they are still representing themselves, but they get help from the centers to fill out the forms. i am thinking of a clinic around domestic violence. they have one staff attorney who reviews the forms for completeness when they are generated. it allows them to stop faxing information back and forth. .

>> the whistle-blower protection act is currently stalled in committee. the time magazine editor discusses the lives of muslims living in america today. "washington journal" is live at 7:00 a.m. on c-span. >> one of the things that i regret about political and rhetorical life in washington is that every major figure from the president on down is nearly -- is simply reading what someone else on some committee has produced. >> he wrote speeches for the carter administration. he wrote about presidents as architects of power. his the literary editor of "the

weekly standard." he will share his insights on c- span on sunday night. >> news reports today say that thousands more people in pakistan have been forced to flee their homes as fresh flooding has submerged dozens more towns and villages in the south. on thursday, the secretary of state. clinton said the worst is yet to come in pakistan. flooding has displaced millions and killed thousands of people. the u.s. has pledged $150 million in aid. the united nations is seeking a total of $460 million. world leaders gathered at the u.n. to express their support for the relief effort. the general assembly meeting happened on the same day as world's humanitarian aid day. you have the floor, sir. >> thank you.

distinguished ministers thank you for coming together for the people of pakistan. i was honored to carry with me in the sympathy and solidarity of the world of all of you. this is what i saw. the village after village washed away, roads, bridges, schools, destroyed. crops wiped out. i met many women and men with very little in the best of times awash in a sea of suffering. they shared their fear of the next wave of water or next wave of disease or next wave of destruction.

the eyes can see and the years can hear but somehow the mind struggles to grasp of the full- time mention of these catastrophes. almost 20 million people need shelter, food, and emergency care. that is more than the entire polation hit by the indian kashmir cyclone and the heat earquake in haiti combined. an area larger than more than half of the country's of the world is under water. make no mistake, this is a global disaster, a global challenge. it is one of the hardest tests of global solidarity in our times. thank you for all that you have already done.

thank you to your help, people are providing clean water, medicine, and shelter. international aid groups such as the red cross have mobilized to support the government's response. we are getting the aid in by whatever means, helicopters, trucks, and even mules. have received one month of food rations. similar numbers now have emergency shelter and of being helped by unicef and other groups. who is treating health threats as they arise. this disaster is far from over.

only now are we beginning to understand the tru scope of this disaster. pakistan is facing a destructive power that will accumulate and grow with time. i have discussed this harsh reality with the president and prime minister. we fully agree on what must be done. international humanitarian organizations are straining every muscle to deliver what they need massive additional support. 8 million people need food, water, and shelter. 14 million need health care with a special analysis on children and pregnant women.

we already have more than half of our 60% thank you to the generosity of donors. your pledges to date must be followed up with action that delivers change underground. when the waters finally received, recovery and reconstruction must begin. every culture rushes along -- farmers will made fertilizer and tools to replant next year's harvest. in the longer term, the huge damage to infrastructure must be repaired. schools, hospitals, irrigation

canals, transport weeks. in september, we are considering a high level meeting with pakistan where world leaders meet. in october, the friends of democratic pakistan will meet in brussels to explore these methods in death and ultimately we must recognize that climate change will bring more incidents of extreme weather. the united nations has made this a priority. in 2005, a framework for pragmatic blueprints for action. last year, we introduced the first global risk reduction. clearly, we must follow through on these recommendations.

this disaster is like few the worlhas ever seen. it requires a response to match. pakistan needs a flood of support. yet in the media, we hear talk of so-called fatigue. the suggestion is that governments are hesitant to deal with another disaster and they hesitate. let us remember that if anybody it is the fatigued, small families i met in pakistan facing hardship. instead of fatigue, however, i

such determination, resilience, hope, and expectations. when faced with the tsunami, or the earthquake in haiti, or other natural disasters, we show extraordinary effort. let us begin today together stand with the people of pakistan. let us act so that this disaster to not become a man-made catastrophe. let us givehis our all. thank you very much. >> i think the secreta general predict thank the secretary general for his statement and i now call and give the floor to his excellency, shah mahmood qureshi.

you are most welcome and allow me to express solidarity. you have the floor. >> mr. president, excellencies, convey to you the gratitude of the people of pakistan to convene a plenary meeting of the general assembly. let me thank the secretary general for his comprehensive plan. the people of pakistan had

deeply appreciated the secretary general's close personal engagement in the relief operations in pakistan. i would like also to thank the hon. ministers for their presence to express solidarity and support to the people of pakistan. mr. president, what we see in pakistan today is a national calamity of unprecedented proportions. according to the reports, the effect is larger than the combined effect of the tsunami and the earthquake.

pakistanis are a resilient people. we're not strangers to challenges or difficulties. this is a nation that suffered the ravages of the 2005 earthquake and bravely bore the loss of 80,000 of our brethren. we are the people that have poured the brunt of the international fight against terrorism and extremism. this is a nation that burst with fortitude the loss of thousands of its men, women, and children to suicide attacks. we are the people that the international community looks toward as a bulwark against terrorism and extremism. this is a nation which is

looking for a humanitarian need in the time of need. i stand before you as the voice of 20 million pakistan deis devastated by floods. their lives and livelihood. one of the tent pakistan in -- pakistani -- one out of 10 pakistani has been forced out. this is primarily an agrarian economy. 70% of our population is employed in the agriculture

sector. this is where we have been hit the most. over 1.7 million acres of agricultural land has been submerged. standing crops worth billions of dollars have been destroyed. arer 3.5 million children - at high risk of deadly, waterborne diseases. schools will not be opening soon after summer vacations as they are being used to provide shelter to flood survivors. in the province -- province of pawnshop, millions of acres -- and the province of punjab, billions of dollars of cotton crops are destroyed. in the south, over 325,000 acres

of land stand submerged. crops worth $500 million a been destroyed in certain provinces. religious -- villages and towns are being inundated as i speak to you. er 70% of the roads in the floostricken area have been destroyed. over 1 million tons of wheat being stored has been swept away. mr. president, unfortunately, these are only initial estimates and the situation is still evolving. the situation is expected to get worse as the second and third ves of flood in a bit more land and approved more people.

the numbers will surely go up as the numbers -- as the waters recede and the affected areas become accessible to damage assessment. the aftermath of floods in the medium to long term will pose more daunting challenges for the construction and rehabilitation costs are going to be huge. our immediate challenge is to meet the food and health and clean drinking water needs of the millions of displaced and to rebuild the infrastructure destroyed by floods. mr. president, our difficults do not and here. our infrastructure will come under severe stress as millions of peoe migrate to bigger cities in search of shelter and

jobs. another serious problem with long-term social and economic implications is the loss of land and potential to climb and the ability of flood-affected plants. the six most -- the sixth most populous country in the world is at risk. food riots and related violence cannot bruled out. the government of pakistan has mobilized all of its national resources to provide rescue and relief to the affected people. hundreds of thousands have been rescued and evacuated from different areas. provisions of food, shelter, clean drinking water and the

prevention of waterborne diseases and epidemics remain our top priorities. the entire nation stands united and determined to overcome this challenge. the people of pakistan have opened up their hearts and hearts -- hands and hearts to their brothers and sisters. we are determined to turn around the economy destroyed by the floods. we have decided to set up an independent national entity to mobilize maximum resources and to make sure that they are used. this entity will supervise the collection, management and distribution of relief funding among flood affected people. our commitment and resolve not withstanding, the scale of the

chlenge is colossal. far too big for any developing country to handle alone. -- we hope will be surprised -- provided with the support of rescue efforts. the people of pakistan greatly appreciate the launch of $460 million initially by the un for relief and emitted a recovery of the affected people. we also requested the world bank and to assist the government of pakistan and rrying out a comprehensive damage needs assessment. we hope it will be completed -- completed early. this disasr has hit us hard

and at a time and in areas where we are in the midst of fighting a war against extremists and paris. the people of pakistan have stood by their brave security forces in the fight against terrorism. our successes have been lauded by the international community. these successes have come at a heavy price. more than 10,000 innocent civilians have fallen victim to terrorism and more than 2500 pakistani soldiers have given their lives. our material losses exceed $43 billion. the gains that we have made against the terrorists are substantial. yet, we remain exposed.

the peace and relative calm achieved as a result of the democratic governments relentless efforts are still fragile and need to be consolidated. the efforts made by the government and our difficult and painful war against terrorism. we cannot allow this castrophe to become an opportunity for the terrorists. climate change with all of its severity and unpredictability has become a reality for 170 million pakistanis. the situation reconfirms our vulnerability to the impact of

climate change. it also complicates construction and rehabilitation scenario in pakistan. nature has made an endorsement to strengthen a fair and equitable outcome for the only way to you and can see negotiations. the sympathy and solidarity that eyewitness here today from all of you is very reassurg. i wish to go back to islamabad with a clear mission to the people -- to the people of pakistan that they are not alone. we look forward to your help in undertaking the immediate relief measures and addressing the long-term reconstruction and rehabilitation needs of the

people. thank you. >> thank the foreign minister. we shall now take action on a draft resolution a/64/l/66. may i take it that is the wish of the general assembly to adopt the resolution. and it is so dided.

we thank you for your support. i now give the floor to the next speaker. i am happy to welcome the hon. hillary cnton, secretary of state of the united states of america. >> good afternoon. i listened with great interest and concern as the forei minister detailed with somber eloquence and painful specificity what the people in government of pakistan are facing today. we are here at the request of the government of pakistan to

helphem respond to the worst natural disaster in their history. as the foreign minister pointed out, the flooding that has affected more than 20 million people, more than the population of new york state, it is so enormous that it is almost hard to fathom. s >> the rain continues to fall. the extent of the devastation is difficult to gauge. this flooding has already affected more people than the indian ocean tsunami, the heat the earthquake and the 2005 pakistan earthquake combined.

as we meet, we fear that a new wave of water may be about to sweep through areas that have already been devastated and reach to those yet untouched. our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost loved ones, who have been displaced from their homes, left without food d water. united states has and continues to take swift action to help. and on behalf of president obama and the american people, i want to state our resolve to help pakistan meet the immediacy of this crisis and then to recover from it. i want the people of pakistan to know that the united states will

stand with youuring this crisis. we will be with you as rivers rise and fall. we will be with you as you replant your fields and repair your roads we wilbe with you as you meet the long term challenges to build a stronger nation d a better future. under the direction of the government of pakistan and the national dister management authority, the united states has been working since the earliest days of the flooding to prode assistance to those it can reach and who need it most. our civilian helicopters began assisting in relief efforts almost immediately. american military helicopters were redirected to rescue pakistanis within hours of the pakistani government's request for help.

less than a day later, american military aircraft began delivering 400,000 meals from storehouses dubai. these efforts continue, and to date,.s. aircraft have carried more than 6000 pakistanis to safety and distributed more than 1 million pounds of relief supplies. we have also supplied enough heavy-duty waterproof she seemed to constru temporary shelters for more than 1000 people -- peoplesheeting. we have supplied the pakistani government with a rescue boats, concrete cutting sauce, water filtration units, and a dozen prefabricated bridge is. the initial response by the pakistani government and people, united states, and the international community has helped to relieve suffering and save lives, but the combined

effort so far pales against the magnitude of the challenge. it isdifficult to overstate the scope of this catastrophe, and unfortunately, we believe it is likely to get worse before it gets better. more than 800,000 homes have already been damaged or destroyed. 2 million peopleave been forced to flee. hundreds of bridges have been shed away, cutting off communities from relief supplies. as the foreign minister said, so much of this yr's agricultural production has been wiped ou submerged fields cannot be replanted this season. many communities face shortages of clean drinking water and are vulnerable to cholera and other epidemics.

experts predict that the floodi will not receive until mid-september -- the flooding will not recede until mid- september, and of the monsoons continue, the damage will spread to other areas, driving yet more people from their homes. we know we face a humanitarian disaster of monumental proportions, and it is creating economic and security problems. and here at the united nations, we often speak of a desire to forge a more humane fellowship with humankind, and today, we must match that aspiration with action. i realize that many countri including my own are facing a tough economic conditions and very tight budgets, and we have also indoor and unrelenting

strip -- an unrelenting stream of disasters -- we have also entered an unrelenting stream of disasters this year, but we must answer the pakistani request for help. on august 11, the united nations issued a $459 million emergency flood response plan and asked for the international community to respond. at the outset of this conference today, existing pledges of assistance put us half way toward this goal. that is a solid start, but we must close the gap. with a new pledge that i am making today are $60 million, the united states will be contributing more than $150 million toward emergency flood relief. approximately $92 million of that total is in direct support of the united nations relief plan. these funds are being us to

provide critical supplies and support operations of the pakistan national disaster management authority and other organizations inside pakistan. the united states is providing tenical assistance and mobilizing military and civilian resources as well. today, i want to call on the american public and american corporations to support these relief efforts. every dollar makes a difference, and americans can send help to pakistan by contributing t the department of state's pakistan relief fund. please go to www.state.gove /pakistanrelief or make a $10 contribution through your phone by texting the word "flood close " to the no. 2772.

beyond our immediate response, the united states is committed to the long-term goal of working with pakistan to improve conditions in the country. we demonstrated th commitment with a multi-year $7.5 billion non-military assistance package, authorized by the congress and agreed to by the president. we will not take -- we will now take some of those funds that were directed to initiatives that i announced just last month in islamabad, to support pakistan in its reconstruction efforts. in all of our work, we are seeking to strengthen pakistan's democratic institutions. our approach to relief and rebuilding will be based on the same foundation of partnership that we believe is important between our country and past. it will be up to pakistan's elected leaders to head up this effort, and those elected officials in turn will be

accountable to the citizens of pakistan. in my visits to pakistan since becoming secretary of state, i have spoken often about our desire to build an enduring partnership. today, we are once again reaffirming that commitment. i believe pakistan will come through this crisis because of the strength, resilience, and courage of the people. as we meet today during the holy month of ramadan, we must all embrace a spirit of compassion and make it our mission to provide that relief. a few days ago, an american helicopter rescued a pregnant woman who was about to give birt they were able to carry her to safety. her home was under water. she was facing complications that could have claimed her life and the life of her child. like all pakistanis affeed by the flood, this mother and baby

still faced many difficulties in the months and years ahead, but they will have an opportunity to rebuild their community and to contribute to a strong, secure, prosperous pakistan. . believe in that baby' future civilization has thrived on the banks of the indus river for years. it will continue. and if we come together now, we can meet this challenge, and ensurehat future generations in pakistan have the opportunity to belgium, who will speak on behalf of the european union. >> mr. president, mr. secretary- general, your excellencies, i have the honor to speak today on behalf of the european union for all 27 member states, our

european institutions, and our citizens and also bring a special message of support from the eu hawaii representative, who would have liked to represent the union. -- the european union today and looks forward to the time when this will be possible. i would like first of all to express our solidarity with and our sincere condolences to the government and the people of pakistan following the tragic loss of life in the monsoon floods in the north and center of the country. as secretary general ban ki- moon said, our minds struggle to grasp the full dimension of this catastrophe, of this slow-motion tsunami, and we share the grief of the affected families and express our heartfelt sympathy with those who have lost so much as a result of this unprecedented catastrophe.

the european union welcomes the adoption today by the general assembly of the resolution that encourages the international community to help pakistan. i can assure you that the european union and all of its member states will contribute to the full implementation of this resolution. the european union is actively participating in the immediate global response to this humanitarian disaster and strongly supports the efforts of the united nations and the pakistani authorities as they provide vital assistance to those in need. i would like to stress one thing -- we will continue to support this worked -- this work as long as needed. the international community is in this for the long term. the eu will work with pakistan to mitigate the impact of this disaster on the daily life and

well-being of the pakistani people. mr. president, the european union and pakistan share a long- lasting friendship. last june, the second e u- pakistan summit set the basis for a strategic dialogue, which includes the promotion of disaster/risk reduction and the effective provision of humanitarian assistance. before this disaster, the european union have already allocated more than 400 million euros in assistance to pakistan for 2007 through 2010, on economic development and trade, as well as on governance and human-rights. today, i can say that the european union steps up considerably its support for pakistan and the pakistani people. since the beginning of the crisis, the eu and its member states have already committed

over 110 million euros, and i'm pleased to announce that this amount will be increased by 30 million euros. this means in total that the european union has committed more than 140 million euros or the equivalent of $180 million. let me underline that this humanitarian assistance is provided on the basis of the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence and according to the needs on the ground. in addition to this humanitarian front, and there are in-kind contributions from a large number of member states, which need to be coordinated in order to maximize the impact on the ground. this is why the european union has dispatched a team of civil protection unit to islamabad.

mr. president, in the wake of this crisis, there is no room for complacency. the number of people who are in dire need of assistance is rising, and will continue to do so as assessments continue and access improves. in order to provide a most adequate and comprehensive response, notably to address the food, sanitation, and health needs, the european union institutions are working hand- in-hand. the hawaii representative together with her european commission colleagues and charter of humanitarian development aids is coordinating the assessment of both short and long term implications of the crisis. the european commissioner for international cooperation humanitarian aid and crisis response will be traveling to pakistan in a few days to

underpin eu efforts in support of the victims of this humanitarian disaster and support the coordination efforts of the united nations and the pakistani authorities. mr. president, as we all know, access remains a major challenge, and we are examining very carefully how all necessary assets can be deployed as a measure of priority. but in a region still affected by the conflict which has preceded the displacement of millions of people since 2009, it is crucial that humanitarian aid is perceived as neutral and in line with international humanitarian law and on the basis of the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independents. i would like to particularly stressed this point today on the second world humanitarian day, which is dedicated to all the relief workers, including those

who lost their lives while helping others. as it is the case within the european union, coordination is also paramount for international access. the national and provincial pakistani authorities are clearly leading the response. at the same time, we would encourage all organizations to work in the coordination of humanitarian aid to strengthen the coordination, effectiveness and assistance. as we have seen in the case of haiti, the consequences of a disaster may be overwhelming, and is crucial that all actors cooperate to make response as quick as possible. let me conclude with a few words on pakistan pose a security and stability. the eu strongly encourages the international community to support pakistan in a lasting

manner, in a durable way. only if efforts are sustained can there be a long-term recovery. pakistan will be particularly high on the agenda of the next informal meeting of eu foreign affairs ministers at the beginning of september. and we are particularly looking forward to hosting the friends of democratic pakistan ministerial meeting in october in brussels, a meeting that will be able to take stock of relief provided and plan for rebuilding efforts. as it was set in the beginning of this meeting, humanity is calling. it is in times of adversity that we realize that true solidarity is not only about words and convictions, it is also about actions that make a difference in the life of people. let us now make sure that our

solidarity is efficient, is coordinated, and is sustained. thank you very much. the minister for international development from the united kingdom. >> secretary general, president of the general assembly, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,he british government would like to express its deep sadness at the loss of life and destruction that has been caused by the floods in pakistan, and our concern -- are concerned for the continuing suffering of the pakistani people. i have come strait from pakistan today, and the area devastated by flooding. i visited the village and camp yesterday where i saw scenes of total destruction, of homes,

livelihoods, and all basic services would watermarks on those walls left standing of over 12 feet above ground level. an eloquent testaments to the destructive force of the wall of water, which has swept all before it, over 1,200 miles of pakistan, leaving utter devastation in its wake. the british government strongly supports the leadership of the government of pakistan and the united nations in responding to this immense humanitarian crisis. we welcome this special session, which brings together the international community at a time of great need to focus on responding to the initial flood emergency response appeal. britain wishes to offer the most forthright support to the secretary general and to respectfully suggest that the

response of the international community so far has been woefully inadequate. thenly acceptable outcome from the special session today is that the united nations appeal should be fully if not overfunded by the time w conclude tonight. if this is not the case, the world will rightly draw the conclusion that the international community will have failed in our duty. the briti government has already made a significant commitment of nearly $50 million to the humanitarian response. this is helping to provide 1.5 million people with safe drinking water and sanitation supplies and yie personal support for vulnerable women and children, so grievously affected. we have also accelerated its program to provide new bridges to replace some of those washed away by the floods.

the royal air force is helping to transport vital equipment, including tents and shelter kit, and britain is offering bridging expertise to help restore transfer networks, and we have brought forward our program of $50 million of bridge repairs. yesterday in pakistan, i announced additional support which will provide thousands of people with emergency shelter and help humanitarian agencies to continue to address specific needs. today, i can announce that britain will double its contribution to this emergency relief to just under $100 million. we were amongst the first rally to pakistan's support with the early delivery of shelter, food, medicines, and clean water, and we a now identifying additional and specific interventions working with the government of pakistan and our partners in the united nations

and civic society for this furtr $50 million of aid and support. as the secretary general has urged, it is now imperativ that all wealthy countries stepp and give vigorous support to pakistan. in addition to this, i would also like to recognize the significant, a generous contribution that the british public have made to the british disaster emergency committee appeals, raising nearly $25 million so far for the relief effort. i can also report from my meeting with the head of the auction have to stand at the cluster system appears to be working well. britain underlines the need for strong coordination and would urge voters to support the considerable efforts on the ground. we should not lose sight o the imnse longer-term efforts that will be required to restore

pakistan's infrastructure and rebuild lives and livelihoods, maintaining progress on economic growth and stabilization, and on the vital program of reform, we will also be -- it will also be critical -- indeed fundamental -- to pakistan's recovery. our resolution today draws attention to the growing effects of climate change where expert advice sugsts the next 15 years will see an increase of 50% in disaster emerncies. we know that in the first week of flooding in pakistan, more rain fell back in the whole of the previous 10 years. i would like to conclude by recognizing on world humanitarian day, the extraordinary work of humanitarian workers throughout the world, including those in pakist and in particular, those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. finally, no one can have

witnessed such snes of total . now is the time for all of us to respond with commitment and determination to the plight of desperate people in pakistan and for the international community to shine a light of hope into the darkness and despair which we are seeing so widely spread across pakistan today. thank you. >> tomorrow, talk about the economic impact of the recent floods in pakistan. stephen kohn looks to the role of whistle-blowers and the proposed whistle-blower protection act that is currently stalled in senate committee. bobby ghosh discusses the lives

of muslims living in america today. "washington journal" is live at 7:00 a.m. on c-span. >> in his weekly address, president obama urges republicans in congress to support a bill that aims to reduce the influence of corporations in political campaigns. the new representative gives the republican address and calls on democratic leaders to support gop proposals to cut government spending. >> as the political season heats up, americans are already being inundated with the usual phone calls, mailings, and tv ads all across the country. this summer, they're also seeing a flood of attack ads run by a shadowy groups with harmless sounding names. we do not know who is behind these or who is paying for them.

this is happening because of the decision by the supreme court in the citizens united case. it now allows big corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money to influence our elections. taken by millions of dollars worth of tv ads. they do not even have to reveal who is actually paying for them. he did not know if it is a foreign-controlled corporation, bp, a wall street company, or a big bank. they can hide behind a phony name like "citizens for a better future," even if a better name would be "corporations for weaker oversight." the bill would have required corporate political advertisers to reveal who is funding their activities. when special interests take to the airways, whoever is running and running the ads would have to appear in the advertising and take responsibility for it like a company ceo or an

organization's biggest contributor. foreign-controlled entities would be restricted from spending money to influence american elections, just as they were in the past. you would think that making these reforms would be a matter of common sense. he would think that reducing corporate and foreign influence over our elections would not be an issue. but partisan leaders in congress said no. they used their power to block the issue from even coming up for a vote. that can only mean that the leaders of the other party want to keep the voters in the dark. they do not want to know which interests are paying for the ads. the only people who do not want to disclose the truth are people was something to hide. we cannot allow a corporate takeover of our democracy. we will continue to fight for reform and transparency. i urge all of you to take the same fight. that's a challenge every elected official the benefits from these ads to defend the practice or join us in stopping it. in a time of such a challenge

for america, we cannot afford these political games. millions of americans are struggling to get by. their voices should not be drowned out by millions of dollars in secret, special interest advertising. their voices should be heard. let's not forget that a century ago, it was a republican president, teddy roosevelt, who first tried to tackle the issue of corporate influence on our elections. he actually called it one of the principal sources of corruption and our political affairs. he proposed strict limits on corporate influence in elections. every special interest is entitled to justice, he said, but not one is entitled to a vote in congress, a voice on the bench, or to representation in any public office. we now face a similar challenge and opportunity to prevent special interests from gaining even more clout in washington. this should not be a democratic or republican issue. this is an issue that goes to whether or not we have a democracy that works for ordinary americans.

it should be government of, by, and for the people. let's show the cynics and special interests that we still can. >> 90 days ago, and earned the privilege of serving the people of what the -- hawaii's first congressional district. it did not take me long to figure out that congress is a lot more talking than listening a lot more spending and saving. washington spends and spends. if that does not work, they spend more. the current administration in washington told us that borrowing and spending billions would create jobs immediately and keep unemployment from exceeding 8%. they were wrong. instead, we lost millions of jobs and unemployment remains near 10%. no price tag has been too high for washington. now we are all paying the price. altogether, we now owe more

than $43,000 for each man, woman, and child in the united states. that is a frightening number. even more frightening is the fact that the current administration in washington intends to use this fiscal crisis to impose tax hikes on families and small businesses. we will not cut spending until we have real economic growth. we will not have economic growth if we keep raising taxes on small businesses. according to the non- partisanship joint tax committee, half of small business income in america will face higher taxes under the president's plan. if we keep spending too much, borrowing too much, and taxing too much, if we keep doing the same things, we will get the same dismal results. it is time to change directions. it is time to listen. throughout this month,

republicans have been meeting with our constituents. we want to hear their concerns. these town hall meetings are part of our americans speaking out project. it gives americans a megaphone to have their voices heard and share their solutions for turning things around. to participate in this nationwide effort, all you have to do is log on to americaspeakingout.com as we speak, thousands of ideas are percolating on the website. as part of the national conversation, republicans have proposed better solutions to provide the fiscal discipline that economists say is needed to get americans working again. led by congressman paul ryan republicans on the house budget committee, have identified more than $1.3 trillion in washington spending that we can cut right now. from canceling unspent stingless funds and tarp money to freezing

government pay and hiring. these common-sense proposals recognize that what our economy needs is more private sector jobs and not more public-sector programs. of course, this is just a start. much more needs to be done to make sure that washington has gone on its last spending spree. their steps we can take right now to demonstrate to taxpayers at home and allies abroad that america is serious about getting its fiscal house in order. when congress returns in september, speaker pelosi should bring in our proposed spending cuts to the floor for immediate consideration. even if the powers that be in washington do not support it, they should at least provide those of us who do with a chance to give the american people the to give the american people the common sense