but it is harry reid is standing in our way. it is speaker's that is standing in our own way. let's get rid of them so by partisanship can ensue. i think there would be a smart move on their part. host: what about senator dorgan 's second priority, financial reform? guest: qthat is a tough because there are financial industry lobbyists out there. the wall street folks are pushing back on this. but, again, if they could not given done a a year after wall street was a smoking crater, and the idea they can get it done another year later when it has faded into memory i think is unlikely. and they will have a much tougher time doing that this year.

they may have to settle at the white house. host: soros among those saying do not come down on a nurse and when you are in the middle of an economic catastrophe. how you respond? guest: the president is in an economic and political catastrophe. the president had surveillance of those things -- has to balance both of these things. these guys are paying enormous and bonuses. if these systems are so fragile, and why are they paying on bonuses? host: what is to look for next week? guest: more on jobs. behind the scenes, there might be some movement on health care. this is all about the economy at

this point. host: tell us about your new book. guest: it is about corporate as the knowledge and it comes out on february the ninth. -- and it about corporate espionage. >> coming upç next, the presidt of first state of theç union address followed byçç virginia governor bob mcdonnell with the republican response. van of former senators talked about the release of açó reportn reading and government'sç abily to protect unitedç states -- ad reading of the government's ability to protect the united states from weapons of mass destruction. çtomorrow on "washington journal", a discussion about how in decoders' -- independent

voters affect the 2010 election. afterç that, a look at childhod obesity in the u.s. and the first lady's a national campaignç with arkansas'q surgn john. "washington journal", live at 7:00 p.m. eastern, here on c- span. in the nation's capital and across the country, and listen to c-span radio. in washington and at 90.1. it is a free app. president obama's first state of the union address. he talks about the economy, health care and national security and his agenda for the year. this is about an hour and 20 minutes.

>> the president of the united states. [applause] w3i]

[applause]

ç

[cheering] >> thank you. thank you. çthank you.

[gavel] >> members of congress, i have çthe armor to present to you te president of the united states. -- the honor to present to you of the president of the united states. [applause] >> thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you very much. thanmk you.

thank you veryw3w3 much. thank you. madam speaker, vice president biden, members of congress, distinguished guests, and fellow americans -- our constitution declares that from time to time, the president shall give to congress information about the state of our union. for 220 years, our leadersç haq fulfilled this duty. they have done so during periods of prosperity and tranquility. and they have done so in the midst of war and depression, at moments of great strife and great struggle.

it's tempting to look back on these moments and assume that our progress was inevitable -- that america was always destined to succeed. but when the union was turned back at bull run and the allies first landed at omaha beach, victory was very much in doubt. when the market crashed on black tuesday and civil rights marchers were beaten on bloody sunday, the future was anything but certain. these were times that tested the courage of our convictions, and the strength of our union. and despite all our divisions and disagreements, our hesitations and our fears, america prevailed because we chose to move forward as one nation, and one people. again, we are tested. and again, we must answer history's call.

one year ago, i took office amid two wars, an economy rocked çbyçi2oç severe recession, ai( financial system on the verge of collapse, and a government deeply in debt. çexperts from across the political spectrum warned that if we did not act, we might face a second depression. so we acted -- immediately and aggressively. and one year later, the worst of the storm has passed. but the devastation remains. one in ten americansq still cannot find work. çmany businesses have shuttere. home values have declined. small towns and rural communities have been hit especially hard. for those who had already known poverty, life has become that much harder.

this recession has also compounded the burdens that america's families have been dealing with for decades -- the burden of working harder and longer for less, of being unable to save enough to retire or help kids with college. so i know the anxieties that are out there right now. they're not new. these struggles are the reason i ran for president. these struggles are what i've witnessed for years in places like elkhart, indiana and galesburg, illinois. xdi hear about them in the letters that i read each night. the toughest to read are those written by children, asking why they have to move from their home, or when their mom or dad will be able to go back to work. for these americans and so many others, change has not come fast enough. some are frustrated.

some are angry. they don't understand why it seems like bad behavior on wall street is rewarded but hard work on main street isn't, or çççówhyç washington has beene or unwilling to solve any ofç our problems. çthey are tired of the partisanship and the shouting and the pettiness. they know we can't afford it, not now. so we face big and difficult challenges. and what the american people hope -- what they deserve -- is for all of us, democrats and republicans, to work through our differences, to overcome the numbing weight of our politics. for while the people who sent us here have different backgrounds, different stories and different beliefs, the anxieties they face are the same. the aspirations they hold are

shared. a job that pays the bills. a chance to get ahead. most of all, the ability to give their children a better life. you know what else they share? they share a stubborn resilience in the face of adversity. after one of the most difficult years in our history, they remain busy building cars and teaching kids, starting businesses and going back to school. they're coaching little league and helping their neighbors. as one woman wrote me, "we are strained but hopeful,ç struggling but encouraged." it is because of this spirit this great decency and great strength that i have never been more hopeful about america's future than i am tonight.

=)despite our iqrdships, our union is strong. we do not give up. we do not quit. we do not allow fear or division to break our spirit. in this new decade, it's time the american people get a government that matches their decency -- that embodies their strength. ççççççand tonight i'd likk about how together we canç deliver on that promise. it begins with our economy. our most urgent task upon taking office was to shore up

the same banks that helped cause this crisis. it was not easy to do. and if there's one thing that has unified democrats and republicans, it's that we all hated the bank bailout. i hated it. i hated it. you hated it. çit was about as popular as a root canal. [laughter] but when i ran for president, i promised i wouldn't just do what was popular -- i would do what was necessary. and if we had allowed the meltdown of the financial system, unemployment might be double what it is today. more businesses would certainly have closed. xdmore homes would have surely

been lost. so i supported the last administration's efforts to+ create the financial rescue program. and when we took the program over, we made itw3çó more transparent and accountable. as a result, the markets are now stabilized, and we have recovered most of the money we spent on the banks. most, but not all. w3to recover the rest, iqç have proposed a fee on the biggest banks. now -- now i know wall street isn't keen on this idea, but if these firms can afford to hand out big bonuses again, they can afford a modest fee to pay back the taxpayers who rescued them in their time of need.

as we stabilized the financial system, we also took steps to get our economy growing again, save as many jobs as possible, and help americans who had become unemployed. that's why we extended or increased unemployment benefits for more than 18 million americans, made health insurance 65% cheaper for families who get their coverage through cobra, and passed 25 different tax cuts. let me repeat -- we cut taxes. we cut taxes for 95% of working families. we cut taxes fori] small businesses. we cut taxes for first-time

homebuyers. we cut taxes for parents trying to care for their children. we cut taxes for 8 million americans paying for college. i thought i would get some applause on that one. [laughter] ças a result -- ças a result, millions of americans had more to spend on gas, and food, and other necessities, all of which helped businesses keep more workers. and we haven't raised income taxes by a single dime on a

single person, not a single dime. because of the steps we took, there are about two million americans working right now who would otherwise be unemployed. 200,000 work in construction and clean energy. 300,000 are teachers and other education workers. tens of thousands are cops, firefighters, correctional officers, and first responders. and we are on track to add another 1.5 million jobs to this total by the end of the year. the plan that has made all of this possible, from the tax cuts to the jobs, is the recovery act. that's right -- the pybrw6-óñ]ok act, also known as theu5ñ bill.

economists on the left and the right say that this bill has helped saved jobs and avert disaster. but you don't have to take their word for it. talk to the small business in phoenix that will triple its workforce because of the recovery act. talk to the window manufacturer in philadelphia who said he used to be skeptical about the recovery act, until he had to add two more work shifts just because of the business it created. talk to the single teacher raising two kids who was told by her principal in the last week of school that because of the recovery act, she wouldn't be laid off after all. there are stories like this all across america. and after two years of

recession, the economy is growing again. retirement funds have started to gain back some of their value. businesses are beginning to invest again, and slowly some are starting to hire again. çóbut i realize that for every success story, there are other stories, of men and women who wake up with the anguish of not knowing where their next paycheck will come from, who send out resumes week after week and hear nothing in çóthat is why jobs must be our number one focus in 2010, and that is why i am calling for a new jobs bill tonight.

now, the true engine of job creation in this country will always be america's businesses. i agree, absolutely. but government can create the conditions necessary for businesses to expand and hire more workers. i]we should start where mostç w jobs do -- in small businesses, companies that beginw3q -- companies that begin when an entrepreneur takes a chance on a dream, or a worker decides its time she became her own boss. through sheer grit andç determination, these companies have weathered the recession and are ready to grow.

çbut when you talk to small business owners in places like allentown, pennsylvania or elyria, ohio, you find out that even though banks on wall street are lending again, they are mostly lending to bigger companies. financing remains difficult for small business owners across the country, even those that are making a profit. çso tonight i'm proposing that we take $30 billion of the money wall street banks have repaid and use it to help community banks give small businesses the credit they need to stay afloat. i am also proposing a new small business tax credit -- one that will go to over 1 million small businesses who hire new workers or raise wages.

while we're at it, let's also eliminate all capital gains taxes on small business investment and provide a tax incentive for all large businesses and all small businesses to invest in new plants and equipment. xdçnext, we can put americans o work today building the infrastructure of tomorrow. from the first railroads to the interstate highway system, our nation has always been built to compete. there's no reason europe or china should have the fastest trains, or the new factories that manufacture clean energyi] products.

tomorrow, i'll visit tampa, florida, where workers will soon break ground on a new high- speed railroad funded by the recovery act. there are projects like that all across this country that will create jobs and help our nation move goods, services, and information. we should put more americans to work building clean energy facilities, and give rebates to americans who make their homes more energy efficient, which supports clean energy jobs. and to encourage these and other businesses to stay within our borders, it's time to finally slash the tax breaks for companies that ship our jobs overseas and give those tax breaks to companies that create jobs in the united states of america.

the house has passed a jobs bill that includes some of these steps. as the first order of business this year, i urge the senate to do the same and i know they will. they will. people are out of work. they are hurting. they need our help. and i want a jobs bill on my desk without delay. but the truth is, these steps still won't make up for the 7 million jobs we've lost over the last two years. the only way to move to full employment is to lay a new

foundation for long-term economic growth, and finally address the problems that america's families have confronted for years. we cannot afford another so- called economic expansion like the one from the last decade -- what some call the lost decade -- where jobs grew more slowly than during any prior expansion, where the income of the average american household declined while the cost of health care and tuition reached record highs, and where prosperity was built on a housing bubble and financial speculation. from the day i took office, i have been told that addressing our larger challenges is too ambitious -- that such efforts would be too contentious, that our political system is too gridlocked, and that we should just put things on hold for awhile. for those who make these claims, i have one simple

question -- how long should we wait? how long should america putç is future on hold? çççyou see -- washington has been telling us to wait for decades, even as the problems have grown worse. meanwhile, china's notç waiting to revamp its economy. çgermany's not waiting. i]india's not waiting. çthese nations aren't standing still. these nations aren't playing for second place. they're putting more emphasis on math and science. they're rebuilding their infrastructure. they are making serious investments in clean energy because they want those jobs. well i do not accept second- place for the united states of america.

as hard as it may be, asi]ççe to get serious about fixingç t problems éh@t are hampering our growth. one place to start is serious financial reform. look, i am not interested in punishing banks. i'm interested in protectingi] r economy. w3qa strong, healthyç financial market makes it possible for businesses to access creditw3 aç

create new jobs. it channels the savings of families into investments that raise incomes. buta;b(p' only happen if we guard against the same recklessness that nearly brought down our entire economy. . . deposits, to take risks that threaten the whole economy. already passedas financial reform with many of these changes. and -- and the lobbyists are trying to kill it. well, we cannot let them win this fight and if the bill that ends up on my desk does not meet the test of real reform, i will send it back until we get it right. we got to get it right.

next, we need to encourage american innovation. last year we made the largest investment in basic research funding in history. an investment that could lead to the world's chief -- cheapest owe slar -- solar cells or treatment that kills cancer cells but leaves healthy ones untouched. and no area is more ripe for such innovation than energy. you can see the results of last year's investments in clean energy in the north carolina company that will create 1,200 jobs nationwide helping to make advanced batteries, or in the california business that will put 1,000 people to work making solar but to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, more incentives, and that means building a new generation of safe, clean, nuclear power

plants in this country. [applause] it means making tough decisions about opening new off shore areas for oil and gas development. [applause] it means continued investment in biofuels and clean cole -- coal technologies. [applause] and yes, it means passing a comprehensive energy and climate bill with incentives that will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in america. [applause]

i'm grateful to the house for passing surf a bill last year, and this year i'm eager to help advance the bipartisan effort in the senate. [applause] i know there have been questions about whether we could afford such changes in a tough economy. i know that there are those who disagree with the overwhelming scientific evidence on climate change. [laughter] but here's the thing. even if you doubt the evidence, providing incentives for energy efficiency and clean energy are the right thing to do for our future, because the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy, and america must be thatñi nation. [applause]ñr

>> third, we need to export more of our goods. [applause] because the more products we make and sell to otherñr countries, the more jobs we support right here in america. so tonight we set a new goal. we will double our exports over the next five years, an increase that will support two million jobs in america. [applause] to help meet this goal, we are

launching a national export initiative that will help farmers and small businesses increase their exports and reform export controls consistent with national security. we have to seek new markets aggressively, just as our competitors are. if america sits on the sidelines while other nations sign trade deals, we will lose the chance to create jobs on our shores. [applause] but, realizing those benefits also means enforcing those agreements to -- so our trading partners play by the rules. [applause]

and that's why we will continue to shape a trade agreement that opens global markets, and why we will strengthen our trade agreements with asia and with key partners like panama, colombia and korea. [applause] fourth, we need to invest in the skills and education of our people. now this year we have broken through the stalemate between left and right by launching a national competition to improve our schools. the idea here is simple. instead of rewarding failure, we only reward success. instead of funding the status quo, we only invest in reform. reform that raises student achievement, inspires students to excel in math and science, and turns around failing schools that steal the future

of too many junk americans from rural communities to the inner-city. in the 21st century the best anti-poverty program around is a world class education. [applause] and in this subject, the success of our children cannot depend more on where they live than on their potential. when we renew the elementary and secondary education act, we will work with congress to expand these reforms to all 50 states. still, in this economy a high school diploma no longer guarantees a good job. that is why i urge the senate to follow the house and pass a bill that will revitalize our community colleges, which are a career path way to the children of so many working families.

[applause] too make college more affordable, this bill will finally end the unwarranted taxpayer subsidies that go to banks for student loans. instead, let's take that money and give families a $10,000 tax credit for four years of college and increase pel grants. [applause] and let's tell another one million students that when they graduate, they will be required to pay only 10% of their income on student loans, and all of their debt will be forgiven after 20 years, and forgiven after 10 years if they choose a career in public service. because in the united states of

america, no would not should go broke because they chose to go to college. [applause] and by the way, it's time for colleges and universities to get serious about cutting their own costs, because they, too, have a responsibility to help solve this problem. now, the price of college tuition is just one of the burdens facing the middle-class. that's why last year i asked vice president biden to chair a task force on middle-class families. that's why we are nearly doubling the child care tax credit and making it easier to save for retirement by giving every worker access to a retirement account. that is why we are working to lift the value of a family's single largest investment, their home. the steps we took last year to shore up the housing market have allowed millions of

americans to take out new loans and save an average of $1,500 on mortgage payments. this year well step up refinancing so that home owner can move into more affordable mortgages. [applause] and the precisely to relieve the burden on middle-class families that we still need health insurance reform. [applause] we do. [applause] now, let's clear a few things up. [laughter] i didn't choose to tackle this issue to get some legislative

victory under my belt. and by now it should be fairly obvious that i didn't take on health care because it was good politics. [laughter] i took on health care because of the stories i have heard from americans with preexisting conditions whose lives depend on getting coverage, patients who have been denied coverage. families, even those with insurance, who are just one illness away from financial ruin. after nearly a century of trying, democratic administrations, republican administrations, we are closer than ever to bringing public security to the lives of so many americans. the approach we have taken would protect every american from the worst practices of the insurance industry. it would give small businesses and uninsured americans a

chance to choose an affordable health care plan in another market. it would cover preventive care. i want to acknowledge our first lady, michelle obama, who this year is creating a national movement to tackle the epidemic of childhood obesity and make kids healthier. thank you. [applause] she gets comparesed. [laughter] our approach would preserve the right of americans who have insurance to keep their doctor and their plan. it would reduce costs and premiums for millions of families and businesses. and according to the congressional budget office, the independent organization

that both parties have cited as the official scorekeeper for congress, our approach would bring down the deficit by as much as $1 trillion over the next two decades. [applause] still, this is a complex issue, and the longer it was debated, the more skeptical people became. i take my share of the blame for not explaining it more clearly to the american people. and i know that with all the lobbying and horse trading, the process left most americans wondering what's in it for me? but i also know this problem is not going away. by the time i'm finished speaking tonight, more americans will have lost their health insurance. millions will lose it this

year. our deficit will grow. premiums will go up. patients will be denied the care they need. small business owners will continue to drop coverage all together -- altogether. i will not walk away from these americans, and neither should the people in this chamber. [applause] so, as temperatures cool, i want everyone to take another look at the plan we have proposed. there's a reason why many doctors, nurses and health care experts who know our system best consider this approach a vast improvement offer the -- over the status quo. but, if anyone from either party has a better approach

that will bring down premiums, bring down the deficit, cover the uninsured, strengthen medicare for seniors, and stop insurance company abuses, let me know. let me know. [applause] let me know. [applause] i'm eager to see it. here is what i ask congress though. don't walk away from reform, not now, not when we are so close. let us find a way to come together and finish the job for the american people. [applause] let's get it done. [applause] let's get it done. [applause] now even as health care reform

would reduce our deficit, it is not enough to dig us out of the massive fiscal hole in which we find ourselves. it is a challenge that makes all others that much harder to solve, and one that has been subject to a lot of political posturing. so let me start the discussion of government spending by setting the record straight. at the beginning of the last decade, the year 2000, america had a budget surplus of over $200 billion. by the time i took office, we had a one-year deficit of over $1 trillion and projected deficits of $8 trillion over the next decade. most of this was the result of not paying for two wars, two tax cuts, and an expensive

prescription drug program. on top of that, the effects of a recession put a $3 trillion hole in our budget. all this was before i walked in the door. [applause] now -- just stating the facts. now, if we had taken office in ordinary times, i would have liked nothing more than to start bringing down the deficit. but we took office amid a crisis, and our efforts to prevent a second depression have added another $1 trillion to the debt. that, too, is a fact. i am absolutely convinced that was the right thing to do, but families across the country are tightening their belts and

making tough decisions. the federal government should do the same. [applause] so tonight i'm proposing specific steps to pay for the $1 trillion that it took to rescue the economy last year. starting in 2011, we are prepared to freeze government spending for three years. spending related to our national security, medicare, medicaid and social security will not be affected. but all other discretionary government programs will, like any cash-strapped family, we will work within a budget to invest in what we need and

sacrifice what we don't. if i have to enforce this discipline by veto, i will. [applause] we will continue to go through the budget line by line, page by page, to eliminate programs we could afford and don't work. we have already identified $20 billion in savings for next year. to help working families, we will extend our middle-class tax cuts. but at a time of record deficits, we will not continue tax cuts for oil companies, for investment fund managers and for those making over $250,000 a year. we just can't afford it. [applause] now, even after paying for what we spent on my watch, we will

still face the massive deficit we had when i took office. more importantly, the cost of medicare, medicaid and social security will continue to skyrocket. that is why i've called for a bipartisan fiscal commission modeled on a proposal by republican judd greg, and democrat tim conroy. this can't be one of those washington gimmicks that pretend to solve a problem. the commission will have to present a set of solutions by a certain deadline. yesterday the senate blocked a bill. so i will issue an executive order because i refuse to pass this problem on to another generation of americans. [applause]

and when the vote comes tomorrow, the senate should restore the pay as you go law that was a big reason for why we had record surpluses in the 1990's. [applause] now, i know that some in my own party will argue that we can't address the deficit or freeze government spending when so many are still hurting, and i agree, which is why the freeze won't take effect until next year, when the economy is stronger. that's how budgeting works. [laughter] but understand. understand, if we don't take meaningful steps to arena in our debt, it could damage our markets, increase the cost of

borrowing, and jeopardize our recovery, all of which would have an even worse effect on our job growth and family incomes. from some on the right i expect we will hear a different argument, that if we make fewer investments in our people, extend tax cuts, including those for wealthier americans, eliminate regulation, maintain the status quo on health care, the problem will go away. the problem is that is what we did for eight years. [applause] that is what helped us into this crisis. it is what helped lead to these deficits. we can't do it again. rather than fight the same tired battles that have dominated washington for decades, it's time to try something new. let's invest in our people

without leaving them a mountain of debt. let's meet our responsibilities to the citizens who sent us here. let's try common sense. a novel concept. now to do that, we have to recognize that we face more than a deficit of dollars right now. we face a deficit of trust. deep an corrosive doubts about how washington works, that have been growing for years. to close that credibility gap, we have to take action on both end of pennsylvania avenue to end the outside influence of lobbyist, to do our work openly, to give our people the government they deserve. [applause] that's what i came to washington to do. that's why for the first time

in history my administration posts on our whitehouse visitors online. that's why we have excluded lobbyists from policy-making jobs or seats on boards and commissions. but we can't stop there. it's time to require lobbyists to disclose each contact they make on behalf of a client with my administration or with congress. it's time to put strict limits on contributions that lobbyists give to candidates for office. with all due deference to separation of powers, last week the supreme court reversed a century of law that i believe will open the flood gates for special interests, including foreign corporations, to spend without limit there our elections. [applause]

i don't think american elections should be bankrolled by america's most powerful interests. or worse, by foreign entities. they should be decided by the american people. and i would urge democrats and republicans to pass a bill that helps correct some of these problems. i'm also calling on congress to continue down the path of earmark reform. [applause] democrats and republicans. [applause] democrats and republicans. you have trimmed some of this spending. you've embraced some meaningful change. but restoring the public trust demands more. for example, some members of congress post some earmark requests online. tonight i'm calling on congress to publish all earmark requests

on a single website before there's a vote so that the american people can see how their money is being spent. [applause] of course none of these reforms will even happen if we don't also reform how we work with one another. now, i'm not naive. i never thought that the mere fact of my election would usher in peace, harmony and some port-partisan era. i know that both parties have fed divisions that are deeply entrenched. and there are some philosophical differences that will always cause us to part ways. these disagreement about the role of government, our

national priorities and security, they have been taking place for over 200 years. they are the very essence of our democracy. but what frustrates the american people is a washington where every day is election day . we can't wage a perpetual campaign where the only goal is to see who can get the most embarrassing headlines about the other side, a belief that if you lose, i win. neither party should delay or obstruct every single bill just because they can. the confirmation of -- [applause] i'm speaking to both parties now. the confirmation of well-qualified public servants shouldn't be held hostage to the pet projects or grudges of a few individual senators. [applause]

washington may think that saying anything about the other side, no matter how false, no matter how malicious, is just part of the game. but it is precisely such politics that has stopped either party from helping the american people. worse yet, the sewing further division among our citizens, further distrust in our government. so no, i will not give up on trying to change the tone of our politics. i know it's an election year, and after last week, the clear that campaign fever has come even earlier than usual. but we still need to govern. to democrats, i would remind you that we still have the largest majority in decades, and the people expect us to solve problems, not run for the hills. [applause]

and if the republican leadership is going to insist that 60 votes in the senate are required to do any business at all in this town, a super majority, then the responsibility of the government is now yours as well. just saying no to everything may be good short-term politics, but it is not leadership. we were sent here to serve our citizens, not our ambitions. [applause]ñr so let's show the american people that we can do it together. this week i will be addressing a meeting of the house

republicans. i would like to begin monthly meetings with both democratic and republican leadership. i know you can't wait. [laughter] throughout our history, no issue has united this country more than our security. sadly, some of the unity we felt after 9/11 has dissipated. we can argue all we want about who is to blame for this, but i am not interested in relitigating the past. i know that all of us love this country. all of us are committed to its defense. so let's put aside the school yard taunts about who is tough. let's reject the false choice between protecting our people and upholding our values. let's leave behind the fear and division and do what it takes to defend our nation and forge

a more hopeful future for america and for the world. [applause] that's the work we began last year. since the day i took office, we have renewed our focus on the terrorists who threaten our nation. we have made substantial investments in our homeland security and disrupted plots that threatened to take american lives. we are filling unacceptable gaps revealed by the failed christmas attack with better airline security and swifter action on our intelligence. we have prohibited torture and strengthened part partnerships from the pacific, to south asia to the arabian peninsula. and in the last year, hundreds

of al qaeda fighters and affiliates, including senior leaders, have been captured or killed, far more than in 2008. and in afghanistan, we are increasing our troops and training afghan security forces so they can begin to take the lead in july of 2011, and our troops can begin to come home. [applause] we will reward good governance, work to reduce corruption, and support the rights of all afghans, men and women alike. [applause] we are joined by alleys and partners who have increased their own commitments, and who will come together tomorrow in london to reaffirm our common purpose. there will be difficult days ahead, but i am absolutely confident we will succeed. as we take the fight to al

qaeda, we are responsibly leaving iraq to its people. as a candidate i promised that i would end this war, and that is what i am doing as president. we will have all of our combat troops out of iraq by the end of this august. [applause] we will support the iraqi gompt as they hold elections, and we will continue to partner with the iraqi people. but make no mistake, this war is ending, and all of our troops are coming home. [applause] tonight all of our men and

women in uniform in rauch, in afghanistan and around the world, they have to know that they have our respect, our gratitude, our full support. and just as they must have the resources they need in war, we all have a responsibility to support them when they come home. [applause] that's why we made the largest increase in investments for veterans in decades. last year. [applause] that's why we are building a

21st century v.a., and that's why michelle has joined with jill biden to forge a national commitment to support military families. [applause] now and as we prosecute two wars, we are also confronting programs the greatest danger to the american people, the threat of nuclear weapons. i've embraced the vision of john f. kennedy and ronald reagan through a strategy that reverses the spread of these weapons and seeks a world without them. to reduce our stockpiles and launches while ensuring our did he teerns, the united states and russian are concluding negotiations on the par

thest-reaching arms control document in decades. and in april's nuclear security symptom, we will bring 44 nation here to washington, d.c. behind a common goal, securing all nuclear materials around the world in four years so that they never fall into the hands of terrorists. [applause] now these diplomatic efforts have also strengthened our hand in dealing with those nations that insist on violating international agreements in pursuit of nuclear weapons. that is why north korea faces increased isolation and stronger sanctions, sanctions that are being vigorously enforced. that is why they are more unitted and the iran is more

isolated. there should be no doubt that they, too, will face growing consequences. that is a promise. [applause] that is the leadership we are providing, engagement that advances the common security and prosperity of all people. we are working with g-20. we are working with countries around the world to promote science, innovation and education. we have gone from a bye stander to a leafeder in -- leader. we are continuing the fight against h.i.v./aids. and we are launching a new initiative that will give us the capacity to respond faster to bioterrorism or an

infectious disease. as we have for over 60 years, america takes these actions because our destiny is connected to those beyond our shores. but we also do it because it is right. that's why, as we meet here tonight, over 10,000 americans are working with many nations to help the people of haiti recover and rebuild. [applause] that's why we stand with the girl who yearns to go to school in afghanistan, why we support the human rights of the women marching through the streets of iran, why we advocate for the young man denied a job by corruption in guinea.

for america must always stand on the side of freedom and human dignity. always. [applause] abroad, america's greatest source of strength has always been our ideals. the same is true at home. we find unity in our incredible diversity, drawing on the promise enshrined in our constitution, the notion that we are all confettied equal, that no matter who you are or what you look like, if you abide by the law, you should be protected by it. if you adhere to our common values, you should be treated no different than anyone else. we must tinley renew this promise -- continually renew

this promise. my administration has a division that is once again prosecuting civil rights violations. [applause] we finally strengthened our laws to prevent crimes driven by hate. [applause] this year i will work with congress and our military to finally repeal the law that dennis gay americans the right to serve the country they love because of who they are. [applause] it's the right thing to do. [applause] we are going to crack down on violations of equal pay laws so that women get equal pay for an equal day's work. [applause]

and we should continue the work of fixing our broken immigration system, secure or borders, enforce our laws, and ensure that everyone who plays by the rules can contribute to our economy and enrich our nation. [applause] in end -- in the end, it's our ideals, our values that built america, values that allowed us to forge a nation made up of immigrants from every corner of the globe, values that drive our citizens still. every day americans meet their responsibilities to their families and their employers. time and again they lend a hand to their neighbors and give back to their country. they take pride in their labor

and are generous in spirit. these aren't republican values or democratic values that they are living by, business values or labor values. they are american values. unfortunately, too many of our citizens have lost faith in our biggest institutions, our corporations, our media, and yes, our government, still reflect these same values. each of these institutions are full of honorable men and women do important work that helps our country prosper. but each time a c.e.o. rewards himself for failure, or a banker puts the rest of us at risk for his own selfish gain, people's doubts grow. each time lobbyists gain the system or politicians tear each other down instead of lifting this country up, we lose faith.

the more that tv pundits produce serious debates to silly arguments, big issues into sound bites, our citizens turn away. no wonder there is so much cynicism out there. no wonder thereñr is so much disappointment. i campaigned on the promise of change, change we can believe in, the slogan went. right now i know there are many americans who aren't sure they still believe we can change, or that i can deliver. but remember this. i never suggested that change would be easy, or that i could do it alone. democracy in a nation of 300 million people can be noisy, and messy and complicated. and when you try to do big things and make big changes, it

stirs passion and controversy. that's just how the. those of us in public office can respond to this reality by playing it safe and avoid telling hard truths, and pointing fingers. we can do what's necessary to keep our poll numbers high and get through the next election instead of doing what's best for the next generation. but i also know this. if people had made that decision 50 years ago, or 100 years ago, or 200 years ago, we wouldn't be here tonight. the only reason we are here is because generations of americans were unafraid to do what was hard, to do what was needed even when success was uncertain, to do what it took to keep the dream of this nation alive for their children

and their grandchildren. our administration has had some political setbacks this year, and some of them were deserved. but i wake up every day knowing that they are nothing compared to the setbacks that families a across this country have faced this year. and what keeps me going, what keeps me fighting, is that despite all these setbacks, that spirit of determination and optimism, that fundamental decency that has always been at the core of the american people, that lives on. it lives on in the struggling small business owner who wrote to me of his company. none of us, he says, are willing to consider even

slightly that we might fail. it lives on in the woman who said that even though she and her neighbors have felt the pain of recession, we are strong, we are resilient, we are americans. it lives on in the 8-year-old boy in louisiana who just sent me his allowance and asked filled give it to the people of haiti. and it lives on in all the americans who dropped everything to go some place they have never been and pull people they have never known from the rubble, prompting chants of u.s.a., u.s.a., u.s.a. when another life was saved. the spirit that has sustained this nation for more than two centuries lives on in you, its people.

we have finished a difficult year. we have come through a difficult decade. but a new year has come, a new decade stretches before us. we don't quit. i don't quit. let's seize this moment to start anew, to carry the dream forward, and to strengthen our union once more. thank you. god bless you, and god bless the united states of america. [cheers and applause] thank you. [applause]

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>> virginia governor bob mcdonald gave the republican response to president obama's state of the union address. he spoke before an audience of 300 made of family members, legislators and staff from the governor's office, for about 15 minutes. [cheers and applause]

>> thank you. thank you very much. [applause] thank you. good evening. i'm bob mcdonald. 11 days ago i was honored to be sworn in as the 71st governor of virginia. i'm standing in the historic house chamber of virginia's capital, a building designed by virginia's second governor, thomas jench. it is not easy to follow the president of the united states. my 18-year-old twin boys have added pressure to me tonight by giving me exactly 10 minutes to finish before they leave to go watch "sportscenter." [laughter] i'm joined by fellow vanessa to share a republican perspective on how to face the challenges faces us today. we are encouraged to hear president obama speak this evening about the need to create jobs. all americans should have the opportunity to find and keep meaningful work and the dignity that comes with it. [applause]

many of us here tonight and many of you watching have family or friends who have lost their jobs. in fact, one in 10 americans is unemployed. that is unacceptable. here in virginia we face our highest unemployment rate in more than 25 years, and bringing new jobs and more opportunities to our citizens is the top priority of my administration. good government policy should spur economic growth and strengthen the private sector's ability to create new jobs. [applause] we must enact policies that promote entrepreneurship and innovation so america can better compete with the world.

what government should not do is pile on more taxation, regulation and that kill jobs and hurt the middle-class. it was thomas jefferson who called for a wise and frugal government that should leave men free to purr see industry and not take away from them the bread they have earned. today the federal government is trying to do too much. last year we were told that new federal spending would create more jobs immediately and hold unemployment below 8%. in the past year, more than three million people have lost their jobs. yet the democratic congress continues deficit spending, adding to the bureaucracy and increasing the national debt on our children on grandchildren. the amount of debt is on pace to double in five years and triple in 10. the federal debt is now over $100,000 per household. this is simply unsustainable.

the president's partial freeze announced tonight on expression area spending is a laudable step but a small one. the circumstances demand that reconsider and restore the proper limited role of government at every level. [applause] without reform, the excessive growth of government threaten our liberty and prosperity. in recent months the american people have made clear that they want government leaders to listen and then act on most important to them. we want results, not rhetoric. we want cooperation, not partisanship. [applause]

there is much common ground. all americans agree that we need a health care system that is affordable, accessible and high quality. but most americans do not want to turn over the best medical care system in the world to the federal government. republicans in congress have offered legislation to reform health care without shifting medicaid costs to the states, without cutting medicare and without raising taxes. we will do that by implementing common sense reforms, like allowing families and businesses to by insurance policies across state lines. our solutions aren't thousand-page bills that nonone has fully read after being crafted behind closed doors with special interests. in fact, many of our proposals are available on line at solutions.gopbgov.

and we welcome your ideas on facebook and twitter. we all agree this nation must become more energy independent and secure. we are blessed here in america with vast natural resources, and we must use them all. advances in technology can unleash more natural gas, nuclear, wind, coal and alternative energy that will lower your utility bills. here in virginia we have the opportunity to become the first state on the eembing to explore for and produce oil and natural gas offshore. [cheers and applause] but this administration's policies are delaying offshore production, hindering nuclear

energy schangs and seeking to impose job will have killing cap and trade energy taxes. now is the time to adopt energy policies that create jobs and lower energy prices. [applause] all americans agree that a young person needs a world-class education to compete in the global economy. as a young kid my dad told me son, if you want a good job, you need a good education. dad was right, and that's even more true today. the president and i agree on expanding the number of high quality charter schools and rewarding teachers for excellent performance, more school choices for parents and students mean more accountability and greater achievement. a child's educational opportunity should be

determined by her intellect and work ethic, not by her zip code. [applause] all americans agree that we must maintain a strong national defense. the courage and success of our armed forces is allowing us to draw down troop levels in iraq as that government is increasingly able to step up. my old els daughter was an army platoon leader in iraq. so i am personally grateful for the service and sacrifice of all our men and women in uniform and a grateful nation thanks them. [applause] .

[applause]

>> here at home government must help foster a society in which all citizens can use their god- given talents to pursue the american dream. republicans know that government cannot guarantee individual of comes, but we strongly believe it must guarantee equality of opportunity for all. that opportunity excess best in a democracy that promotes free enterprise, strong economic growth, a pianist, and individual achievement. many americans are concerned about this administration's deficit and greater control of the car companies, banks, energy, and health care. over-regulated employers will not create more employment. top down one-size fits all decision-making should not replace the free choices of free people in a free market. you will undermine the proper role of state and local

governments. government closest to the people governs best. [applause] and no government program can never replace the actions of caring americans freely choosing to help one another. the scriptures say to whom much is given much will be required. as the most generous and prosperous nation on earth is heart-warming to see americans giving time and money to the people of haiti. thank you for your ongoing compassion. [applause]

some people say they are afraid that america is no longer the great land of promise. they should not be. america will always blazed the trail of opportunity and prosperity. america must always be a land where liberty and property are valued and respected, and innocent human life is protected. government should have this clear of gold -- where opportunity is absent we should create it. we should expand it. we must make it open to everyone. -- it should have this clear goal. [applause]

our founders pledged their lives, fortunes, and a sacred honor to create this great nation. now we should pledge as the democrats, republicans, and independents to work together to lead this nation to a better place than we found a. god bless you and god bless this great land of america. [applause] >> later tonight, a chance to see president obama meeting

with house members on their retreat. coming up next, remarks from former senators graham and talent. also, a senate hearing on aviation security. >> listen to c-span radio in washington and across the nation. it is also a free app for your iphone. covering washington like no other. >> former senators spoke recently about the release of a report card on the government's

ability to protect the u.s. from weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. this is 45 minutes. >> good morning. i am randy larsen. our chairman, senator bob graham, and vice chairmen will first provide us an overview -- that is vice-chairman jim talent, will first present an overview. kerry surely leave for another hearing up on the hill after presenting me go and we will have time for questions and answers. mr. chairman? >> thank you, colonel larsen for the great leadership you have provided over this past year. we have started today with breakfast with the families of

9/11. in many ways they are responsible not only for our commission, but for the 9/11 commission. it was there is emphasizing the importance of what had happened in order to prepare america to avoid a repetition. what happened in order to prepare america to avoid a one of the findings is when the worst weapons fell into the hands of the worst people. it led congress to create our commission to evaluate what our level of preparation is to avoid the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, particularly into the hands of terrorists. ration of weapons of mass destruction, particularly into the hands of terrorists. so it was appropriate that we started the day by giving back to the beginnings of this effort with families 9/11.

our report on today comes eight years after 9/11. it comes one year after the publication of the report which was entitled world at risk, purposefully titled to indicate this is not one nation's problem, this is a global problem because it is the earth which is at risk, and one month after the failed attempt at an aviation bombing on christmas day there is some good news. the good news is particularly in the area of nuclear terrorism that the trend lines here seem to be running in the right direction. president obama has taken major steps to revitalize the non-proliferation regime and to encourage needed international

cooperation. he's committed significant time and energy and resources against iran, north korea and in the pakistan situation although progress there remains loose. but our fundamental threat assessment of 14 months ago stands to today. one is it is more likely than not under the current circumstances and without decisive and urgent commitment that there will be a weapon of mass destruction used by a terrorist organization some place on earth between now and if the end of 2013. what that says is the accused more than 20% of the time available to us to better prepare to prevent or respond to that attack and with mixed results in terms of how well we have used those 14 months.

we found second it is more likely the form of attack will be a biological rather than nuclear attack. there is an article in today's "washington post" which discusses a report issued by one of america's eminent intelligence officers, mr. larson who was with the cia and headed the unit at the department of energy and is now at the kennedy school making exactly the point that our greatest threat today is a biological weapon in the hands of a terrorist. we also found in december 2008 that in spite of all the things we were doing because our adversaries were moving at a faster pace than we were that we were losing ground. i'm afraid that we would restate that same finding today that we have lost ground and the last 14

months because our adversaries commitment to acquiring a weapon of mass destruction, the ability to do so, and the organizational changes which have made our adversary particularly al qaeda a more nimble and effective opponent have grown. in our report card, we gave three a grades. we gave an a to the administration's review of domestic programs to secure a dangerous pathogens. we gave an a to the interagency by yo forensic strategy which is a strategy designed to allow us if we are attacked to know from whom that attack was launched. and the administration received an "a" for finalizing the

reorganization of the national security council, which brought together to disparate groups into a single and we think more effective entity. the was worth three "a's." i'm going to focus on her feet "f" we gave. the first was on the area of bioterrorism preparation. our basic finding is that while with nuclear prevention by lockdown is a reasonable strategy. we know it with intolerance is how many nuclear weapons there are in the world. we know where they are and now the challenge is to assure ourselves the are being well secured. with a biological, none of those things apply. biological weapons in many cases are the product of nature, anthrax is the result of the de

cable lines. many of those that durham ann curry it has become increasingly [inaudible] -- deals with the biological sciences to with the negative these pathogens. we believe the strategy that has the greatest potential is a to reduce the attack and increase the deterrent. the industry will only have a limited number of biological weapons. al qaeda will no doubt look to where it can accomplish its objectives. chaos, mass panic, high-level of deaths -- it will use those weapons against the targets it considers to be leased-well- prepared. one of the ways to most

effectively deter an attack is to be high on the list of capacity to respond. >> if you are attacked and you have the ability to reduce the numbers killed -- there will be thousands, but not tens of thousands if you have made the investment in the proper response -- we see it as analogous to a chain with about a half-dozen links, beginning with surveillance, knowing that you are actually under attack. diagnosis, the nature of the attack. communication, letting first- responders know the nature. having in place the therapeutics required to respond to the attack. tree i shall -- triaging people

who have been attacked. at the end of the process, particularly with index, a clean up. we know how long and expensive -- with anthrax. we know how long the cleanup was in late 2001. you're talking about an entire city that would need to be cleaned up. we are inadequately prepared in every one of these links. x attack. we believe we are inadequately prepared in every one of these links and the time is increasingly short to with a major national effort, and i use the word national to indicate at the federal, state, local and citizen level to strengthen our capacity and respond to a biological attack. these are not something costs if we are fortunate enough to avoid a biological attack because the

same capabilities here are what we would need in an attack by nature itself. we learned some important worth to legal lessons during h1n1 one of which was we are not prepared to develop vaccines in the quantity and in the timeframe necessary to respond to an attack by nature. we hit six months to get ready for h1n1 and zero time to get ready for a terrorist attack. so we get our efforts and "f" and i hope i will be a stinging indictment and message to our national leaders. we also gave an "f" to the congress. the 9/11 commission has now for six years been urging congressional reform so that they could do a better job of all surprising, appropriating some allocating resources and

overseeing with the executive agencies are doing. we do not believe that conagra's is totally organized in a manner to do that in fact it's organized in a manner that will almost inevitably result dysfunctional behavior as it relates to this activity. and if the third "f" goes to a critical error and that is human-resources. across the national security institutions, intelligence, the military, our scientific laboratories we are seeing massive retirements of baby boomers who spent their lives understanding the nature of the challenges preparing us to respond. we have not developed a system that will bring in to those services people who are prepared, trained to expeditiously move into positions of responsibility. the former head of the cia and

the national security agency said once they have hired a bright young bachelors degree graduate into one of the intelligence agencies it takes five years before they can be effective in the regions of the world where we most need assistance because of the difficulty of mastering the language is that are necessary to be an effective intelligence officer. we think that is another area which there has been woefully little action to the great disadvantage of the united states. we believe in the year ahead of these three "f" grades are all susceptible to a considerable improvement after is a new level of awareness of their importance and a commitment at both the administration and the congressional branches of government to do so.

finally, a word on citizens and community preparedness. i spent several weeks this summer in england talking to a number of their national security officials and a recurring theme was that there had never been in the history of the united kingdom a terrorist attack that was disrupted without significant citizen involvement in that effect disruption. we need to elevate our citizens in a variety of areas to be allowed to play a similar central role in our protection. we intend for that to be a major area of activity of an organization that i will discuss later in this conference. i would like next to introduce my good friend and i think an example of that democrats and

republicans can work well together if they will put aside partisanship and focus on what is in the public interest jim and i have had an outstanding relationship and i appreciate his professionalism and his friendship. >> thank you. he's done a great job leading this commission through some difficult times with initial report and then in this report card i always tell people senator gramm and i have an advantage that doesn't always exist and capitol hill. he's an all my on the university of florida and so was my wife and once a gator always a gator is we have a connection there. just a couple of comments. we know the story in "the washington post" that was written on page two today is very timely and it emphasizes what everybody in the intelligence community knows which is that the terrorists are actively trying to get weapons of mass destruction.

it makes perfect sense in terms of their theory of this conflict against loss. they are trying to hit as hard as they can with the strongest asymmetrical weapons they can get and we found in our report the attack would more likely be a body a weapon because that is easier to weapon is and stockpile and a couple of weeks after we issued the report in the late fall of 08 then director of national intelligence agree with it publicly and every respect. so, we know they are trying to do this and we know that it was preferred. now the good news is this is something that we can deal with on our own. one of the difficulties with these issues is they require a lot of international cooperation and they take a long time. we can prepare for a bayh attack on our own as a nation and we know what we need to public health exercises even as big as this one is something we know how to do and get anybody who studies this will tell you that

we are basically nowhere on biopreparation and we are not where we need to be in any of these links and so the question is why. and we've studied this we think it is a couple of things. one is to contrast this and nuclear we have known that nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction for a long time the nuclear age began with a nuclear explosion and there is a number of people in government, out of government who have made a career out of studying how to deal with this, there's organizations that vote on this and have been 50 or 60 years when you get a new administration and congress there are people who hit the ground running because there's a national institution comment on the other side that doesn't exist on the biocide. even in the life science comes to having to raise awareness the biological pathogens can be used as a weapon of mass destruction and then this is unfortunate theory of the government where the decision making and the sick

is branch and the legislative branch is the most fragmented. there isn't a sense of accountability. there are over two dozen people in the executive branch. presidential nominated senate confirmed who have responsibility for parts of the biopreparation job. none of them do it full time. the national security council there is no senior level political appointee who has experienced primarily in the bioarea. that is a step back from the west administration but we say in the report the last two administrations, clinton and bush the same way they hit the ground fast on the nuclear and had to learn on bio. by the end of the woodring a lot better and now unfortunately we are seeing the same thing with this administration and i said almost a year ago you need to put somebody in charge of this and catalyze the process we need a senior level political attention to this because it isn't going to happen on its own for the reasons i've indicated. the other problem is about

preparation is not as obvious the federal responsibility, it is also state and local and so you have that additional fragmentation that has to be overcome so it can be needs to be but right now we are not there and an element of thing, government 101 some things are not being done. we are not on the programs that have been set up to stockpile the countermeasures. they are funded by 10% what we need to and they try to rate to from a different program. all again because of these issues we've discussed. there is a bill we recommended congress pass legislation to reform and unified regulation of laboratories that handle select agents. one committee and one house of congress took this up and ran with it, senator lieberman and senator collins. it house doesn't even have the companion bill and we can go on and on about the issues in this area that is the reason for the great and we are hopeful people will respond and are rather confident you will see a surge in activity but if we don't

change this basic approach if we don't change the way the decisions are made in the government i'm concerned we will see a surge of activity in response to this and then slicing off again over time. >> thank you. carie lemack founded the families of september 11th -- her mother was murdered on american airlines. since been working alongside the other 9/11 families she has in sure what happened to her mother and nearly 5,000 others will never happen again. she recently co-founded an international organization of terrorist kunkel global survivors' network to help victims of terror speak out against terrorism. carie. you can sit by senter gramm. >> good morning.

my name is carie lemack, and i just want to offer my thanks and gratitude to these fine public servants have gone far beyond where the need to go with this commission, beyond its congressional mandate and to continue to focus on these important issues. i want to offer my thanks to you and your staff for doing this and then hopefully continuing to go and i brought a picture of my mom. this is judy to get a couple of weeks before she was told on september 11th. she was with family in canada when this was taken and she was just about to celebrate her 51st birthday. she would have been 51 and october of 2001. and i understand you are seeing why are we talking about 9/11? i think it is because luckily, thankfully there are not other victims today to speak here today. we are grateful for that especially with what happened a month and a day ago. but the fact we don't of their victims year doesn't mean we shouldn't be listening to the victims would say which is this needs to be a top priority.

my nephew called, my mom's first grandson she never got to meet was born two days before the intelligence reform act was passed or signed into law since he is now five and he asks what happened to grant more and we have to explain to him why he never got to meet his grandmother and try to explain to him what is still going on and what i'm doing talking about these very strange things like what is a wmd. of course comes full circle because he had to get his h1n1 vaccine this fall. so on behalf of my first nephew and niece and my second nephew and my mom and my family, i want to do everything i can and all of the 9/11 families want to do all we can to honor our loved ones which means making sure it doesn't happen again and sat with the threat is still there. we know that bin laden has received to kill 4 million americans. we know that he has claimed to be looking for a nuclear bomb. he had a tape recently released

that says he's still out there and the threat is incredibly real. and when we look at this report card and i very glad to see that there are always there and we are glad to see the progress. but suddenly there are three "fs" and tease and seize and it's been too long and we need to improve those grades. i'm particularly concerned wise to the fact that congress has not overhauled its own oversight and we we're very much looking forward to working with the senators and their staff to make sure we're focused on the real threat. and that we emphasize priorities. thank you again for being here, and for this informative report card, and hopefully we will improve willgrades. [applause] >> carie's headed up to the hill now for a hearing on homeland security.

the commitment of carie and her other friends and colleagues in this effort has been phenomenal, as missed by the fact that today they are joining congressman hamilton and gov. keane as they make a presentation before a senate committee on this issue. the need for congress to reorganize to provide its essential oversight of our national security activities. are there any questions or comments? >> first of all, we ask that your questions be in the form of a question, not political statement. we ask that you stand to be recognized. given short name and organization. >> first question. >> hi, mimi hall from "usa

today." can you talk a little about why you think there has not yet been a bio attack, and two, if you could talk,how you know what the threat is? i remember the 9/11 commission had tremendous access to intelligence. can you describe what sort of access you have? >> on the second question, i chaired the congressional joint inquiry into 9/11, and would say our commission has had the same level of access to intelligence our commission has had the same level of access to intelligence that the congressional committee had, and i believe it would be comparable to that which the commission members, one of our nine members was congressman tim roemer now the united states ambassador to india and tim commented

favorably as to the access and i think one of the things that gave more confidence in what we were about to recommend was its consistency with with the intelligence community assessment just a few days after we issue our report on that threat level that there would be a weapon of mass destruction or more likely than not by the end of 2013. but the van haditha director of national intelligence may exactly the same threat assessment in the article in today's paper quoting mr. larson also confirms the assessment that we have made so i feel quite confident. >> the chairman -- bald might want to specify why he thinks there hasn't been an attack and people have different theories about this.

the store today mentioned what ralph larson was saying that they were planning and in the attacks in afghanistan to the way some of the safe havens and they're seems to be an agreement that depriving them of savings to plan this important element to this. i think if you think about this in terms of how these things actually work on the ground there were tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dedicated people not just an hour different but other governments and then just interested people. who are working to prevent this, and i think even when there are problems with systems there is a lot of good people working around those problems. so we saw again a problem with the intel system that there's an awful lot of good people in the intelligence community's here and in other countries who are working around those and so we to stop a lot of attacks. our concern is that this is like russian roulette, eventually the ball is in the chamber and it's

so logical the question why we think yes we have a lot of direct intel that says we are trying to get this but it is so logical and consistent with their strategic view they are trying to strike affordable lengths using the most powerful weapons they can get and that is so much for weapons and that the intel is very logical. i would be very surprised to find out they are not trying to get this and then also remember where you can control trying to do for an attack from a nation from the threat of retaliation they have no national base. statistical determined methods don't work with them. >> i think another factor is the basic philosophy of al qaeda which is that each attack against u.s. interests should be larger than the preceding the tax. there is evidence that an 2003 al qaeda was planning a chemical attack against subways and new

york city and that that attack was stopped at the highest levels in al qaeda when they reached the conclusion that they were unsure of their ability to kill more than 3,000 people and they did not want to launch an attack less than that of 9/11. one of the disturbing things about the reorganization of al qaeda which i've described as being living from general motors to mcdonald's in terms of a series of local entities that are affiliated with big al qaeda but increasingly are having a wide range population and i will use this recent example in the christmas of al qaeda in the arabian peninsula. the apparently on their own initiative with some support by big al qaeda had planned this attack and they were prepared to do an attack would be well below

9/11, so we are now faced with an even more dangerous situation which big al qaeda is still trying to get the mass casualty attack which some of its units may be prepared to initiate a smaller attacks. >> the loss of 300 lives would be terrible tragedy and it is that smaller scale attack we may be no more susceptible to. >> i am with cns news to read the christmas day attacked was the spoke about political correctness that perhaps were not being strong enough on identifying the people who will do these attacks whether it be biological or otherwise. can you say how congress can

address that when we are trying to have a strategy to fight the people who would do harm to us? >> i don't think it was a political correctness issue. one of the many disturbing things about the christmas attack is how much we knew about the attack before. we had the author of the perpetrator come into a u.s. embassy and described the radicalization of his son to read we knew that the sun had gone to yemen through other aspects of our intelligence. people were becoming increasingly aware of his strength as al qaeda on the arabian peninsula with its base in san. if we couldn't catch this one is an ominous example of what are we going to do when we don't have as much information as we had. i think going back to that feared "f" but we haven't done

an adequate job of free equipping our intelligence agency with the human-resources the would be the most likely to identify this. the consular service which was a major area of failure in 9/11 almost every one of the hijackers had gotten a visa to enter the united states through the a u.s. embassy or consulate. this man had gotten a visa through the u.s. embassy in london, and apparently all the information that we gained about him never got into a system that identified she shouldn't be allowed to fly into the united states. so i don't think this was political correctness this was competence issue that we faced on christmas day. >> if i can address there is an underlying point to the question that's very important to talk

about. everybody, you talk to people in government and of course they all agree this is a terrible danger and needs to be a priority in dealing with but i think our leaders need to stop and think what it means to say something is a priority. it means you are willing to sacrifice other things for it. now there are some cases where some of the issues you're talking about require people to get philosophical loggerhead but in many cases that isn't just a question of sacrifice and flexible these jurisdiction of your committee. i was a committee chairman, ball was a committee chairman, you don't like to give of committee jurisdiction. we have to do things we don't like to defend against this. there is a whole lot of examples of that in the government hhs and dhs are arguing over who ought to regulate the labs. well okay, get over it to get the same thing with particularly relatively modest amount of funding is a whole lot of things we could be doing if we just

follow through the idea that this is a priority and i think what held throughout the government if everybody understood this is a priority. that means we are willing to sacrifice things ideally we would not want to sacrifice in order to accomplish this. we have to have that mentality in order to deal with this. >> michael of arms control association. a couple of questions. first may potential biological weapons attack and the second is on what scale are we talking about? obviously there is different levels of weaponization and effectiveness. what is the most likely scale that we would be looking at? >> colonel larson, could you discuss the eight principal pathogens that have been identified by the department of homeland security? >> i'm not going to list them all but the ec once so to save the ones that have been around 50 years of the patients with an

iced like anthrax the costly, those kind of thing so the concern. but to a certain extent when we mentioned those that's like preparing for world war ii. because of the bio technical revolution we are looking at right now, there are designer pathogens we are worried about and pathogens that could be resistant to vaccines and antibiotics. it may not be there today. that is a debate some people think they will be in the near future so there is a wide range of them and the department of defense or the department of homeland security is identified a short list we need to be well prepared for and we are not at this time which is one of the reasons for the "f." but agents have been around a long time. i think if you talk to a group of people who study this a lot, the one we are most worried about in the future are the designer once we have no vaccines camano therapeutics or detection capabilities for. >> [inaudible] >> weaponization as i asked the

question about in the 1960's that took superpower technology to do that. the soviet union did, the united states got out of the office of business in 1969 by presidential order. that used to keep us safe from bioterrorism in the 60's and 70's and early 80's. unfortunately the technical revolution that so much better life today in many aspects also provides that. the pathogens you would need to make a biological weapon you can get from nature. virtually everyone except the 1918 influenza and smallpox. all the other ones you can get. ted turner lost 176 buffalo in the summer of 2008 on his ranch because the cows had eaten in the long pasture. it was endemic in the united states, you can harvest this from nature. the equipment needed to weapon is the day the capacitance you can buy on the internet for probably less than what he would spend on a good used car. that's what made the difference. we know the motivation is there

but technology makes it available for terrorists. >> the chairman mentioned there is a bottleneck with the nuclear site which gives an advance. they have to get enough nuclear terror and then make it into a bomb which is within their capability that is harder than what an icing. now the flip side of this you can prepare for a while attack deacons -- bioattack. there's no way to prepare for an attack to minimize the damage that isn't a weapon of mass destruction so there's certain advantages and disadvantages dealing with bio, but our concern is the government is not yet -- it isn't regularized understanding of the bio issue as with nuclear. .. continues to be the problem.

could you comment on that? >> our recommendation in world at risk was that neither north korea nor iran be allowed to continue with its nuclear weapons program. we felt that 14 months was too short a period of time, the new administration with new people dealing with this issue to accomplish that objective, the ninth in the weapon nice to nuclear-weapons. we continue to give that a high priority and hope that over the next period of time that we will see that goal recognized. but we felt the printing for this first year was an incomplete. >> sir? >> i have two questions.

is this a consensus document? the center for arms control released a five-page report in response to your report card. it said the bio-terrorist threat has been greatly exaggerated. have you seen the report? >> i have not seen the report. i would be interested in reviewing it. i think it is very much a minority view if your presentations are correct. as to this report card. it is signed by senator talent and myself after extensive consultation with the other members of the commission. one of the reasons why it is our report card and not that of the commission is the commission itself has changed. two out of the nine members including ambassador rohmer are

no longer active participants. during this second year senator talent and i have been primarily responsible for monitoring the developments, and therefore it was our conclusion that we should not ask those who had been less involved to necessarily subscribe to this conclusion. that we would do it on our own. i can tell you today we have had extensive consultations. it is my belief this would be consultationation and it's my belief that this would be the recommendation of of the commission. >> there's no disagreement among commissioners about the lack of preparedness in the bio area, none. i mean, they're some people who just, you know, they sign on to do the additional report and the concept of a report card is

people a disagreement about whether they should even be doing that, but they'll agree with where we are at with bio preparation and that we are not very far. the threat is not exaggerated haired and what if i understood second point you make, in dealing with it is largely come if not exclusively, a public health problem. it's preparing for it. that's what we've been seeing. but in the bio area of preparing for response is a method of prevention. but the threat is not exaggerated. and anybody looks at the intel or thinks about how the terrorists are operating, got to be very concerned that this is a top priority and it's well within their capabilities to do. as a life scientist, you have accreted the capability to do that. >> next question. yes, sir? >> peter national defense foundation. i was in trade, senator talent

and senator graham by a professional release of information about the terrorist was not passed on. the question that comes to mind was why not? when the father comes in and says, my son has potentially dangerous, why wasn't this passed on to the preparation service that they could find out whether they could come into the country and stop them? >> well, the fact is that it wasn't appropriately passed on and that's made available to those who had the capacity to respond, such as the officials at the amsterdam or port to keep this individual off the plane. as to why that occurred, i think that is something that we will be learning more about as the various efforts at the president has initiated come to conclusion and there are more detailed, public reports as to why the

dots were not moved to the right people. >> the system is not set up as well as it should be to encourage sharing where the sharing is appropriate which is most of the time. now, if people at different opinions about how much better we are then not systematically we were five years ago before the passage of the act. i think we've made progress, but it's not what it needs to be. and so, when your people on the ground who are not entrepreneurial enough, it's a combination of things. you will work in organizations. they're probably organizational growth that she thinks i've like activity that would be good, but you also figured out ways around them probably. it would be better to change the rules to make it easy or for people to make the profession more effect is. but where people work around it, the rules are not a big problem. but where they don't, they are. and so i think it's a combination of both good and bob is right, this awaits a further

investigation of exactly what happened. >> next question? if there are no more questions, senator graham. >> i have a concluding announcement. this is almost the end of the second year of this commission's life, the first year was devoted to preparing the report, world at risk. the second year has been devoted to attempting to get our recommendations implemented. this commission expires on the 20th of february. i'm announcing now that while our official status is soon to end, that senator talent, kernel larsen and i will work for a nonprofit entity which we are establishing, which we entitled the bipartisan weapon of mass destruction and terrorism research center.

we are optimistic that we will receive significant support to launch this effort and are encouraged by the offers of continued engagement and assistance by people like the families of 9/11 and others who have been so engaged in this and the pass. so we are not going away. we are going to continue to give a focus to action on our recommendations. we are going to be working specifically in the area of greater citizen involvement in a year from now we invite you back to the second report card of how well we are doing in securing america against a threat of the worst weapons in the hands of the worst people. thank you. >> thank you. that concludes.

>> on a recent trip to afghanistan, david observed military operations at bagram airfield. >> most of the supplies that come in, that come into afghanistan anywhere -- some stuff does go straight to kandahar, but almost all of it is delivered by air. there are good reasons. the country is huge, the size hugetexas with the whole lot and have just a gigantic mountain range. the roads are poor, and even if they were not the terrain is so

unforgiving. the living things by surface is expensive and time-consuming. i flew along with an international guard crew on a re-apply mission to the south. some shipments of food and water and other supplies came in either on commercial or military aircraft. it was uploaded and then broken into batches and loaded onto c1- 30's for delivery to troops. >> we're going to take out the aircraft and have a resupply mission down in southern afghanistan with the marines. we have eight bundles, cds bundles made of plywood in campus full of food and water. we will resupply these marines who are in a situation where they cannot get supplies via roads.

>> how long as the flight? >> it should take as a little over one hour. and another hour to return home. >> is it dangerous? >> it can be. today the threat should be low. we do not anticipate any activity. we have defensive measures to help out in case we encounter some enemy. it is more dangerous than flying at home, but we do all we can to mitigate the threat. >> the afghanistan war has been a big laboratory for finding new methods to deliver cargo. they had gps-guided parachutes. you try to get within the vicinity, then the parachute can

steer it to a pinpoint location. it is sort of like precision bombing, it was supplies. >> basically the army rigs the loads. we revisit that it leaves the aircraft. it will fall down to the troops on the ground. >> so, when you open the door does gravity pull up the load, or be pushed? >> when we come across the drop zone in the get over to the right quarter net they activate our retrievers and a big cut the lead in the rollout by gravity. >> very accurate. >> is it how you position the aircraft? >> yes, they can log the winds and calculate it. the way about 2,200 pounds.

>> is that a lot for this aircraft? >> no, we have a trend here in the next one will have 16. it will fill of the entire cargo department. >> the taliban do not really have what we might think of as an air defense network. they could take a potshot at your airplane with their rifles or an rpg, the chances of hitting something find that high are pretty slim. helicopters are in more danger. i imagine the mountains pose a bigger threat band does the taliban. what we looking at? >> this is the container. basically, when it comes down and rides on this cable, put down when it hits the put-- this dissipates the material that absorbs a lot of the impact. when this hits the ground like

this -- everything inside survives. the parachute is at least 64 in diameter. yes, it slows it down considerably. >> operations like that happen every day, probably between half a dozen and a dozen of them. it is one of the major ways of getting supplies to the combat troops. >> freelance journalist david axe was in afghanistan in october and november. you can find videos and interviews on c-span.org.

type "axe" in the search box. >> today, senator dorgan is about whether the president made a mistake putting health care in such a high place on his agenda this past year. >> the president made it his signature legislative push in 2009. do you think he made a mistake? >> i do. i just think the timing was not good. standing in a deep hole it is hard to reach high enough to put together a health care proposal that can get through congress. i personally would have said much work exclusively on restoring the economic engine again in putting people back to work. the president sure will say he was working on that also. if i had staged this would have

said that first, health care later. but the president won the election, and i did not. his position is that you cannot fix the economy without fixing health care -- there is truth to that. we found it difficult to create a menu of health care changes that can be enacted and signed into law by president. >> you can see the entire interview today at 6:00 p.m. eastern and 3:00 p.m. pacific. this morning on the "washington journal" -- these two guests to talk about politics and the latest news of the day. then, about the role that women play in muslim countries. >> tomorrow, a discussion on the role independent voters may play in the 2010 elections with alex of politico and john of george washington university. also, the