in ways that will move people away from extreme i am is a very, very difficult challenge. and, it's not one that governments have genuinely, historically attended to in the past. so i think that we're breaking new ground and i'm always hopeful that we're doing so fast enough because we really do want to finally answer the question and say, no, there are fewer terrorists on the street today than there whether . . i think those are two our big challenges. >> mr. ambassador, my name is rosemary. i'm president of hope for tomorrow. we forefocus on violence against women and young people. just want to thank you. i come from kenya. i was in kenya, when the u.s. embassy and in tanzania

u.s. embassy and in tanzania was bombed by terrorism. my comment what you say about the u.s. a working with international communities? because if you work with the local communities who are in those countries like in afghanistan and kenya and in africa, i think that can work because, and working also with the women. because this terrorism are young people who are recruited like the one who almost bombed airline. he was not in nigeria. he was in england. this he go around and nigeria became a victim of one person who was not even in nigeria. want you to work with local and international communities who understand their communities, especially the women, and young people so you can work with our organizations in kenya and other african countries, training and working with the young people and women and i think this can, try to remove some, you know, leave some of the problems with the

countries so they can, they hoe know themselves. so i think this is my comment. i think they can work which and i thank the secretary of state very much for working hard on this issue and i thank her for her work too. >> you used term -- >> let me turn that into a question. >> yeah. you used the term micro strategies in your talk. >> that's exactly where we're going. the first of all, just in kenya and, the embassy there under, am bass ranberger is working on exactly those things. for example we're very concerned about radicalization in nairobi neighborhood which has a enormous population of somali refugees and radicalization is real problem. said in my remarks as well working for empowerment of

women is an important strategy in this regard because that, is both a strategy for poverty reduction and for, for, really diminishing radicalization in a lot of communities in which women to date don't have the tools to oppose radicals. and. so bows of those things are very important. as i said every community is different. this is, presents us with a real challenge because we need to have the analytic basis for trying to figure out what we do in particular communities. we need to work with fartherer ined governments and we often need to work with ng oñs because frankly people who look like me shouldn't be walking into some of these neighborhoods and trying to do social epgearing. so it is a complicated task. it is as i said, something we're still in the early days regarding. and, i think it is a real challenge for governments to

operate in this way where we're used to, you know, large spreadsheets and big programs and what not. this is a challenge for us. >> take two more questions. mark and there. >> good afternoon. ambassador benjamin thank you so much for your comments and your service to our country. my name is mark sorrell, and student at georgetown university. my question relates to combating narrative of al qaeda. something i referred to in number of times. the response you gave with your micro strategies and other ways talking about people you know in pakistan, you laid out some of the elements you involved there. something you also talked about i felt was less addressed combating extreme i am in the u.s. which is the sense on rise. i wonder as official of the u.s. state department do you think there are lessons to be learned from governments for example, in europe have dealt with this for longer than the u.s., and if so what those are? imthinking in particular of british government when i was at homeland security had a pretty robust program they were developing specifically

focused on this issue. thank you. >> i absolutely think we have a lot to learn from others and, that's why i have from foreign office in my bureau working on these issues and why we're talking to our partners in the netherlands, france, you name it, about different, undertaking in this area. i think that we would make a big mistake in interpreting american exceptionalism to mean we're immune from radicalization. i think i wrote in the book before i went into government, it's a statistical inevitability. we've been very fortunate thus far. we still are fortunate having a very low level for all kinds of complicated issues having to do with social mobility, origins of immigrants in the united states and the like. but, we absolutely do have a lot to learn from others. and you know, we should be

honest enough with ourselves to say that. >> final question. >> ambassador benjamin, thank you very much. i'm bob --, imindependent consultant on energy. you mentioned the fact within the last year there has been increased cooperation with pakistan. bruce riedel has also noted this same development but he's unclear as to why in fact this is taking place. and, is it just because they realize that it's, now in their own interests, and it hadn't occurred to them before? or are there other extenuating circumstances which may influence their recent stepping up of activity? as a follow-up, i wonder if you could comment on iran's -- on counterterrorism. >> bruce asked me exactly

that question. and i don't want to, i don't want to get too speculative but i do think that, an important part of what we are seeing is due to the growth of trust. our sense was, for example, that at the end of the strategic dialogue we have really had a very good exchange and had taken this relationship to a higher level. you they, the issue of the history of u.s. pakistan relations has been a deeply troubled one. there have long been influential pakistanis who thought we did not have their interests at heart. that we were purely in a transactional mode trying to accomplish our own goals. i believe that after very, very serious engagement, the commitment of enormous

resources, efforts to deal with all kinds of legitimate concerns they have, that we are, you know, making headway. and i'm, i'm not predicting that progress will always be linear but i am hopeful we will have the strategic patience and wisdom to stay engaged and to see this through and you know, a lot of, a lot of people at higher levels than mine are investing an enormous amount of time in this relationship and i think it's paying off so let's hope for the best. as for iran, iran remains the premier state sponsor of terrorism in the world today and, that is obviously a huge concern for the u.s. government. iran however, you know, iran's involvement with sunni extremist groups is a complex and often murky

story. we know that in the past iran has been, has been a place that al qaeda individuals have traveled across or resided in without necessarily the direct support of the iranian government. but, you know, when we look at iranian state sponsorship, we're looking principlely, groups like hezbollah, hamas, smaller palestinian rejectionist groups. i think you've seen press reports of various officials talking about iranian support to insurgents both in iraq and afghanistan. we have seen this at the tactical level. obviously, iran has a lot of concerns about us being on both sides of its borders. the president has pure pursued a an effort to open

a new dialogue with iran. the iranians have not responded. so, you know, we're in a challenging situation at the moment. as you all know there is a lot of work going on at the u.n. in this regard. so, you know, this is an ongoing story. >> i'm afraid our time is elapsed. you will be directed to at reception in the adjacent room. i like to thank all of you for attending today and for those watching today's proceedings on c-span. join me in thanking ambassador daniel benjamin for an excellent presentation. [applause]

>> this is a week of a faithful celebration. on monday and tuesday night, jewish families around the world gathered to celebrate the exodus from egypt and the triumph of hope and perseverance over oppression. on sunday, my family will join christians all over the world and marking the resurrection of the jesus christ. we remember the shared humanity that inhabit us all, jews, christians, muslims, hindus, the leaders and non-believers alike. we lived in a time of a 24 hour news cycle in a town consumed with debate. sometimes it seems that the fight can be eternal.

on those -- on at this easter weekend, let us remember the aspirations we hold in common. we are the common family of a man. we all know how important work is, not just for the paycheck, but from the peace of mind that comes from knowing you can provide for your family. we seek is security, a sense of dignity, and a community that work provides. last month, for the first time in two years, our economy created a substantial number of jobs instead of losing them. we have begun to reverse the big slide, but we have a long way to go. that will continue to be my focus every single day. all of us also value our health and the health of our loved ones. all of us have experienced an illness and a loss. all of us know that no matter what we are doing, no matter what else is going on in our lives, if the house of -- if the

health of the someone we love is in danger, nothing else matters. all of us value education. we know that in an economy as competitive as ours, an education is a prerequisite for success. we know ultimately that education is about something more, something greater. it is about the ability that lies within each of us to rise above every barrier, no matter how high, to pursue a dream, no matter how big, to fulfill our god-given excellence pipit all oppose -- our god-given excellent. all of us are seeking a dignified life, a healthy life, if true to its potential. this is at the heart of the aspirations of the judea's and, of christianity, of all the world's great religions. the rights of passover have been

marked by people in every corner of the planet for thousands of years. they have been marked in times of peace and times of war. one such service was held in the sands of iwo jima during the fierce fighting of world war ii. there, the chaplain consecrated the memory of the american dead, catholics, protestants, jews prepared they huddled -- jews. they huddled in a bloody foxholes' united by patriotism, and a love of country. they heralded the vision of a new world, made possible by the common bond that unites all of us. we can only hope that this unity will endure. on this weekend as easter begins and passover comes to a close,

let us remain ever mindful of the unity of purpose, the common bond, the love within you and me, for which they sacrificed all that they had. latticework to fulfill our highest aspirations as individuals -- let us work to fulfill our highest aspirations as individuals and as a nation. >> hello. i am kevin mccarthy. in the house republican chief deputy whip. i would like to wish everyone celebrating easter and passover peace and prosperity during this holiday season. i need not remind you that this is a time of great economic anxiety. americans are right to be asking, "where are the jobs? "

they are asking if anyone cares about them, if anyone is listening. enough is enough. we have to stop the spending, stop the waste, stop the broken promises. republicans agree. major employers are already being squeezed banks to the tax hikes of the new health-care law. this is laden and with anti it tax policies coming out washington. as a former small business owner, i know that there is risk involved in turning a new idea into a successful business. there is no reward without some risk. my small business, like many small businesses, was started on credit. at this time of high unemployment, when we need to

focus on a jobs, we should not be expanding the government in a way that crowd out the small businessman and a businesswoman. that is not good for jobs. that is not good for anyone. from t.a.r.p. and bailout to cap and trade, the government takeover of health care and huge increases in the national debt, and now changes to financial regulation, we have run out of money. yet, this administration and congress want to spend even more. on behalf of the hard-working taxpayers in my district, i have one question for washington. who is going to pay for all of your new spending? last fall the controversial it topped -- part program was on track to -- the country's personal -- the controversial tarp program was expanded by

democrats so that they could use it as a slush fund. now president barack obama wants to pass a job-killing legislation. under his plan, unelected washington bureaucrats would be granted virtually unlimited power to pick winners and losers. hardworking american taxpayers will pay the bill for reckless decision made by irresponsible bankers. what is worse, this legislation fails to address the root causes of the economic crisis, a lack of accountability in washington and on wall street. and the permanent bailout. get rid of park. our plan would address the causes of this meltdown, while adopting new approaches to the

market that will no longer use the taxpayer as wall street's financial lifeline. more blue-ribbon commissions are not the answer. putting taxpayers on the hook for more bailouts will not revive our struggling economy. it will only compound the pain for struggling small businesses and for families who paid -- who played by the rules, live within their means, and acted responsibly. earlier i asked if anyone was listening. i am kevin mccarthy, a member of the house republican conference, and we are listening. if you want to put an end to reckless spending and to this mountain of debt, we are listening to you. >> today on c-span, treasury secretary timothy brightener --

timothy geithner and a number of women discuss women in the financial industry. also, a panel on ending military contractors in a iraq. coming up sunday on "washington journal," a look at the health- care law. also, a discussion on the role of consumer credit scores and consumer reports. following that, how president learned the job of the presidency. "washington journal," live at 7:00 a.m. eastern here on c- span. tomorrow, on "newsmakers," the

indiana governor explains how changes in health care will impact his state. he also discusses his potential run for the white house in 2012. that's at 10:00 a.m. eastern here on c-span. the discussion now on women in the financial industry. we will hear remarks from treasury secretary timothy f. geithner, mary shapiro, sheila bair, and others. >> good morning. my name is rosie rios , treasurer of the united states. thank you for joining us today for what will truly be an historic event, not just for treasury and the administration, but for generations of americans who will be -- will be inspired by today's activities.

i would like to introduce the treasury secretary, timothy p. geithner. [applause] >> good morning. welcome to treasury. thank you for coming. rosie rios is treasurer of the united states. it is a cool title. it is much better than being secretary of the treasury, let me tell you that. i want to upset thank her for taking -- i want to thank her for bringing this remarkable group of women together. i read an article last week that asked the question of, "what if women ran on wall street?" i thought that was an excellent question, but kind of a local bar.

-- a low bar. [laughter] today, three of the past four secretaries of state have and women. nancy pelosi is a strong female secretary -- the female speaker of the house. still, only 7% of ceos are women. only 78 -- only 17% of congress is women. if we look at past president of the new york fed, you will see a striking similarity among all of us. the federal government still does not provide unpaid parental leave. women who graduate from college are paid 20% less than men, despite higher gpa's. the president and congress are working to make things better. the first bill that the

president signed into law was the lilly ledbetter fair pay act. congress is working to pass the federal employees paid parental leave act. however, the business community should have a strong interest in removing current disparity. women -- companies with more women on their boards outperform those with fewer women by 66%. our hope that -- our hope is that this symposium will reenergize our conversation about how to improve the situation for women in finance. you're going to meet many women who are working to reform our broken system. elizabeth warren is one of the most compelling advocates for reform in the country. mary shapiro beat the renovation

of the security and exchange commission. christina romer is one of the leading scholars in the country on the great depression. she helped this president is in the package that called us back from the financial abyss and that created a prospect of a growing economy again. sheila bair is presiding over the most complicated, the most difficult, the most consequential restructuring of the american financial system since the great depression. this discussion today is about to pick it -- two basic set of values in governing. the first is the proposition that you get better judgment and better decisions, better results when you are exposed to a diversity of opinions, backgrounds and experiences. the second is about opportunity and about fairness. the critical test of justice in

this society is whether people are given a chance to advance and excel on the basis of merit, effort, drive and ambition. we can all do better with that. we have seen a financial crisis that caused a huge loss of faith, trust and confidence in our financial system. we hope that is going to provide an opportunity for women to come into this world and help rebuild and restore that trust and confidence. as women think about what they are going to do with their lives, think about coming to work with their country. -- with your country. think about public service. you will still have clients, the american people. it is a great, noble, consequential and rewarding thing to do. we hope we will see more of you in the halls of government. thank you very much. [applause]

>> thank you secretary brightener. it has truly ben and -- a in thank you, secretary timothy guy there. it has truly been an honor -- secretary geitner. it has truly been an honor to serve you. we are here to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the national women's history project, to recognize the contributions of women in finance today and in the past, and to encourage women and girls across the country to become leaders in the field. today a's symposium is an opportunity for dialogue across the public and private sectors. leaders of the private sector will be on this second panel.

women who are established in their careers, like the students from pepperdine and howard university, along with many others engaging in today's symposium via the web. earlier this month, president obama issued the following proclamation, "as we honor the women who shaped our nation, we must remember that we are tasked with writing the next chapter of our nation's history. only if we take our daughters that no obstacle is too great for them will be inspire them to reach for their highest aspirations and achieve true equality." these words resonate for me especially today. never have i been more hopeful for my 9-year-old daughter then i am now. looking out in this audience of accomplished women, i think about how far we have come. as we look toward the future.

we should begin by examining the past. we are writing women back into history. i will begin today by talking about some of the remarkable women in the treasury's past. if you look at the portrait around this room, you will see women telling the story of their contribution. the first women were hired by the treasury department well over 200 years ago. in 1795, sara waldrake was hired as an adjuster for the mint and earned 50¢ per day. she filed gold coins down to the correct weight. helen benning was the first professional woman hired to work in the treasury building in 1861. she copied and recorded in the name of her ill husband. no one officially acknowledged her existence as she earned