step. i have directed my chief performance officer, my chief technology officer, by chief information officer, to join with secretary shinseki in any reform effort. we are watching and to competition -- in a new reform effort. we are launching a new competition to capture the best of the employees. we will use 57 of our regional va offices to come up with the best ways of using information technologies, breaking red tape,

breaking through the bureaucracy. we will find the best ideas and put them into action, with a submission, cut the backlogs, slash wait times, deliver benefits sooner but i know you love for this before, but the leadership we have this time -- i know you have heard this before, but the leadership we have this time will make it happen. [applause] taken together, these investments represent a historic increase in our commitment to america's veterans. a 15% increase over last year's funding levels, the largest increase in thae va budget in over 30 years. these are major investments. these are difficult times. fiscal discipline demands that we make hard decisions. sacrificing certain things we cannot afford.

let me be clear -- america's commitment to its veterans are "@ m @ @ @ @ @ "v@ @ @ @ , he is a child of the depression i grew up to join the generation. the 502nd parachute infantry regiment of the 101st airborne. jumping in a daring daylight raid in holland to the great captured people. rushing to pass down at the battle of the bulge, where the commanding general, surrounded by the germans and asked to

surrender, declared famously, "nuts." for his bravery, and jim was awarded bronze star. like some others, he rarely spoke about what he did and what he saw. he reminds us that true love of country is not a oysters or loud -- not boisterous or the outcome of the tribal and steady dedication of a lifetime. he went to school on the gi bill got married. year after year, he visited school children to speak about the meaning of service, and he did it all as a proud member of the veterans of foreign wars. [applause] then this spring, he made a decision that. he would return to your points more -- return to europe once

more, 84 years old, gravely ill, knowing he may not make it back home. but like a paratrooper he was, he was determined. he returned to the places he knew so well. the dutch town liberated by r g i's school children -- by our gi's, the schoolchildren lined the sidewalks singing sta "the star spangled banner." and then, back where he had served 65 years before, jim noreen passed away at night in his sleep, quietly, peacefully, the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime. the next day, i was privileged to join the commemoration at normandy to mark the day when the beaches were storm and a continent was freed. there were presidents and prime

ministers and veterans from the far corners of the earth. but long after the band stopped playing and the crowd stopped sharing, it was the story of a departed in vfw member that echoed in our hearts. the veterans of foreign wars, their fallen comrades in your communities and country -- they always fulfilled its responsibilities to america, and as long as i'm president of the united states, america will always fulfill its responsibilities to you. god bless you, god bless all our veterans, and god bless the united states of america. thank you very much. [applause]

we have other distinguished guests with a sudden sure you'll want to hear and we look forward to that as soon as the president is through with the rope line. >> out tomorrow morning, and update on the afghanistan presidential election and security support. we will hear from the head of the international security assistance force. live coverage of this pentagon briefing begins at 11:00 a.m. eastern. later in the day, a discussion on state governments and disaster response. the president of the national emergency management association is at the heritage foundation. live coverage starts a 3:00 p.m. eastern. >> analyses been funded? >> the u.s. government. >> i don't know. some of it is government raised. >> it is not public funding. >> probably donations. >> i'm going to say from my tax

dollars. >> how was he spent on it? america's cable companies created c-span as a public service. a private business initiative, no government mandate, no government money. >> maryland rep elijah cummings hosted a town hall about veterans' issues. veterans from the wars in vietnam to iraq spoke about their problems and concerns, including health care, employment and re-entering society after military service. this is about 1.5 hours. >> today, we are honored to have congressman elijah cummings with us to conduct a town meeting. let me say this. it the maryland center for veterans training is a non- profit organization designed to provide homeless veterans and other veterans in need with comprehensive services that would enable them to rejoin the

community is as productive citizens. on behalf of the board of directors, staff and students, we want to welcome our special guest to our program. ell you a little bit about congressman comiummings, he was raised in baltimore, maryland where he still resides today. he obtained a degree in political science from howard university, and graduated phi beta kappa and then with honors from the university of maryland law school. congressman cummings has dedicated his life to uplifting and empowering the people he has sworn to represent. he served for 16 years and became the first ever african- american in maryland history to

be named speaker pro tem. he was first born and as the house of representatives in 1996. congressman cummings is in his eighth term representing maryland's seventh district. he often said that our children are our living message that we send to the future, which we will never see. he is committed to ensuring that our next generation has access to quality health care, education, fresh air and water, and a strong economic -- economy defined by fiscal responsibility. he is a senior member of the house committee on transportation and infrastructure where he serves as chairman of the subcommittee on coastguard and maritime transportation. he is also a senior member of the house committee oversight and government reform. he sits on both the subcommittees of domestic

policy and the post office and the district of columbia. in addition to these three committees, he is a member of the joint economic committee in the house task force on health care reform. is a former chairman and current member of the congressional black caucus, and a co-founder and current member of of the congressional caucus on drug policy. he is also a member of the progress said -- the progressive and get out of iraq caucuses. you conceive of a congressman is a better man. i would rather have my job instead of his. we certainly want to welcome you to the maryland senator for training. -- marilyn center for training. >> good evening, everyone.

we can do better than that. good evening, everyone. >> good evening, sir! >> you got me that time. i what i thank mr. women's -- i want to thank mr. williams for your kind of deduction and all of you for what you have done for our country. so often it is said that our veterans seem as if they are unseen, on notice, on appreciated, and applauded. -- unseen and noticed, he appreciated -- unapprciated, and unapplauded. join me in giving yourselves a hand.

but foley began, please join me in showing our appreciation to the wonderful fire for their inspiring kickoff of this program. since i was in the last time, i don't remember those robes. i thought so. they broke out in those robes. but give them a hand. they were wonderful. my friends, allow me to begin this afternoon by thanking you for coming out. it makes me feel good. it is one thing when you have left town hall and a few people's joke, but every time that i have come here, i have always promised to come back and i keep coming back, but every time i come here we have always had a good audience. i want to thank all of you. we really have every seat

filled. i want to like you do in church. if you have a seat beside you, raise your hand so that some of the people who might want to sit down might have an opportunity. these are empty seats, a gentleman. we might be going for an hour. i recall for you america -- all bomb was inside into what america as you in return. banks are warranted but not nearly enough. my friends, you have served our country and fought to preserve our liberties. now is the time for your nation to help you. u.s. current health care and the other benefits that you were promised. this much is very clear. what all of us understand is that america has a long way to

go before we can mark our promise to you paid in full. we must do better and we can do better, and i think our president and congress are saying that we will do better. our nation's honor and security are at stake. this is the main reason that i returned to you this afternoon. i wanted to report on some progress that we are making in washington and we're keeping our promises to you. many of the things that we have worked on actually came out of meetings and concerns that you have had an request to me, request that you have had in the past. it is my job to take those concerns back to the congress and be a voice. it is not enough for you just to hear from me. i need to hear from you. you are the ones that are going through whatever you may be going through on a daily basis. going through on a daily basis. many of yo

many of you have seen the good works like this center. so, i bought -- brought some friends a long because i thought you might have some questions that the experts in the area might very well be able to answer better than i could because they are dealing with these issues every day. i want to introduce them to you right now. is the veterans center right here in baltimore >> we also have mr. sanford garfunkel who is the regional director for network 5. both maryland and west ridge union. give him at hand, please. [applause]

we have mr. dennis smith, who is the medical director for the va maryland health care system, and i told mr. smith, there was an issue that came up about some -- in philadelphia, with regard to prostate cancer in veterans. any of you heard about that? i was just telling dennis a few minutes ago that as soon as i heard about it, as a matter of fact, i read it at 4:30 in the morning and i was in his year to make sure that those things were not happening in baltimore by the time he got to the office. come to find out, when we checked it out, we were told baltimore has one of the best va medical systems in the country. so i want to thank dennis. give him at hand, please.

[applause] ms. angela nash, who is director of baltimore national cemetery complex is here to help assure you that your families are not unduly burden in the future. what we find is upon the death of a veteran, we get the calls to try and straighten out situation so that the family can address the issues that need to be addressed, and they need those addressed in a compassionate and speedy way. we are glad you have been able to join us. give her a hand, please. and finally, we have on the end here, joanne johnson, a team leader in the baltimore that center, care to talk to you

about mental health benefits. she will be sitting at a table in the hall. i want you to understand -- give her a hand, please. thank you. i want you to understand that what we're going to do is -- i will make a brief presentation, then all of us will join in together. there may be some things that are personal and may not be appropriate -- you may nee wanted. so basically, you have an opportunity to meet with these folks. they are going to stick around. specifically for you, you can support separating ourselves and i will have they address you afterwards.

for the rest of you, please hold it, and i hope he will respect that. you've taken an important step coming here to macbeth. as it is declared, it takes the entire community to help a veteran heal. many of you have called my office. sometimes, bureaucracy and other limitations can get in the way of getting the job done, and i have not forgotten the responsibility we all have for our own lives. whatever obstacles we may face war may have faced in the past, our objective now must be to get the job done. that is why we're here today as a community to learn and to inform each other.

i want to report on progress, and then we will go on. with regard to health care, several obstacles may stand the way of veterans receiving care. the department of veterans affairs must be supplied with resources. treating five. million patients in a coming year, including 260,000 iraq and afghanistan veterans, congress has made it a priority to fund health care and benefits that they were supposed to have and that they deserve. we have no choice but to do that. we can send our men and women

like you hear off to war, and we must make sure that not only are you taking care of when you are there, we must take care of you when you comeback. let's make sure that happens. [applause] and i mean this with every fiber we have in our bodies, we must do everything in our power to make you as whole as we possibly can. i have talked to a lot of you, and listen to you, and i think we have got to -- we have this one thing to have the resources. we have got to marry them so you can get done what you have to get done. i found the biggest increase ever was approved by congress

this year. the house appropriations bill 3082 provided a path to restoring and revitalizing the services offered to veterans by adding $14.5 billion in the 2010 budget. in addition, the stimulus bills have another 1.4 billion in increased funding in 2009 to improve the maintenance of va medical facilities, the construction of extended care facilities, and repair of veterans cemeteries. almost as important as the overall funding entries is the certainty with which these funds will be provided. a top priority for veterans would mean the reform of funding process that resulted in 19 at lake va budgets during the last 22 years. that is not right. this year, we got the job done

we passed h.r. 1016, the veterans' health care budget, reform and transparent act, with medical related accounts for the last fiscal year. this legislation is an historic reform to improve the care of veterans received in the future. we know that va operations benefit from advanced notice regarding resource allocation. the ability of the va has been hindered to recruit well trained medical professionals, and maintain facilities, and acquire new equipment. dennis can testify to that. he has hired people to be in the hospital and medical facilities to treat the folks coming in, bought unless he has some kind of notice, that is a major problem. some people may arrive, but the

money is not moving as fast as the people are. so what do you have? you have a gap, a problem. thank god that dennis smith has been able to work around that. the va has been provided funding to adequately maintain facilities and continue services. the va maryland health care system is responsible for providing care to hundreds of thousands of maryland veterans. i also note that according to the center for minority veterans, minority veterans comprise approximately. the mission is to care for people who love borne the battle to honor those who have worn the uniform by providing them with the highest quality health care and benefits possible. however, that mission can only be accomplished if they know the

full range of services available. my mother used to have a saying. she said there is nothing like a person who don't know what they don't know. and that is true. a lot of times things are available to us, but if we do not know about them, it cannot do us very much good. and that is one thing i would ask that you do. a small favor you can do for your congressman and all of us is learn about things today, and pass the word on to people who may not be here, who may be going through some things. that is important. and let me pause here to give you a commercial. on september 12, we will be doing what we call a foreclosure prevention seminar and workshop at woodlawn high school from 9 until 3. a number of you have said you are worried about losing your home's, separate work apart from

what you are doing today. and we held one on june 6 and were able to help people stay in their homes. and if you are worried about how to get to your mortgage payment or whether you find yourself in foreclosure, i want you to give us a call. all of those folks on my staff, right here, we have somebody getting to those issues immediately. the last to know what you to do is to sit around and wait and hope and the next thing you are sitting out, you come home, and all of your stuff is on the front lawn. if you find yourself in that situation, if you have a relative, if you know somebody, please pass the word. and if you are in that situation, do not wait. do not let shame be your enemy. do not let shame be your enemy.

too many people are so worried about shame. foreclosure prevention, september 12 -- in the meantime, we get together with the lender and borrower. i want to get to some questions. we must feel better about reaching out to veterans to informally about resources that are necessary. one of the reasons for the question and answer session that we will be having in just a few minutes is to give you the opportunity to help the va do a better job helping you receive the care you need. basically, what we try to do is make sure and find out what you need, and we want to find out

what we can do better to try and address your needs. can i tell you a secret? is your tax dollars. it is your tax dollars that allowhis to happen, so we want to make sure they are being spent in an efficient manner to benefit you and your family. before i move on from health care to other important concerns, i will take a moment to comment on the backlog, because i've concern about this. i do not sit on the affairs committee for veterans, but i pay attention to what they are doing because we have so many veterans. one of them is the subcommittee on disability assistance and memorial affairs. a series of hearings regard a growing backlog in the disability claim process. how many of you have been waiting a long time for the claim? that is quite a few of you. during a hearing on june 9, which questioned if the va could

manage 1 million claims, a panelist had this to say. this is what he said. he said, and i quote, unquote weekend, and we must, because we must not fail those who never failed us." 396,000 backlogs and veterans' claims, and the 177 day average wait for veterans to assess veteran benefits they have earned -- that is very important, that you have earned -- that is why congress has provided the funding for some 7100 new va claim processors, and we feel very good about that. there's something about president obama talking about the urgency of now. the urgency of now. when someone is going through some difficulty, they do not have time to wait. the time they are waiting can

literally almost to destroy them, if not destroy them. hopefully, with the 7100 added to their ran á,h@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their lives on hold while waiting for the much-needed assistance they reserved -- deserve, because they went and did job for us, and we need to were firmer -- a firm the favor.

you got on a plane, you went to iraq or afghanistan and did what you had to do. right now, we have got to do what we got to do. and when you served, he served without hesitation, did what you have to do. allow me to say a few words about homelessness that veterans face. i tell you, on my way here, a few moments ago, i saw a fellow up the street, and he was -- he had a t-shirt that said veteran, and a little army cap, and he was over there by the church,

the post office. anybody familiar? i tell you, i felt something. obviously, he was a veteran. obviously, he was going through some help. i know far too many veterans are having difficulty with housing. when you do not have a house, what does that lead to? almost as. -- homelessness. the number of homeless veterans is a national disgrace. we know that long-term housing, dental, medical, and health care are central to rehabilitation of the homeless. in 1993, the va launched a community, is this assessment local education and networking fund. how many of you are familiar with that? let me tell you about it. challenge is a program designed to enhance continuance of

services and the regional office and surrounding agencies. in other words, taking the local folks, working with veterans, making sure that they get the services with regard to those who might be homeless. the guiding principle behind the project is that the va should work closely with local community to identify needed services and deliver the full spectrum required to help veterans reach their potential. homeless veterans reintegration of 2009 required the be 8 to provide comprehensive services to prevent veterans homelessness. this also authorizes the reintegration program through

2014, which provides grants for job training, counseling, and child care. how many of you are looking for jobs? how many of you do not have a job right now? you seem like the same people. about same number. we expect information on how well the program is working. the challenge of jobs, we know that a central issue to ending homelessness is a good job. a lot of people did not realize how important a job is. a job is important. when i was practicing law, i practiced for many years, and a lot of domestic problems were there. they had to do with somebody not

being able to have a job. the couple did not know that was a problem, but it was underlying everything, and most folks, men and women, want to work. they want to contribute, and my right? correct me if i'm wrong. most men and women want to work. they want to contribute to their family. not to have a nice lifestyle. they want to be productive. particularly, i would imagine, folks that have been veterans, is probably even more special you contribute, because you have already contributed substantially. obtaining additional trading is the best course to a job, but let me not kid you. we're going through difficult times right now, and you probably know it. i stood on the oversight government reform committee where we investigated how we got into this mess. let me summarize really quickly,

because i do not want to get off, it was about greed, dishonesty, about people letting other people down and not giving a hoot about all of us, but about themselves. we will deal with that. in the meantime, the economy for the entire world almost has come down. ladies and gentlemen, let me say this. you know it better than anybody else. this is a great country. you know this is a great country because of the greatness of the country, we will get through

this economically. the question is, not whether we can get through it, the question is, how will we be standing when the sun comes up? that is the question. will we still have our house? will we have a job? will the company work force still be in existence? will our child have been able to go to college? will we still be married? what questions and with all of these economic issues. a lot of pressure. all i'm saying, part of why we are here today is we're trying to make sure that the benefits that usa has paid for, that you are paying for, that you know about them and that we're able to hook you up with the benefits. because this is bigger than you.

and you know it. this is about your dignity. that is what this is about. i am almost finished. i do not want to get too riled up here. one of the things that made me so mad, i will never forget when we went to walter reed a few years ago and i was part of the initial group that went there and saw our veterans who had come back from iraq sitting for days, sometimes months with nobody to care for them and guide them. that is just not right. so anyway, let me say, i hope

you'll take advantage of this, what we call it post-9/11 gi bill. it allows veterans to receive college education benefits. i know that college is not for everybody. some people say, i've had enough education. i'm not going to college. that is fine. but there are people in this room right now who would make a great teacher. who would make a great medical person. who have the compassion, and i am begging you to take advantage of these benefits. as far of -- we have in it -- just listen to me. i beg you, please, please, do

not mistake a comma for a period. please. listen to me. you all bring something to the table and a lot of people do not bring. you have been faced with danger. you have been faced with difficult circumstances. and we need your experiences combined with education. we need you. how much will we have to do to see these kinds of men in those positions? we are trying to do positive things. am i right?

this post-9/11 gi bill began august 1, august 1. it allowed veterans to achieve a college education, up to four years of benefits, including statements for housing and books. you cannot beat that. another program wanted to mention is the recovery act. the president is funding the most pressing infrastructure needs of the va. our goal was to fund projects to create tens of thousands of new jobs, and we also wanted to take another step in keeping our promises, like a tax credit for businesses hiring unemployed veterans. so, we have got to get our economy back functioning because we have mechanisms that will help if people are hiring.

but you have to make sure they are hiring. people receiving unemployment benefits for more than four weeks before they were hired. we also provided a stimulus payment of $250 to all disabled veterans receiving va compensation. how many of you got that? the va is looking at a problem with its initiative, vrne carried it is designed to work with coming home to work. it is supposed to help service- connected veterans to achieve their employment and independent living goals as a result of growing demand.

the va outsourced the services to contractors. however, the va now says its contract was cancelled as of july 20, 2009, 10 days ago, because of a contractor's failure to meet performance standards. are you familiar? as a result, hundreds of veterans in need of rehabilitation art trying to receive the services they desperately deserved. it insures that new contractors are capable providing services for veterans. i intend to work with them to assure that we succeed as fast as we possibly can and we go forward with the urgency of now.

if there's one word that my staff will hear me say over and over again, it is urgent. deal with this urgently. we can not get caught in a culture of mediocrity when it comes to you. now it is time for my experts to join me. i will introduce them again. dr. george, director of the regional va office, mr. sanford garfunkel is the regional director for integrated service. dennis smith, medical director for va maryland health care system, and the director of the cemetery complex.

and she will go to the side and do whatever you can to address your problems. people have come to me and called me, and i see some of you in the audience. i want you to listen to me carefully. ladies and gentlemen, we have one life to live. did you hear me? this is it. this is it. this is it right%)%w@ rr@ @ @ @

how. we try to keep disinformation confidential, and if you listen to a program, there were so many women that came on that program and talked about the men in their lives who were just phenomenal. great man. strongmen.

they said that they wished they would have just gotten some help. they were so ashamed. i thought, here -- i have not come here to ask you to get help. i am begging you to get help. it is bigger than you. it is bigger than you. you did not ask for whatever you may be going through. you gave. now we have to give back to you. again, if you have those kind of concerns, but addressed and so we can do everything in our power, because we need you. we need you. we need you being the best that you can be. so we're going to open it up for questions right now.

i have my panelists. if we could get started now. questions. [applause] there is a microphone right here. why don't you all come up? by the way, this is on c-span. it is not live, but they will be taping it. i want you to be brief with your questions, and do not forget, if you have a personal thing, let's deal with it on the side. thank you. >> in 1971, i done to tours in vietnam. i had symptoms of post-traumatic stress. i did not know. guys started out with a group for veterans in 1971, and i attended the group. i did not know.

i got worse, and that group was not going to help me, so i disappeared for three years and was isolated. it was not until 1990 i was first diagnosed. i have been on medication since then. i file claims five times for ptsd. i recently went with my records from north carolina in which i was diagnosed as chronic, and i asked the service of the search, well, if i m chronic, why have on my claims been approved? their response to me was that the va does not know where i got it from. i filed again, even with the

board of veterans review, but my own records somehow disappeared. that was in 2000. >> ok. we are going to work with you and try to figure that out. >> thank you. >> you might be prepared to come up to the microphone. c-span needs to be able to do what they are doing. >> hello. i had something similar to him, but mine is totally different. i was on two services, but they have no record of me. but they give me a paper.

but i get medical care here. my question, i have a good primary physician, but it takes two months to three months to see him. >>, appear. >> c-span, you need this, right? you need this. talking to these mikes. >> we do see walking in emergencies the day they happen. so please contact us and we will get it sorted out. thank you. >> did you see what just

happened? that is why we are here. that is what we are here. do you see how he raised the issues? he did not have to. it is personal business. but let's knock several birds out with one stone. if you have a similar issue, like mr. hamilton's, she is the lady you are going to see as soon as you are finished. so if you have a similar issue, you do not have to come repeated. i appreciate it, but that is not the way we will handle that. >> this is for the director. i recently completed a tour of iraq and i received a dislocated

jaw. at the time, there was no pain or discomfort. but when i came home, i started noticing i was having problems with my jaw at night, things like that. when i went to the va to go to the doctor, and i actually got to see the dentist, i almost got a place to put in my mouth, but then they said 180 days was up and i did not qualify and they could not give me services. and i was trying to figure out why -- i mean, because i did not do that dental peace within 180 days, i did not have anything wrong with my job then, it was not until later on, but now i get to running around to get dental work i need for my job. >> i did not understand exactly the issue. what we have to do is get details. but i thought they changed that. they did not?

because you present yourself within 180 days, we should be able to work with you. we will work with you. we will work it out. >> to all of you, what we are going to do is -- i have a great staff, and i want you, and i have no doubt that dennis smith will do what he said he is going to do, but -- [laughter] if you do not receive satisfaction, get a hold of us. these things are urgent. you have got to be able to -- your mouth as important. you have got to be able to do things. like to chew.

[laughter] yes, sir? >> what i'm going to address this, i have heard a lot of what you said and talk about, and i am all for it, but there is a lot of us out here that were left out five years ago, 10 years ago. when i got out of the service, i had a good job. i've worked a good job. but then my disability allowed me not to be able to work my job, and they said i was not eligible. just because i'm being persecuted, just because i did not need your help before, you will shut me off now?

you sit down and say, we cannot help you. there are many of us here who observed, and all we get from you is, what can we do? we only help the young. what is this? it did not take me long to get down there, to get shot, to lose my eye. [applause] help us. do not forget us. >> i was talking about afghanistan and iraq, and i had to change that, because some of you all -- [laughter] first of all, do you want to deal with that, and then i want to address it from a

congressional standpoint. but me say, i agree with you 1 million%. i've back to figure out how to make that happen. >> i think what we need to do is sit down with you and see what we can do with regard to your job search. i cannot change regulations or the eliminating. . you are talking about roles and regulations. but there are still resources available at the vienna -- va, and counselors to help you with your job search. why not understand what you're trying to say? >> i had my own business in home improvement. i would like to do rehabilitation location, but you have a 12-year stop on it.

i cannot do my own thing anymore. >> let me just say this. that is something -- i want to thank you for bringing that up, because i was thinking about this earlier. we have to take a look at that. what you said is that there are sets of circumstances which put veterans who have been away from service for more than 12 years in just a bad a spot or worse as somebody who just came back from iraq or afghanistan. got that. got that. now, we will work on that. i will do my part. i will do what i can. the other thing is that in our stimulus bill, there is money for retraining.

i'm not so much concerned about the retraining. i want you to have a job. listen up. our office will try to work with you along with these folks to get that training. but the military peace, we will have to revisit that. in the meantime, you have to survive. i understand. i do not know whether you have children or a family, but they have got to survive with you, we cannot let you fall. so they will work with you, and he will work with you, and other people falling in that category will work with you. crystal, raise your hand. she deals with those issues. she will also -- do you have cards year? she will work with you. but we also have to have a long- term solution. by the way, what you said about the 12-year thing is apparently

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but if you find yourself in all life third in stance -- a life circumstance like mr. beckett, you might want to do the same thing he advised mr. beckett to do. do you have me? ok. >> you were talking about our families. my situation, beside the fact that i have three daughters under the age of 18 -- >> i have two. [laughter] >> the va health system has been great, but one reason i am here is because i am so far in debt making sure my daughters and

fiancee have gone the care they need outside the system. my youngest is only year-old. we are just -- her birth was over 20 doesn't dollars that we did not have. i lost my job shortly before she was going. i am in no way paying that money back anytime soon. so what i'm asking is, will be va help veterans and families? >> this is one of the main reasons we need the kind of health care reform the president

has been pushing for. we want to make sure we create a situation where all americans have access to health care. not just whether you are the spouse with the family of a veteran -- we want all americans to be in that position. we are in a situation right now -- i was not one to talk so much about the bill to the house and senate right now, but i think it will open a door for more people to be covered. as a matter of fact, i know it will. sadly, we have in our nation today is an insurance industry which is pretty much taking advantage, i think, of a number of people. you have people where if you have the condition, you have a problem. you know that.

you elected insurance, not unless you have a job. if you get certain elements, certain cost this will drop a -- certain companies will drop you. deductibles are going up much faster than people are being paid. one of my colleagues was talking the other day about his daughter who has epilepsy, saying that if it was up to congress, it would be impossible to get her insurance. at the same time, we have an inefficient system. in other words, we are spending 50% more for health care in our country, but we're not getting the kind of results we need. so that is why president obama has spent so much time on this issue, so that we will be able to create situations were all americans have access to health care.

in the meantime, we have to address those issues, a folks getting where you want to go. we have got to address the issues of private insurance companies, and that is why we have this thing in the bill called a public auction -- option. it is basically another type of insurance plan whereby people can get the benefits, and the government competes against other companies. how this will work out in the end, i do not know. these bills are still floating through congress. the house has passed, with three committees. we do believe this legislation is one to open the door for

people like the relatives, your fiancee and your children. they will get health care they need. in the meantime, we have to get to business with regard to making for veterans get their folks taking care of properly. veterans' benefits are not your help insurance -- your health insurance is not affected at all by any legislation going forward. >> i am wondering why the system cannot see my direct family members. my direct family, my children -- why can't they take care of my children? >> the lot does not provide for

that unless you're 100% connected. even if it passed a law tomorrow, we would not have the capacity immediately. we do not provide pediatric care, because we did not have children come. if all this that we need to provide some new services, we would need to expand. the law provides for veterans, not necessarily their families. i wish they could. >> our family suppers just as bad as the service members. >> i agree with you 100%. >> again, hopefully -- we have to go to the next question, but that is a big, broad question,

and just hear me out. even with what we were trying to do right now, people try to swift boat the plan. you understand that. right now, as we are speaking. and we're trying to come up with a plan by which their will be an affordable system. i think one of the best bets is to try to help to push your congressman, that is me -- you are already talked to the choir -- you are already talking to the choir. i cannot know how many of you have operated small businesses, but let me tell you -- almost half of the people -- anywhere from 46 million to 68 million people each day with no health insurance. 0. that is a shame.

for one of the most powerful countries in the world -- i hope you can relate when i say this. we in america are the greatest country in the world. but one of the things that made us great is our moral authority, backed up by military authority. that is about how we treat each other. there is no reason -- and you know what i'm talking about. if i asked everybody in this room right now how many of you know people in the last five years, people lose funerals you have gone too, who you look at them in the casket and you say to yourself something went wrong -- how many would say

something? raise your hand. that says something right there. we can do better. this is the united states of america. i hate that you have to say the words you are saying, but all we can do is try our best to get through these plans for you and your family. remember when i said. you are dramatizing what i said before. i am sure that if you had a choke this -- have a choice, he would rather have your family have health insurance than you have it. and i understand that. i get that. but i do not want you to have that choice. we are dealing with difficult forces. and when we talk about small businesses, about half of the

folks are either the families or people who work for small businesses. they do not have insurance because the premiums are too high, the cost of insurance is going up faster than their paychecks. so you are talking about money coming directly out of your checks, and when you are being denied certain services, it is not unusual for people to call and say, you need to help me. man, they will not give me this, not that. and we've got to fight. we can do better than that. i think that is basically what our president has been saying. we are better than that. and so, again, thank you for raising the issue. we are going to continue to fight.

>> good evening. i'm patrick cunningham from the vietnam era, and when i came to be a vet, i found out i had posttraumatic stress disorder. >> just hold that. if you do not mind admitting it, how much of you believe, not you know it, but you believe that you suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. ok. all right. >> and i was sent to the in- house program for six-weeks at the baltimore va. while in there, i was put on the

roll is being outpatient, and by benefits counselor told me they could not do that because i was in the care of that dna and they had to put me down as inpatient -- i was in care of that va and they had to put me down is impatient. and also, i was awarded 30%, but i do not think that was a fair settlement because of the fact that i lost a whole lot of things in my life because of this problem that i did not even know i had, and it did not know why i asked the the way i did. i lost two wives and my home and everything because i was so out of control, all within myself, and i did not want to be around anybody else. i destroyed my whole life. i'm doing a lot better now. i'm still going to outpatient

treatment, and it is helping me a lot. >> but you feel like you need to continue. >> yes, sir. >> let's see what we can do to try and resolve that. >> thank you, sir. >> thank you so much. with the gentleman who was the last person out there, that is going to be the last question. we have a time issue here. mr. lamar, thank you for being here. >> thank you for coming. welcome to the best program in the world. >> i agree. [applause] i am glad you said that. in a few words, because a lot of

people do not know about this, this will be seen all over the country -- tell me why you said what you just said. why did you say what you just said? just briefly, ok? >> i screwed my life up. @@@@@@@@@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @n

>> this is about life and death. a lot of times i think people do not realize -- and the reason why i have this sense of urgency is because that i know that somebody needs it bridge at a certain moment. without that bridge at a certain moment -- it is interesting. talking about bridges, i got a

letter today, it is in my car, she is in prison and this is a lesson for all of us. this lady is in prison and she wrote me a letter, saying, congressman cummings, i wrote you and thank you for writing me back. because, she said, the day i got your letter was of a i had already planned to kill myself. -- was the day i had already planned to kill myself. you do not know what your action will do to affect someone else. and what you just said? i will remember that until i die. and more importantly, it ain't nothing to remember. he gives me the incentive to act on it and i hope it does the same for my colleagues. [applause]

>> mr. congressman, it is a pleasure to have you here. what i wanted to address -- a lot of us in here have done things to mess up our lives. we had injuries and other things going on with us that we need to address and what not. but then there are those of us in here who desired to do things to access some of that money, those financial funds, that have been released by the government, ok? but we don't have the educational skills or the training or the finances by which to get those things to learn how to write those grants so that we can open up businesses and put back to work. if you give a man a fish, you can feed him for a day. if you teach him how the fish, he can eat for a lifetime. what i am looking to do is an organization that is teaching people have access that money,

man, because you know, it's no good if you are out there. >> again, i am glad that you are bringing this to our attention. one of the things that is frustrating, i sit on the transportation committee and we are about two in 18 months or less put out this bill will $600 billion -- with $600 billion. has the disadvantage component, which means a substantial amount has to go to businesses owned by minorities and others. but the thing that is frustrating is what you just said. although the money may be designated, the question is, had you prepare -- first of all, in four people, and then how you make sure that they are able to access it? so that they can dream big and

achieve those dreams? i need to sit down and try to see exactly what we have with regard to that type of preparation. there are all kinds of folks that we could help, if they do not already have it here, work with the men and women here about finding those opportunities and preparing proposals and respondents, those kinds of things. i would be happy to do that because of that maybe -- do we have something like that already here? you do? you need help. >> i am just talking about getting a job. >> i know. >> taking the next that up. doing a businesslike and but some other people to work. i'm telling you.

>> because you are where i want you to be, all of you. we will talk about that. i will talk about that in a minute. i promise i will sit down with them and figure out if there are things that mean to be supplemented -- that need to be supplemented and try to bring the power of our office to that. and let me say this. the gentleman was so eloquent when he said -- you remember what he said when he started off? this is a great program. [inaudible] but, but, but. he said something else. he is not satisfied with the program being a great program. he is saying, we can go to higher heights. that is what he is saying. and that is what we have got to be about.

how do we take this to higher heights? and that is what i thought. i promise we're going to jump on that. we've got the staff member on long from the united states army. [applause] and see, believe me, believe me, if you have a super ally right here. she is so wonderful. [applause] last question and then we're going have to wrap up. the general public is invited to share dinner? oh, ok. what is on the menu? all right, i know why he started laughing when i ask you about the menu. [laughter] stand-up, you are the chef.

[inaudible] [laughter] [applause] >> good day afternoon -- that evening. my name is derek williams. my question is, what can be done to help veterans who had fallen by the way in the judicial system and got caught up and don't have any idea about the programs that are available? no, a lot of us had made poor choices, and several of us have mental illnesses, and some do not even know that they exist. and be done to educate those people about the programs that are available to them said that they can seek the help that they really need, that they desperately need? >> first of all, tell me about this. dollars can i say one other thing?

i came up with this question because i was incarcerated about a year ago in hartford county detention center. they do not have any knowledge about these programs. i am specifically about va programs and they gave me a paper they gave me no information about this program. his detention centers in the same state. >> how did you find out about the program? >> by going through baltimore behavioral health. >> interesting. you think we might need to do a better job of getting the word out about this program? [applause] >> and i might add just one other thing. if i did not look through their entire resource manual, i would not have seen mcvets. it was on the next-to-last page.

>> it is one thing to hand a resource and another thing to know about it. hello? we have to work to make sure that that happens. i want my friend a comment. and then i will close out. >> very quickly and thanks for your question. the dea has two programs and i don't know that we get to that facility. if not, we should. we have two programs to deal with this issues. incarcerated veterans, where they go in and talk to the veterans and tell them about the aid programs and tell about what is available when they get out. the second program is a new program that just started, working with the courts so that a veteran gets arrested for drug use -- rather than putting the veteran and a jail, we work with the courts and say let us put the matter and into a be a facility and we have the veteran -- into a va facility

and rehabilitate the veteran. [applause] thank you. so we have several programs that we are working with. a second one is just getting off the ground. i'll look specifically about hartford facility and see what is going on there. but is not expanding programs and over the next period of several months, we should be in those facilities and in the courts and maryland and d.c., western virginia, all of those courts. thank you. [applause] dollars i am very sorry. i was standing in line. i was waiting for the line to get shorter. islet of last person but i was just sitting down. >> ok. >> i want you -- not want to thank you for coming every year. you give us hope and everything. i have made some bad decisions four years ago.

i need is a mental health. i want to thank va, and neither could do everything but they took care of what they could not do, and they made sure that they took care of it. in all, i got all the schooling. i got all the help. i got mental health, and i don't have any benefits but i waited -- there is no way that mcvet will let nothing slide. i waited and i sat here. and this is my only time i get a chance to say thank you to both. all of my bad decisions [unintelligible] they picked me up enough that that is my boss right there. i am telling you. [applause] and i had to wait a long time. i had to trust that they were going to do it.

they kept saying the 02 n -- a setback sec -- they kept saying to go to mcvet. i wanted a chance to say thank you. [applause] >> there is a lesson in what he just said. sometimes we go through some hell, but we need to tap that sensitivity said that we don't look the other way art just at white people don't matter, because we have been for something ourselves. hello? did the register? so we may be going through some things right now but we will get through this. we're going to get through this. colonel williams was to introduce one person and then i will close out. three minutes, and then there

when have this chicken breast dinner. [laughter] for some of us. [laughter] >> thank you very much. i know most of the folks but we have women here, too. would you please come forward and give us some of your history? [applause] >> thank you. nice seeing you. >> good afternoon, mcvets. ok, all right. [laughter] as most of you know, i'm a combat veteran of the iraqi war. i was over there in 2004-2005.

many of you also know a little bit about my experiences, as it was posted in one of the annual @@@@@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n @ r@ @

there doing the same thing that the men are doing, on the front lines. everything is green, now. nothing is you are a man or you are a woman. everything is green. right there in the trenches, you are out there on the dangers convoys, if you are out there manning the bridges, the same thing, carrying a rifle, shooting at targets and seeing the same things men are saying. -- seen. going through the same thing, and to be honest, men and women are a little bit different. we have different things that we have to deal with. but out there is the same.

i want to represent other women veterans and think the va -- and thank a va as well. there was a lot of education that i received. but there is a trick to it. everybody is not going to tell you everything. of course, you know that by now. if you want the information, you have got to go and get it, pretty much. and a lot of the information is available. some people, you are not going to be waiting. -- they are not going to be waiting when you trip to say, here is the place. i know that there were some changes in me. i was a different person, period. my family, my friends, i was just different all the way around. i held that for two years. i knew that there was something wrong but i did not know how to address it. one day i just decided coming to

know, there has got to be something in place for this. you cannot just go to war and they send you back home like nothing happened, you know. i cannot even walk to the clothing store straight. that was a problem. i sought the information out on my own. it took a while, about two years for me to be where i am now. [laughter] but i definitely want to encourage you to come to our one for program. i encourage you to stay and to continue. don't forget those who are still out there. the information is here. do not give up on yourself. everyday that you wake up, that is a blessing.

that is another opportunity. you're not where you could have been. a lot if you know where you could have been. thank god for these opportunities to know that, being low and being down, the only way to go is where? >> up. >> good for you. [applause] >> miss hunter, i want to thank you for doing that. i know you had not planned to speak. but i think you because you made me think about something else. how to sit down and talk to you to make sure mcvet -- there are things that they need to be dealing with regarding to -- regarding women. you said yourself, things may be a little different in certain areas.

and sometimes we need that sensitivity. i've often said that i would hate to imagine that congress of united states without women and i mean that. there are certain issues that we might not deal with effectively. i want to thank all of you. let me just close. i want to remind you -- they did not put this in my notes. this must be a serious meal. [laughter] >> we need good here, sir. >> please remember that the general public is invited to share dinner with the veterans. $5, and for the veterans -- [laughter] please note that our experts will hang around until 7:00 in the veterans resource room. and i hope -- i hope that you listen to what she said. i hope you listen to what she

said. it is not easy to get up and talk about this. but to business out in the street. i think the reason why she did that was one reason, not to make yourself feel good, but she knows that a lot of you are going through the same thing and she is trying to say, dyes, we have got to get you through this. and maybe we need to get through it with some help. so let's go and get help. am i right, ms. hunter? i am going leave you with this. back in 1988, another friend of mine, and jesse jackson sr., ran for president of the united states. everyone agreed that he did not have much of a chance for winning. but the values he advanced in the campaign had been taken up by millions of american. and that led to barack obama being elected president of united states in 2009. so it is worthwhile to lick --

to remember what jesse jackson said back in 1988. some of you will remember this. jesse reminded the delegates that if an issue was morally right, it would eventually become a political force. he talked about how rosa parks did not have majority support when she refused to move to the back of the bus, but that rosa parks was morally right. he spoke of how dr. king was advancing an unpopular view point about the morality of the vietnam war, but how more laborite dr. king was. and that was the key. and then jesse jackson talk about the courage to do what is morally right. come on now. what is morally right. even in the face of adversity. it raises as up and helps change the world to a better place. understand, all of this, the

discussion we have had today is trying to get us to a point where our country does what he needs to do for you, and we are getting there. but that is what is morally right. that we do what we're supposed to do for you. jesse ended in these words, and they are written, and i think about this all the time, because it means so much. sometimes i think that we get a little down, ms. hunter was talking about going for some difficulty. sometimes we have a tendency to just quit. i give up. we cannot afford to give up. we need to twist our thinking a little bit and jesse said is. i am tired of sailing my little vboat are inside that harbour park. i want to go out in the deep were the great ones are. and should not frail craft prove

too slight for the waves that sweep those below is over, i would rather go down that way than drowse to death at the shelter short. but mr. hunter was saying that his brothers and sisters, we have to go where the big boats are. we may think that we need to be in a little harbor and not go well were the big boats are because we have gone through some difficulties, because we gave our lives, our sweat, and our tears for our country, because we have a low moments, because we may not have a job right now, because the economy is going through what the economy is going through, but that is why we have programs and you coming to get it at talk about this. i did not ask to stand to be here. but the thing that you are saying today, they will be broadcast all over the country so that other folks can get to where the boats are.

at get to where the bid boats are? your comments will go in the people will hear them, probably the president of united states will hear the comments because it was all meant to be. we did not even know this until a few days that we were even doing this. it is not just about what is happening in this room but about protecting and out into the world's said that we can get to where we have got to go. don't give up. i am begging you, i am begging you, please don't give up, because we need you to much. you've got too much to offer. you have got too much to get. she said. ms. hunter said it. the experiences that you have, most people do not have. you bring with that, again, your education, your experiences coming your hardships -- don't

forget your hardships. and the fact that you have compassion, there is no way you could have done the job going into the mallet to it -- the military unless you have the compassion. so let's go with the bid boats are. and while i am meeting -- [laughter] my chicken breast. and my wings. [laughter] i want to thank you all for coming. may god bless.

[captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2009] >> we have a lot of reasons to be closer together, and we had the initial discussions about how to do this. >> we will take one question from the floor and then we will go back and forth. he has had his hand up for a while. >> i am from federal news radio in washington. one of the questions that came to meet when you were talking about the need to continue research, with the funding beyond 2011, the funding runs out, is a need to continue -- to keep the younger people in the pipeline.

we talk about the requirement that will be going through as more and more baby boomers reach retirement age. how do you understand the challenge in that regard? and how does this enter into the discussion about trying to keep the funding level up to keep the younger research group working? >> the demographic is somewhat different, this is my first day and i can keep saying this. i believe that this is certainly true that within the staff and the administrative staff that we have, we have serious concerns about the likelihood of retirement thinning down the work force in the course of the coming years. many of the people who have

labored so effectively are now approaching retirement age. unless there is a pipeline of researchers and administrators coming in to the program -- in terms of the work force of scientific investigators, out there in the university and the institute, this is a little bit less of a problem because science has been growing, in a really exciting way and there has been a lot of interest, not enough interest but a lot of interest ions -- in seeing this as a career. this is not quite as much of a concern among -- as far as this is. i think that with that said about the most major concern

that we have is the and scientists that are just starting their careers are in a fragile state. he often spend many years as a fellow, and often because their a -- this is so difficult to get support, most people are not given a grant until they are after 40 years old. and if you lose that person at that time, that is a tragedy because they have left their future of contributions and you have spent all this money training them to be a scientist. and now they will go off to do something else. in terms of the generations, this has to be an important point. >> we will go to the telephones, please identify yourself.

this always takes a moment. [unintelligible] >> there are no questions at this time. >> thank you. i was falling on that last one, you mentioned this morning about the need to encourage more young investigators. what beyond the obvious problems with the budget is a way of doing this? the budget must be larger? or is there some kind of strategic way in the dollar value? >> we have been trying different approaches, and the institutions have been very creative and is good that there is some diversity, we are looking at ways to do this. many institutes have programs

for young investigators are getting a leg up in the review process, and this is improved slightly by the fact that they are coming here for the first time and they take this into advisement how to do the funding. that is not the ultimate solution. if the budget is overall to ltd., and you are trying to get people started, and they will come back and they cannot get another -- you have not really solved the problem. i think that we need to do something about the aging, of the investigators before their first application. the average age is 42 years old before you get the independent grant funding. one thing i have wondered about

where you take the funding that is given to a student who has just received their ph.d.. you give them a small amount of resources, as a laboratory technician and a mentor to guide them as far as not taking any missteps. it is up to them to decide what project they will were gone. this is part of the training for many people. for an exceptional person, for this example tombaugh d is ready to set the world on fire. -- for this example there is

someone who is willing to set the world on fire. this may not be someone who was willing to set the world on fire. >> can you tell me about your priorities, and specifically, the vaccine? >> on the first day, we recognize that there has been intense national coverage to organize a response. this is a remarkable rival on the scene for the h1n1 virus. i will not tell you anything you cannot find on the internet. i attended the flu summit here where there were less than three cabinet members who appeared for a homeland security, and i was very impressed. there was a high level of knowledge and detailed, and how much this had clearly involved

people at the highest level. when a have questions about this, i know that i can go to an expert, and get the very latest on what will happen. as you know, there has been a decision about particular high- risk groups, and they will be particularly targeted, including pregnant women and people with other chronic illness, and this is a very strong effort that has been made at considerable expense for the enterprise, to have the vaccination ready in the fall. you hope -- that it -- about this three of hearing, people are holding their breath about the timing. the virus has high interactivity -- infectivity.

it is believed that this will behave the way that this did in the spring. and the fear it is that this will acquire higher mortality rates but this has not materialized and that is great news. at the moment, using the information that we have heard from others, -- >> congratulations. i see you composed a song. >> that was rejected by people with better judgment than i have. >> we will be waiting for this. >> as you know, some of the research advocates are now charging $40 billion for the annual goal to work for in the

next several years. secondly, you mentioned earlier, peer review and innovation. many people believe that -- they are funding the study groups that are not innovative, and are the path of least resistance. and this has more familiar signs, and that there is not enough money to go around. can i have your idea about this concern? >> this is a great question. in terms of the $40 billion, this would be lovely. if this came to pass there would be wonderful ideas and this would be very exciting. if you look at what has been lost since 2003, setting aside

the wonderful stimulus package, and looking at the rest of the trajectory, we lost a lot over the timetable. trying to recover that would bring us into the red by $37 billion. we have to balance this with the reality. if you want to do the math and ask what this would take to stay stable, you have to recognize that this was spread out over two years, and there was an extra $5 billion in the budget. if you wanted to actually see growth potential, you may go a little bit higher. obviously, there are many reasons why the director has to be realistic, and i do think that -- as congress does, what

did you actually spend if this was available. in terms of the innovation, this has been a chronic issue as long as i have been involved, the question is about how to stimulate innovation, this has come up multiple times and this comes up in a difficult budget crunch, because there is a great concern about spending money on a project that may fail, and there are other investigators with long track records. in many instances, this may be the wrong decision. it is interesting that we have met the enemy and the enemy is ourself. this was dinged.

the same scientist may be on the study session a few months later, joining with everyone else, and he will say that the idf need some more preliminary data. maybe we should do this for another application. if we're serious about innovation, we have to be willing to take risks. we may ultimately failed to reduce this. they are trying a lot of things to encourage this, with a strong promoter of new ways to look at this. the new innovator grant. like the pioneer grant, where people come up with groundbreaking ideas, and you do not ask them for much in the way of preliminary data. there is the category of

support with the innovation. when it comes to the rank-and- file of what goes on with these issues, there was a review of the process, from berg and tayback from about one year ago. they are trying to do a better job and there is less concerned about getting this exactly right. and the steps that were recommended are being implemented, and this will be interesting to see how much of this that we've achieved, and we will go back and look at this again. i will tell you, this will be a very high priority.

i encourage people to do things that are not obvious. this is what we should be about. >> one more question. >> is it fair to say that you are holding out to congress something in the form of comparative of effectiveness, in return for a more steady funding force? >> i do not think i would say it like this. i am trying to say that we should not be a reluctant partner in the national priority, trying to understand how to modify health care to get the best result. this has been part of the mission all along. but it seems that this is getting to be a high priority, for reasons that i resonate with and i hope that those of you in the room would as well.

this is a circumstance where we are -- where we have a need here, and this will cost some money to do the research effort. we did have a conversation about that. what do we come up with, to improve the budget? this is being driven by the scientific community. >> fox five. we appreciate the aire in the room and that musical reference, this makes you relatable. we have seen this as part of the health-care debate, to be engaged with what is happening in this country. is there a reliable fashion? why is this important and deserving of the attention? >> this is something that i

agree with. we have not necessarily defeated that so far. most of the american public does not recognize us and they do not know as much as they know about nafta. we have the opportunity with the new media that is out there, i should start tweeting to deal with the turned-on internet situation, to inform the public about why they should care. and to get the next generation excited about this and we had a couple of brief conversations about this. i would like to see this as a serious opportunity to be more visible and have more creative strategies, and to be more proactive and not wait for you to tell us you want to comment

about the falling, but to engineer the outreach program that has its fingers in many different directions. not that we would try to be self promoting, as a result of what science is doing. we have a lot of cool things going on. we want to tell the world about it. i want to see this happening. i made a list of things i want to accomplish, and i have that in my pocket. this is one of them on the list. this is one thing that we tried to come up with, the more effective at reached strategy. let the public know what we are doing. you can help me. >> do you think congress recognizes the importance of the funding to the small business community?

>> congress is made of citizens of the united states, some of them certainly do, and they have the largest influence in the authorizing committee, they get themselves informed and we do our best to make certain that they are available to do this. it is very important that they bring their personal experience to the table. and if you have the personal experience to see this, they will be more jazzed. we can have the grantees to see what is happening with the funding. i certainly hope that we can see more of this happening. >> the individual interviews -- i know that you have been dying to ask a question. i will give you the floor and

then we will wrap up. and if you would like to have a follow up? >> two quick questions, i was wondering if there was an immediate plan for the changes to the heads of the institutions, and a second unrelated question, can you expect a registry any time soon? >> the infrastructure, there were signs put in, for these purposes. this was wonderful to see, because we have gone through a number of years. they have had very little in the way of financial support, and the infrastructure has suffered the with the funding, that is coming from the stimulus

package, we are now in a better position. we will be able to catch up with some of the things that were delayed. in terms of the stem cell registry, we have the final guidelines about research. we have the working group and the advisory director. they will have the need to look over this, to see what has lived up to the standard that was put forward by the administration, and that working group will be assembled quite soon, and they will continue their work. an investigator will need to come forward, asking for this approval. and i can go out to try to find this out. and we hope that this guarantees that this will come

forward first. i cannot tell you what the timetable will be in terms of how long that this will take, when the applications are coming in. i can tell you from myself, this will be a high priority to get this done, and to turn loose all of the creative ideas. and we will investigate this to see where we can go. we will probably be moving more slowly than in the past. was that everything? the national research institution is currently led by the very able active director. there is a search under way and they have been reviewing the applications. the new director for the institute will be put forward in

the not too distant future. the national cancer institution is looking for an appointment, but they do not have the confirmation. this process is led by the white house, and they will follow up on this. it is not clear what this process will ultimately turn out to be. but this administration cares about cancer, and this will be a high priority to identify. the national institute of of all laws and -- alcoholism continues and there is research about the possibility to deal with aaa and the drug institute will be merging. for that reason, they felt that

this may not be a great idea to go out there and began the process of finding a director until this is clear. we will have to see how this will play out. >> if you had closing remarks, we will wrap this up. >> i am surprised that one question did not come up, and that was my involvement in the discussions about science and faith. this has been in the blo gosphere, and this resulted in opinion articles in the new york times. i want to tell the scientific community i have stepped aside from any involvement in those activities, although i was involved before today, i

resigned from the foundation that focused on science and faith conversations. this will go on under the director -- direction of others. i am here to lead as best as i can. i have personal interests that will continue about the intersection of science and faith, but this will not interfere in the decisions that i will make. >> thank you very much for joining us today. [unintelligible]

>> as the health care conversation continues, c-span's health care hub is a [unintelligible] keep up to date with town hall meetings and senate debate, and weigh in with your own youtube video. go to cspan.org/healthcare.

>> next, a panel discusses a report on juvenile crime. topicos ons on "washington jour" include the nra and guantanamo bay. and katherine sebelius on health care costs. >> this morning, an update on the afghanistan presidential elections. we will hear from the head of the international assistance court. live coverage begins at 11:00 eastern. then a discussion about disaster response. the president of the national managers association is at the heritage foundation. we have live coverage beginning at 3:00 eastern.

in the. term -- in the next term, the supreme court will look at life sentences for minors that will look at the impact of life without parole sentences. from the heritage foundation, this is 90 minutes. >> good morning. i am the program director, and it is my privilege to welcome the guests. we will have this at the heritage web site and on c-span. if you would, please turn off your cellular phone and short electronic equipment, that will interfere with the recording.

this will be posted within 24 hours on the heritage web site. on the program is a distinguished fellow in public policy, for the heritage foundation. he is also an attorney general of the united states, mr. meese? advisers. >> thank you. i join in welcoming you on behalf of the heritage foundation, and the center for legal and judicial studies, which is an important part of this organization, we have a program on crime control and public safety which deals with thkinds of issues such as we are discussing this morning. today's topic is very timely. this october term which will begin in just a few months, the united states supreme court

million two cases from florida brought by convicts serving life terms without parole for crimes they committed as juveniles. the law defines j the coalition that persuaded some years ago for the court to discover a new limitation on capital punishment, that took place in 2005, is now beginning to achieve the constitutional end run around the state legislatures and the federal government and the district of columbia, and they have authorized a sentence of life without parole for the juvenile offenders. as we all know and as the supreme court has said specifically, death is different. that is why this coalition was able to prevail on changing what was then a historic two centuries of law with capital punishment.

if this coalition succeeds in a line of cases, this would be a major step to subject in all criminal sentences at the state level to the kind of scrutiny that the court previously applied, whereas the former justice has observed, the court has frequently usurped the legislative functions. the legislative function. to date, this public policy debate has been shaped by a carefully crafted campaign of misinformation, legislatures, courts, the public and media have all been misled on crucial points concerning this particular subject. until now, that is. today, we are delighted to present the results of a study that has taken place over a year and a half in which the results of that work has been brought

together in the form of a book that is entitled adult time for adult crime. the book, which has been spearheaded by the heritage foundation, particularly our senior fellow, cully charles stimson, a collaborative effort between prostitutes--prosecutors, defense attorneys, human rights advocates, victims' rights advocates, law-enforcement officials, international law scholars, and many others, the book aims to set state record on this subject and educate the public, legislators, courts and others about the fact of the crimes, the sentences and the law that relates to this topic. the conclusions are simple. first, life without possibility of parole is reasonable, constitutional, and appropriately rare. secondly, contrary to what many have contended, the united

states has no international obligation to than the life without parole sentence for serious juvenile criminals. joining us today to discuss this issue are three distinguished attorneys. each believes that the juvenile justice system in our country should handle the vast majority of crimes committed by juveniles but each of these also in the read of a state of potential for most juvenile criminals. but each also believes that life without parole, for some small percentage of juvenile killers and violent scenes is appropriate. our speakers include paul wallace, the chief of appeals in the criminal division for the dollar department of justice. he has argued a number of cases including the tories case, about 14-year-old murder, before the delaware supreme court, and won the case. is highlighted on page 46 of this new book. for the last 20 years he has been a front line prosecutor and

had numerous leadership positions in the delaware attorney general's office. he has been the chief prosecutor for newcastle county, he has been head of the felony trial sex crimes, white collar crimes, career criminal and misdemeanor units within that office. he has acted as the legislative counsel for the delaware attorney general and has authored numerous state criminal laws. he has argued numerous cases before the state supreme court and federal trial and appellate courts on behalf of the state of delaware. another one of our panelists is daniel horowitz, he has been a renowned california defense criminal defense attorney for the last 29 years. he appears often as legal commentator on cnn's nancy grace show, on ms nbc and fox news and other television programs. he has tried over 200 cases, jury trials as defense attorney,

he has been a member of and a lecturer with the two main california defense attorney organizations in that state, he has taught at the california death penalty college for defense attorneys and handled 27 death penalty cases, of which went to trial, only one client out of 27 received the death penalty. unfortunately, on the fifteenth of october, 2005, his beautiful wife, pamela, was murdered by a 17-year-old juvenile. the juvenile was convicted and sentenced to life without parole. by final speaker is cully charles stimson. prior to joining heritage, he was a deputy assistant secretary of defense under the presidency of george w. bush. he has been a local, state and federal military prosecutor and has also been a defense attorney. he is a former instructor at the

naval justice school, adjunct professor of law at george mason university school of law. he has tried over 100 jury trials as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney. he is co-author of the book adult time for adult crimes. as you can see we have an expert panel to deal with this subject, so we will present our first speaker, who is paul wallace, who will be our first speaker this morning and present the initial topic to you. paul? >> i think i would like to welcome everybody here. thank you for your very kind framing of the issue and introductions. and i thought it would be helpful, instead of me jumping in and talking about the large report or small book, first, a better to have a historical perspective of eighth amendment jurisprudence and non lawyerly

terms from paul wallace to try these cases, argued these cases before the delaware supreme court, and we will move to the findings we have had in the book and then turn finally to daniel horowitz, understanding we want to leave time for your questions and that is why we have our timekeeper and assistant here who will be flashing some cards to tell us to be quiet. >> no statement in any public policy discussion can chill that discussion more quickly than when someone, especially lawyer, says it is unconstitutional. to do whatever. fill in the blank. i saw it as a trial attorney and as an appellate attorney, also hedges at -- as a legislative attorney for 15 years in delaware. in the current discussion about life without parole for juvenile defenders, violent juvenile offenders, then comes down to

two claims. one, the juvenile can never constitutionally be given life without parole, war two, that, in fact, the constitution requires that a court take into consideration use befoyouth bef can be constitutionally imposed. the law has never said that in the u.s. constitution or in any state. here is why. you have to first go back to the beginning of the eighth amendment jurisprudence, common law. common law, basically what occurred, anyone who had the mental ability to commit a crime, could be punished and as

-- as an adult. someone who was under 7 is deemed to be not competent, they cannot be treated as an adult, cannot be held legally responsible. there was a rebuttal presumption, when one was between 7, and 14-year-old, they may be. they redeemed not to be but they may be depending on the individual characteristics of the person and what the court finds. for those who were 14 and over, the rebuttal assumption that in fact they were criminally responsible and in those circumstances to be treated as adults and receive adult punishment. as we move to the history of the united states, crime and punishment in the eighth amendment, it is always framed that this is a cool and unusual punishment, and in fact, as those words have always been defined by the united states

supreme court and by the vast majority of courts in the united states, it is neither. crew and unusual punishment started to basically ensure that there wasn't torture. it meant to talk about the method of punishment. it ensured the united states did not import into our jurisprudence things like coloring, drying and scorinawi , quartering, those types of things. in 1946 the supreme court looked at length of sentence. was explained 50 years later was not the length of the sentence so much but the fact that it was

disproportionate to the crime that was committed. falsification of public records, basically, what we would call today, white collar crimes. for it, the defendant received 12 years of hard and painful labor in irons. you can see a bit of the torture aspect of such a sentence and what the supreme court would be concerned. but the supreme court made a pretty broad pronouncement, saying that it would look at excess of sentences or disproportionate sentences, and for the next 50 years, did not find any sentence to be that. and, in fact, outside the death penalty contexts, has never found a sentence of incarceration to be this do the -- disproportionate, and a

matter what. it has found other types of punishments, in the 1916s, they looked at a case where someone was made an expatriate, stripped of their citizenship and left as a person without -- was an american born person, left without a country. they said that is unusual. in fact, other countries do not do that. the united states had never done that. so it had determined, when looking at a sentence, it should look at what it said are the standards of decency. standards of decency, it is always said, are applicable in the death penalty context. moved up to the 1960s and where we are coming in to what was one of the biggest crime waves, unfortunately, in united states history, and one which many states -- cully will talk about

the trends in legislation -- where state had decided, in fact, that they were going to get tougher on crime in certain ways. and one of the ways was insuring that adult sentences may be applicable to juvenile offenders, particularly violent juvenile offenders, and overwhelmingly made those sentences available. at the same time, we have the death penalty being reinstituted reunited states. there was a period in the 70s, by nearly 80s, many states had the death penalty back again. as a possible punishment. when it did so, there began to the questions as to how the death penalty would be applied. what came out of the united states supreme court jurisprudence was basically the sense that the death penalty has to be individualized. it has to be proportionate to

the crime, murder. and that any court, any law as to allow individual factors to play part in whether or not someone should receive that ultimate penalty. what happened is there was a turn from the individualize capital sentencing idea, to determine whether or not it should be applied to these new sentences, for instance three strikes, you are out. something that may put someone in jail for the rest of their life for a crime they normally would not be, based on their criminal past. the supreme court kept alive -- has kept the line between death penalty cases and incarceration. even life without parole incarceration. the disturbing part in the current discussion is this -- that certain people want to blur

that line, they want to take down that wall between the sentences. the importance of that law is this. the united states supreme court has always said that you don't even look at the eighth amendment unless, in fact, the sentence is grossly disproportionate and grossly disproportionate to the crime. that is the importance in the discussion we have today, because the crimes we are speaking of overwhelmingly, in 4d%)!@ @ @ @ @ @ there are other crimes where someone may get life in prison, rape. those few crimes where life is an option, it is whether or not life without parole remains an option. in the constitutional context, the united states supreme court has always said that for those crimes, for those specific

offenses, this is an option. this is for the adults in the juvenile. -- and the juvenile is. i have been a prosecutor for 20 years. prosecutor for 20 years, i fully believe in the juvenile justice system, i fully believe that you have to have a spectrum of treatment for juvenile offenders, those who are -- who don't deserve that type of punishment because of their crime. they should be in the juvenile system but unfortunately i have also seen what can happen to certain youthful murderers. their crimes are no different from adults. there is no gross this proportionality in the crime that they commit and the sentence that they receive.

and therefore, just as the constitution says, we need look no further, at least in the constitutional argument, as to whether or not the eighth amendment permits these types of sentences. it is also important to note, although every right thinking prosecutor and every right thinking criminal lawyer believes that there's a place for the juvenile system. even courts have said there is no constitutional right to even be treated as a juvenile in any circumstance no matter what. we are not even close to the line that any court would be concerned about. the blurring of that line has real implications. if we do not say that we keep the test that we have now, it has to be some great disproportion between the crime committed and the sentence

received, then what we do is we basically open the door to second-guessing every type of sentencing, every type of legislative act, because in the constitutional sense, relieving life without parole won't makes sense to us, those folks who might believe this change makes sense. what would have to happen would be federal courts, state courts would have to start to set some arbitrary rules as to when, in fact, a juvenile who has killed as to get a parole hearing. it would have to make it as a right. the eighth amendment simply does not require that. all 8 requires our proportionate sentences. the use of the death penalty,

specifically some of the findings in rover, makes it quite difficult, makes it difficult for the other side, because in that very case, the united states supreme court says one of the reasons it was striking the death penalty for juveniles was because life without parole was there, and that was inappropriate sentence, a proportionate since to what they had done. it would make no sense for the united states supreme court to say we are striking the death penalty because we have this option. that option must be there. it is used in the most serus of cases. but there's nothing constitutionally that prohibits it from being there. as edwin meese iii said when he introduced me, i have prosecuted these cases, i prosecuted them as a trial lawyer, i defended

them, i had two in the last year. there are some disturbing acts -- aspects to them. the application that i already talked about, the application of death penalty law, these are not death sentences. as other courts have found, in addition to the supreme court, the united states supreme court, when it struck the death penalty, said it was concerned park the offenders have an opportunity to learn about the crimes they commit, they want an image or understanding of what they have done, they do not believe they can do that. is that exactly that, it gives them that opportunity and also gives the opportunity for victims to have peace of mind, that this person is made to pay for a crime they committed and

is safely away from others in society. one of the cases that i tried, did not try but heard on appeal and litigated on appeal was t r torres vs. state. a 14-year-old became friends with a family, they became friends with the family because what happened was, he threw a rock through the windshield of the father's car. the father wouldn't reported to the police, he said i have a rough childhood myself. let me make him work to payback. he took him fishing over the next month or so and made friends with him. when the young man tried to teach his 3-1/2-year-old son how to light matches, he scolded him for it. a few days later, what he did was broken into that house,

spread kerosene all over including the stairwell, he later said he knew what he was doing, he knew the family was there, and he let it on fire. he watched as the father came out, and watched him go back in screening for his children and his wife. tabor the god family in delaware. he was trying to shield his wife from the flames, he died. his wife died also. and their 3-1/2 and 1-1/2 died in that fire. if you try to apply what is asked for by the other side in this discussion, it would say that no matter what, at some point, we have to say that donald morrtorres gets a parole hearing. in delaware we have consecutive

sentences and your parole eligibility is considered. what it would say is instead of waiting 60 years that he has to wait for parole, in order for them to get what they wish on the other side of this litigation, the court would have to set in arbitrary number. it is not constitutionally required. this case and some of the other cases are how i came to be part of this discussion today. i am certainly willing and able to answer any questions you may have when it is time to do this, when it is time to answer those questions. what i suggest is this -- the united states supreme court has had a very hands off approach on cases other than death penalty cases and for good reason.

it wants to allow that several states decide what is best for them. in delaware, for instance, we decide consecutive sentences and life without parole for murder in the first degree is appropriate. even for someone who is 14. big -- the supreme court may judge looking at the facts, you will stay an adult. individual states need to have that ability. united states supreme court has never said constitutionally, that is prohibited. states should be able to make those decisions for themselves, that there is, under the eighth amendment, no constitutional requirement that everybody be the same, that everybody have

certain parole eligibility, that every venetian treat each crime the same as far as sentencing. >> thank you, paul. the issue of how civilized and just society treats a criminal defendant is a bellwether, how that society is. is an important topic, especially important in the context of how we as a society treat juvenile, like adults cameras. in the issue of juvenile murder and rape, how they deal with them is as important to date. this debate has been driven by a misleading lobbying campaign in

the form of self published studies which i will go into, disingenuous lobbying campaigns for state legislatures, aggressive litigation for the courts, which is appropriate, but what is inappropriate is the misleading statistics and the false reading of supreme court precedent and the accusation that this country is in violation of international law by having life without parole sentences for juvenile killers and violent teen differs place. we are not. that is why we are exceptionally pleased today to begin a new debate, a debate that is framed by a forthright, honest and direct discussion of the actual facts. the facts are these. most juvenile deserve to be treated in the juvenile justice

system. everyone up here agrees with that. very few percentage of juvenile need to be treated within the adult courts if the state so recognizes the ability of juvenile seaway of up to adult court. in a very small percentage of the worst juvenile offenders, the one that we highlight in this book, in our 16 case digests, deserve a fair trial, got a fair trial and were justly sentenced to the constitutional sentence of life without parole. to date, we haven't had this type of debate. we haven't had the ability to take a holistic view of what is happening in the country and that is why i launch this study a year and a half ago after attending a symposium in monterey, calif. where i learned california was attempting, through some state legislatures,

to abolish the sentence of life without parole for juvenile killers, abolish it. understand this, these artifacts. 43 states, through their elected representatives, the voice of the people, have authorized life without the possibility of parole for juvenile killers and violent scenes. that is well over 90% of thetee. that is well over 90% of the population of this country. stick of columbia has authorized life without parole for juvenile killers. our federal government, 43 states, one of the most liberal district in the country in d.c. has authorized that sentence. those are facts. yet when you listen to the incarceration activists button, you would think the society is

not there and that is not where this country is. they are wrong. .. every federal court who has looked at this broad question, has found that this is constitutional. this is not grossly disproportionate to the crime. and you will notice that when he was talking, he was talking about the -- how this was grossly disproportionate to this particular criminal. he was talking about what the court was talking about, whether or not this punishment is proportionate to the crime committed by this person. authorized by the s