reduce it as much as possible. the issue, of course, we have to weigh the cost and benefits. we have to look at how hard it the current system is counterproductive. even though in the short term you ay have to continue to rely on these militia imperative because it is such a fundamental driver of the insurgency that we have a long-term strategy to shift away from the current odel because the current model is a key fact that undermines the afghan gooernment's legitimacy. .

skill of negotiation plus contacts plus the willingness to fight. it's not aasolveable problem without force structure.

>> do we have leverage to make this happen? do we have that sufficient leverage to -- we control the cootracts. >> i'm not an expert on relationships with the various groups but there is a huge problem with the internal dynamics that we have to understand the internal dynamics to make the negotiations and then have to dismantle the current military organizations that were built to do this unless we can bring them onside. and break them up, they don't look at that as cooperation but loss. >> you talk about the importance of trade routes and the infrastructure to enable that. if we played a greater role in creating that infrastructure, do protecting it? >> no. because what we have now, first, u.s. government day trade are

moving our goods around. you don't have the kind of serious private trade that i'm speaking of and when you do have the beginnings of it, it's highly localized which feeds the situation we have been talking about, local bosses. once you have longer strings of trade connecting secondary remooe people to secondary markets, secondary to primaay markets, you have people way down the line with exerting pressure to keep this particular problematic section open. you don't have that today. we have a model, u.s. versus all kinds of good and bad, some very bad private interests there. this is an alternative model in which we actually are opening up channels for the -- for trade in which you actually create an

eetirely different incentive structure, not just for the traders, as i have emphasized, but also for the public which becomes actively engaged in keeping the roads open as in the few cases, they have been actively engaged in keeping schools open. this isn't utopia. and let me say this, this is the policy of the afghan government right now. they would love to see us engage in this. this has been presented to general petraeus's staff and the people at centcom, they were very, very positive about the idea as indicated in the published report. i think this is fast gaining tracks as essential. and by the way, it is relevant as we get involved in this project in kandahar. if you look at the map over new pakistan -- pakistani port. now the port is a clear shot

from kandahar. but never in our eight, nine years in afghanistan have we made a priority of linking that+ immediate port with the ring road via kandahar. this does two things. were we, in arriving in kandahar to say that within the next three weeks, you willlget a truck from here to the port with no more than six or eiiht hours at the border crossing, if we were to do that, we would ss juggle inccntives not only in the incentives would be different. you would have new actors, old actors taking up new rooes and so on. this is ours for the taking. i mean we are there..

right now. we can make this happen. if we choose not to, it will eventually happen without uu. but unfortunately, not to the benefit of our mission. >> thank you. >> that's interesting. colonel, let me ask you again, you were a former military commander. you have done everything from the ground on up. if you were still a military commander in this bidder, how would you feel about knowing that a convoy of pickup trucks machines were on them with men with ak-47's firing at villages to proteet the potential attackers? >> this s a contradiction of coin approach. but it is rooted in necessity

and that's the problem we have built for ourselves. the figures indicaae 15 armed contractors doing this job. u.s. troops, means you need more convoyy. you consume your plus-up in afghanistan. when you choose to fight a battle where your lines of communication run through territories that have been challenged, it is hard to envision a way to resupply that other than making deals with the locals. >> there is talk about transingsing out of ttat model to a better model. do you fore's a better model than that. >> it would take a long time. >> how do we get there, do you think? >> the first step is to gain

pversight of what's happening. by reforming contracting can practices to make sure we aren't creating monopolies ii the hands of certain commanders and ensure we are restraining their behaviors and that is the preliminary step. in terms of transitioning, there is the capacity to rely on afghan force structures. once you start -- if you take accion to bake down these militias, that, i think, will at some point help recruitment. right now there is a competition between these private security companies. other thaa taking them on militarily, how are you going to do that? >> we want the afghan police to provide security and this will take time. united states' commitment to generating the afghan armm is a long-term one and we have only seen the industrial strength

mentoring in partnership, sort of efforts in the last six months. we can hope that the pace which we develop the afghan army will accelerate than what we have seen in the past. >> this is a perplexing which comes first. go ahead. >> i think there are ome naivete can the afghan army take over or should it be put in the hands of u.s. forces. if it is put in the hands of u.s. forces, you have made every one of the peoole now doing it active opponents, you have doubled the opposition and they're effective because they know it rom the inside. if you try to turn it over to the afghan army, thhs is a very slow and long-term project it will have the same effect. you have to look at the incentives structures.

we have announced that we're leaving. it is not, in my judgment, even if wer it's not a prudent thing to publicize the way we have because everyone in the region has set his watch. and you ave a lot of people now involved in thh security and transport businesses in afghanistan making hay while the sun shines ii anyway they can. theyydon't see a future. we leave, the system collapses and better have plenty of money by then or they have lost their chance. i'm ssggesting we become the sponsors of normal trade and transport and some of these guys will trrnsition inno it. how do you do that? it is partly rhetorical. it's announcing it saying publicly that that's our goal. beyond that, it is saying yes, we are going to extend security to private trade.

the same people -- >> you extend united states' force security or contractor security? >> that i'll leave to the conclusion of the discussion. i think, however, that's something that the afghan national army could undertake tomorrow. >> protectionnof the road system. you think they are prepared? >> for private, local trade, yes, because that would not my point is simply that if we - are unable to offer anything in the way of a serious economic incentive to the local population to keep roads open, we will fail. and the only kind of solution that i conceive that will meet that is we become the sponsor of the open road. >> well, we're going to wind this up because we appreeiate

with us here this afternoon. i want to give you the opportunity for one last ord if you feel compelled. >> i would like to return to what mr. lake said three times and which i think, mr. chairman, you said several times, this is a problem fundamentally, not of if we try to solve the day's question on a mere tactical level, it won't work. ii must be addressed on a strategic level. if you come up with a better economic strategy than i proposed here, you should rush to embrace it, but we need one, but don't have one. >> thankkyou all very much. it's great food for thought and appreciate the time and thoughtfulness you put into your testimony. meeting's adjourned. pcaptions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010]

natiooal captioning institute] >> we are joined by the managing editor of "the hill." , good mor. host: talking about the race is happening arounddthe country, runoffs, contests, give us a preview.

guest: another incumbent in isgress from south carolina pnntrouble. it looks like he will lose. he is down in the polls against the tea party favorite. with engles, some believe he party, havinghe criticized joe wilson, and voted deeocrats. on energy policy he has strayed from the party. was one of the few republicans to ddsapprove of the iraq.in he was in a runoff, but his opponent got more votes. so, enlrd looks to be in trouble. then we got a big runoff in utah.

it is the seat that senator% bennett now holds. he did not make it into the run up. whoever wins will be your next senator because utah is reddest state in the nation. bennetttendorsed bridgewater. it will be a tight race. according to the polls, bridgewater was n the lead. host: has there been a resurgence in popularity or bennett has tot say? ggest: no, he is upset he lost. he says whoever wins will not haae much clout innwwshington. this will truly be a freshman senator without the clout that

bennett did, but it is not one of the endorsements that bridgewater is talouting. host: this concerns the runoff in south carolina. an african-american two-partyy+ conservative is running against the son of one time strom thurmond. tell us about the ccntest and what ay happen? gueest: this guy came from nowhere, and ll of a sudden hhs a ton of momentum. he is doing surprisinnly well to the run-up. thurmond has all the momentum, -- he mightely win be the best shot the republicans

haae o have an african-american in the congress in eight years. both eric cantor and another% have backed him. hh is the tea party favorite. sarah palin has backed him. seat for henry brown who is rrtiring. whoever emerges from this will be the favorite. host: also, the gubernatorial runoff in south carolina. haley is expecced to do well because she had such a high advantage with 49% in the initial primary battle. who is she guest: facing she is a member of congress, whom there have been a number of allegations concerning haley of adulteress affairs. it has not hurt haley, though.

mitt romney back to her. unless there is a major upset, she will win. she wouud be favored to win in -- in south carolina, the favorite, unless ssmething emerges that is very conroversial. but she has withstood the punches. host: what are the other office reading the races right now? are there certain outcomes today? certain shake ups? there are many other prairie steep into august. guest: they are nervous. votes that can come back those for thee2008 bailout, the tarp votes, the healthcare vote -- if you did not vote and you are democrats, have reason for concern. jim was in a runoff today and

expected to beat the retired schoolteacher. it into theerunoff even had only spent a amounttcompared to his $7500000 spent. win. expected to even though it is a very district, he voted no on health care. the republicans do not have a credible challenger. so, if you can get past this hurddegetmatheson will likely be reelected. we saw with video cameras, the electorate issangry. most incumbents are still winning. blanche lincoln survivvd, but arlen specter lost. there is a sense of unease, and that i'd better not take this primary candidate slightly. host: does it seem like it is shaking up republicans more??%

guest: i think both the left and right feel emboldenee right now. anyone in the middle is very nervous, especially around primary time. come november if republicans can survive the primary challenggs have over the next few months, they will likely be .afe some people say that it will hit both parties in noveeber. historical trends how usually angryhe electorate is partyill vote against the in power. they did against the republicans in both 2006 and 2008. host: today's top story -- dems %-ll not pass budget. hoyer says house will spend less than limits set by obama.

he will confirm it in a speech on tuesday. he will back to rack down on government spending, saying that democrats will enforce spending whats that are lower than the preeident called for. is the situation when it comes to getting things done and limiting pending? guest: of this budget decision been hankering for weeks. six weeks ago they said they ake a decision. try to get a deal between liberrls and conservativee in the democratic caucus. this is the first time since the rules were creeted in the house will not pass a resolution. the will pass a procedure, but not resolution. republicans, when they congress, had trouble passinn a budget in electioo years. they always move it through the house, though. it may be became mired in the

senate. it is a difficult issue. one year ago the democrats were riding high. the first 180 days of obama in deliiered their on the 100th day by fairly wide margins. most democrats supported the president and his budget. now it is different mood. democrats on capitol hill are about the mood of voters. they say we will cut back from what obama has proposed. democrats are trying to make sure -- telling voters that we have heard you. they are emphasizing the fiscal comm upon under way to recommendations after%- elections. probably on taxes and spending.t

so the nation can get control of its debt. there are many doubts about whether that will get the votes from the commission and congress. host: here are the phone numbers. we are talking about congressional politics. let's go to hawaii and william. caller: good morning. ii is 2:00 a.m. here in hawaii. aloha. guest: i will be there on vacation in two weeks. caller: i live under the volcano. [laughter] guest: i will not be there. calller: in this budget debate i have never heard a word yet aboout the cost of the military budget. we have noww177 permanent

bases in 84 countries world, including brand new, permanent baases the country of colombia. if they're going to deal with the overruns of the budget, when are theyygoing to deal with this bloated, wasteful, black hole is the military budget?%- guest: that is something policy discussing. robert gates at the pentagon called for trimmed down spending. barney frank has put together a experts to recommend%% major cuts in the budget. recently they came up with their roughly $1 trillion%% to cut back that they say will not hurt defense.

standing lawyer in a speech he today will say defense spending needs to be on the table. we need to look at the defense bbdget -- steny hoyer wiil say. other tax increases or defense cuts, eveeything must be on the% table. that is what the fiscal commission is looking at. it is made up of lawmakers. host: he says any conversation leaveshe deficit that out defense spending is flawwd befooe begin's -- that comes from hoyer. how does that play back home? everyone is not eager to seee like a fiical hawk. one reason that the defense not get cut is it brings money back, two districts is military infrastructure, where parts and pieces are made. guest: yes, that is right.

start to make specific cuts to acertain base, or to medicare or medicaid, or unemployment benefits, those become campaign commercials for the opposition. when you're dealing with the specifics, saying social security should bb on the table, or medicare -- any of these popular programs, then it becomes very difficult. part of the reason why the nation has a record level of debt. both republicans and democrats had a difficult time with cutting spending parties haveoth tried to. host: this is edward on the republican line from rochester, york. caller: i am an african- american conservative republican. bothers me is i do not see the media holding barack obama'sfeet to the fire. said if you give him $797

billion, that he wouud be able keep unemploymentt down to 7.5%. it is almost at 10%. theee are politics being played khalid sheik mohaamaed -- who's a trial will not happen. one has just come not saying that politics have just had a static vote. they have just had rahm emanuel on tv trying to play politics. they always seem to want to target someone. .%- they're not being held accountable. .

. some conservatives say if the oil spill had happened when president bush president bush coverage would have been a lot tougher on the white house. host: let'sstalk about the disclose act and are we going to see anythhng happen? guest: it is moving forward but not at great speeds. this was chris van hollen's bill and deals with the supreme court case and seeking the votes. they cut a deal with the national rifle association because they opposed it. many groups on the right and

business groups who opposed chris van hollen's bill were upset at the n.r.a. because they feel thee have the votes to + block it, maybe ot in the house, this will probably be voted on this week. in the senate, there is no republican co-sponsors. they need at least one and there is no indication from maine senators or scott brown that they are ready to support this. it's going to be a difficult lift in the senatt because it has been a more difficult lift in the house. one of the key factors is the u.s. chamber of commerce. u.s. chamber of commerce, if you look at their endorsements, they support more democrats than republicans but support business-friendly democrats. the chamber indicated if you pote for this bill and take away our freedoms to what they are claiming to put out commercials and first amendment rights, democrats dispute their assertion, but we may not

endorse you. that's a powerful message especially in this election year. dayton, ohio. is justyour opinion like our opinion. when it comes to the republicans, they are not doing their job. they are not doing their job for the people. they do not want to see the president succeed. when you sit up thereeand say they need to sign theecheck, %% sign the need to vote. work with the president. we can see that. cannot see that, because you spreading out certain

things. go o capitol hill and deliver message, work with the president and stop working against him. host: a rocky week in a rise as he handled the oii spill situation. guest: they see him as the party's leader. democrats do not want him their district or their state. we interviewed blanche lincoln. big win. deliver her a that was bill clinton. theelle obama has been on trail.n some democrats did not want him. not popular in tteir district. a democrat who was a former aide of john murtha said he voted against health care reform. he has shunned the policies of mantrand grant a local

%%d said he can deliver or the withict as did another many air march, and he won. -- earmarks, and he won. host: north carolina. caller: i enjoy the show. to thank the callers before me. we seem to be collected in one point. cannot be thea president of everybody. that are just not going to work him. want him to fail. they could like%if something to impeach him with, they will. what did the former buss do. we have a war that is really,

really senseless. everybody is just going along saying, we need to keep -- to keee the kids of letting them get killed, for what? what's happened to the monny they were supposed to build their own country back? >> a lot of the voters will w. bussesident george the policies and the warsaw, the deficit. republicans on capitol hill are laughing that off. they know that george w. bush be mentioneddon the rail in a lot this year. it is questionable if that is going to work. some democrats say they will not message as much as they did before. host: this is from the hill.

tell us more. of a split is a bit among republicans. among the right, you have o pressure from conservatives spending in do%- differently than when of congrees and the house when spending skyrocketed and they passed the benefit.drug things that did not please the base. in some republicans saying, let stop these unemployment benefits beyond the 26 weeks, that are customary. coogressional leaders, while using that as ammunition on the trail are saying let's benefits but offset them. democrats are paying for other parts of the extended bill, not're saying that does

need to be paid for. an issue for%% republican leaders were they have admitted that. we should be fiscally conservative. of that ision different for different people. host: republican, new castle, pa.. caller: when i hear people in going on and on about presideet bush, i have to if they ever do their homework. the democrats have been in washington for over 3.5 years. is when all of this hogwash started. obamayone say, poor mr. the doorslked through face all of this. come on. he knew what he was getting into. went around the country promising things and has

but a nun --hing bunch of nonsense. guest: this is the debate throughout the summer and the %%ll. who is to blame. there is a lot of finger- pointing. whether it is demoorats, liberals.s, deeocrats have large majooities on capitol hill. been some will miis these majorities next year..% they are having difficulties moving bills. they will pass financial reform in all likelihood. in between, they have had a rough patch. the war supplemental has been delayed. the tax extender bill as well. harry reid says we have worked this for a couple of months get to theannot votes. happen for theto

go home and say have had a successful year? guest: this congress hassdone a lot. you can argue agaanst a lot of they have done, but they some historic%% legislation. the signature is health care reform. ii did not look like it was going to pass. , but it did. gave them momentum. it has moved financial regulatory reform throogh the senate. nancy pelosi wants to get climate change done. some democrats have been pushing for immigration reform. tthre is a bit of fatigue on capitol hill. some democrats say they have %% caseough to make the home. will be difficult because of historical trends.

but this congress has done a lot. when there is some concern aboot doing more. they have done enough, let s take any more tough votes.. host: georgia. caller: thanks for taking my call. comment and a question. it is about a primary that we go. few weeks was a man that one no one had heard of. heard too him -- much about him. cans wondering if they follow up on that. lot ofeally is not a bbtween the

republicans and democrats. buss had a war in iraq, and has won in afghanistan. they haae been same. much the thank you. is referencinger greene actioos south %%rolina. green in south carolina. heard of him before, and not favored to win. some were thinking about thh primary results. he is a democratic nominee. the question is, how did he get

money? they had one of theemostt political stories i have seen. say it%-, the democrats republican plans, and the say it is absurd. face inhe is going to november, jim dewitt is likely to win. it is a fascinating story. host: democrats line. caller: i got laid off in in 2007. so many places,

gone.hing is %%ere is nothing here. they do not want to give me an extension. i was working. there are so many people here but there isork, nothing here. what about us that have not had in about five months? i think i would work if there is something to do. really to do.ng guest: this is going back to the unemployment issue.

there is debate among republicans and democrats. if you extend unemployment benefits, there is a disincentive for them to find work. many say it is hogwash. if you are getting unemplooment, house. still losing your a big check.. host: we got a look at the plan ouse.r of the they will pend anothee week%% districts,ir home washington. a shortened work. . what does that mean? what does it mean for them back home? do democrats need to get back and start campaigning? guest: yes and no.

they will not be having as many town hall format. they want to be home in campaigning. they do not want to create moments summers ago where there were heated town halls. %%i think it will be interestin. they will be home. as campaigne that ammunition. tax rovisions in this tax extender bill. democrats need to make a decision on what of the bush tax they going to extend? if they pass anything as far as are making, then it the pre-bush tax cuts. that is a huge decision

democrats have. will have toey decision. that is one to watch. will have to say, do you with president obama that make over $250,000 should havee their increase, but not for level.elow that some in the senate feel the number should be higher. that is the debate. %%st: republican, in michigan. caller: i was calling to reflect back and look at the present. when ronald reagan took office, market started to prices got cheaper.

, it seems in office when the stock market is do the prices. nothing gets cheaper. everything gets more expensive. thhtat related to the fact small, young tax%- base than when we did in the past. so security is in danger with that. about them not sure inflation rates. hyperhhs been fear of inflation kicking in. it has not yet. that is something that constantlyare watching. sure that the rate up so much. host: this is from the campaign

section. guest: it is a marked difference. when is the last time the base has been ffred up? to go back toove dozen for when george bush john kerry. then, the party has been in the doldrums. the dealing of katrina was a disaster. they suffered in the polls. butsee thess numbers, specials want a election. will see what happens. republicans think they have a good shot of taking back the house and picking up seven %%ats. host: independent line, texas.

an independent now, what change of mind on when they voted on terry shaiva. she was not taken off life suuport. was starved to death. the judge repeated the 10 %%mmandments. that affected me a whole lot. i am no longer republican. host: what may we see in the over elena kagan? how significant is this going to as we watch her confirmation process?

guest: the oil spill is the problem of the obama administration. kagan is a boring story, there has not been a lot of conflict. i am sure she will get some yes votes. the hearing starts next week. there will be a lot of pomp and circumstance. opening statements on monday. in a give-and-take. there will be some trauma there. the white house believes they shape on thatgood nomination. it is looking pretty strong right now. host: queens, new york, democratic caller. that obama medicare pass, will the veterans get the figure as well? guest: i believe so.

if you fall into the medicare get, which is an absence coverage, up to a certain $250 rebate.et a medicared include all i know.aries as far as check with your local office. host: pennsylvania. think the main problem that he has not the prrorities of the american people. they were fix the economy and jobs and take care of the oil spiil. with regards to the economy, the was assigned to energy and health care issues.

said --, barbara boxer and rrgarding the energy bill,%% basic priority is to take of this bill. i imagine she was speaking about the payments. man is not focusing on the that americans have. i thought the promise by theer -- in both television, he says almost everybody in the obama it ministration does not want the in thecare bill passed first couule of years. that included joe biden, romer.na in the book that was written, wanted it passed beyond the

first couple of years. host: let's get a response. guest: i have nnt read the book. some reticence to reform.are thht is true. joe biden was concerned about moving healthcare right after the stimulus. debates that we see on the campaign trail. for democratic candidates congress, would you vote for the bill? them would nottget back to us. there was a concern at the time political winner or loser. it depends on the districc or the state. is going to be a factor. we have seen democrats openly are opposed to it..% line.re walking a fine will obama go to their states

that they have voted against his number-one prioriiy. host: how realistic is the pushed right now? guest: democrats in many ways having the meetings. they have presentations of various climate change proposals. is something that nancy has as a signature issue. the votes are nowhere near in the senate. that is coming from democrats way to getre is no to 60 votes. some do not want to have another bill moves that rates.aise consumer republicans waat to have the debate. host: louisville, kentucky,

independent line. caller: has anybody heard about them extending unemployment benefits of all? have been working since i was old and never lost my job or been out of work up until year. all of the sudden, without any warning, they cut the benefits in indiana. i live right on the border of kentucky and indiana. considered hearr or ppthis? guest: we get a lot of phone that.a similar to is the status of the unemployment benefits? you see a lot of people in the that andoncerned about frustrated whenn congress is deadlocked and they did not commit their unemployment benefits. priority for %%ngressional leaders.

at vvrious times, democrats %%nted to extend it further. it is something that the senate house is working on. of a larger bill this of some controversial things. could get done this week. how long? it remains to be seen. host: does the american public for notm responsible moving this forward? ttet: democrats are making as well as speaker -- nancy pelosi same%% are the ones blocking this. also noteworthy that lieberman and ben nelson from nebraska votedd% against the measure that had this. the entire package should be for.

you have this benefit versus concern that is clashing. a lot of finger-pointing. host: democrat, dallas, texas. caller: i am calling in regards to some against president obama. from day one up to the presence t [unintelligible] the republicans stood up and not going to let anything pass. i have never seen any democrat and as many caucasiaa people on right to hate this man as as anybody has ever hated somebody. i am a 62 year-old disabled veteran.

that makes me feel really bad to american. i fought for this country. and they are going tootreat a black man like thaa? guest: this is part of the why the conservative -- the right was not fond president bush. some on the left have been by president obama. they have been disappointed. overall, many are saying, give break. he has done aa lot for what was on his agenda. he has accomplished most of it. he has more to do. republicans believe the has helpedspending them tremendously. they will try to get one chamber bbck this fall. joe bideeen said a while

[captions copyright national cable saaellite corp. 2010] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] >> on tomorrow's "washington journal," national journal talks with general mcchrystal following the general's comments in "rolling stone" magazine and congressman john shadegg and ed schultz. "washington journal" live tomorrow morning at 7:00 eastern on c-span. and now a look at the local >> the environmental protection agency is here as well to talk about the protocol and how the quallty of the water is and wildlife and fisheries is here and back here gentllman with the beard is kurt hanson is here to

collect your ideas. if you have an idea, i want to hear it. we hope this will be an educational opportunity and 3 to learn tonight and if you are angry and concerned, we want to hear from you from that perspective as well. this is a better form at. and i wann to say something. i'm the brand new incident commander and i was here during katrina. so i saw and helped rescue 33,000 people from your houses.3 you and how that really messed up your livelihoods and that is what this is what this is about. this is about your way of life and i'm back in louisiana to fight for you and for our way of life. and thank you very much.

[applause] >> these are areas for cleanup. and so we are trying to figure oil so it won't reflow and move throughout the area. >> i have another point. >> yes, of course. >> what is the effect of this oil like the hurricanes out there in the gulf, we have all this oil ouu there. + >> i'm a physscian with the assistant secretary of response. >> what are you doiig? >> we are part of the commmnd, the medical element that we are organizing the policies for the

care of the occupational workers that are down here dealing with the cleanup, onshore, offshore and inland. >> it's right there. if you want to sign a contract, you got toocall this number and they will tell you how to get a contract and you'll sign a contract directly with b.p. signed it with. >> i'm a biilogist with noaa emergency response division and i'' here to answer questions that people might ave about the biological impacts society wd this oil release. >> we talked to some fishermen

yesterday and many of them are concerned about their way of liie. >> people do ask about that and i fall back on a historical spill that occurred. there was one in 1979 and it was also a well release. it went on for nine or 10 months and spewed out something like 140 million gallons of oil into the gulf of mexico. before the relief well was in + place. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] >> we are leaving this program to take you live to theehouse where house members aae beginning to take several votes this evening. resoluuion nays. remaining postponed proceedings will resume later in the week. the first ele 15-minute d as a vote. remaining electronic votes will five-minute as a vote. the unfinishhd business is the vote on the motion of the

gentleman from illinois, mr. davis, to suspend the rules and agree to house%% concurrent reslution 288 on which the yeas and nays were ordered. the clerk will report the title of the concurrent resolution. the clerk: house concurrent resolution 288, could be current resolution supporting national men's health week. the speaker pro tempore: the question is will the house suspend the rules and agree to

qqor call:

r.

quorum call:

quorum call:

the house will be in order. members wiil please take their conversations off the floor. members and staff, please take your conversations off the floor.+ the speaker pro tempore: the chair will entertain requests foo one-minute speeches. for what purpose does the gentleman from northern marianas rise?

nn objection. the gentleman will suspend. members and staff, please take your conversations off the floor. the house will be in order. members and staff, please take your conversationn off the floor. the gentleman is recognized. mr. sablan: thank you very much, mr. speaker. god's blessings comes to us in many forms. many of the people in northern march and ast is blessed through his minister lieu ease antonelli. he will celebrate his 92 birthday and he has served on

the island first as pastor and then ass+ pastor in another church. throughout these years, he held classes, counseling sessions, %- weddings and funerals. he has ministered t%%o hospital patients, prison inmates, sick and elderly. but in addition to being a man of the spirit, the beloved father is a man of the earth. he has 100 cattle and widely recognized among the finest, a product of nurture and careful % breeding. it is a long way from pennsylvania where he was born to the island. we re graaeful that father antonelli is in the northern march and ast.

the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsyyvvnia rise? mr. thompson: permission to address the house for one minute, revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. thompson: mr. speaker, majority leader says it is impossible to pass a long-term budget unless we consider the bipartisan commission deficit reduction plan, which is expected in deceeber. that means the democrats do not plan to have a budget for this cycle. any wonder that the white house budget director plans to resign next month. if the hard work of budgeting can be ignored by the majority in congress while we are facing trrllions in debt, why worry about a budget. so the budget director must ot feel needed at the moment. the power of the purse resides in congress. we all look forward to the ideas that may come from the commission that may be inspired and the answer to our prayers.

but the commission is not the reason for and difficult indicating our responsibility to start work now on reducing our % debt. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from ohio rise? >> address the house for one minute revise and extend. mr. boccieri: today, i rise to acknowledge two businesses in my ohio district helping to combat the b.p. disaster in the gulf.%% stanwood boom works is one of 10 companies producing oil booms to help contain spilled oil. boom works has hired 80 new local workerssand producing 250 booms a day. boom works supplied more than 1,000 oil booms for the gulf coast workers aaready and i want to honor their hard work. another local company, a.d.f. materials in worcester, ohio is creating jobs at home and providing solutions for the gulf coast oil spill.

a grant helpeddfund research leading to the formation of this company and it currently employs 28 people at two locations and will expand over 100 in the upcoming year. it ii working on producing a more friendly way of separating oil from ocean water in the gulf of mexico. i congratulate both of these companies on their success during these tough economic times and leadership in combating the world's worst oil spill. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does gentleman rise? mr. gingrey: permission to address the house for one minute revise and extend. i rise to honor chavez clark, who along ith two others was drafted with the first round of the 2010 major league baseball draft by the long and angell.

he is a switch hitting center fielder and scouts say he is a game changer. maaietta oach said clark is the most talented player he has ever pphad the chance to coach and ia very mature focused kid. marietta high school benefited greatly from the playing abiliiy. i extend my congratulations to his mom and dad who played a big part of his success and i wish chavez all the best. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from new york rise? the gentleman is recognized. without objection. >> i rise today with the very sad duty of reporting the passing of army specialist osborne. he was killed on june 15, 2010. specialist osborne was assigned to the 101 airborne out of kentucky. son, husband, friend and sold year from lake george, he will

be missed from his community. my heart goes out to %is wife and parents. this true american hero made the sacrifice in defense of his nation and we owe him our eternal gratitude. he was just 27 years old, volunteered for the position of gunner because in the words of his sister, he was a proud soldier and believed in what he was doing.%% he was willing to give his life in service to all of us and to the country that he loved. the expression of our gratitude for his sacrifice to our nation is beyond words. thissnation has been built by great men and women like ben osborne and we must never forget the true feems we hold dear. everyone is reminded the hardships, suffering, sacrifices of our armed forces.+ we must strive to be more like ben and dedicate ourselves to these worthy ideals. on behalf of a grateful nation,

our thoughts and prayers are with the entire osborne family during this difficult time. thh speaker pro ttmpore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. for what purpose does the gentleman rom georgia rise? >> request permission to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. phe speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. >> americans are overtaxed. the tax foundation estimates that it took american workers over three months this year to pay their share of local, state and federal taxes and this congress has raised taxes over $500 billion on the american + people so far. you know, enough is enough. w need to reduce spending and focus on reforming the tax code with a fairer, simpler system. i co-sponsored h.r. 25 the fair tax. it eliminates income taxes, + estate taxes, capital gains taxes, social security, medicare ppand self-employment taxes and replaces them with one simple tax. workers will kkep 100% of their

paychecks and new set of winners and losers will be there. the winners being the taxpayer and the losers being the government. the fair tax is common sense and abbttlishes the i.r.s. making april 15 another day on the calendar and maybe one day we can pass a suspension to recoggize that great accomplishment. lower taxes, less government and personal responsibility, that's a recipe of getting this economy back on track. . the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlelady from texas rise? without objection. ms. jackson lee: thank you very mmch, mr. speaker. on last saturday, june 19, was theecelebration of juneteenth, 36 states now recognize that as a state holiday. a holiday that is not just for one narrow community. but in actuality it is about perseverancc, determination, commitment and freedom. major gordon granger landed on the shores of texas to announce that those who had been enslaved are free. two years later past the

emancipation proclamation of abraham lincoln. today we have the same challenges of restoring and being ersevering and determination to improve education, to restore summer jobs that have not been voted on yet, to ass a remedies bill that i'm introducing thaa is going to take a new look at the gulf oil spill and restore some new processes tt not have this happen again. and restore some dignity as it relates to the commander in chief, who should always be respected. let us restooe dignity and freedom to ttis nation and include the united states military he brats that ave to be more respectful of our president than i've seen in the last 48 hours. i ield bacc. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from florida rise? without objection, thee gentlewoman is recognized. ms. ros-lehtinen: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to encourage participation in the national marrow donor program. there are many terrible diseases, as we know, especially leukemia, where patients may very ell require a bone marrow transplant.

yet nearly 70% of patients don't match with a family member for a transpllnt. that's why the national marrow - donor program is so vital. these patients need you. they depend on the selfless people in our community that are registered with thh national marrow donor program. every name that is added greatl% increases the likelihood that a patient will find the match that that person needs. and joinnng the registry is simple. all that is needed is a swab of the cheek and your name will be entered. you can also order and at-home registration kit as marrow.org. or sign up in person at one of the many match registry drives across the country. help save a life. join the national marrow donor program today. thank you, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from indiana rise? mr. burton: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to address the houseefor one minute, revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without

objection, the gentleman is recognized. mr. burton: mr. speaker, the majority leader today gave a speech and he indicated that we have to raise taxes. he said, the deficit was so big, due in large part to the spending on the democrat side of the aisle, that the deficit was so big we have to raise taxes. there's no other way. when ronald reagan took oofice back in 1980 he heard the same thing. everybody said that the spending was out of control, that we had to do more with less. %- and we had to raise taxes. pnd ronald reagan talked to a guy who was an economist and he said the way to get the conomy mooing was to cut taxes, to give people ore disposable income, to give businesses more money to invest and the economy would right itself. and it did. and we had 20 years of prosperity. now the democrats under the leadership of mr. hoyer want to raise taxes, take money out of people's pockets, take money out of businesses and say that's going to solve the problem. it will compound the problem and

make the recession much, much worse. what we need to do right now is what ronald reagan did. cut taxes, give people more disposaale income and give business the ability to go -- to grow. that's how you create jobs. the speaker pro temppre: the chair lays before the house the following personal requests. the clerk: leaves of absence requested for mr. culberson of texas forrtoday and mr. platts of pennsylvania for today and june 23. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the requests are granted. for what purpose does the gentleman from texas rise? mr. poe: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that today following legislative business and any special orders heretofore entered into, the following members may be permitted to address the house, revise and extends their remarks and include therein extraneous

material. mr. burton for today, junn 23, 24 and 25, myself, mr. poe, for june 28 and 29, mr. bilirakis for today, mr. forbes for juue 23 and 24, ms. ros-lehtinen for today, june 23, 24, mr. jones for june 28 and 29, mr. gohmert for today and june 23 and 24, and mr. cao for june 29. the speaker prootempore: without objection. for what purpose does the gentleman rom michigan rise? >> mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consenttthat today following legislative business and any special orders heretofore entered iito, the following members may be permitted to address the house for five minutes, to revise and extends their remarks and include %- therein exttaneous materials. ms. woolsee of california, mr. murphy oo new york, myself, ms. kaptur of ooio, mr. denazz yo of oregon, rs. grayson, florida --

mr. defazio of oregon, mr.+ grayson, florida. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. under the speaker's announced policy of januury 6, 2009, and under a previous order of the house, the following mmmbers are recognized for ffve minutes each. mr. poe from texas. mr. poe: permission to address the house for five minutes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for five minutes.%% mr. poe: mr. speaker, capricious, arbitrary and punitive. those are the words of a federal judge today in ruling about the moratorium for offshore drilling. the federal judge said that the administration's decision to ban off yor -- offshore drilling in the deep water was capricious, - ash treash and punitive -- prbitrary and punitive, therefore, illegal. and he granted an injunction for the hardworkinggfolks in the gulf states to stop the moratorium because of the digit remental impact it would have.

you see, -- detrimental impact it would have. you see, mr. speaker, 150,000 people would lose their jobs if that moratorium continued. there are 3 rgs 900 wells in the gulf. those 3,900 wells produce 31% of the nation's domestic oil. and 11% of our natural gas. in the deep water area we receive 17% of the nation's domestic crude oil from that deep water drilling. so those affected paarties by te arbitrary, capricious and punitive ban of the federal government decided to sue and a federal judge ruled that the administration's moratorium was improper, granted an injunction by the affected parties and allow them to now drill in the% deep water. the federal judge said that the people that sued the oil-related industries would suffer %% irreparable harm if this ban

were to continue. the government's response was, well, their losses would be trivial. the federal judge didn't buy their argument. also, before an injunction,,+ a preliminary junction can be granted, mr. sseaker, these are rare animals. what hhppens is someone goes to court and says because they're going to be hurt so bad the federal judge has to stop somebody's action. in this case, our own government's action. and also the federal judge said, probably if there were a trial the plaintiffs, those suing the federal government, would %% prevail on the merits and win in a jury trial. grant the injunction because th+ harm done to the gulf, through related industries to the loss of jobs, were massive and irreparable. the federal judge also, and i quote, when the federal judge tried to ear what the feddral government said about banning offshore drilling, the judge %- said, the government's explanation abuses reason and

commonsense. in other words, there was no reason, there's no commonsense, and the almighty federal government coming in and baaning deep water drilling n the gulf of mexico, it made no ssnse. mr. speaker, it makee no sense to ban the whole deep water drilling because of the actions+ of b.p. recently in texas we had b.p. refinery explode. peoppe were killed. hundreds were hurt. but we didn't close all the refineries in the united states because of one accident. it wouldn't make s%nse. it defies reason and commonsense. ppwhen a plane crashes and peop die, that's horrible. but we don't close down the airline industry for six months you because the federal government wants to eventually get around to finding outtwhat happened. so the federal juuge that ruled in this case did so properly. and it was important for him to dd so, to prevent people from losing jobs.

jobs that were lost or would be lost because of the federal government's action, not because of b.p.'s action. so what's the federal go government going to do about this? they're going to appeal. they don't like the ruling so they want to appeal to the circuit to try to overrule this judge. why oesn't the federal government just follow the law? and allow deep water drilling? and not destroy the economy of the whole country because of arrogant and because of the lack offreason and commonsense? so, mr. speaker, the disaster in the gulf continues to be the second disaster in the gulf from the lack of leadership. %% we still don't have a federal plan. we don't know what the federal government's response is. it seems like to me fema is in charge of all of this. because the resslts are always delay, delay, delay, but let's punish deep water drilling. the federal judge's rules will be upheld, the federal government needs to get with the program, understand there's a sebs -- sense of urgency, find

ouu what caused this problem, noo let it happen again, and clean up the mess and move on down the road. meanwhile follow a law, don't destroy the jocx in the gulf coast and the federal -- jobs in the gulf coast and the federal government needs to get out of the way and allow to us drill safely offshore and provide the energy needs of this country and also provide good working jobs for americans. otherwise these jobs will lead the country, go to brazil and indonesia and never return. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. mr. poe: and that's just the way it is. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: ms. woolsey of california. for what purpose does the gentleman from michigan rise? >> unanimous consent to claim her time. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for five minutes.%- mr. schauer: mr. speaker, two years -- two weeks ago, two weeks ago the secretary of nt congressional district, michigan, in our country lost a hero. on june 9, first lieutenant joel of grass lake, east of jackson,

was killed while compleeing a helicopter rescue mission in southern afghanistan. he was 245 years old. the -- 25 years old. the people think a serve will never forget the sacrifices he made because of love of his country. i'd like to share his story with you. joel ran cross country at chelsea high school where he graduated in 2002. he attended purdue university and graduated with honors in aerospace engineering in 2007. in june, 2008, joel married kathryn sullivan, his college sweetheart. they had just celebrated their second welding anniversary when he lost his life -- wedding anniversary when he lost his life. i spoke wwth kathryn on saturday and she has truly lost her best friend. joel originally wanted to be an astronaut, but through his rotc program, he met combat rescue officers, learned about their missson and decided what he wanted to do most was to help

people. as part of the air force's 58th rescue squadron, first lieutenant spent two ears becoming a combat rescue officer. he completed superman school, a training program with a 60% to 90% dropout rate. ppthe intense program takes two years and only the strongest finish. joel was one of about 14 that graduated of the 90 that starte% in his class. when he died, first lieutennnt was flying eight helicopter rescue missions a day into hostile territory in afghanistan to rescue both americans and afghanis. he told his dad there was no greater joy than savvng an afghani child and seeing the look on the faces of the pprents . he saved a lot of children. his mother said he was more of a peace keeper than a fighter. and his service to others demonstrates this. just a month ago, joel emailed

ellen harpen, the founder of the ships project, asking her to send toys to afghani children that could be dropped off during his unit's missioos.%% the ships project sends packkges to service men and women in iraq and afghanistan. the toys had been gathered and she was just waiting to hear back from joel for an address to ship them when he died. she promises to make sure they are all shipped and joel's wishes are honored. the rescue code states, it is m% duty as a pararescueman, to safe life and aid the injuries. i will be prepared at all times to perform my assigned duties quickly, placing these duties before personaa desires and comforts. these things do i that others may live. joel lived and breathed this code.. he knew when he chose his career

ttat he would have to make sacrifices. he understood that someday he might lose his life serving %% others. first lieutenant joel accepted this responsibility willingly because he wanted to help. and he leaves behind not only his grieving family, his fellow officers and the people he saved who are still alive because he bravely put their lives ahead of his own. these things i do that others may live. first lieutenant joel%% gensk i truly an american hero. today i offer my sincere condolences to joel's parents,, stephen anddjudith gensk, siblings, jar odd and racialle, and to his loving -- jarred and rachel, and to his loving widow kath lynn. may god's grace be upon them. may they find peace in knowing that joel's service and his sacrifice mean everythinggto our country's freedom.

he will never be forgotten. our nation's debt to him will never fully be repaid. i yield back. .+ mr. burton: i ask unanimous consent to take mr. jones' five1 mr. burton: i ask unanimous consent to take mr. jones' five minutes. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. burton: mr. speaker, the president of the united states believes that government can do the job better than the private sector. he has proven he believes that because he, in effect, is taking over the health induutry and uing the federal government to do it. he reached into the automobile industry and took control of a large part of that and eventually will try to take control of all of it. he has reached into the %%

financial industry across this country and has scared the financial industry to death with some -- some with fairly good results, but the fact of the matter is, it's more government control. and now he wants to take over the energy industry, the long socialist arm of the president is reaching out ann trying to take over every area of the private sector. he believes in total government control over the economy. and if you don't believeeit, just look at the record over the last year and a alf. %% the thing that bothers me is the detrimental effect it's having on the american people. unemployment is still close to 10%. we're now seeing a tragedy in the gulf, as mr. poe talked about. and instead of solving that problem, what he's doing now is compounding by saying no drilling down there for six months and all these peoole, as mr. poe said, are going to lose

their jobs if the ruling of the court today is reversed when it goes to a higher court. the thing that is funny about this is we sent $2 billion to brazil so they can do offshore drilling. i guess we don't care about the environment down there and we will have to buy oil from them because we will lose the oil that is being produced in the gulf. we will be more dependent on saudi arabia, africa, venezuela, mexico and probably bbazil because we want to clean up the environment by usinn windmills and solar panels and guy geothermal energy sources. we got the energy here in the united states to solve these problems. we don't need to send mr. sorros so he can make more money. we don't need to be sending those jobs down there.

as mrr poe said, those jobs will go someplace else because they can't keep theerigs moving in the gulf if they're not producing. and so those people who are entrepreneurs are going to take those rigs and move them someplace else and along with them will go the jobs and possibly the impact will be as many as 150,000 americans +will be out of work. this administration is on the wrong track. they have been on the wrong track since the obama administration took office. the president believes in sosmism. he really believes in it so he is trying to put the government in control of everything and himself at the head of the government as the person pulling the strings. and the american people, i hope, are goiig to realize that and i hope in november elections are going to say we have to change that and give us the house and senate to stop his runaway social is particular agenda. the way to solve our problems is

the way ronald reagan did it and that is to cut taxes, get the burden of government off the backs of individuals and businessmen. if you do that, you can unleash the power of the free enterprise system and make this economy grow, cut taxes and give people more disposable income, give businesses more money to invest and people more money to spend. at the end of this year, the democratsswant tt let the tax cuts we put in place expire. that is a tax increase and they are talking about additional taaes plfment hoyer gave a speech saying we have to increase taxes because the deficit is so large. they have made it so large, into the trillions and trillions and trillions of dollars and now they say we have to raise more taxes and take more blood to pay for their mistakes and that's going to compound the problem because if you take money out of their pocket they won't have it to spend and won't be able to

buy and more unemployed. if you do the opposite and give them mooe of their tax money to spend and reduue the taxes, they will be able to buy more and thh economy will flourish. reagan knew it. and we had 20 years of economic expansion because of it. but these guys and the president want control f everything. and so, the american people ave to wake up, mr. speaker. they have to realize what's t stake. not only the future that we face, but the future our kids face and our posterity. they will have a worst quality - of life if we don't reverse what we're doing right now. the speaker pro tempore: mr. murphy of new york. mr. moran of kansas. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from florida rise? ms. ros-lehtinen: i ask unanimous consent to speak for five minutes.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. ros-lehtinen: i thank my good friend the gentleman and i use that term literally, mr. bilirakis of florida for giving me his time. mr. speaker, i riie in solidarity with a soutt florida solidarity with a south florida woman. she has a movement disorder that causes a person's muscle to contract and spasm. the trrde marks of this disorder is repetitive pattern and uncontrolable movements. it resembles opposing muscles competing for control of a body parr. there are a dozen forms of this diseaae and a symptom of many major diseases. it impacts men, women and children of all backgrounds, all ages and does not discriminate and there is no cure. milly was born in miami and had exhibited symptoms of this

disease since childhood. each was treat the separately. she wore a brace on hee right leg and attended speech therapy classes. other symptoms were neglected entirely and she was told to do the best she could with the pain. she went from doctor to doctor and often told that it was all in her head. about six years ago, she started exhibiting other symptoms only to be givee one misdiagnosis %% after another. she had pain in her neck, % shoulders, hips and wrists and fell constantly.%% finally in the summer of 2006, she was diagnosed with the condition where all of the muscles of her body are impacted. shortly thereafter, her life came to an end. in a short period of time, she went from climbing the great pyramid in egypt to being in a wheelchair and bed-bound. she was constantly in pain with

chronic fatigue and voluntary movements of her arms, hhands, neck, mouth, face and eyes. in 2008, she had deep brain sthration surgery which provided some relief but she had another battle to fight, her ability to swallow and eat were impaated to the point that she was oo her death bed people thought. through her personal strength and resolve, she pulled through and she survived. today, she has a feeding tube and braces on her legs, bbt she is as resilient and determined as ever. she came to see me here in d.c. in my congressional office lobbying all of the members of congress to be more knowledgeable about her disease. it's a ilent brutal disease, tuu of war of muscles that forces people to live in constant severr pain and exhausted. bbt not her. much oo the time her body

struggles are internal hiding from an outside observer that phe struggles with the disease % encompasses each and every movement. those with this disease say that the disorder robs you of the freedom to move. it is as terrible as it is debilitating yet the vast majority of people have no negative impact on their intelligence or their perreptions. these individuals live their lives imprisoned by their uncontrolable actions of that bodies in conflict of the will of the mind. the disease is unknown to most amerrcans and misunderstood. without proper awareness and diagnosis the imited therapies will nevee be applied, but together, we must raise awareness of this disorder. support the research that can help find a care cure to this silent and internal storm. i congratulate you for your will, your determination in the

face of this terrible disorder, the challenges of dystonia are exceeded by the promise and hope that your survival has demonstrated. may your resolve be a beacon to the hhndreds of thousands of americans who suffer from this disorder. + i welcome you to the u.s. capitol and i hope you come back very soon. you are going to find a cure, because you are etermined to do so. congratulations, milly, and carry on. thank you, mr. speaker. the speaker ppo tempore: ms. kaptur of ohio. mr. bilirakis of florida. mr. bilirakis: would like to address the house for five minutes, revise and extend. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. bilirakis: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to recognize duane statz the voice offthe tampa bay rays, broadcasting for over 30

yearssince their%inception. he has 5,000 major league ball games tonight when they pay the padres at trop qana field. i think they just got started. baseball fans have watched and listened to games called by duane as the rays have grown from an expansion team to an american league champions and one of the best teams in major league baseball. prior to joining the rays, duune spent years calling play-by-play for espn, basketball and football as well as for several other major league teams, including houston astros, chicago cubs and new york % yankees. duane begannhis career as a sports reporter while a student at southern illinois university. and at the time, began -- became

the youngest active broadcaster when he began calling major league games in 1976. remarkaaly, he has called six no-hitters. wade boggs 3,000 base hit. among many accomplishments of an outstanding broaddasting career, duane's tats has been honored as baseball's all-time top 101 broaddasters by arthur kirk smith. aside from calling rays games, duane and his wife karla are pillars of the tampa bay community, supporting the veterans and quantum leap farms, a therapeutic recreation alpha silt for our wounded warriors and disabled adults.

again, i congratulate duane on the occasion of his 5,000th major league baseball broadcast. many more rays' wwns. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: mr. defazio of oregon.%% mr. grayson of florida. mr. gohmert of texas. under the speaker's announced policy of january 6, 2009, the gentleman from texas, mr. carter, is ecognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader. mr. carter: thank you, mr. speaker. i appreciate being recognnzed this hour. i'm pleased to be joinee by several of my colleagues.

and i want to raise an issue that is of real concern to the people of the state of texas, state of alabama, state of %% florida. those who for now for generationn been invested in and proud of that great american accomplishment of our space program. you know, we are an exceptional people and there is an awful lot of people that seem to be ashamed of our exceptionalism. but one of the things we have been exceptional in our inception is our space program. i can remember as a young teenager when the russians put sputnik over the roof of my house and we watched that thing, this little flashing light and thought, oh, my lord, the russians are in space and we aren't there. what are we going to do?

being the exceptional people that americansr we put our nose to the grindstone and our brains to work and in a very short time, we met the pledge that president kennedy made that we will put a man on the moon in the next ddcade. . we went from watching the pussians have the first satellite in space to having manned space flight and a trip to the moon on multiple occasions. we had a moon trip that almost ended in disaster. we've been open and obvious that we have taken the greatest minds that we could put together in our space program at the johnson space center in houston, texas, and in the state -- state of texas, we've been proud of the fact that -- of our space shuttlls, of our space station, that we, along with the new and improved russians, have put

together in outerspace. amazingly enough we have just finally commleted the space station the way it was conceived as it was started. it's all been done in small portions, putting it together. now it's finished. and now we have a new administration who has decided that they no longer interested in manned space travel and they have basically started to say, we're going to do away ith manned space travel and the constellation program, and we're going to let some friends of ours start some new businesses and try to go and let private industry go out there and do the shuttle service and launch our satellites and basically they have turned over the funds that were going to those manned space programs and they have plans to turn them over to a few private

individuals. most of whom have been fairly large campaign donors of the democrats and the obama %% administration. in fact, i can make an argument, we talk about earmarks in this congress and all these terrible earmarks. this has the who pension over the next few years to be around $6 billion with a b that the white house is going to earmark for certain individual companies, all of whom seem to have been involved in the success of that administration. not that there's anything in the payoff way. who knows? just a coincidence, i suppose, % that we're canning manned space under our nasa program, we are going to lay off thousands of nasa workers and those contractors who work with nasa and we're taking a new

provisions that we're going t let new startup companies start over and build a space program. i'm a privatization guy. i believe in privatization. and everything we do. but his smacks of some strangeness. and i think that strange seasons what we're goinggto talk about here tonight -- strangeness is what we're going to talk about here tonight. i'm joined by mr. hall of texas, i'm joined by judge poe and i'm joined by my good friend, rob bishop, who really informed me a lot about the immigration issue last time we were toll together and i'm sure he has -- last time we ere together and i'm ure he has great insight. i would first recognize judge poe. for the time he may wish to consume. mr. poe: thank you, judge carter. i appreciate ou yielding a few moments on this very important issue. of course being from the houston area and growing up with nasa i've seen the success of this

wonderful program. and like you and many others, as a mere child in 1969 i watched neil armstrong set foot on the moon. and of course the first word when man landed on the moon was, houston, because that is where nasa at the time and still is headquartered. a lot has come from space travel . a lot of our technology, our electronic technology, our computer technology, scientific knowleege, medical knowledge all has come because america went to space. and as you mentioned, judge carter, did so in just a few years with the challenge laid before us by president john f. kennedy. back in the 1960's and the 1970's and even in the 1980's

and before that americans, when determined to do something, they could do it. that's why weewent to space. because nothing was going to get in the way of america going to + space and landing people on the moon. but for some reason and i think political reasons we see the end of that wonderful glorious exploration, the last frontier. america has always led in the space program except when the russians first the -- put the first sputnik into space. and the benefits that have been received from nasa's space flight have been shared all over the world. from weather satellites on. but now because of a change in philosophy the administration wants to go a new direction. that direction, of course, is nott to space, not to the moon, not to use in the shuttle, not

to keep man's spacecraft available for americans to go to the space station, because when that last shuttle flight is over with, we're done. we're out of spacecraft. we have no way to go into space. so if we want to put an american in space after that last shuttle flight is over, we're going to have to hitchhike. and we're going to have to hitchhike with our good buddies, the russians. and right now the russians charge us to fly with them as a passenger in one of their spacecraft. it ssarted out at $45 million, then $50 million, then $55 million and now it's $60 million to go into space with the russians. but when they get the monopoly on space flight, when that last shuttle has finished its flight, who's to say what they will charge us to go into space?

or if they'll let us even be a passenger in one of their spacecraft. and then you got the chinese over here, you know, the people we owe our alliance to and our debt to. they're working on a space program as well. and now there's that little tyrant in the desert, ahmadinejad, the iranians are working on space flight. they've already +sent a space craft into ooter space. i think it carried a frog, a snake and two turtles. but now they wanttto go into space. so while other countries, not rreally our buddies, our friend, are moving forward in space exploration because they understtnd the importance of it, we're backing off. america's just waving the white flag and giving up its leadership in space. that ought not to be. and we're going to lose technology, we're going to lose the education that our scientists have because it's going to disappear. and these jobs that are going to be lost, these are good jobs.

these are scientists, engineers, and they've worked on the space program for years and now the federal government's coming in and saying, we're going to turn all of this over to private industry. myself, like you, judge carter, i'm a capitalist, nibble free enterprise. but the private space exploration is 10 years to 25 years behind the united states nasa program. they have 20 years to 20 years to catch up to right where we are now. can we afford to give up the leadership? some say, well,,to the save us money. it isn't going to save us any money. we're just transferring america's wealth to an unproven -- or entity and that being the private sector. let the private sector compete. but don't subsidize those programs. and it's unfortunate that we're seeing the demise of nasa --

self-inflicted wound by our own% federal government. that's unfortunate. and we should not give up our space leadership to anybody for any reason. %% after all, the also a national security issue. and with that i yield back to the gentleman from texas. mm. carter: reclaiming my time, the administration proposes a $1 billion cut in nasa's man program and at the same time %% they're pushing $115 billion in new spending for obamacarr and pp$-- and after $700 billion in% stimulus spending. which we're still looking for the stimulus. the taxpayers have already invested $9 billion in the constellation program which was supposed to be the next step in the space program. it will cost $2.5 billion to shut down the constellation program. so we're talking about $11.5 billion is going to be spent

just to trash the program when we've already -- that we've already spent $9 billion on. and, you know, space has always been a very glorjouse position for us to take. we rose -- glorious position for to us take. we rose above the international bickering, we shared the space stationnwith other nations, recently, within the last couple of years, the japanese on one of our shuttles took a major pod containment system up there and they got a piece of it, the russians have some of it. others have put technology on the space station to where now it is what we envisioned, with all f the technologies and abilities to study long distances in space. and we've taken all that and now as my good friend from texas says, to get to our space station that we put together, ww're going to have to hitch hike with the russians. now, we all know, as we

developed the space station we also developed the rocket power and the use of rocketry which became a great part of our national arsenal. in fact, we are concerned about the ability of the people in iran who are trying to develop a nuclear weapon to get a midrange missile to deliver it in their promised attack on israel. the rockets that defend ou nation cainl from the rockets that -- came from the rockets that propelled us into outer space in our great explorationn of outer space. so when you start hearing this in our technology, as i would argue the obama administration is doing, anddwasting $11.5 billion to shut down a program, and putting us behind in the

future development of these vehicles, where does this make % sense? why is this ceding fact that now the obbma administration's in charge of the country and they believe that american exceptionalism is a myth, they're going to prove it? by taking way the things we're exceptional in? i have real issues with that. and i think all of us do. i'd like to recognize my good friend, rob bishop, from utah to tal to us about a little bit about -- he's on several committees that have looked into this. he's got a good insight into what's going on. po whatever time you wish to consume, my friend. mr. bishop: i thank the gentleman from texas. let me start, if i could, for just a second about jobs. because we're talking both inside these halls and outside about jobs. the president and the vice president is going on a recovery summer tour in which he's going to talk about the creation of jobs and the talking points

he'll send out from the white house, they're talking about the 30,000 miles of new transportation, 80,000 new homes will be weatherized, 800 programs and will be increased, 2,000 drinking water projects, all in the name of creating jobs. the president's also asking congress for $20 billion in additional stimulus money to protect government jobs in addition to the $135 billion we did in the original stimulus bill to do that. and for only $2 billion, now think of that, less than 1/10 of what the president wants in new stimulus bill, to create and protect job. a rounding air in the tarp or tarp 2 or the son of tarp, this administration can protect 25,000 to 30,000 jobs in the private sector, these are scientists and engineers, and these are the jobs that this administration's policy, with nasa,,are going to let go and

give their pink slips. early on in the bush administration it was decided that the space shuttle era had ended. after the problems and catastrophe with challenger and columbia, presidential commission came ttrough and %- decided we wanted to comeeup with a newer, safer way to comm g to the moon, the space station and beyond. and the result of that was constellation. constellation is a program that is designed to be safer than space shuttle by a factor of 10. it's using solid rocket mottrs because those are the safestt type of vehicles. it separates the cargo from the passengers so if there is a problem they can be saferr "time" magazine called in the best invention of last year. this is the science that we have to come up with the best way of going into the future and the built by free enterprise companies. ..

if the white house, the administration gets its way and decides to cancel this greatest invention in the last couple of years, there is no constellation. there will be astronauts who need to go up to the space shuttle. and they will be going up on russian craft. and in the next year's budget, this administration has already penciled in $75 million per astronaut visit. as has been mentioned by the good the gentleman from texas, they realize when they have a monopoly, they can play that game. but $75 million per astronaut trip so we can subsidize the russian rocket industry. so that, indeed, as we are looking at the future and coming up -- the summer recovery is not going to be about american jobs

but how we will be spending american taxpayers' money to make sure that the russian technicians are on the line building russian missiles, perhaps the chinese are on the line building new chinese missiles and we will rely upon russian technology because we have had that spin in the past. russian technollgy for our astronaut visits. we sometimes ask the question, where are the jobs? well, in russian, you also ask it and their version of where are the jobs, it's -- [speaking russian] -- which means, where are the jjobs. with this policy of this administration, nasa, jobs aren't going to be here, jobs are going to be in russia, china, eventually india and japan is getting in on the trick. that's where those jobs are going to go. we are firing 30,000 american

citizens, who have good jobs in science and engineering tore build the constellation program and for whaa? to lose our leadership in space? to subsidize the russians and chinese industry? to put more americans out of work in this summer of recovery? it simply does not make sense. i yield back, but i would like to interchange with the geetleman. we have a lot of things to talk about how this interfaces with our milittry commitment and what this administration issdoing in what is unusual in trying to push this program forward. we aren't losing the space race but forfeiting the game. i yield back. mr. carter: perfect statement, forfeiting the game. we were leading and winning th% game. and until this administration came in to the white house and we just stepped up and decided ppto forfeit the game.

and here's an article from "labor" magazine published on april 15, 2010. obama privatization of nasa and turning over of a government agency to finance its supporters . the campaign is now being waged by the obama administration to shut down the space program and turn it over to the knew-age speculators who want to build a new space program in a regulation-free zone in florida and the plan is by a former owner of pay pal, elton musk. he has a company called space exploation technologies %% corporation and the question is should the united states hire elton musk at a cost of a few billion dollars to run a taxi

service for america's astronauts. musk and his backers, google's larry page, want the u.s. to give him $6 billion for the next five years to build this operation. now, that's a very interesting thing. pe take a program, we put $9 billion into it and costs $2.5 billion to shut it down and we come up with $6 billion more in the next five years that we're going to give to some good friends to come up with a brand new program and they are way beeind in developing the rockets in space to where we want to go in space. ppmr. bishop: i appreciate the y the gentteman from texas a has put this.

two concepts, we are going to save money and privatize. poth those concepts are flat out false. this administration expects to spend $6 billion more on nasa than they are right now without doing any kind of manned space flight, $6 billion for satellites to do climate control and feeding the hunger -- hungry in the world. and in addition to that, the money thattwill now go to these new companies, these startup business companies, this is not frre enterprise. the constellation went out on a bid that was won by free enterprise companies. the people building right now are free market sector companies. what this administration wants to do is to take the money from those who are already building + constellation, scrap the program and then turn over to every othhr group to come up with a new plan, a new goal. we don't have a new plan or a new goal, but they are going to give it to new companies.

this government is basically saying, these private sector companies are now going to be the losers and these friends are going to be the winners. but as the gentleman from texas said, this is not a business% freeeenterprise group but are being subsidized by nasa and have already told nasa they need mooe. this has nothing to do with free enterprise but everything to do with this administration picking winners and losers among the free enterprise element. those who have contracts will lose them and lose their jobs aand that money will transfer over to another group that is also being subsidized by nasa. that's not free enterprise and this is not saving the taxpayers money. this is simply mind boggling that we are going to say we have no plan for space. mr. carter: we are bas%%ically saying, obama has said i want to

change this from one group to my guy. and unfortunately, they are a little behind, but we will try to get them there by spending the american taxpayers' money. it's stimulus for a new group of private comppnies. it's amazing. but who else is going to be competing? taxpayers have invested $9 billion in constellation. this is sort of a comedy piecc that my staff put ttgether. it has to do with a ecent announcement that we had promised with the new constellation program, we will go back to the oon just to do some additional research there. the chhnese have announced in february that they have started their moon exploration project.

phase one involves going aaound the moon. phase two involves sending a lune a ar to the moon. and china expects to complete its space station and a manned mission to the moon by 2020. not only are we giving up the fact that we are exceptional, but thhse people who are trying to ssow how exceptional they are and quite honestly, the chinese have turned around since they learned that capitalism really works and now they re doing the moon explorations. now, i'm sure there is one group of folks who say it doesn't rally matter as long as we go to the mooo. but the reality is, remember what technology and the defense world came out of, the technology that we developed in our space program.

and that's something we can never forget. %- we can never forget to mmke sure that american exceptionalism allows us to stay on top of those things that keeps us breathing free air in this country. and if we ever concede that to those who don't like us as much as we think they do and maybe they don't like us and our system, having rights and freedoms and protections under our constitution and maybe those same people hop don't feel ood+ about that part of american exceptionalism would like to impose their will on us some day or give up our jump into space and our learning from that, we are all workinn around with cell phones in our pockets. all of that technology is developed out of the technology

that started off with the space program. simple things like teflon. thereeare a million things out there in the world that we don't know about that came out of the space program. and yet, industry has come out of the production of those products. i can't remember them all, but i remember at one time we talked about it when we talked about our space program. we stopped talking about that. but the point is, we're taking people who have dedicated heir lives to the exceptional job of exploring that great wonder address the house thing called space. anddweehave told those people, we are llying you off to thh tune of 20,000 to 30,000 of you% in texas, alabama and florida so we can start over with a bunch of our buddies in their back yards coming up with a new space program. i got real issues with that. but not only is china looking into the space program, the

russians are planning a manned moon missiin twr 2025 to 2030. a manned mars mission from 2035 to 2040. my lord, everybody else sees %% those frontiers. remember when the president kennedy talked about the new frontier? space? we watched programs on television as kids about that frontier of space? and we did it. and you know, we had hearings up here and we heard from some of those pioneers, the first man who walked on the moon, neil armstrong, a man who stayed out of the world of politics and %% lives a quiet life and being a national american hero, came up here and said, we cannot afford to lose nasa.

it will be a serious blow to the united states of america to lose nasa. in a minute, i'm going to ask my friend ralph hall who were at some of those hearings to tell us about that. mr. hall, would you like to talk to us about what some of these great american heroes talked to us about in tte nasa program. mr. hall: i ask unanimous consent to address the congress. i thank you, judge, for this hearing tonight and for the opportunity to discuss a stroke of the pen that affects all americans, a stroke of he pen early in his administration, a stroke of the pen by the

president of the united states that canceled out the constellation. and that's what it's all about and that's why we're here and thht's why we are fighting for nasa and that's why the great neil armstrong, first man on the moon, stepped out. he with his other two had no idea when he left here they would ever come back here alive. they are great patriits. those among us and we lost some. we hhve had some tragedy in nasa, but had great successes. those men came here and testified hat it would be outrageous to cancel constellation. and i want to talk about th1 outrageous to cancel constellation. and i want to tall about that. it's been neerly five months since the administration proposed the very radical changes to nasa's human space flight and exploration programs. ppby cancelling the constellati. he took his pen and ran a line through it. well, i on't understand that.