godloveisgod.org. guest: i think we're at the very beginning stages. it will be one of those stages from an industry perspective, lawmakers from journalists this will be an issue that folks need to pay attention to going forward. this is the response to the worst financial crisis in 80 years. how this ends up, how these rules are written, how this law is actually implemented is really going to play an enormous role in whatever the next financial crisis is. how severe it is. how able regular -- regulators are when it gets bad. and i think it's going to be a very interesting process going forward. host: thanks a lot for your time and your insight on the new bill. this is the start of the week-long series of the financial regulation bill. today we talked specifically about the size, the power, the scope of the government and how it's going to change under this bill. tomorrow, we'll have a conversation about the bill's impact on banks.

wednesday we will focus specifically on consumers. thursday, investors. and friday we'll wrap up the series with a talk on which provisions of the bill aim to prevent a future financial crisis. you can watch the rest of the week at this time on "washington journal." thanks a lot for your time this morning and your phone calls. we'll see you back here tomorrow at 7:00 for more "washington journal." [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] . .

our coverage of secretary clinton's comments starts at about 11:30 eastern. >> i think what we are trying to do is take away a profit. profit is what drives crime. >> if tonight, intellectual property theft on the internet and homeland security. customs enforcement assistant deputy director erik barnett. >> it is important every floridians know that i was a person to stand up for the state of florida. i will not be part of the culture of bribery, corruption, and special-interest. wexford the c-span video library makes it easy to follow the election cycle, the debates, rallies, victories, and if concession speeches, all free. now to the representative to the u.s. for the kurdish regional

government of iraq. qubad talabani is also the son of joel talabani, the iraqi president. he speaks on the current u.s. role to the stability of iraq. he spoke at a forum hosted by the denver world affairs council for about an hour. >> good evening. my name is kim. we're going to have a discussion. i am on the boards of iie. i'm taking the place of karen this evening as your hostess. we have c-span with us this evening. they will be taping uninterrupted. during the question and answer time, after the speakers, we would ask that you please come up to the microphone to ask your

question, but do not touch the microphone. also, to watch the people in line and tried to keep it down to four people in line at a time. if there are more, kuwait and we will try to get to your question as soon as the next person is done. -- wait. you have evaluation forms on your chairs. please fill them out. we appreciate that. if you're not a member of iie, take the opportunity to join, because we would love to have you be able to join us at more these kinds of events with these kinds of speakers. with that, i would also ask that you please remember to turn off your cell phones. now's a great moment, if you

have not done it, to make sure we don't interrupt. less c.e., i think, with that i am going to say good evening. welcome, on behalf of the institute of international education our speaker series. i am a board member of the institute of international education. i am delighted to be able to welcome to denver qubad talabani, representative of the kurdistan regional government of the united states. he works closely with the u.s. government, media, research groups. we call them think-tank in washington. he has provided critical analysis and up-to-date information on iraqi and kurdistan and the region.

we are really looking forward to hearing him this evening. he is also the son of iraqi president jalal talabani. he has in his own right, has been working on political issues from a political family for many years. after the start of operation iraqi freedom in 2003, he served as senior foreign relations officer for the patriotic region of kurdistan. it is one of the leading kurdish political parties in iraq's. he has worked closely with the u.s.-led coalition for reconstruction and humanitarian assistance and also afterwards when it became the coalition provisional authority in iraq. he was a key negotiator in the drafting of the transitional

administrative law, which was the first post-saddam hussein constitution in iraq. with that i will take very little of your time. he has appeared on many different television news shows. he has been a commentator and has provided incredibly up-to- date and informed opinions on what is going on in iraq. we look forward to hearing his insights this evening. thank you again. we will have a question and answer time afterwards. we hope that you will stay and ask your questions at that time. thank you. [applause] >> thank you, kim.

i love hearing the crowd has evaluation sheets, something to make a person nervous. please give me good marks. [laughter] it is a pleasure to be here. i want to start by thanking the iie for bringing me here and the world affairs council of denver for bringing me to denver. i smiled when one of my staff suggested i fly here early to try to acclimate to the mountains. we do live in a mountainous area and we are used to it. [laughter] it is important for people to know the mountains are the backbone of our soul and our history. they give us the strength and distinguished us in ways that colorado people can appreciate. you will like what you hear.

[laughter] we have the mountains, but we would appreciate a your assistance in building some ski resorts. [laughter] if you help us, i guarantee we will be friends a long time. the kurds used to say a long time we have nothing but the mountains. that is less the case today. our greatest friend has long been in the united states. the past few years we have made new friends in unlikely places. those friends are the product of our emerging democracy that we owe so much to the united states for their efforts in liberating us. who are the kurds and what will happen next in iraq and kurdistan? i'm happy to talk about that today. today we are the strongest friends and allies of the united states it are part of eurasia. we have the most aggressive laws, the place with the highest percentage of women in the

legislature and most other nations around world. not one american or foreigner has been killed there. a place where christians and others fleeing religious persecution from elsewhere have come to find sanctuary and a future. a we are a place where those seeking to invest, from our new friends in korea and others, where we have tense relations like 30, they're finding our economy vibrant and full of opportunity. we are not far away from denver. [laughter] denver international airport bound for frankfurt. tomorrow morning when you land in germany, you can have a coffee and pastry and u.s. border second luton the flight with a new state of the arts

terminal at ifillrbil, which is the capital of my region. time magazine wrote last, "foreigners can go freely. crimes and violence against visitors is unheard of. find your way through the town and experience the legendary welcome. there's the promise of oil dollars from the 25 billion barrels of crude oil reserves. there are new hotels, shopping malls springing up and serving a population of more than 1 million. in aqaba, the laid-back

christian quarter, has oilmen, contractors, journalists, eight workers, security teams, and increasingly, tourists. kurdistan in many ways seems a world apart from the rest of iraq, situated in the northern part of the country, it has a distinct history and topography. the kurds are unique ethnic group. 6 million kurds live in iraq and to speak our own language, kurdish, which is one of the two official languages in iraq. parts of kurdistan are lush. a series of mountains has defined our region, for supporting and a medical during the past and has provided shelter to areas in the days of our prosecution and denisad from saddam hussein. -- genocide from saddam hussein. one of the ancient languages of

saicivilization, and dramatiaras still spoken in kurdistan. archaeologists have found some of the oldest human fossils ever in the caves. these fossils are the centerpiece of an attraction at the smithsonian natural history museum in washington. curtis stam is where the waters of the tigris and euphrates are found, which helped form the breadbaskets that formed ms. adamec, one of the world's first great civilizations. the shape of kurdish territory and power has shifted over the centuries, -- imperial knights during medieval times, sharing power in the modern era, experiencing political modernization, ethnolinguistics oppression, and sometimes genocide.

at times we have come close to achieving statehood. in 1920, the treaty of the serbs was later nullified. in 1946 when the kurds in iran declared a short-lived republic inside iran. in these and other instances, many kurds felt western powers ultimately sold them out in the name of politics. this sense of betrail still lingers in kurdish-western relations. that is where we came from. now we look to where we are today and where we are headed in the future. thanks to the intervention of the united states and others in the gulf war and then the final liberation in 2003, the kurds have a region of their own. it is edible. many of us feel we are living a dream. while not an independent country, we are part of a nation that is learning how to be a

democracy. we're experiences are helping shape a new direct. i realize the strong feelings and differences of opinion in the united states regarding the iraq war. i know what the steep cost has been to americans, your sons and daughters, husbands, wives, brothers and sisters, to your national treasure and sharp politics it has created in this great nation. i am thankful for what the u.s. did. it was our liberation. perhaps as lines from a stephen spielberg movie "saving private ryan," is appropriate. gadahn squad leader sees private ryan and explains the mission and seized the sacrifices. "we realize the sacrifices you have made for us. we intend to honor them and to earn them." i think we have already begun. that is one of the reasons i

meeting with you today. know kurdistan is what i urge you and all others to do. i know that once you learn about us, you'll find ways to invest in us, not just economic investment but moral investment from investing in our emerging democracy, and democracy fashioned after yours. we need that investment to help us take away the horrors and frustrations of the past and lead us to a more benevolent and engaging future. fulfilling our democratic aspirations is the key for us. i am proud of how democracy is finding a western home in the kurdistan region of iraq. before the opportunity presented itself -- presented itself, we

had not had good governance. we had not had a way of administering our own affairs. from the moment the political dynamics change in 1991 and again in 2003, we have been taking steps to ensure that our opportunity is not wasted. over a year ago in the kurdistan region we held our regional elections. this is the maturing of our society. the emphasis on the nuts and bolts of domestic issues that affect people's everyday lives. the turnout was more than 80%. on key national issues there was not much distance between the competing parties. it was perspectives on government performance, roadways, education, concern about corruption, economic development, delivery of water and electricity that say to the debate and decisions that led up to the vote. if it was a clear marker in the shift from the kurdish leaders once hailed for their revolutionary skills, now their

visions of governance and ability to make each person's life better every day. that was a clear indication we are grasping the concept of democracy. a vocal and vibrant opposition was there as well. it was an important moment in our history. you will have elections here coming up. i hope your government will form a little quicker than ours. while we are reveling in our efforts to democratize and develop, we are still parts of iraq. this month we will be the largest departure of u.s. forces. we hope that as the u.s. leaves militarily, it will increase its diplomatic effort. we are thrilled the u.s. plans to open up a diplomatic

consulate in irbil. an increased u.s. diplomatic engagement in the kurdistan region, working alongside your embassy in baghdad, will cement the gains we have all made working together. equally important will be how iraqi leaders deal with the newfound freedom the country has had. close to five months since the federal elections in march. we have yet to form our government. there also remains tough domestic issues that we iraqis must work out such as revenue sharing, the future of disputed territories, ratified constitutions. these issues will not go away by themselves. solving them is a great party to our friends in the united states. we realize that and look to you for guidance and support. solving these issues is a great party to us and to all iraqis

from all walks of life that stood up to overcome the greatest of challenges, including terrorism, violence, a political stalemates, and regional instability. we remain aware that in order for the u.s. to leave and for iraqis to stand up, sustainable federal democracy is needed, continued u.s. engagement, and continued u.s. interest is paramount. a stable, relatively democratic iraq, one that manages its vast natural resources responsibly and utilizes the income the country will receive from them, to play a modern role in the region must be in the interest of the united states. it is the kurds who for years, while fighting to gain basic human rights, are playing a leading role in the government of iraq.

we're trying to build a new iraq based on these principles. kurds have been oppressed for most of the last century. we are wary of power centralized in the hands of the federal dermott. we see the iraqi constitution which mandates the devolution of power to the region and local governments. it's the best way to assure all iraqis still feel empowered. the constitution is the law of the land. we will follow it and we expect others to do so. kurdish political demands are limited but fair. regional land western policymakers need to appreciate the role of the. kurds in the as well as our sacrifices and contributions. our commitment to the parts of iraq is unshakeable and is not etched. w-- not hedged.

here is how we are at the kurdistan regional government, we know that corruption and its allies are enemies of democracy because they eat at what we desire. they make the public cautious about believing in democracy. corruption and its allies can be an asset to disintegrate democratic progress and we will not let that happen. if we have made government initiatives the top priority. we have teamed up with pricewaterhousecoopers to review current conditions, the way our government works, and all governments related issues, to help develop a key alliance, blunt critique, and action plan to address the crucial issues of good governance, anti- corruption, and transparency. good governance is major for securing democracy. we are confident that this will help us tackle the issue. we have made our region safe and

secure and have overcome internal conflicts. we of the established a system to provide improved services to our citizens. we are moving to guarantee that for all of its progress is maintained and built upon. if the benefit of the strategy are clear to our future, to help us ensure public funds are used properly and will help us make our government more efficient and effective. it will improve delivery of services to the people of the kurdistan region and help improve for international and domestic confidence and increase investment and job development while helping to raise the standard of life for our citizens. we understand democracy is an evolutionary process, both in iraq and elsewhere. it is more than just philosophy. key to securing our people's trust will be how we deliver the services. for example, large-scale power generation and water delivery, we have been working several

years to implement effective power and water distribution projects. in 2008 our region was dealing with two failing hydroelectric dams. the result was the federally generated electricity. it was only a few hours a day. that was unacceptable. we will now have close to 20 hours of power in major cities in the region. that is much more than the rest of the country. there are 24 hours in a day and we are working towards that. what we have now is much better than what we had years ago. likewise, the recent completion of large-scale water project in our two largest cities will combine with existing systems to provide clean water to much of our region. in the significant accomplishments that have been achieved by our government, there are fundamental critical issues that need to be addressed for people living in our region

so they can have basic needs and freedom from want. providing such central services is only part of good governance. we are strengthening judiciary and rule of law, another vital element needed to grow democracy. in 2008 to the judiciary was separated from the rest of the government to create an independent judiciary in the kurdistan region. that judiciary is learning how to stand on its own feet, be objective, and double the rule of law. we did this on our own. if we knew it was the right thing. if we took these initiatives because this is what being a democracy is about. we have a ways to go. that is why we need to have continued u.s. engagement. we are not a perfect democracy, but we are democratizing. we have a vibrant civil society, a free press, and emerging markets and private sector. we recognize our faults and are addressing them, including

issues that were once taboo. i must say i am not making excuses without challenges. i'm not just a fine or rationalizing. nor do i pretend problems exist. we have on occasions tumbled, made mistakes, and ms. read circumstances. but the destination is worth it. issues remain and the journey faces rough terrain, however we are still moving forward. this is not a sprint. this is the foundation of our future for our children and grandchildren, for the kurdistan region and iraq. we would like the u.s. to stand with us and iraq as we continue on this journey. thanks for having me. i look forward to answering your questions. [applause]

>> good evening. i am david french with the corpus institute. iie and our state department we have an exchange department with six beautiful high school students from iraq. they are with host families. would all of them and are iraq students please stand and wave? thank you. one of the things we know is that young people will change the world. so we have asked one of our bright young iraqis, some from kurdistan, to come up to the mike for a moment and share with a of learned in the last week's. here she comes.

>> in from baghdad. i'm from the exchange program between iraqi students and the american students. in this program, it's is a great program. we have learned so many things up to now about leadership and we had a nice experiment in the usa. there's a group of my friends in here, americans and iraqis. we have been in the u.s. one week in vermont and in denver for a week and we will stay another week. we'll go to washington, d.c. all week. an amazing program. i thank all the staff and everyone who worked on the program.

a very lovely program. the americans asked us a lot of questions that they did not know about us. we gave information for them because all they see on television and in the media is war and terrible things. i'm glad to be part of this program. thank you. >> thank you. >> i am a part-time teacher at metro state college. what are the possibilities for immigration of kurds from turkey into kurdistan? >> you mean immigration of kurds from turkey into iraqi kurdistan? we have seen a lot of movement for the population as the kurdistan region stabilizes and the standard of living has improved. that has made it far more attractive for many kurds in

syria and iran and parts of turkey to come. we have a pretty open door policy as long as people abide by the law, they're welcome. immigration is something the federal government has jurisdiction over, not the regional government. the kurds are proud of the freedoms available, the government that is functioning, the flag that is flying. it is something a lot of people are looking at. >> my name is don cockrel garrett i'm a member of iie. i am very curious as to whether the kurdistan region is in any

danger whatsoever of suffering an onslaught, for example, of al qaeda or something in that order? >> we live in pretty neighborhoods, to say the least. [laughter] that in an of itself presents a danger to our existence. the fact we are open about are pro-american attitude also it does not make us too popular in that part of the world. we have a secular government that has separation between mosque and state in the kurdistan region. that raises the extreme groups in the region to target us. they have tried to target the region. in 2002 or 2001 before operation

iraqi freedom a group was on the border of the kurdistan region between kurdistan and iran, with the help of u.s. special forces we were able to eradicate that group. we have had no trouble with them since. if we have a tolerant society. our people tolerate views, but they can draw the line with differing views turn into violence and acts of terrorism. if we are constantly vigilant. we are proud of the statistics that no foreigner has been killed in postelection in our region. w-- notes honor has been killed in a hostile -- no foreigner has been killed in

hostlile action in our region. >> can you hear me? there was an article in yesterday's "washington post"" f someone with positive things to say about the kurdish government, the progress that has been made. he said the kurds have also worked out a peaceful agreement with their iranian neighbors and could be in help if obama's pursuit of dialogue with tehran is to get on track. could you comment, please? >> living where we live, we have to have good relations with all of our membeneighbors. syria, iran, iraq.

iran is a powerful neighbor, a neighbor with a long border shared with us. it is a neighbor that is played a constructive role and a negative role in iran and in the kurdistan region. we have to deal with the reality, to deal with the fact that none are going anywhere anytime soon. we have to find ways of working and living together. we are working closely on the tensions brewing between the united states and iran and between other players in the region. we are concerned because we do live-and anything that is happening, increases intentions will have an effect on the situation in our region. we have also been a very moderating factor. we have been moderating factor in iraq and we believe we can play a moderating factor if beyond our borders. we do have a sizeable kurdish

community in turkey, in syria, and in iran. we want to play a positive role, that be necessary. we welcome dialogue. we welcome increase efforts to try to diminish the attention because at the end of the day we have all lived in too tension and conflict over too long a time and it's time for us to get on with our lives and develop infrastructure and build a better life for our citizens and for the region. >> my name is dave butler, retired lawyer. one of the areas where some conflict or disagreement has arisen relates to kirkuk. the city and oil field surrounded and who should

control it and get the money from the fields. so forth and so on. how do you think that is going to work itself out? >> i am glad you s that question. it is really critical to how iraq develops, how it's harmony between the different communities develops. a trickkirkuk its oil-rich, mul- ethnic. the city was once predominantly kurdish has been ethnically cleansed by successive iraqi governments. the city has had half a million people displaced from it. several hundred thousand kurds killed from its purely because of their kurdish identity, because of the fact they would not subscribe to the former government's believes and ways of governing. but the reality is, it is a multi-ethnic city, multi

-sectarian city. with the iraqi constitution, there's a swath of territory that is out of the area that is currently being administered by the kurdistan regional government, defined as disputed territory. it is one of the most complicated issues facing iraq today. on top of its history of ethnic cleansing and genocide, you have an abundance of oil and natural gas. you throw into the mix extremists elements, al qaeda networks, and you have a volatile mix. the constitution of iraq outlines a roadmap with how to make sure people forcibly moved from their homes have legal ways to return back to reclaim their homes. the constitution outlines the process where a census be held

nationally to determine the natural population and specifically for the disputed territories. once these steps have been accomplished, the constitution says the referendum be held in the province of kirkuk to determine who administers these areas. is if the federal government or other alternatives that will be presented to people living in disputed areas? the post-saddam hussein's government has not made good on a promise to implement this. the issue has been left festering. the more the people of kirkuk and other disputed territories will lose out the

longest last, because they will get left out of the much-needed development in the country. ultimately, in my opinion, the situation in iraq will never be completely stable politically or security-wise, unless we address the issue of disputed territories, unless we close the issue of kirkuk. there was a constitutional article, political road map, but things need to happen. we are asking our colleagues, partners in the country to fulfil the obligation of that constitution, implement the article, give it to the people. it's not enough to say, "is part of kurdistan. -- to say kirkuk is part of kurdistan. give the people a say. kirkuk does have a lot of oil.

but it's not because of the oil there that the kurds want it back in our region. since 2006 we discovered oil all over the kurdistan region. near the border with turkey all the way down to the iranian border. if we resolve the national oil policy, if we define a national oil policy, figure out a way to manage the vast resources that iraq has dom opposed national production not just in the north but elsewhere, helped to develop the many untapped oil fields iraq has, most importantly, execute the initiative that was proposed by the kurdistan government to share the revenues of the oil sales regardless of where the oil comes from, to pull the revenues ato the national treasury -- pool the revenues

and then distribute the revenues. we have been pushing for this. we will continue pushing for this. we are confident that if we have a government, if we get a government in baghdad, we can make this one of the best major agenda items. start to generally build trust between communities and rectify the genocide and injustice that befell my people many decades until the liberation of iraq. >> university of colorado, hi. james ---. the kurds are in iran, syria, turkey as well. what is your view of a greater kurdistan in regard to the other kurds? >> kurds do live in those countries.

we are the largest community of people in the world that don't have their own country. some estimates say we are 40 million people. it does not matter where you are from, whether you are from syria, turkey, iran, when you realize there's a country represented in the united nations and has a population of 18,000, it is something. political reality has a way of making us realize what is attainable and what is not, what is in the best interest of our people and what is not. i can say that each kurdish community in each country has its own issues, has its own set of problems, things going for it and against it. there are very few calls right now to combine the several parts

of kurdistaishh groups. getting cultural and educational rights are important. maybe the lure of kurdistan would diminish. if the kurds in syria are treated as citizens, given citizenship actually -- if they could be treated as equal citizens, you would find the unrest diminished. this is what happened in iraqi kurdistan. we did not fight for the sake of fighting spirit we fought for our basic rights. we ultimately secured our goal with a little help from our friends in united states, through political and diplomatic means. we solidified our rights through drafting a constitution that was

ratified by 11 million people across the country. that is what we are hoping for, but the people will ultimately be treated as equal citizens regardless of what ethnicity you are or what religious views you have for support. if we are a long way from that in our part of the world, but we have to keep struggling for it. >> thank you. >> my name is eva chapel. what can you tell me about conditions and roles for women? >> one of the success stories is that it's historically been the role of women in our society is a negative stereotype of the middle eastern woman and in particular the kurdish woman. when the men were out fighting at war or being arrested or

sometimes when they were being killed by the former regime, it was a woman in our society that had to raise a family and was the breadwinner. they were the ones building society. kurdish women are very strong. very strong-willed and opinionated. that makes them very effective. i think we need to do more as a culture as a society, to allow them to integrate more into politics. we have 30% of our parliament is made up of women. i would like to see a day where women don't get seats in parliament because of a quota given to them. i want them to get it based on their own courage and competence and abilities. i am confident, the many kurdish women that i know in politics or in ngo's or society are capable of making their voices heard.

that is not to say we don't have issues. but i think the strength of our civil society, the strength of the women's organizations, gives me hope that they will be able to keep breaking down barriers, keep modernizing our society and our cultures and becoming a critical fabric of our society and our democracy. >> i am a member of iie. what i'm asking you to help in understanding history and ethnicity going back 500-1000 years or two dozen years of how the kurds are different from the other people in the middle east? i need that. that would help to understand a lot. >> , do you have? [laughter] -- how much time do you have?

we could do a long show dedicated on that history. we are in indo-european people. we are not necessarily semetic. it is not clear where we originated. some say thousands of years ago people migrated from what is eastern europe today. over the years, we were a major thoroughfare. if forebodpeople used to travelo quoted from east to west and traveled through or close to the kurdistan region, which is probably why we got our merchant ability. that has bruited us into this area.

their rre was a famous cukurd, a controversial character today, prettifies of. many people see him as a hero. others say that he fought for is from and not for its ethnic ideology. our language is kurdish. we are predominately muslim. the government is a sunni muslim, but we have shiite muslims as well. we have christians who are kurds. we have an ancient religion as well who live in the kurdistan region whose religion is different. we have many kurdish views as

well. very few of them are living in the kurdistan region right now. there are many in the united states, many in california and many in israel who remembered fondly their times living in the kurdistan region. we have been home to many different cultures and religions. the tolerance that exists today stems from that culture of tolerance. the fact we have always been targeted is why we are so strongly tied to our kurdish identity. that is why our kurdish identity, for most kurds, more important than their religious identity. maybe their sectarian identity. when we were being massacred, muslim leaders around the world did not come and crackdown on that.

it's was our kurdish identity that kept us going. it will be strong as we continue to develop our society. >> denver city auditor. i'm a retired latin and greek teacher from the university in denver. following up a little on some of the cultural questions that have preceded me, i think we would all be pleased if you decide your favorite poem or short story or something akin the native language so that we get the flavor of it. i think we would be pleased if you would do that. [laughter] [applause] >> i am a political student. i am curious. you mentioned that he supports

an american presence in iraq. what do you think will happen with the impending removal of iraqi troops? how will that affect kurdish politics? >> the u.s. troops? the withdrawal of your forces from iraq makes us very nervous. i'm going to be honest with you. even though we don't have troops in kurdistan, we know that you are not far away. we have come a long way from the 1950's, 1970's, 1980's, early 1990's, to give you a sense of our history, in 1988 as a dom hossein launched the genocide against our people, destroyed 10,500 villages, killed 200,000 people, used for chemical and biological weapons into hundred 50 incidents. in 1991 the gulf war, president

bush sr., at the end of the war called on the iraqi people to take matters into their own hands. we took matters into our own hands. we liberated our people. we struck an agreement with the u.s. government and they used helicopters to crush the uprising. millions of our people fled to the borders of turkey and iran. it was only after the no-fly zones were established that we were able to rebuild and rebuild our society. we have done a pretty good job. we have come a long way. we have rebuilt most of those villages. we are starting to rebuild our society and overcome the many insecurities we had. we always have this fear of being let down again, being betrayed again, being left alone again in a part of the world where we are not very popular

because we are not arabs and persians, because we don't have a neighboring country to run to, to look to to ask their supports. it is not an enviable position to be in. our friends are thousands of miles away from us. the presence of your forces right now in iraq is somewhat of a reassurance. we know that this government of iraq, of which we are part, -- but what's to say what could happen 10 years from now or 16 years from now? we don't expect our neighbors to invade tomorrow or the day after your troops pulled out, but there's nothing guaranteeing this will not happen in 10 or 15 years from now. we don't have a navy. we are landlocked. we don't have an air force. we have good infantry. we have great guerrilla fighters.

but that is not enough. even if it's one soldier. more than your military, who week respect and honor your cultural and political engagement. having the exchanges like we saw with the young lady from iraq coming with her group of students and teachers and parents, creating these kinds of interactions that teach us more about each other, if we can develop a relationship, we can hopefully work towards a relationship and prevent another atrocity, hopefully prevent another genocide of our lands

and our livestock. we will hope to feel secure thand not that we're going to gt betrayed any minute. it plays out in our politics. sometimes when we consider overreaching -- we are considered sometimes overreaching. it's not because we want to be difficult. it is because we had a lousy history and we are doing everything we can to prevent that history happening again. we know deep down that being friends with the united states will go a long way to prevent that from happening to us again. on the condition that the u.s. would not turn on its allies. hopefully, it will not. thanks again. thanks for having me. [applause] guec-span>> we greatly appreciar

time in coming to denver and your insight has been incredibly interesting. thank you all very much again from the institute of international education and from the denver world affairs council. we look forward to seeing you. we have a number of programs coming up in the fall. rather than hold on to all go through the list, hope you'll look online if you have not gotten the program. take a look, come back to visit us again. thank you very much for being with us tonight. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010] >> secretary of state clinton sox about the global health initiative as part of foreign- policy to expand health-care around the world. our coverage of her comments

will start at about 11:30 eastern on c-span. >> we are trying to take away profits. profit is what drives crime. homeland security policy role in stopping crime. erik barnett. washington journal summer series continues this week with a look at the new financial regulations law, tomorrow, its impact on banks. a new topic everyone is economic club 15 east and on c-span. -- a new topic every morning this week. this is the resignation announcement of former house republican leader tom delay in 2006. his lawyer announced today that the justice the problem has ended its investigation and will not file criminal charges. investigators were looking into

the ties between the former texas rep and a former lobbyist john at abramoff -- jack abramoff, released from prison. home foreclosure rates are rising. we looked into the cause of it. >> joining us is senior vice president for the national association of realtors. an update on the housing market and what it means. how would you describe the market conditions right now? guest: the tax credit has really brought buyers into the market. we have seen home values stabilize for the past 18 months. the housing market has stabilized. as for the tax credit, we have

seen the buyers pulled diminished significantly. therefore, we are seeing slow activity after the few months of the tax credit is appearance. but that was expected. we have to go back to the old- fashioned way of people saving their money to buy a house well within their budget. that was the old fashioned american wa

. the phone number is on the bottom of the screen. chore you'res is up. some of the details here. that 6% figure, what does it all mean? guest: wreff to go through past bad lending mistakes. there was too much lending going on. we have to flush flew through the system. it appears to have peeked. it set a high level. it is not ricing in significant way. we need to bring that down.

he may take an additional six months. due to the past lending mistakes, the key is whether buyers come into the markets. we have seen that right now. it remains to be seen what happens after this year. on the screen, updated housing figures. pending home sales down 2.6%. how about those figures? >> pending contracts, usually takes 2-3 months before people can can close on a home. after a large plung in may. the decline in subsequent

months was modest. host: immediate yoon sales prices rose. that's were second quarter figures. the actual price was 177,000. anything there? guest: a large variation of the local prices. in california, median it is $35,000. there's a question about whether there's a possible that prices could fall further.

host: before we get to calls, there is a housing summit. which we expect? guest: the overall future -- we understand that there was too much lending. fannie and freddie were participating in the boom. we now know the boom led to the crash and the crash led to a large burden for taxpayers. we want to make sure we do not have a system where bad times, taxpayers have to pick up the

slack. we are looking -- the government is looking into how to reform. so taxpayers are not on the clock. host: democrat on the line. caller: they verified my income. bill clinton signed the fair housing act. this gave people the right to buy a house. this was a recipe for disaster. this was just like welfare. 25% of black children were born out of wedlock. now it is 80% of black children born at of welfare. i will never be a democrat again. 80% of black children are born out of wedlock. i will never be a democrat

again. guest: spinning it around and talking it a triple a rating. with this money, they started lending it to many people. americanseign of homeownership, this is a positive thing for many years. you cannot have this over extension -- host: hello, louis.

caller: this is louis randall: from baltimore. host: go right ahead. caller: i would like to sell my existing home. there are many of us and we find because of the size of the home, we can no longer sell our home and move to assisted living facility. i see this as a problem. many of my friends want to sell. i think this will increase and cause a glut in the market. is there any program that would allow the older people to sell their home and maybe to lease back? or is there a deed in lieu?

i think we're stuck and it can no longer put our homes on the market. host: a question from the senior. guest: some of the home owners are unrealistic about the value of their home. if they were to market in a proper way, a price cut, that generally attract buyers. many who are under water may need additional price cuts. this means the homeowner needs to get a short sale approval. the banks say, ok, you sell the home but you do not have enough money to pay back the whole mortgage amount. we will forgive you that amount. there are some government programs trying to alleviate

that and trying to shorten some of the short sale processes. talk to the lender about that. there are some laws to help homeowners. also helping some distressed homeowners. host: what has been most effective so far regarding housing? things, tax credit without a doubt has done a job on relying on the stimulus guest: the mortgage rate has been dropped to the lowest level. mortgage rates today are 4.5%.

it is a great opportunity. people qualify to look into the market. host: we have been reading about a push for the unemployed homeowners. guest: for some states, where unemployment is very high, they are trying to provide some interest loans for homeowners so they can make payments. that program is coming out. i believe that housing and urban development is trying to clarify all of the rules. but the concept is that in some states where there is high employment, people are losing jobs and find some way to get a low-interest loan. host: next call is from

michigan. caller: good morning. i would like to say that even though the percentage rate is low, there is still discrimination involved when you go to get loans if you are black. fannie mae and the other one with the calls for this problem. there is still a problem for black people who are poor even if they saved their money. usually the percentage rate is higher for most middle or lower-income black people. guest: for people who think they are discriminated against, they

need to talk to local officials. they are looking at all the paper documentation and the credit history and the upper rates that matches the characteristics. if it is the case that certain minority groups are being charged beyond the normal economic factors, one should report to the local housing officials to investigate. host: a caller from las vegas. we have heard that las vegas is one of the hardest-hit areas. theresa is on the line. caller: the real estate market, we have been hard hit and things are bad. unemployment is high. i have questions about -- during the bubble.

what was your group doing about doing any red flags regarding how the underwriting standards were extremely inadequate? it was obvious. i attended a task force meetings and things during the exponential growth here, questioning the growth rates and measure to income and all of that. none of that made sense. host: let me stop you there. she pointed to your group. guest: back in 2005, at the height of the bubble years, we sent a letter to the housing of urban development and the regulator of fannie and freddie

indicatinghat the standards are lax and to take caution. we indicated that many people are not qualified entering the market. from the organization and also, people need to purchase homes with in their financial budgets. during those years, some realty members, somehow they thought buy, buy, buy is a good thing. people should only buy ifhey stayed within their budget. hard-earned way to realize american home ownership. host: did you have another point? he poor underwriting standards, there

was a lot of fraud caller: beyond the poor underwriting standards, there was a lot of fraud that went on. question for your group. there were fraudulent brokers and buyers working together, putting together fraudulent deals. what has your group the done to provide oversight regarding the fraud? guest: any fraud needs to be looked into. any fraud into the system is unhealthy for the long term health of the housing market. it needs to be prosecuted. our association is not involving the legal matters. if there is a fraud, it needs to be exposed. host: charlotte, north carolina. dan, republican. good morning.

caller: the oldest baby boomers will turn 65 next year. we will be older as a country than florida. what will be the effect -- will boomers be able to buy houses? what is the effect on home sales ?ax gue guest: the u.s. home values may be on the verge of a decline. large decline. that was based on static population. you have bab boomers retire, the u.s. home that used maybe on the verge of a large decline. respectable population growth. are roughly 30 million ago.

so we have this population growth. demand. population decline. it is all about demographic. the housing start activity has years. our analysis indicates that if this continues, we may encounter a housing shortage situation in about two years. builders are not building. we may encounter the cross. of a housing shortage. host: this is from "usa today."

lowest mortgage rates in decades. how long do you think low rates will be around? guest: i am surprised how low the rates have been. 4.5%. one of the reason is the fed has been aggressive in buying mortgage-backed securities. the second reason is the consumer price inflation has been very weak. deflation. because of low consumer price inflation, lenders can lend knowing the money would have the purchasing power as interest rates are low. i am surprised but i do anticipate it will be inching up as we move towards the end of the year. host: 1 viewer wants more detail about the 6% figure we have been putting out there.

guest: last year we have roughly two million foreclosures in the u.s. unexpectedly high. this year could be higher. we're looking at possibly 2.2 million. the worst part of foreclosure is not yet over. we are finding that some of the three modified loans are quickly defaulting. the past lending mistakes -- many of the bad lending aspects would have been through the system. we do anticipate foreclosure rates to climb steadily. as a distressed property comes onto the market, it is helping to stabilize the market.

we have seen these trends all current. >> take it deeper. there is one opinion piece in the paper. "obama promised the program would spend $75 billion, last month the administration reported it in roles 1.2 for homeowners." guest: homeowners need to take initiative. they have lost their jobs and therefore they cannot make cheap mortgage payment. the government is there to supply some support. many of the foreclosures are occurring with second home owners. people bought a second home and were looking to flip.

the rental income did not support the home values. people are throwing in the keys. we are seeing a rise in foreclosures with second home owners. is it a success or failure on the mortgage program? 60% default rate. 60% would the fall. that means it is a 40% successful program. is it the case that the program sure we get a more meaningful success rate? host: democrat, illinois. caller: my father lived through the depression in chicago. he had a mortgage with a bank. there were 95% of the people were out of work.

he went to the bank in chicago and he was going to turn the house over. they said, you might as well stay in there. when you can begin to pay us back, begin to pay us back. guest: if you will modify the loan, that is much better for the lending institution. he makes it perfectly reasonable to say yes. we're willing to accept less. we went through -- in our society, we go through some tough economic times.

over the past 100 years, the u.s. economy has been more prosperous than any in the world. we're in a great recession. we are coming out of it. hopefully we're strengthening the job creation. host: a lot of negative news in a segment like this. there are some bright spots. what regions are doing poor and well right now? guest: the region's doing well, prices accelerating, are places like washington, d.c., houston market, boston. one commonality is that they have more jobs today than one year ago. that is a test for job creation. there is a high unemployment

along the coast. that brought some strengthening in prices for people looking for bargain prices. in places like las vegas, there is still oversupply of the market. too much supply. one of the hardest-hit markets that buyers are returning. they are seeing exceptional bargains. holmes selling for $250,000 a few years ago are now selling for $80,000. host: david on the independent line. caller: in 2002, there was an order unsupported by congress that's outlawed our usury fees and usury laws, the most a bank

could charge was 5%. if you had $100 credit card charge, the late fee was $5. my father, when he bought his house in 1960, he was making $75 a week. he had no credit at all. the recession was caused by bankers who tried to make a low-paying job in to giant ripple. and giant fees and late charges being rolled into the loan has

caused a lot of people not to be able to pay back the loans. guest: i sympathize with the caller's comments. we have to let the market determine if there is a certain amount were the banks cannot charge, it will be caught up in the credit. having said that, one of the reasons for the late charge a fee, higher than normal interest rate fees is that there is a lack of competition. there is a huge bank consolidation. we have few banks. we need more competition in the marketplace. then there would be bankers eagerly looking for clients. it is through the competitive process. host: a couple of stories.

house price roller-coaster ride continues. looking at a global perspective. how things doing in other parts of the world? guest: the british market is surprising. britain had a bigger bubble then the u.s. they have seen their prices rise in a double digit fashion. in china, the market is booming the government wants to restrict some of the availability to hold back demand. the u.s., the bubble was not as high as in the british market. we're undergoing a longer downturn. it is difficult to creating jobs and that is holding back consumer confidence. we still have a long way to go in terms of regaining consumer

confidence. all real estate is local. it cannot be picked up and sold abroad. it is the movable product. host: there is a call for careful overhaul of u.s. lending. the u.s. does not tend to completely wind down fannie and freddie, given the housing state of the housing market. guest: the housing market is more important for the larger recovery. there could be a double dip recession. we have to get the housing market on firm footing. the mortgage rate is key to that process. in a normal time, it would be functioning fine.

these are not normal times. interest rates are exceptionally high. seven %, 8%. much higher than 4%. there is support for fannie and freddie as we try to recover in the housing market. the fannie and freddie situation, that cannot continue. that is the reason for the conference. host: housing bills cloud debate. flint, michigan, is now on the line. caller: the time all real estate is local rings so sure.

a husband and a wife together, the husband bought the first mortgage many years ago before the crash. and now what they are doing is, since the price of all the other homes has fallen, they are walking -- they go out and purchase a new were home that maybe worth $300,000 and they are still in force $150,000, and the turn around and walk away from their original mortgage. the wife goes on the second home. the get the new home ownership tax credit, $9,000. you will never see the market come back until people received a 1099 where they have to pay the tax on the home that they basically dropped onto the

community. the turn around and sell it for a short sale. we have seen them in flint. a girlfriend of mine bought a home for 60,000 $25 years ago. now the house sold for $10,000. host: how prevalent is that situation? caller: the husband had the house first in an area that is not so great. they bought a beautiful home and they are happy. they have the $9,000 tax credit. if they could not maintain that other home, eventually this will all get caught up. host: does that happen a lot? guest: it is hard to grasp how

prevalent that happens. the banks are realizing it is zero currying. we have seen a rise in foreclosure among second home owners just turning in their keys. if there are two homes, foreclosed on the second home. another aspect is the 1099. if the banks give you the gap between the price you sell for and the mortgage balance, in the past, that has been considered a taxable income. the law has been changed to make sure it is not a taxable income. this will be in additional financial burden because of the economic circumstances. 1099 do go out to people who own second homes.

people who are playing this game, they may be surprised to get a 1099. the second home is a possibility. it remains to be seen how this will pan out. they try to be very restrictive in trying to provide loans for second homes. >> we are going live now to johns hopkins university where secretary state clinton will deliver remarks on the obama administration's goal of the global health initiative. the plan to expand health care across the globe. live coverage now here on c- span. [applause]

[applause] >> i think you know what is in store for you already. welcome, madame secretary, honored guests, community. i'm the dean of science. the school of advanced international studies and a division of the great johns hopkins university. this is a special greeting for me from our first-year students who i have not officially welcomed yet because they are just starting their orientation just next week.

students come from more than 70 countries. it is our custom here to highlight the stepping stones in the careers of every speaker at the school. secretary clinton needs no introduction. her fame extends around the world. let me offer two brief comments on why brings me pleasure to welcome her here today. i can think of no university in the united states which offers a more distinguished an appropriate venue for the secretary's speech on the global health initiative. johns hopkins medicine, the bloomberg school of public health, mayor bloomberg is from the same state. and the school of nursing were all preeminent in education,

research, and involving people of a nationalist who come to baltimore to study their and institutions with partners all over the world and partners beyond. we are proud to beat trailblazers in health, having established the global health and foreign policy initiative. the professor has been chosen as a white house fellow and will be joining them to go and work in the health field in the coming year. sais is happy to host you, madame secretary, and to welcome the director of u.s. aid because of our lifelong affiliation with the state department. we have an impressive list of the many ambassadors and senior officials who are graduates in sais.

we presently have about 300 sais or the in the state department and another 100 and aid. a graduate work in 140 countries. my second comment has to do with our speaker today. speakers come to sais -- students come to sais. they are always on the lookout for role models. what a privilege to welcome the secretary of state to air school. you can imagine how many of our american students would consider that position as grueling and demanding as it is to be the pinnacle of their career ambition. our young men and women, i would stress, that the lessons require looking through the thain to the ingredients of success.

secretary clinton has an ending curiosity about the world around her. she has shown passion to improve the lives of others. these traits -- curiosity, passion, diligent -- are the recipe for building a worthwhile career at any age. enriched, then ry are public is well served. the pulliam is yours. [applause] >> -- the podium is yours. >> thank you so much. [applause] thank you. it is such a pleasure to be here again sais.

i want to thank you for that warm and thoughtful introduction. but this is such an exceptional educational institution. i had no idea we had 300 of your alumni. i see in action every day the reaction of the work, the research, the study and preparation that goes on s goes onais. -- that goes on here at of you who will be joining our ranks in the years to come. in addition to the contributions johns hopkins has made in the fields of diplomacy and international law, i want to add about the contributions in health. hopkins is of course home to an excellent medical and nursing schools. and home to the bloomberg school of public health.

the school's motto -- protecting health, saving lives, millions at a time -- captures the possibility and the responsibility inherent in the pursuit of better health, whether here in our own country or in communities around the world. new breakthroughs and new knowledge about how to fight disease only add to our responsibility as researchers, students, government officials, and as a nation. each of us is called to find ways to bring those solutions to the people who need them wherever they are, and many contributors to global health are here with us, including representatives from several partner and donor countries, the private sector, multilateral institutions, and public-private enterprises. i want to acknowledge your and their outstanding contributions to saving lives around the

globe, often millions at a time. that is the mission i would like to discuss with you today. how the obama administration is building on our commitment to global health by bringing life- saving prevention, treatment, and care to more people in more places. this is a signature of american leadership in the world today. it is also an issue close to my own heart. i have been privileged to visit many parts of the world over the last 20 years. i have come to known countless people who are living proof of what successful global health programs can do. i have met a chevy-positive farmers who now have the strength to spend their day in the fields earning a living, children who wake up every morning under bed nets and then

head off to school, eager to learn. new mothers in indonesia who proudly show off healthy babies born into the world with the help of trained midwives. men and women who have grown into adulthood resisting diseases because they had childhood immunizations against polio, measles. these are but a few of the faces of global health that i have seen. people who contribute as parents, workers, and citizens. thanks to the governments, organizations, foundations, and universities like johns hopkins who collaborate to bring medical care about healthy behavior to more parts of the world. these are also the faces of america's commitment. no nation in history has done more to improve global health.

we have led the way on some of the greatest public health achievements of our time. smallpox played human kind for thousands of years until we helped end -- smallpox plagued humankind for thousands of years. lifesaving vaccines to nearly 80% of the world's children, up from less than 5% when the program began 36 years ago. it has done so in large part thanks to u.s. dollars and supports. the global distribution of micro nutrients has protected the health of many millions of young children and pregnant women. we are the global leader in the fight against neglected tropical diseases, treaty help prevent at malari for more than 50 million

people every year. we provide 60% of the world's donor funding for hiv and aids. 40% of the total global funding for development assistance for health comes from the united states. this is clearly not aemocra this is a non-partisan issue that comes from the heart of america. our leadership has been possible thanks to strong support from both sides of the aisle. i commend the bush administration and in particular, the flagship programs. aids relief and the malaria initiative. i would like to a knowledge two of the people who help make these programs possible.

the former aide's leader and the current head of pmi. there are extraordinary contributions. the bill and melinda gates organization has discovered new vaccines and other tools to prevent and treat diseases. to the carter center, which has led the global campaign to eradicate the guinea worm parasite. to the clint foundation which is made aids drugs more affordable for millions. and the other organizations that are finding innovative ways to deliver a life-saving and life- improving care to people worldwide. churches have also led the fight to bring treatment to those in need, including by the plight health volunteers who sometimes

faced dangers circumstances to where little or no care exist. several countries were -- people in several countries were murdered in afghanistan as they were treating eye conditions and running a dental clinic. it was a terrible loss for the families and for the world's. it was a terrible loss for those people who had been who -- who would have benefited. stories like these remind us that strengthening global health is a strong priority for government. it is an important part of our national story, one that is not told as often as it should be. today on behalf of the obama administration, i would like to

share with you the next chapter in help world wide. it is called the global health initiative, ghi, and represents a new approach, informed by new thinking and aimed at a new goal, to say with the greatest number of lives by increasing our existing health programs and by building upon them to help countries develop their own capacity to improve the health of their own people. before i discuss the specifics, let me take a step back. some may ask why is a secretary of state's giving a speech about global health? some might accuse me of taking a break from other crises to talk about global health. what does maternal health or immunizations or the fight against hiv aids have to do

with foreign policy? my answer is, everything. we invest in global help to strengthen fragile states. we have seen the impact of aids and countries stripped of their farmers, teachers, health workers, and other professionals, as well as the millions of orphaned children left behind, whose needs far exceed what any government agency can provide. the destabilizing impact of aids the clinton administration to classify this as a threat. the center for strategic and international studies focused on national security and wants the commission and smart global health policy, cochaired by care

and william j. fallen to find new strategies because we believe that will help us build a safer, more secure world. we invest in global health and to support the rise of capable partners who can help us solve regional and global problems. we have seen places where people have struggled on many levels. poverty is usually widespread. infrastructure is usually incomplete. food production and school enrollments are usually low. people who would otherwise take the lead in driving progress for their families and nations are instead dragged down by disease and lost opportunities. we invest in global health to protect our nation's security. the threat posed by the spread

of disease in our interconnected world in which thousands of people every day step on a plane in one continent and step off in another. we need a comprehensive, global system for tracking health data, monitoring the threats and coordinating responses. the need for such a system was driven home with the threat of stars. it is cheaper to stop an outbreak before it emerges, but that is hard to do in places where public health services are nonexistent. we invest in global health or ce the united states makes possible is their main experience of us as a country. it can be a powerful one. giving people a chance at a long and healthy life conveys as much

about our values as any state visit or strategic dialogue ever could. we invest in global health as a clear and direct expression of our compassion. millions die every year, simply because they lack access to very simple interventions like bed nets or vitamin-fortified food. as a nation, we cannot and must not accept those senseless deaths per it is just not in our dna. americans support their tax dollars going to global health programs because of what the money can do for others. few investments are more consistent with our values.

global health is a prime example of how investing our resources strategicallythe list of diseast threaten lives across the world is nearly limitless. our resources are not. we must be strategic and make evidence-based decisions in targeting the most dangerous threat to make sure our investments div long-term picture, not only addressing the urgent needs that people have today, but building the foundation for better health tomorrow and for the next generation. this thinking informs every aspect of the global health initiative, which president obama addressed last year. the united states is investing $63 billion to build upon these

programs and take their work to the next level. by collaborating with governments and society groups and individuals, the help broaden its the improvements in public health we can expect. we are shifting their focus from solving problems one at a time to serve the people by considering the circumstances of their lives and insuring they can get the care they need the most. consider the life of a woman in one of our partner countries. she lives in a remote village that has been home to her family for generations. her parents went their whole lives without ever seeing a doctor. but now, some quality health care is available to her. within walking distance, there

is a clinics supported by pep farm, where she first found out she has hiv and now receives the drugs to keep per healthy. if she makes a longer journey, there is another clinic where she can receive prenatal care and where her children can receive immunizations. sometimes health services, write to her door bringing bed nets to protect her family from malaria. for others, she is on her own. crowe local clinic is well stocked with anti-retro virals, but it is empty of antibiotics. if she has trouble giving birth, the nearest facility is hundreds

of miles away. she faces the real risk of becoming the one in 22 women who die in childbirth. while her home has been sprayed for mosquitoes, she has no access to clean water. soaker children may escape malaria, -- so her children may escape malaria only to die from diarrhea. the landscape is much improved, but the shortcomings are significant. there is too little coordination among the organizations, including in our own government that deliver health services. critical gaps are left unaddressed. diseases are often treated in isolation rather than bundled together, forcing people to travel to multiple clinics to

meet their and their children's basic health needs. there is too little innovation focused on designing technologies and strategies that can work in resource-poor places and help the people who are hardest to reach. another problem comes into view. a lack of in-country capacity. donor countries and out sidengo's have stepped in -- and didide ngo's or countries not have the money to deliver the help themselves. it is a temporary fix, not a long-term solution. in too many places, it has come to serve as a long-term solution. as a result, this woman's current access to care is erratic and her future access to

care is uncertain. she is vulnerable to development trends in places far from where she lives. she has little control over the quality of care provided to her and her family. if her elected leaders were more heavily invested, she would have more of a voice in the system. the fundamental purpose of the global health initiative is to address these problems by tying individual health programs together in a coordinated, sustainable system of care with the countries themselves in the lead. we're taking the investments our country has made. the malaria initiative, maternal and child health. family planning and other critical health areas, building on the work of a disease across the federal government such as

the centers for disease control, and expanding their reach by improving the overall environment in which health services are delivered. our investments can have a bigger impact and patients can gain access to more and better care. as a result, they can lead healthier lives. to illustrate how this will work, consider how it will impact one of our most successful global health programs. in the past seven years, they have provided millions of people with the prevention services across africa, asia, and the caribbean. it has also changed the conventional wisdom about treatment. many believe treating people with hiv in poor countries was impossible because the drugs were effective only if they were taken according to a precise

schedule and with sufficient food. for people living in places with food shortages and without health clinics or health professionals, it seemed like treatment would forever be out of reach. but the united states cannot accept the injustice of allowing millions to die when we did have the drugs to save them. we set up clinics and trained health professionals and improved shipping and storage, so the experiment worked. the number of people in africa on anti retro files was fewer than 50,000. today, more than 5 million peop