this country to get access to preventive care. it is about an extreme ideological stronghold on the other side that has said, "we are not going to let your family gets a paycheck next week or keep our hearts open or have businesses or fha loans go because we want to take away basic privilege for women in this country for access to basic health care. we stand today united as a caucus across ideological lines. men and women from every region. to say, "not on our watch." we agree we need to cut the deficit. we have compromised and compromised, and we are to a number that some of us will have to swallow darn hard knowing the consequences of that. we understand the debt and deficit in getting our spending in line, but no one in this country should be given the tremendous choice of you will

not have a job on monday unless you give away women's rights in this country. as a caucus, we stand together and say no. >> could you elaborate on something you said -- you set at one point, there were negotiations last night that the vice president got a little exasperated. what does it say about the state of negotiations that a man who does not often gets flustered was listed last night? >> and joe biden does not often get flustered, but he was damn mad. \ the number was agreed upon. president has had at least one conversation with the speaker, and it should not be over the

so-called title 10, and that is what it is, and that is too bad, and that is why joe got upset. >> by my count, democrats and republicans and held at least five press conferences so far today to blame each other. if we're this close to a deadline, should you not be in a room together trying to come to agreement? am i don't i wish. >> why are you not? >> all we need for them to say is that the agreement that we made last night it will be fulfilled. >> can you elaborate on that? we do not know what the agreement was. >> i told you what the agreement was. we agreed on a number. i told you that earlier today. the number was [inaudible] >> [inaudible] >> remember, there is no question about the number.

everybody understand that. the number is 78. it was agreed upon last night. >> this is there is no number. is he telling the truth? >> the speaker has been saying this for a long time. i have the greatest confidence that john boehner is having a difficult time in his caucus. i will give him that. but that does not mean that we cannot have an agreement when an agreement was reached. i did not know what happened last night, but at 4:00 in the morning, i got an e-mail saying that they tried, but the back of the number that we agreed to. >> [inaudible] >> what we are trying to do now -- i have talked to senator mcconnell a couple of times, and what we are trying to do is work something out. the senate floor can be a labyrinth, and we need to try to work our way through that.

i hope that maybe we will hear from the house republican leadership soon, that the number we reached last night was done, and they have moved off title 10. once agreement is made, we can put a bill before you. if no agreement is made, we will have a number of competing resolutions. procedurally this time, with all the necessities of getting 60 votes, it will be hard to do that, so i hope that in fact if the republicans and house cannot agree to what they agreed to, then what we will have to do is see if we can come up with a unanimous consent request to have votes on very short-term funding measures for the country. one last question. >> [inaudible]

>> the date change for weeks funding the government, and it would take care of the troops. >> are all riders stripped out of the bill? >> micro back here has said that i should give you a little more information on 78. the agreement last night that was made was to maintain the number that we had with discretionary spending and increase mandatory spending. that was the agreement made last night. that got to 78. >> [inaudible] >> we have a short-term cr that keeps the government functioning, but also, it has taken care of our troops. >> are there any spending cuts

in the short term cr? >> what about riders related to the epa? are those in our out? >> [inaudible] >> senate majority leader harry reid and his democratic caucus from about 2:00 p.m. eastern. the senate continues talking about the budget, and we expect to hear from senator reid again, possibly at 8:00 p.m. this evening. you can follow that on c-span2. where do things stand with negotiations? on certain, but there is some reporting on that at this hour. choctaw -- nbc's chuck todd. waiting to see if the u.s. house will double back in this evening if needed. showing you next, after the

house finished their legislative work for the day, the democratic with spoke to reporters briefly outside the house in statuary hall to talk about the status of negotiations and discussions as of about 3:30 eastern this afternoon. >> hello. how are you? all the best to you as well. we are here just hours before the government is going to run out of authority, and that we will keep the country running. we just lost, unfortunately, one more opportunity to keep the country being served by the government, and we are now waiting to see what will happen next. my understanding from almost all the parties involved is that we have reached agreement on a number. we have reached agreement on cutting spending, and, frankly, democrats have gone 70% of the way towards making a compromise

with our republican colleagues. the only thing that seems to be hanging as of now is the president has made it very clear he is not going to cut services for women's health. and that seems to be issued that is stopping putting the government back in action, serving the american people after midnight tonight. i am hopeful that we can reach agreement, and we are certainly working towards that end. >> do you have any plans tonight with the president? >> i think talks are ongoing by staff as we speak. >> how involved are the house democratic leaders? >> i think the leadership office of the speaker is involved. the speaker is involved. i think his staff is involved. mr. reid and his staff are

involved here and the president is involved. i think those of the three parties most intimately involved. >> the question we have all been asking of why is it that there is an agreement on spending, and the speaker says there is not, and is there? >> my supposition is both are accurate. whatreid believes that there has been an agreement on a number that would be acceptable. the speaker believes that until there is an agreement on all items, there is not an agreement on any items, so i think both are correct in that sense. >> is there a sense of where the cuts will come from? >> i do not know the answer to that. i do know that there is -- from what senator reid tells me, i believe there is generally a number for cuts that would be

part of an agreement. >> [inaudible] around title 10 itself, whether they like continue to operate? is that under discussion? >> i have not been in the discussions, so i did not want to characterize them particularly, other than to say the president has made it clear that he does not want to undermine health services for women under title 10. again, i do not want to speak for him, but it is my view that that probably would be inconsistent with what he thinks ought to be our policy. i want to say something on this. the answer is yes, and i will get there. i want to make this clear, which i have made clear to a number of people, and i said it on the

floor. we have these kinds of differences between president bush and the democrats who controlled the congress of united states. never once did we shut down government. the reason being because we understood that the american people has of elected a republican president who disagreed with some of our thoughts, and a democratic house and a democratic senate. but we had to come to agreement. we had to come to compromise if the government was to work properly. not because we like a particular provision, but because we knew that you have to accommodate both sides and come to a compromise, a compromise clearly implying and meaning and being that you do not get 100%. we have moved, we think, a long way because we agreed that we need to cut spending, get spending under control, and we have come 70% of the weight and more towards agreeing with what republicans said their initial

objective was, and that was to cut spending. we have done that. at no time that i heard during the debate in the campaign was that we would cut spending if the president will agree with some of our social policies. that was never part of the debate. and we ought to move on now that we have, i think, come very close to an agreement on numbers, get a continuing resolution so that this country will not be put at risk of having the economy damaged, jobs lost, and people not served. >> last question, thank you. >> based on what you know, and assuming the president will not budge on the title 10 issue, how many democrats do you think will be able to support this in the in? >> i do not know the answer to that question, and the reason is because i do not know the contents of the agreement. until i know the contents of the agreement, i have some general idea, but i really do need to know what the construct of the

agreement will be. >> do you think you will feel comfortable with it? >> understand, i have not seen the contents of the specific cuts that will be included to get to the 70%-plus number that is being discussed. as a result, until i know what the contents are, is difficult for me to say what the number is. i have said that if i think we will be comfortable, we will not like the number, and we think it will hit the economy and job creation, the commission -- the president was a commission on deficit reduction said that, that we needed to go much more slowly than republicans want to go in order not to undercut a fragile but recovering economy, a slowly growing economy, too slowly growing, but never the less glowing, so until i see the contents, i cannot make a judgment on that, but i think we will, hopefully, be able to,

assuming the president and senate are in agreement, i am hopeful we can pass something through the house. thank you. >> senate democratic whip steny hoyer. the house came in today to pass some legislation that would repeal the fcc's ruling on that neutrality. senate is in this evening. they have been in all day long since about 11:00 eastern, talking about 2011 spending. on c-span, we have been bringing you some of the key briefings we have covered today. any live briefings that will come up, we will try to bring this to you as well and take more of your thoughts and comments on our phone lines. phone lines are open again .

make sure you mute your television, and if you have called in the last month and got on the air, please let others call in and get on this evening here first, greg from colorado springs. caller: i'm in the military, and we were just told today that paychecks were cut. i have my 1-year-old son in my lap right now, and i cannot go get another job. what are we supposed to do? i understand it is unfortunate for all of us, all government employees. but especially, we have to go to work on monday. >> because you are an essential employee, correct? caller: correct. host: will you be paid for

coming in to work? caller: we will not get paid. outpace stops as of today. -- our state stops as of today. we will be paid back. but i am a low ranking person in the military. what do i do? i live paycheck to paycheck. all year, i have been watching c-span a lot lately, and all i hear is "is the other guys' fault" and this and that. too much time is focused on blame and not on the real issue, which is get it done. host: how long have you been in the military? caller: three years. host: thanks for watching. good luck. democrats line. caller: i would like to say, just to agree with a lot of other callers, we really just need to get to the real issues and everyone come together and make decisions. i'm a government employee. i am considered non-essential,

so if there is a shot down, i will not be going into work. this is one of those things where federal employees, military employees, we are not the ones who should be used as an example when there are situations to where there cannot be agreements made between all party lines. i just think that agreements need to be made. if there are other issues that get tabled, then those issues become table, and you just move on with the budget. the economy is really now a bit fragile, but it is really now coming back up. if you look at the amount of jobs that have been created in the private sector, this is because of people who are out there working and other things being generated because of people able to fuel the economy. so this will be a step back, and i do not think anyone wants to do a step back right now. democrats, republicans, and what, stepping back from where

we are trying to go. then, we have to look at how we are going to handle our fiscal 2012. the situation now is 2011. there is only six months left in the 2011 budget. september 30 will be here before you know it. we do not want to repeat history and be faced with this situation again, so we have to look at what is important, prioritize that, and decide that we want to see our economy grow. we want to reduce the deficit. so let's look at that and put all contrary issues aside. >> the whole 2012 procedure got started this week. they introduced the budget, republicans did, in the house, and they approved it in the budget committee. do you have any hope that the process this year will be smoother than it has been for 2011? >> i am really hoping so.

it does not really seem it is going to be because it seems we are going to continue to have all sides trying to get their way. the thing about it is everyone is not going to be totally happy with the final decisions, but in the interests of the economy, in the interests of the american people, that would be put as a priority again because we are wanting to take our country up to another level. we had some hard times. these have been some very hard times. and it is not because of, i think, who is in charge. we have got to stop pointing the fingers at who is in charge and saying that this is the reason why we are in this situation, and let's look forward and the like, "ok, what can we do to not repeat this type of situation again but just continue to move forward?" i'm hoping that something for

2012 has been presented. i am hoping that it is something that is fair, something where everything will be looked at, and it is not just one party trying to push their own agenda. >> appreciate the input. tyrone mentioned issues being table for 2011. the big issue according to most reports and speeches is the it is funding for planned parenthood. there was a news report we read to you a short while ago about a possible breakthrough. that from steven dennis of roll call. el paso, texas, is our next caller. david on our independent line. >> yes, sir. i am also in the military, and i have to say, the way congress is represented to us is

terrible. republicans are complaining about minor issues that only affect a fraction of the population. they should be looking at the country as a whole. 300 million people, and then we see 5 million women. what about my wife? what about my center the child? -to-be child? i have made two sap rises, one in iraq, one in afghanistan. i am about to make a third. they need to be doing the same thing. host: thanks for your call as well. the president's former adviser and still campaign adviser was in chicago yesterday, speaking at the city club, and an event we are going to show you sunday night on our "road to the white house" program. he was asked about the possibility of a government shutdown. here is what he had to say.

>> possible government shutdown. the republican party and newt gingrich back when i was in d.c., appeared to have been clearly punished by the public back then. a couple of times now, a clear impact of the key parties, media like fox news. is that all the certain to you from a possible shutdown actually most hurts? second, the question is if there is a deal, is it a matter of who gets back to the microphone first and claims victory? them a first of all, i think we make a mistake in politics all the time. in politics, government, and journalism, to look at what happened before and assume everything will happen in just the same way. it really ever does. every situation is different. this one is as well. times are different. we have a fragile recovery right now that is moving forward, but

a shutdown would not be helpful. i think the public consciousness on issues of spending are different now, perhaps then they were then. there are obvious parallels, but the important thing is we should not be thinking about it in terms of who it helps and who it hurts politically. it is bad for the country to have a shot down. some of the dynamic in washington and in what i call america and how different they are. people out here are not viewing the issues in terms of who benefits, republicans or democrats. they are not looking at who is going to score points for lose points. they just want us to get our job done. they want us to do the work. frankly, the president has been very focused on trying to work through this in a reasonable way. as you know, he ultimately met

the republicans more than half way on this. the problem here is that you have a group of republicans who have attached riders to the budget that are, frankly, ideological in nature, zeroing out planned parenthood, gutting environmental protection agency. these have no place in this budget debate, and they have become obstacles to solving it. >> david axelrod yesterday in chicago. we will show all of that to use ended at 6:30 eastern. the tweets keep coming in. a couple of more calls here. tom is in san francisco on our republican line. caller: thank you for taking my

call. i have been working in the hospital, and harry reid is selling a bunch of lies to the american public, and i will tell you why. we get the same services in hospitals. we have medicare, medicaid, metical -- medical. this is making somebody else rich in planned parenthood. we do not need them. we are here to save some money. we have hospitals that do the same thing. why do we have to have overlapping services and pay them separately? and they make money. it is not about women's health issues. we are not denying any woman held. the other thing that i would like to say is the clinics. they do not have them. they are overlap services. this is the start of the beginning of a budget fight, and if we are going to fight this

hard for $38 billion, what is going to happen when we get the fight for $330 billion? this is the start of a fight to save our country. we have got to cut out the wasted tax dollars in this government that spends money over and over and over and waste at -- and wastes it. there is no women's issues. that is a democratic smoke and mirrors ploy to take away from the real issue, which is deficit. thank you very much for my call. host: you bet. parker heights, texas. democratic color. caller: yes, i have been enjoying listening to the commons, and the one thing i knew when the tea party came in is that they would be able to influence the republican party. john boehner does have his work cut out for him, and a lot of the callers along with congress

are playing the blame game, saying democrats should have done this or should have done that. but if you are the party that can govern with professionalism and with the knowledge that you have, why not get in and solve the problems that the democrats did not do? let us see you do that, and everyone stop playing the blame game. there's too much expense for this country. we need to grow up, the professional. know what we need to do, and walk in and do it. simple as that. of course we will have disagreements, but work them out. it should not take this long to do that. thank you very much for taking my call. >> the blame game, a phrase that has been used several times, including here.

as lawmakers pressed for a government shutdown at midnight. the familiar with the talks and negotiations were at staff levels this afternoon. no further meetings at the white house was scheduled. one more call here from las vegas. gerald on our independent line. go ahead. caller: thank you very much for accepting my call. i cannot even comprehend what has been going on with our government. never really been into the politick issue. i am just looking at the fact in a good old-fashioned american. right now, it does not matter who has the money, with the blame is going. the fact is that americans are hurting. america needs help. i do have one question for both parties -- in the middle of this los that when the government is shut down, what about our armed forces that are overseas fighting, and their families are

here, and in the process of them bickering among some one another trying to figure this out, what about the terrorist attacks that we could possibly go under if we do not have sources to pay our military to protect us during this little spat that they are playing over money? at the end of the day, no matter how much money we have, it is the livelihood and the life that we live and the joy that we share while we live. that is the american dream that i remember. i really do appreciate you taking my call. my prayers go out to everyone in america and throughout the world as well as those in the senate, congress, and in the white house and all of america. i am definitely one praying that we can work this out and figure out the fact that we need the moral structure back in america. >> thanks for your call as well and all of your calls. we hope to have more as the

evening goes along. the issue of contention, one of the big issues of contention is this policy rider on planned parenthood, in particular the one attached to the short-term continuing resolution yesterday passed by the house. here it would bar the district of columbia for using funds appropriated by the bill to pay for abortions. you'll hear a lot more about this in the next briefing with senate democratic women from midafternoon today. it runs about half an hour. kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

>> after weeks of being told that the continuation of funding for this government was about to budget cuts and deficits and spending. now we find out at the 11th hour, hours before the government shuts down, that is not what it is about. it is about funding for women's health care. the one open item left is about women's health care. that is now what this is about. we are here to say that we are not going to allow them to use women as pawns at the end of a critical debate when this country is waiting to move on. across the country, thousands of families are worried about the economy, their jobs, the budget deficit, the future. what they are not worried about is whether or not their young

daughter or the woman next door can get access to preventive health care when she needs it. we are not going to allow that to be taken away. we will stand strong and we believe strongly that women's health care should not be a pawn in this debate. this is extremely important 5 million american women depend on these health care services. you will hear from my colleagues themselves about how this money is used in a very important way. what is so offensive is that after weeks of debates about budget cuts, and these are tough cuts that we will be asked to swallow, that is not what it is about. it is about cutting women's health care. that is extremely offensive. i will turn it over to our senior democratic women's center, so proud stood up for women time and time again. she has been a beacon of light. kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

>> 800,000 americans are going to be furloughed, liz their paycheck, hundreds of thousands of business is not getting their loans and jeopardize in -- jeopardize in our economy, not because of the debate over cuts, but because the republicans continue to want to push a radical agenda against women. one of the most outstanding issues is not about money, and how to achieve a more frugal government, it isn't about the defunding of planned parenthood.

this has no impact on the budget. it has no impact on the deficit or the debts. what it does reduce is opportunities for women. it does not reduce federal spending we are opposing that just as we have fought radical agenda. what is so troubling is that the democrats have always made significant steps and compromises over the money we are now 75% at where they wanted to cut the budget. we made that. be made cuts -- taking it out of discretionary funding. there is more to go and there is future debate on that. but where we will not go is eliminating the health care for women. this entire debate has included children -- throwing children

under the bus. now the defunding of planned parenthood in my own state will affect over 70,000 people. 10,000 women in my state have gotten breast cancer exams. they did serve ago cancer exams. 90% of the planned parenthood money is spent on women's health care and a lot of it is spent on preventive health care. it ranges from diabetic management bread i could tell a story after story. the story i wanted talc is the radical agenda by the republicans. they are not going after us in the planned parenthood defunding, if you look at what they did, they cut funding for prenatal care by $50 million. 31 children will not get maternity and child health care -- and they wanted defund health care generally. the biggest amendment and the

health care bill was over preventive health care. we had the fight when they went to take our mammograms away from us. they want to take our mammograms away from us, are prenatal care away from us, they want to take away counseling and family planning away from us. we just say no. they say they want to be adults. we would welcome an adult conversation. i had been waiting for days, weeks, and mine. of you can find an adult over there, i am happy to meet with them. i would like to turn it over now to a another champion of women's -- champion of women and champion for trying to find a way forward in this very tough negotiation. the senior senator from california. >> thank you. i cannot believe it.

here we are, at 12 hours until the united states government shutting down, causing enormous dislocation. as chairman of the intelligence committee, i can tell you there are thousands of contractors. i ran into one the other night he said, i have 700 people, we're going to be shut down. there is a whole part of this that has never been measured that is going to be astronomically hurtful to the united states. ok. what is this over? it is over when and help. the numbers have been agreed to. it is an opportunity for the right wing in the house to really sock it to women. i do not usually used this

language, but i really believe this is true. here is the fact print under the amendment, which is law, federal funds cannot be spent for abortions except in the instances of the life of the mother or a rape and. what they are very crafty about is aiming for the broad programs where some private dollars may go for abortion services, but the bulk of other dollars go for preventative health care. more than 90% of the care provided by planned parenthood is preventative this means affordable contraception for 2.5 million patients. nearly 1 million cervical cancer screenings. 830,000 breast exams. 4 million tests and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, including half a

million hiv tests. it is what the government should be doing break the services provide the necessary preventive health care, including education, cancer screenings, annual exams, and hiv testing, a smoking cessation, flu vaccines, and dwelt baby care. in my state, it is -- it has saved 581 million in public funds in 2008. programs prevented 406,000 abortions nationwide in 2008 alone. 83,600 of those were prevented in california. they want to shut it down. how does this make sense? these cuts are biased, politically motivated, they hurt when an, and we will not let it happen. just remember, 12 hours to shut

down and what is at stake is not the amount of cuts. it is the ability of american women to get health care service. i would like to introduce my great friend and colleague senator barbara boxer. >> thank you. >> the clock is ticking toward a shutdown and i was reminded that when a shutdown occurs, a lot of people did not quite know where the hurt goes. i still remember visiting the area around yosemite national park. on any given day, we have about 8 and rebels in the blue go to our national park. the small businesses -- 800,000 people who go to our national park. that is what keeps the small

businesses alive. especially in the spring. our people lost over $200 million in those counties. this is a serious moment and to think that this government could shutdown because there is a group of people in the house who are so extreme that they would stop these programs is extraordinary. we are determined to draw the line in the sand. there are moments when he must do that and this is one of those moments. you can see it on the faces of my colleagues. here is the deal. the signs the title can lock into law? richard nixon -- who signed the title 10 law into law?

what is going on? how far have these republicans moved when the mainstream of their own party? you have to ask, why would they want to stop health care for 5 million americans? why would they want to deny cancer screenings to women? annual exams, aids testing. men availed themselves of the services so they can get tested to see about their status. birth control to people do what it, counseling if someone is infertile, how can they help? how can they have a child? i can only answer my own question in this way.

my republican colleagues are more interested in playing to their extremist supporters who care more about its curtain women's health care by reducing the deficit. -- correcting women's health care by reducing the deficit. we have heard a lot about planned parenthood. planned parenthood gets about 25% of the funding. they serve about a third of the people on title 10. the rest to other clinics. i want to mention a couple in california. i want my call -- republican colleagues to contact them today. why don't they find out how their ideological attack on women held plays out on the ground? when they have to turn people away i think john's? why don't they contact the good samaritan family resources in san francisco and to the good work they do?

and then take another look at this? they want to contact our savior center. 4500 clinics get this funding. 4500 clinics, about a quarter go to planned parenthood. the rest go to other family clinics. what they would learn if they did contact these people is that these people who are doing this work are heroes. we heard from the women who -- as lives were saved because they had a lump detected in the breast or a pass near came back and it was suspicious and that health care. for half of the people who use these family centers, this is their only source of health care. if we look determined comment if

we look of sats, we are. -- if we look of such, we are. we're fighting for the women of this country. it is an honor to introduce a real fighter for health care and for families. >> thank you very much. kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk >> the people of michigan are scratching their heads and wondering what is going on. their houses are under water. they see the politics going on here in washington, which feels very budge like politics as usual. the focus on defending women's health care is a complete political distraction from the budget, up from finalizing the budget. it is a complete distraction from what we really need to talk about, which is jobs.

that is what people in michigan want us to talk about, the ability for them to go back to work. for them to be able to have the incomes they need to be able to take care of their families. that is what they want us to be working on. republicans are now playing pure politics with the budget. are they really planning to shut down the government and hold middle-class families and veterans disability benefits hostage in order to stop women from getting cancer screenings? and blood pressure tests? really? is that what this has come to? this reminds me of the debate that i was involved in over maternity care. when there was an effort to take basic prenatal care and maternity care out of the definition of basic health care

for insurance. we all stood together and we said no and -- and said no bread -- and said no. we all came together on behalf of women and that is part of health care. it is past time to come together and find -- and finally agree on a budget so that we can focus on the issues affecting real families every day. it is time to get back to a relentless focus on jobs. it is my pleasure to introduce a great friend and champion and cohort on the finance committee with me. >> thank you, daddy. it is great to be here with my women colleagues. -- thank you, debbie.

these women are a mighty line of defense against cutting planned parenthood. america that is hurting. we need to be focusing on job creation. yes, we need a budget that says that we can live within our means. this is not a budget impasse on fiscal issues. this is a budget stalemate on those who will not budge, so their social agenda is jammed through congress. it is not in the mainstream view of america to cut planned parenthood. what people are proposing is an extreme view at the 11th hour. planned parenthood is about public health and about prevention. let's remember that public health services act was signed into law by president nixon with strong bipartisan support and it was the first and only comprehensive federal program dedicated to family-planning and

nationwide services. it is an integral part of an infrastructure for health care for over 5 million low-income women and men. the 39 planned parenthood center is in my staked have got -- serve over 130,000 patients annually. they administer test for over 170,000 infectious diseases break for every public dollar that invest in the family planning clinics, it's as the public for dollars in medicare related cost. make no mistake about this. this is not a budget impasse. this is a -- this is about those who will not budge unless there extreme social agenda it's jammed through congress. we are standing here with the mainstream american view that we will fight to continue to have a

good public health services provided that saves us money in the long run. it's about doing the right thing. i want to turn it over to my colleague. >> thank you very much. thank you for your leadership great today, i was supposed to be in minnesota. they're fighting floods. they have packed millions and millions of sandbags and our students at a school, a senior standing by the river. that is where i should be today. instead, we are sitting here. how do think those people feel when they do not even know at the federal government will be in business tomorrow? they know that people will keep going -- fema will keep going. that is just wrong. i held back my vote last year on

the debt ceiling so we could get art commission established. i am glad that i did that. there is serious were going on, but never did i think i would be standing here over politics instead of what we should be doing, which is a long-term budget solution for this country. these are the facts. in minnesota, funding provides nearly 300,000 women and millions more nationwide with vital preventive health services. it also met with breast, cervical cancer screenings, education and proper help and preventative service action. o while ago, i was going for the metal detector line. there was a deputy sheriff standing there and she looked at me and said, those guys are not going to be messing with my birth control, are they? i made a commitment that they would not be messing with her birth control. that is what we are standing up

here today, all the women in the senate on the democratic side to say, they are not going to mess with burk control. this is about a budget issue, not politics. the great senator from the state of north carolina. >> thank you, amy. none of us got elected to shut the government down. here we are at the 11th hour actually talking about that. not only that, we have come together on the numbers from a budgeting standpoint and yes, it is women's health care that brings us to the table. in north carolina, we are the most military friendly state and nation and so many of our military men and women, their families in north carolina are wondering, are we going to get paid? what will happen? we are active right now into wars. we have 100,000 soldiers in afghanistan.

their families are concerned correct i pledge to them that we will definitely be sure that they get paid on time. once again, here we are at the 11th hour. the debate being on women's health care? we have close to 70,000 federal employees in north carolina. look at the national parks, look at the people want to apply for social security. both employees are wondering, do i get to go to work on monday? what will happen to all the people that we help? all of those issues are of concern to some many people in our country. it is high time that we seriously lead the way these divisive policy riders. and they can not disrupt the process. we are all concerned about a

long-term date -- dead facing our nation. we know that we have to come to terms on that, but that is not going to happen at the 11th hour trade we have to begin the discussion and we have to leave this kind of politics to another day. i would also like to introduce the senator from new york. >> i am very proud to stand there with my colleagues on this issue. the last election was about the economy. how will we come together to solve these very tough problems? we have an agreement between the house and the senate and leadership on a number. we know what number we can reach together. but we will not come together and solve these problems because the radical republicans refused to do so. they have put their ideological agenda before american families. this is not about abortion.

federal money does not pay for abortions in this country. what they are cutting in this bill are safety nets for port at risk women. prenatal care, early detection of aristide, all the kind of safety nets that keep our families save. this is unacceptable and we will draw the line. >> let me make this clear. we know we have to keep the government open trade we are concerned about the millions of americans will be impacted. we are not going to throw when and under the basket to give them an agreement to keep this government open. that is not what this debate is about. q a for the frustration, the reality. that is where we are. >> is it your understanding that house republican opponents of planned parenthood believes that

the federal money is coming gold -- coming gold and it is a legitimate approach to show their opposition to abortion valid? >> you have to ask them what their -- how they use their rhetoric. the vast majority of this funding goes for preventive care. the vast majority of those two organizations beyond planned parenthood. 75%. the fact is that what they are saying to us today is if you want to keep the federal government open, you have to throw women under the boss. we are not going to do that. >> we had 90% of planned parenthood's money was used for abortion and & for health care. i am not so sure that they know

exactly what they're doing other their credit they are telling you as a member of the press that this money it all goes to planned parenthood, that is incorrect. let's be clear. 75 percent of it goes to other organizations. they are listed, you can see them. there are 4500 different clinics, a quarter of which are run by planned parenthood. let's not confuse the american people. the item -- not one single dime can be used for abortion. >> may i say something? this is a very crafty move on their part. they know that federal funding is illegal. what they will do is take down the whole infrastructure regardless of if the money is raised privately. said that you will not have

first-class clinics for women to go to. that is what we object to. we cannot let when int gets thrown under -- women get thrown under the bus. i remember what life was like 40, 50 years ago for women in this country. this would be destroyed at the republicans are successful. >> look at what we are talking about here. we are talking about the a-word. i want to talk about the j-word. jobs, jobs, jobs. they then change the topic to

the radical approach to the budget. it was radical because -- $1 billion for head start. $50 million for prenatal care. they change the topic from jobs since they did not know how to do it. then they said, we are going to fight to bring down the debts and the deficit. that has not worked out because to their surprise, we had specific achievable way to go to a more pro-government since they lost that fight, they wanted change the topic so that all we're talking about is a radical agenda. you will need to ask questions about what is planned parenthood, is that 90%? they are changing the subject. let's get back to what we are talking about. how do avoid a shutdown.

focus on thee budget. let's reduce spending. .et's vote this afternoon for all of their radical rhetoric, we can vote on that later on tomorrow. we can vote on sunday. they will put it in with a small business -- do not put it in would small-business loans. do not put it in with cancer research. do not put it in at all. do not let them change the subjects. media, do not be sucker punched into a ball and bat line of debate. -- punched into falling back line of debate. >> i am going to play devil's advocate here. >> that is shocking. [laughter]

>> i do not even think we should answer that question. this is not about yosemite. this is about hundreds of thousands of people do need services that are going to be denied. this is about military, people serving in iraq and afghanistan you are not going to get their checks. this is about people that may not make their house payment. this is what this is about. the number has been achieved, you see. the government does not need to close because from what we have understood, we have met their number. it is above 70 billion. we are prepared to do that. ira michele bachmann say and i

assume she knows what the number is, unless we repeal obama care in this bill, we cannot vote for this bill. that is where we are going with this. women's health is one part of it. >> you are asking that question is exactly why we are so angry. no woman in this country should be asked a question of, do you want to close a park, give us your health care. no woman should be asked that. >> we do not have to close yosemite present we do not have to furlough one person. we do not have to do any of this. we have a deal on the numbers. this is about cutting the deficit. it is done. to bring in this whole other agenda is absolutely extreme,

radical, a surge, and we're going to say to the american people, you need to judge. we of that their numbers. we have done what they had to do. this is about -- this is a lot like was concentrated >> what is your biggest concern about the economic impact of a shutdown? >> the government should not shut down. we have come to an agreement. the government should not shut down tonight. we believe that if they take this issue off the table, it will stay open. that is what should happen. that is what i will say to my children, somebody getting a loan, that is what i would say 200 and hundred of government employees. we are here and ready to keep the government open. we've made considerable

concessions, but we have drawn a line in the sand. >> there is a proposal that the money could be sent to states. >> we should not be held hostage right now. there are people in washington state -- they will probably have a higher foreclosure rate this year than last year. we are not out of this economic mess. these are people do need help. we are going to shut down the government because the senate would shut down the government because unless we continue to fund the largest abortion provider in america? that is not about fiscal policy. that is not about reaching a number. that is extreme that republican and used in the house saying that is what they need to have before they will vote for a budget. that is holding hostage americans that are trying to keep living in their homes.

bearable -- they are holding back economic recovery all because of an extreme social view that they are demanding that the house at year to or they will not vote for a budget. we cannot afford that in america. these are not even in the mainstream view of america. they cannot reengineer the social agenda in america by jamming at the 11th hour on something as important as the women's health. >> the deal is done. we are ready to keep the government open. we will not do it at the expense of women held. -- women's help. -- health. >> one of a number of briefings held today with the short-term 2011 federal spending bill

expiring at midnight tonight. that briefing from about midday today. later in the afternoon, house republican women spoke to reporters about negotiations over 2011 spending. it runs about 15 minutes. >> four months ago, i gave birth to a little girl. she was born zero and $45,000. her share of the national debt will double to $90,000. no mom runs a family budget this way and there should the federal

government. the fact of the matter is none of us want a government shutdown. the time has come for us all to have a different -- an adult conversation about what we need to do. with me today are my fellow when republicans from the house. they will all share a little perspective. >> i am from west virginia. i want to reiterate what cathy gist said. none of us want the government shut down. what we want and what the argument is is about spending. there is nothing more important to the help of my granddaughter, my daughter, and every woman in america is good, sound fiscal policy that is not swallowed up by huge debt and deficit. back to me, that is about a

healthy america. >> i am from the state of illinois. probably one of the most bankrupt states. we have to get the states, the country back on track. we are facing an economic disaster where in a few years, we have one, two, three, four years or we will reach the tipping point. we cannot shut down the government. we have to continue to push for economic growth and create the jobs not go we will not do that by shutting down the government. we have to move forward now. we have to cut the spending. this is what this is all about. is not about some other issue that those in the senate on the other side keep talking about.

what is on the table is how we will cut the spending. we cannot spend the money that we do not have. we have got to allow people to be able to have the money in their pockets to increase the economy. >> good afternoon. i'm from alabama second district. i want to mention to you that my two children. that is what this debate is about. is about the state that we leave this country for our children. we have a responsibility to make it better. it is about cutting spending. is about the next generation. is not about the next election. >> i am from cincinnati, ohio. every single day, moms and dads and around the kitchen table and decide what kind of money they have for their families.

with the rising price in gasoline, they're finding their paychecks smaller and smaller. they have to make tough decisions on how they will feed their family. that is the decision that we have to make here in. as we sit around our kitchen table in the chamber of the house, what are we going to do about this link debt and deficit. the american public expects us to do the same thing they do every single day. that is cut the unnecessary spending in washington. that is what this debate is about. that is what it needs to be about. i believe that both sides will come to the realization that what is best for the help of our nation is to stop the unnecessary spending and to do now. >> i am from north carolina. malls across my district have been calling our office dealing

with these issues that we are faced with right now. they're very worried about the fact that the government is going to shut down. back, in their own budget, they've been trying to cut as much as possible. they have been trying to provide for their families camp of they have been trying to provide for their futures. now faced with this shut down, we have military wives who are wondering how they will be able to feed their children throughout the next week. the senate needs to pass hr1. it needs to do it today. the issue is the spending. we need to come to an agreement, we need to put that certainty back into americans' lives so we can get this country back in order of. i got into this fight because i had a 15-year-old son. i am a health-care professional and i was never on anybody's

health care -- i would never want anyone to go without. i will remain in this fight and we will all die together. as you can see this group of conservative women have come out to speak to clarify the situations. thank you. >> we will double up on north carolina. i think what the public has learned is that republicans are being responsible. we have presented the facts to the american people. the american people deserve to know the facts we have presented them. they understand that we are in a fiscal crisis. we have to cut wasteful washington at spending and we need to do it now. we are unified in doing that. it is the issue before us and it is the issue that we're going to do with.

>> i am the congressman from tennessee. the reason why i'm here today is a family decision. that family decision came because of two things. what is because i'm a grandmother. i ask my children and my husband, what do you think? but the time for me to go to congress and fight not? fight to make sure we have a smaller government that spends the taxpayers' dollars well and get us out of this terrible debt that we are and, that will take a chance of leaving our grandchildren and a place where they will not know the united states that my husband and i grew up knowing. as a small-business person, i know what this reckless spending and the amount of taxes does not help to create jobs.

go out there and fight, at go fight for the small-business men and women. but the spending out of -- get the spending under control. stop the taxes so that we can bring this country back to its fiscal economy the we've had in the past. you do that by cutting spending. i am proud to be here today and to stand here with my colleagues to say, get your act together. we have given you for opportunities to cut the spending and get this country on the right track. >> i am from wyoming. yesterday, we sent to the senate a bill that would fund our troops so that men and women and their families who are making great sacrifices for this country would know that the end of the fiscal year, they would have the money they need. we also sent over $12 billion in cuts and an issue on d.c.

abortion. democrats have supported that in the past. these are all the things that democrats have supported in the past . yesterday, the president called back a distraction. that was a major piece of legislation for the house to pass in a way that gets us down the road. it was rejected out of hand by the president. today, democrats in the senate are trying to characterize or mischaracterized these discussions as about women's health. they are not about women's help. it is about economic help. the economic health of our nation. we will continue to fight for the deepest spending cuts that we can get to defend the economic health of this nation. >> i am from california and i

would like to say what an honor it is to be up here with these amazing when an. i think it is the first time we have all been together as a group. is pretty powerful and beautiful. why have we reached this point? americans want an answer and they deserve an answer. let's be honest about it. the democrats failed to pass a budget because of election year politics. there is a striking fundamental difference between the two parties when it comes to the size and scope of government. my thinking is guided by the growth of our national debt is simply unsustainable. we are going broke. we are fast approaching a point for all federal revenues would be consumed by interest on the national debt. every single penny of it. we should be making deep spending cuts right now to prevent that kind of financial

capacity and the future. i believe that americans want this, to. our national debt is growing by a staggering $4 billion a day. it is foolhardy to keep borrowing money for programs that we can no longer afford as a nation, no matter how well- intentioned. that is what this budget fight is all about. talf times required top choices. -- tough times required tough choices. it is time for washington to decide what we need as opposed to what we want. this debate is long overdue, but will leave us better off as a nation in the future. we have an obligation to our children and our grandchildren to get our house in order to

give them a fighting chance for prosperity. it is what we want to come a better world for our kids. we find ourselves now on the brink of a government shutdown. i hope we can avoid it. i want to avoid. i also want to restore sanity to government spending. that is what this fight is all about. thank you. >> good afternoon, everyone. i am from new york's 25th congressional district. it is an honor for me to stand here with my colleagues, the female members of congress. this is about two things. it is about cutting spending and is about doing what is right for our military. and i am in a military family caucused. think about that soldiers who died in the field defending our freedom of.

he is out there defending our freedom doing what he pledged he would do. the right thing for us to do, the writing for the senate to do, is to pass this cr so that no member of the military has to be worried about their wives and children back in the state's. we owe that to our military. the right thing to do is to pass this cr and fund the military until the end of the second year. i have six children, 11 grandchildren. i ran for the seat to preserve the american dream for them. this is what this is about. thank you very much. >> i am from missouri.

it is very sad that our president and harry reid have been awol on this issue. he has but men and women in harm's way onto and three fronts. we should not be using our military as political pawns in doing the right thing. that is to pass the budget and fund it. my philosophy stems from my background. i was a former teacher and a taut personal family finance and i would teach the high-school students how to balance a budget. you should not spend more than you take in. the high school kids could get that. i do not understand how people here in washington did not get that. we are borrowing 42 cents at of every dollar we spend. we are $14 trillion in debt and

yet we are haggling over whether to cut $60 billion this year or $20 billion. that is chump change. we are borrowing at $3.8 billion a day. even if we are able to get $62 billion in cuts, that is less than 20 days. i think it is very irresponsible of the senate to not take all the cuts they can get this year. if they truly care about our country. we are mothers. we are grandmother's. michael-year-old daughter -- my 12-year-old daughter says one thing, you are fighting for my future. thank you for doing it. i think that is what children and future generations will say to us. that is why we are standing strong today. thank you.

>> i am from florida. i want to echo my colleague's remarks. it is about our children and our grandchildren. we are fighting for their future. the opportunities we had, we want them to have those same opportunities. if we continue on this fiscal irresponsible pass, they will not have backed. we need to get our fiscal house in order. that is what we have done. 48 days ago, we sent over a budget, one that should have been done last year. we are looking to help protect this nation, let it grow stronger, and get our fiscal house in order so that our children will have the same opportunities, if not more. what we are asking for is to pass the bill. but our children and grandchildren have the same opportunities that we once enjoyed. thank you.

>> i am privileged to represent new york 19th district and i am honored to be with all of these fine women who care so much about their country and about our future together as americans. the house republican conference is fighting to keep our government open so that we can cut spending. the senate leadership is fighting to close the government so that they can keep spending. the american people elected us in november to be responsible, to use common sense, to stop spending money we do not have, money that needs to go back into their pockets. the message we have is that if

we do come to the point of the federal government shut down, it holdup.harry's he does not -- he cannot stand not to spend and that is a disgrace. >> i am from tennessee. we have a terrific group of women in our republican conference. many of you probably feel like moms andbeen to dthe grandmoms caucus today. we all feel as if we are protectors of that legacy. it is our job to make certain that our children and future

generations are going to enjoy that. we are going to continue this fight. you heard us repeatedly today say, we are in the fight. indeed, we are. we are in a fight to make certain that washington realizes it does not have the revenue problem, it has a spending problem. we are in a fight to end wasteful washington spending. we are in a fight to protect america's family from higher taxes and wasteful spending that has gone on for decades. we are in a fight to protect our children's futures. what is so amazing, the spending that takes place in this town is basically economic child abuse. what it is doing is tapping our children's future and giving it

to the nations that hold our debts. least -- we care too much to sit still and let that happen. we are here, if no one wants to lead the fight, we are intent to lead despite. thank you for being here. the floor is open for your questions. >> if overall spending cuts are your goals as the republican party? is it ideological? >> the house republicans have said that is about getting the lowest number possible. but we want money to be cut. we want to reduce the size of the federal government. we are responding to the demands of the american people. they want us to get our fiscal house in order. house republicans have made this about trying to get as much

spending cuts as possible. >> for planned parenthood, the abortion issue have all risen to a disproportionate share of the picture. >> folks on the other side are trying to distract all be by those issues. the bottom line is about cuts. it is about spending reduction. earlier today, we met with john boehner. he told us that they largely agreed on the policy issues with then the cr. it is about the level of spending. we are standing by our speaker in giving him the strength to negotiate. >> the state of play it seems to be from all of the extensive reporting that we're looking at something like $38 billion of. -- $38 billion. would you vote for that.

>> we do not note what we will see coming back to was. we will be going to cut every single dollar that we can cut. we're not stopping there. we want to -- we want to get onto a cutting the trillion. we know that in the rhine and budget, we are looking at $6.20 trillion. as you make those initial cuts, those savings are going to compound every single year. it will get us on the road to a balanced budget. >> what do you think about the number 38? >> we will see what comes back. is a hypothetical at this point. >> we are going to wait and see what comes back. >> i have been asked this question by a number of the media.

i am not going to say what i will vote on until after the measure is in front of me. we all know what happened with the most recent vote on this health care reform. we have to pass it before we know what is senate. it is irresponsible for us to stand here and say what we will and will not do. until the measure is in front of you, i think it is hypothetical to ask that question over and over again. i say it is a responsibility in. we cannot negotiate, talk about what it is that we're willing to do until it is in front of us. it has not been put in front of us yet. >> [inaudible] the want to respond directly to harry reid's comment. >> we have yet to see the senate passed a bill.

we are waiting for the senate to take action. >> harry reid is a listing planned parenthood as the reason. >> harry reid is not going to be able to fool the american people any longer. they can see through that because we have been giving them the facts. heat they will not by what he is saying. >> all of you, i think, voted for hr1. >> does someone want to respond to whether you support title to end funds on their own? >> this is about a package. with the trip funding, that is about a package. we cannot tell you what we are going to do until we see the next package. the senate is deflecting the

real issue, which is to cut the unnecessary spending in washington. you can continue to ask the question, but the answer is, cutting unnecessary spending in washington. that is what the people at the kitchen tables of america are watching us today. to put something else out there and saying that is the only reason we can receive a deal is absolutely wrong. we are challenging harry reid to pass something. let's see what you have got so we can respond. >> i am a pro-choice republican woman from california. there are three issues on the table right now, spending, more spending, and too much spending. that is all it is about. >> thank you, everyone. >> tonight on c-span, we

continue to cover the latest developments and show you the events of the day on a possible federal government shut down, now less than four hours away. we will star with remarks from house speaker john painter and minority whip steny hoyer. after that will show you a federal employee rally from today, and later a news conference, -- from congressional democratic women and republican women from the house as well. sources are saying that the white house and congressional negotiators have reached agreement on the policy riders in the funding measure but have not cut a deal. that is from politico. speaker john boehner on the possibility of a government shutdown. his comments are fairly brief.

>> good morning, everyone. there is only one reason that we do not have an agreement as yet, and that issue is spending. we are close to resolution on the policy issues, but i think the american people deserve to know when will the white house and when will senate democrats get serious about cutting spending? a bill that fails to include real spending cuts will hurt job growth and signal that washington is not serious about dealing with it spending addiction. i think the senate should follow the house lead and pass the true funding bill and do it today. i also believe the president should sign the troop funding bill into law. this is the responsible thing to do, to support our troops and to keep our federal government

open. thank you. [unintelligible] >> speaker john boehner from this morning at about 11:00. later in the day, we also heard from the democratic whip, steny hoyer. >> hello. we are here just hours before the government is going to run out of authority, and that we will keep the country running. we just lost one more opportunity to keep the country being served by their government, and we are now waiting to see what will happen next. my understanding, from almost all the parties involved is that we have reached agreement on a number. we have reached agreement on cutting spending, and frankly, we democrats have gone 70% of

the way towards making a compromise with our republican colleagues. it's things like that as early more than halfway. the only thing that seems to be hanging us up now is the president made it clear he is not going to cut services for women self -- women's health. that seems to be the issue that is stopping putting the government back in action, serving the american people after midnight tonight. i am hopeful we can reach agreement and we are certainly working toward that end. >> do you know of any other talks are plans tonight with the president? >> i think talks are ongoing by staff as we speak. >> how involved dark house democratic leaders? >> i think the leadership office of speaker is involved. i think his staff is involved, and the president is involved.

those are the party's most intimately involved in these talks. >> the question we have all been asking, why is it that harry reid says there is agreement on spending, and the speaker says there is not? >> frankly, my supposition is both are accurate. what harry reed believes is that there has been an agreement on a number that would be acceptable. the speaker believes that until there is an agreement on all items, there is not an agreement on any item. so i think both are correct in that sense. >> will the cuts be mandatary? >> i don't know the answer to that. i think from what senator reed tells me, what i believe, there is generally a number for cuts that would be part of an

agreement where an agreement could be reached. >> title 10 itself, whether the money might be block granted or operate in direct funding from the federal government. is that under discussion? >> i have not been in the discussion, so i don't want to characterize them particularly, other than to say the president has made it very clear that he does not want to undermine health services for women under title 10. i think the president -- i don't want to speak for him, but it is my view that that probably would be inconsistent with what he thinks ought to be our policy. i want to say something on this. the answer is yes. i want to make it clear. i have made it clear to a number of people, have said on the floor. we had these kind of

differences between president bush and the democrats who control the congress of the united states. never once did we shut down the government. we understood that the american people elected an american president who disagree with some of our thoughts. we had to come to agreement. we had to come to compromise if the government was to work properly, not because we liked a particular provision, but because we knew that you have to accommodate both sides and come to a compromise. a compromise clearly implying and meaning and being that you don't get 100%. we have moved a long, long way, because we agree that we need to cut spending, get spending under control. we have come 70% of the way and more towards agreeing with what the republicans said their initial objective was, and that was to cut spending.

we have done that. at no time that i heard during the debate in the campaign was that we will cut spending if the president will agree with some of our social policies. that was never part of the debate. we ought to move on now that we have come very close to an agreement on numbers. get a continuing resolution, so this country will not be put at risk of having the economy damaged, jobs lost, and people not served. >> based on what you know and assuming that the president will win the title 10 issue, how many democrats will be able to support that in the end? >> i don't know the answer to that question because i do not know the contents of the agreement. until i know the contents of the agreement, i have some general idea, but i really do need to know what the construction of the agreement

will be. >> do you feel comfortable with that was the title 10 issue is resolved? >> i understand, i have not seen the contents of the specific cuts that will be included to get to the 70% number that is being discussed. as a result, until i know what the contents are, it is difficult to say what the number is. i have said to mr. boehner that i think we can be comfortable, we will like the number, we think it will hurt the economy and job creation, the president's commission on deficit reduction said that we needed to go much more slowly than the republicans want to go in order not to undercut a fragile but recovering economy, a slowly growing economy, but nevertheless growing. until i see the contents of that, i cannot make a judgment on that. assuming the president is an

agreement, i am hopeful we can pass something for the house. thank you. >> the democratic whip, steny hoyer, from about 3:30 p.m. this afternoon. majority leader harry reid expected about 9:00 eastern with an update as the coverage of the possible federal government shutdown continues here on c- span, with a look today at the federal employees rallied from this afternoon. this is about 15 minutes. >> i want to thank everyone for being here. thank you for your participation, to all those who

sacrificed to serve the american people. i would like to welcome you. >> thanks to all of you. my name is susan johnson. i am the president of the american foreign service association. we are the professional association and union representing 28,000 foreign service personnel all over the world serving america today. we have 16,000 members, and i have several representatives of the different member agencies of the foreign service association that includes the u.s. agency for international development, the foreign commercial service, the foreign agricultural service, and the international broadcasting bureau. let's hear it for all of them.

they are great agencies serving the american people. [applause] and i want to say it is great to see all of you, despite all the gloomy weather forecast, which have not materialized. thank you. to feel the energy that you are bringing here and your commitment to service. i want to thank you for coming out by being here to express your support for public service and for public servants. [applause] we are here today also joined by our friends from the american federation of government employees, who represent our government, our colleagues in the civil service and the state department and other foreign affairs agencies. [applause] the men and women of our civilian agencies are dedicated

to patriotic service on behalf of the american people, just as our brothers and sisters in our military are. few may realize it, but according to the office of personnel management, between 1995 and 2007, 20085 federal civil servants and over 100 foreign service personnel have given their lives in the line of duty. we must never forget their sacrifice, either. we are here also to speak out about the importance of diplomacy and development and the work we do to protect our national security and to promote our national prosperity. we are here to urge our congress to come together as fellow americans to adopt a budget that will allow us to do our jobs protecting and promoting

american interests. [cheers and applause] a shutdown of our government would not just be a sorry spectacle here at home. it would not just be discouraging for hundreds of thousands of dedicated federal employees, or i should say millions of federal employees, and cause inconvenience to the people whom they serve. but we should also be mindful of how the world would look at this shutdown and of the leadership role that america wants and needs to play in global affairs. [applause] in times of trouble, as americans, and whatever our political parties, whatever our religion or economic status, whatever or color or ethnicity, we must come together and unite to meet the challenges that face us as a nation, not by shutting

down, but by working for america and americans. thank you. [applause] now, i would like to call on the vice-president from usaid to set couple of words. -- to say a couple of words. >> thank you very much, susan. i want to put this into a little perspective. when people think of federal workers, they don't put a face to the employee, but we are not faceless. we are patriotic people who work on behalf of the united states. this is both our civil service, people who support the program as well as former workers. we are what the rest of the world sees most often. we are working in over 100

countries around the world, representing the united states. when they see us, they see the united states. we fight for the security, the progress and health of the people we represent. we take this very seriously. like the military, we take risks. we take our families with us, and we lived in environments that are difficult. for us, a shutdown would be an interruption of our work, and it would be a waste, not just for us but for the country, our country. so what i am asking is for your support. remember what we want to do is this. we want to serve our country, and that is why we are here. let's not waste our time and our money and resources. this shutdown is not a good thing. thank you very much. [applause]

>> i would like to introduce tony bishop. >> good afternoon. first of all, i want to just say that i am proud to be standing here with my colleagues, and i want to get across the point that today, we do not stand as foreign service employees or civil service employees. we stand here today as government employees. if i had to put together the questions being asked of me by my civil service employees, it would become a white must we, that work around the hill, so for the adverse consequences of those who work on top of the hill? we need to get together, get the budget passed, and move on with the business of america. thank you. [applause] >> now i would like to introduce curtis.ourage thi

>> thank you all for coming out here. we all feel that strongly in our but because we have given our lives, our service, are professional careers to the jobs we do, and we care about them. i am with the foreign commercial service with the state department and all of our colleagues. we work to defend the economic prosperity of the united states overseas and our standard of living here. do we need some economic prosperity in this country? do we need people defending our economic prosperity against our competitors? do we need to be competitive throughout the world? of course we do. we return $380 of revenue and exports to the u.s. government for every $1 appropriated for us. there is not an investment like that hardly on the face of the planet today. this that make economic sense to cut that investment? of course not.

so please, please, those who manage the economy, you some economic sense and keep us working and keep us doing the job we care about. thank you very much for coming today. [cheers and applause] >> denaud like to introduce someone known to some of you, he is going to say a few words -- now i would like to introduce someone on to some of you. >> all the way, we want to serve today. hey, hey, all the way, we want to serve today. how sad, 15 years ago i stood right here with the same plea, not for more money, not for more benefits, but just for an

opportunity to do our job. the congress has got to find a way to deal with their disputes which do not interrupt our ability to work for the american people to defend the american people around the world today. it makes no sense. it makes no sense. next issue, today american diplomacy -- it makes no sense. it makes no sense. it makes no sense. today, america's diplomatic and development folks and commercial folks are creating their dinner jackets for -- trading their dinner jackets for flak jackets. we are there to serve. we are there to defend the

united states. we need the congress not to stop us from doing our jobs. thank you. >> thank you, tex. now i would like to introduce daniel hersh, the state vice- president of afta. >> thank you, susan. good afternoon, everybody. it is nice to see so many of you coming out today, breaking the rain to support the people who work for america. -- braving the rain. looking around, i see colleagues who are involved in helping americans, traveling in working overseas, providing services to members of our armed forces, helping american businesses do business and american farmers stay in business. getting america's message out to the world, educating youth in countries like afghanistan and iraq, to show them that we are

very different than how our enemies describe us. i have to ask myself, what is congress thinking? when an american couple cannot agree on how much to pay for entertainment, they don't stop paying the mortgage or driving the kids to school. when an american business cannot decide how much to pay for advertising, they don't close the factory down, stop producing their products, and stop selling its until they reach an agreement, but when congress cannot agree on only a tiny fraction of our national budget, they shut down services to the american people.

they shut down the agencies that protect our country, that advance our national interest, that help american businesses create jobs and keep american farmers solvent, and for politics say, they describe us, the public servants who have dedicated our lives to serving the american people, as the problem rather than a solution. listen up, america. if next week american citizens overseas are unprotected by their government, don't blame us. we want to serve. if next week, american businesses cannot deal with suppliers or customers from other countries, don't blame us. we want to serve. if next week the people who

watch and analyze the meaning of world events to protect our national security cannot work, don't blame us, because we want to serve. and we have joined here today to tell america to tell congress that we want to serve. we want to serve. we want to serve [. chanting] >> thank you. [applause] >> thanks, everyone. i know we are working hard and cannot take too much time off from that, but i would like to have you all join us in closing bid we will sing the star spangled banner.

♪ oh say can you see by the dawn's early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight or the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming glarethe rockets' red the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night

that our flag was still there does that star spangled banner yet wave blanda of the free and the home of the brave ♪ [cheers and applause] [chanting "use"] >> thank you all.

>> lights are on at the capitol on this friday night in april. probably lots of work going on as well, as it is nearly 3.5 hours away from the deadline, the end of the current short- term spending measure for fiscal year 2011 and a possible government shut down. we are growing to open up our phones to get your thoughts on the possibility of a pending

government shutdown, what you think, how it may affect you. we will take about 10 minutes of calls, and we would love to hear from you, especially if you have not called c-span in the last 30 days. there are a number of reports this hour that there may be a tentative deal out there. a number of different news organizations, a headline " congressional sources." writing that the likelihood of a federal government short down diminished dramatically on friday night as all parties began approving a broadway of cults and a short-term bill to keep the government operating while the details are put into

legislative language for full congressional action next week. the caution realize significant progress in narrowing longstanding differences and the widening assumption in both parties that a shutdown will be a burden, and that all that remains an unknown is the precise procedural steps that what everyone back from the abyss. that just in from "the national journal." in iowa, judy has been waiting on the republican line. go ahead. >> i am very upset this evening, and it is not necessarily because of the shutdown. they keep putting forth that they will stop our soldiers' pay. our soldiers' pay has already been cut. several of the soldiers that i know have received just one half of their paycheck, and there are women and children here in iowa

protesting because they have gotten half of their paycheck. >> why are they getting just half of their paycheck is amar >> i do not know, but that is what they have received, and i am very ashamed of our country. i don't know why they are getting just have, but that is what they got this pay period. two of them that i know for sure are fighting in afghanistan. >> randy on the democrats' line from louisiana. >> i have to say i am also very disappointed. my friend's mother did not receive any of her paycheck, either. i think that they are our leaders, and for them to be acting like this for a government shutdown is very upsetting and very disappointing. you are supposed to be an example for the people, and you are acting like this. they are pointing fingers at each other and cannot come to an agreement. you are supposed to be leaders. for us to be facing a government

meltdown is not only scary, but it says a lot about the condition our country is in. i really hope we can get it together and stand as one as a people. it is very sad. >> jamie is on the independent line. >> i think it is ridiculous. these are grown men and women and they have to act like little kids on the playground in kindergarten. to not pay our troops, who are putting their but, lines for us? that is not right. they were not drafted. they said yes, we will go and fight for our freedom and for what is right in this world, and then we say well, we are not going to pay you. the same with these government

workers, telling them they are not that important. everyone who works is important. i don't care if you are a dishwasher, somebody has to do it. you have to accept the fact. some of these guys do it and someone who is willing to get paid to wash dishes, god bless them. >> if the government does shot down this evening, it will be the first government shutdown in 15 years. tucson, arizona is next up with james on the republican line. if everybody would buy their pharmaceuticals for mexico, they could pay it off. if everybody in congress would take a cut, we did pay it off.

but no, it is all on the republicans right now, wearing white hats. that is the problem. i am 85 years old. i go back to when i was writing in the slop wagon up the alley. i used to go to basketball games for a quarter. they are going to give over a million dollars in one year. >> we have a few more callers waiting on the line and we want to get to as many as we can. kentucky on the democrats' line. make sure you knew your television or you will have feedback on us. go ahead with your comments. >> i first questioned, does it

affect the food stamps and those who are on public housing as well as the armed forces, and this has been something popular on the news as well. are we headed towards a new world order, as 27 other nations already have won world currency. >> west virginia on the independent line. is this west virginia? are you there? >> yes, i am here. there has been, although the democrats did not get a budget passed last year. nobody knows why -- goes into what they did not get a budget passed. mitch mcconnell blocked

everything. i think he threatened his whole group, not one republican wants to vote with the democrat because he started out saying he wanted to kill -- president obama would be a one-term president. that would be his one goal. if they want to fund the trips, take often of -- fund and the troops, take off the riders. they could run it through lickety-split is long is that all past those stupid things with it. >> we have mentioned a couple of reports out there about a possible deal. tweet, it is like sitting at a traffic jam where you sit clearing road. this is where it stands now on the budget deal, this close to done. california on the republican line. >> my question is, i know that

when i don't need a deadline, i get a monetary penalty. i want to know what is the penalty that congress gets for not meeting their deadline. >> you mean in terms of -- a monetary penalty. do they get fined anything chris mark critz i cannot tell you that, but thanks for posing the question. arkansas is next on the democrat line. >> is via understanding that the republicans asked for $73 billion cut in the budget. the democrats agreed to $78 billion in the budget, and the republicans are holding us hostage because they want to cut benefits to the women. what does this have to do with the budget? >> you do make a good point. that has been the autumn of contention for much of today.

he did appear earlier and senator reid said they had come to agreement on the dollar figure, which was reportedly $38 billion. next up is mississippi, karen on the independent line. >> my thought about this whole thing is, my husband is in the military and he does work as a federal employee. then i have parents that are elderly, just like everybody else does. they are wanting to make all these cuts, and in reality, the cuts have to be made lightly and little by little. congress was to be able to -- ought to be able to handle the effect of these cuts better. as far as congress and senate vote, i believe there really

should freeze their pay. freeze their bank account. let them live two days the way they are going to make the rest of the world live because they are trying to make such a drastic cut. >> you said your husband is a member of the military. is he considered essential personnel? will he be furloughed as of midnight if there is a shut down? >> right now, we are waiting to find out about the shutdown. he has been told today not to come to work monday. >> the president's former advisor and current political advisor, david axelrod, was in chicago yesterday at the city club, an event we will show you on sunday during our "road to the white house program. he was asked during the event

about his thoughts on a possible government shutdown. here is what he had to say. >> a possible government shutdown, the republican party and new gingrich, back when i was then d.c., appeared to have been clearly punished by the public back then. media likes fox news, is it all that certain to you whom the possible shutdown actually most hurts? the second related question is, if there is a deal, is it a matter of who gets out to the microphone first and claims victory? >> we make a mistake in politics all the time and government and in journalism to look at what happened before and assume that everything is going to happen just the same way. rarely ever does. every situation is different.

this one is as well. the times are different. we have a fragile recovery right now that is moving forward, but a shutdown would not be helpful. the public consciousness on issues of spending are different now perhaps than they were then. there are obvious parallels. the important thing is, we should not be thinking about it in terms of who it helps and who it hurts politically. it is bad for the country to have shut down. i was talking about the dynamic in washington and in what i call america, and how different they are. people out here are not viewing these issues in terms of who benefits, republicans or democrats. they are not looking at who is going to score points or lose points. they just want us to get our job done. they want us to do the work. that is frankly what the president has been very focused

on, trying to work through this in a reasonable way. as you know, he ultimately met the republicans more than halfway on this. the problem here is that you have a group of republicans who have attached riders for the budget that are ideological in nature, zeroing out planned parenthood and gutting environmental protection. these have become obstacles to solving the debate. >> david axelrod yesterday in chicago. we will show all of that event you sunday evening at 6:30 eastern on "road to the white house." let's hear from cecil next in

oxford, north carolina, a republican caller. thanks for waiting. >> i would like to say that i feel like the republicans need to continue to stand, even concerning the fact of the $60 billion they were trying to get to begin with. as the democrats are speaking about the fact of planned parenthood, they lied concerning the fact of what is being paid. every 90 seconds, planned parenthood is performing one abortion. if we cease to be able to stop them being paid by the taxpayers, we will never get the crisis down are the taxes down, to be able to see our country backward once was. it is about time that we understand the need of america and be able to return to our principles and return to the godly heritage that we once had

as america and be able to begin to stand for the glory of god. >> let's here from houston lake, missouri on the democrat line, this is pam. >> i am also a federal government employee who is facing the shutdown and the possibility of not being able to go to work. >> what do you do, pam? >> i am a tax examiner for the irs. there will be some people working, but i am not considered essential. >> is your boss -- as your boss the irs commissioner said, the tax deadline is not going to change even if the shutdown happens. >> that is correct. people who send in paper returns, i don't know if they

will get processed not. however, those who are getting refunds, i don't know if they will be delayed. >> what was the general feeling in your office? is this sense that the government was going to shut down and you would not be an on monday? >> they told us to be prepared not to, to keep watching the news and see what winds up happening. one of the other things i am concerned about is so much misinformation, basically stating that as far as women's health care and planned parenthood, it is paying for abortions, and they are not paying for abortions, because that is against federal law. so that is a lot of misinformation. we are basically relying upon it. >> thanks for calling in and sharing your story with us.

joe in michigan on the independent line. are you there? you are on the air. >> i have been trying to follow this as closely as possible. i have heard all the debates about abortion and the tax cuts. i have heard the arguments from both sides, and what i get out of it is the most is, a large group of people that we elected to represent us are using this as a way to advance themselves politically on the ideas that they hold -- abortion and medicaid and medicare. the sad part is, we have a system to refine it everything they are using to not pass the budget bill. it is called a vote by the american people at the appropriate time. to me, it sounds ridiculous that these federal employees should go without pay, be put on furlough, when it is obviously the senate, the house mostly,

that is not doing their job. wouldn't it make more sense if they step down and we'll let more officials that can responsibly and intelligently perform the work of a budget instead of a political agenda? >> we appreciate you calling in. we hope to get more of your calls later on this evening and tomorrow morning on "washington journal" starting at 7:00 a.m. eastern. harry reid is set to come to the senator to speak, and maybe we will get an update on where negotiations stand. it has now been pushed back to 10:30, the senate for expecting to hear from senator read on where things stand on negotiations. perhaps just landing some credence to some of the reports that are out there, including this one from politico, that negotiators are close to deal to avoid a government shutdown. you can follow some of the reporting on line at our website.

you can keep track of some of the reporting as some of the thoughts of the members of congress. the democratic women in the senate spoke earlier today as a group about the discussions that are going on on the budget and the policy riders attached to the republican bill. they spoke to reporters earlier this afternoon for about 30 minutes. >> good afternoon. the democratic women of the senate are here this afternoon to express our anger and disappointment that after weeks

of being told that the continuation of funding for this government's was about budget cuts and deficits and spending. well, now we find out at the 11th-hour, hours before the government shuts down, that that is not what it is about. it is about funding for women's health care. the one open item left is about women's health care, and that is what this is now about. we are here to say that we are not going to allow them to use women as pawns at the end of a critical debate when this country is waiting to move on. across the country, thousands of families are worried about the economy, they are worried about their jobs, the budget deficits, and the future. but they are not worried about is whether or not their young daughter or the woman next door can get access to preventive

health care when she needs it. we are not going to allow that to be taken away. we will stand strong and we believe strongly that women's health care should not be upon in this debate. this is extremely important. 5 million american women depend on these healthcare services. you'll hear from my women colleagues themselves about how this money is used in really important ways. what is so offensive is that after weeks of debates about budget cuts, and these are tough cuts that we are going to be asked to swallow, that is not what it is about. it is about cutting women's health care, and that makes me extremely -- that to me is extremely offensive. i am going to turn it over to senator barbara mikulski, who has stood up for women time and time again. she has been a beacon of light, and she is here to stand strong with all of us today.

>> as we face the terrible thought of a government shutdown, as 800,000 americans are going to lose their paycheck, hundreds of thousands of small businesses, and jeopardize in an torpedoing the economy, we are headed for the shutdown not because of the debate over money, not because of a debate over cuts, but because the republicans continue to want to push a radical agenda against women. one of the most upstanding issues is not about money and how to achieve a more frugal government. it is the defunding of planned parenthood. what it does is it reduces the opportunities for women.

it does not reduce federal spending. so we are opposing that, just as we have fought their radical agenda. what is so troubling is, the democrats have made significant steps and compromises on the money. we are now 75% at where they wanted to cut the budget. we may cut, and we made cuts in their terrain, taking it out of discretionary funding. where we will not go is eliminating health care for women. make no mistake, this entire debate has included throwing women and children under the bus. now they are defunding planned parenthood in my state.

90% of the planned parenthood money was spent on health care and a lot was --a lot of it was spent on preventive health care. it ranges from cholesterol management. i could tell story after story, but the story i am going to tell today is the radical agenda by the republicans. they are not only going after us in the planned parenthood defunding. if you look at what they did in hr-1, they cut funding for prenatal care by $50 million. then they want to defund health care in general. we had that fight when they

wanted to take our mammograms away from us. they want to take our mammograms away from us, they want to take our prenatal care away from us, they want to take our counseling, the family planning away from us, and we just say no. they said they want to be adults. we would welcome an adult conversation. i have been waiting for days, weeks, and month. if you can find an adult over there, i am happy to meet with them. having said that, but would like to turn it over now to another champion of women and also a champion for trying to find a way forward in this very tough negotiations. the senior senator from california, senator dianne feinstein. >> i cannot believe it. here we are, 12 hours until the united states shuts down,

causing enormous dislocation, enormous hurt to people. in my state, we have 177,000 federal workers, including postal workers and military. as chairman of the intelligence committee, i can tell you there are thousands, tens of thousands of contractors. i ran into one the other nineties that i have 700 people working and we are going to be shut down. there is a whole part of this that has never been measured that is going to be astronomically hurtful to the quiñones states -- to the united states. what is this over? it is over women's health. the numbers have been agreed to. it is an opportunity for the right wing in the house to really sock it to women. i don't usually use this language, but i really believe this is true. is the fact.

federal funds cannot be spent for abortions, except in the instances of the life of the mother or rape and incest. what they are very crafty about is aiming for the broader programs where some of the private dollars may go for abortion services, but the bulk of other dollars go for preventive health care. more than 90% of the care provided by planned parenthood is preventive. this means affordable contraception for 2.5 million patients. nearly 1 million cervical cancer screenings, 830,000 breast exams, and four million tests and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, including an half- million hiv test. this is what the government should be doing. the services provide the necessary preventive health

care, including education, cancer screening, annual exams, s t d and hiv testing, smoking cessation, flu vaccines, and well baby care. in our state alone, it has saved $581 million in public funds in 2008. title 10 programs prevented 406,000 abortions nationwide in 2008 alone. 86,000 of those alone were prevented in california, and they want to shut it down. how does this make sense? these cuts are biased, they are politically motivated, they hurt women, and we, the women in the senate, will not let it happen. just remember, 12 hours to shut down, and what is at stake is not the amount of cuts.

it is the ability of american women to get health care service. and now, i would like to introduce my great friend and colleague, senator barbara boxer. >> the clock is ticking toward a shutdown, and i was reminded the other day that when a shutdown occurs, a lot of people don't realize where the hurt is. i remember visiting the area around yosemite national park. on any given day we have about 800,000 people they go to our national parks. the small businesses there, the restaurants, the stores, that is what keeps them alive. especially in the spring. our people have quantified for

us that they lost over $200 million, in those counties around yosemite. so this is a serious moment, and to think that this government could shut down because there is a group of people over in the house, republicans, who are so extreme that they would stop these programs is extraordinary. we are determined to draw the line in the sand. there are moments when you must do that, and this is one of those moments. you can see it on the faces of my colleagues. here is the deal. who signs the title 10 lot into law? richard nixon in 1970. who was one of the proud co- sponsors? george herbert walker bush.

so you have to say, what is going on? how far have these republicans moved from the mainstream of their own party? you have to ask, why would they want to stop health care for 5 million americans? why would they want to deny cancer screenings for women, and the list that my colleagues put out thereby the way, man availed themselves of the services so they can get tested to see about their status -- hiv-eight status. birth control to people who want it. counseling to someone who is infertile. how can they helped have a child? so, i can only answer my own question in this way -- my republican colleagues are more interested in playing to their

extremist supporters to care more about hurting women's health care. it comes down to politics. that is what it comes down to. we have heard a lot about planned parenthood. planned parenthood gets about 25% of the title 10 funding. they serve about a third of the people on title to end, people who need this health care. the rest goes to others. i want to mention just a couple in california. on what my republican colleagues to contact them today. st. john's will child and family center in los angeles. why do they not find out how their ideological attack on women's help played out on the ground when they have to turn people away at st. john's? why do they not contacted this american family services in separate -- in sacramento and then take another look at this?

maybe they want to contact our savior center in>> live coverage here on c-span. 4500 clinics get this funding. 4500 clinics -- about a quarter good to planned parenthood. the rest go to other family clinics. what they would learn if they did contact these people is that these people who are doing this work or heroes. we heard from the when whose lives were saved because they had a lot detected in their breast or a pap smear came back and it was suspicious said they got help care. half of the people who use the title can family centers, for half of them, this is their only source of health care. if we look determined, if we look upset, understand that we

are. we are fighting. we are fighting for the women of this country and their families. with that, it is an honor to introduce a real fighter for health care and a real fighter for families. debbie stabanow. >> thank you, very much. the people in michigan are scratching their heads and asking what in the world is going on? they have seen their jobs go away, their incomes go down, they are struggling to keep their families going and their houses under water. then they see the politics going on here in washington, which fills up to them like politics as usual in washington. the focus on spending on that women thought the health care is a complete political -- it is a complete distraction from what we really need to talk about, which is jobs. that is what people in michigan

want to talk about -- the ability for them to get back to work. they have to be able to have the incomes they need to take care of their families. that is what they want us to be working on. republicans are now, unfortunately, playing pure politics with the budget. are they really planning to shut down the government and hold middle-class families and veterans disability benefits hostage in order to stop women from getting cancer screenings and blood pressure tests? really? is that what this is coming to? this reminds me of the debate i was involved in a couple of years ago. there was an effort to take basic prenatal care and maternity care out of the definition of basic health care for insurance. we all stood together and said

no. maternity care is covered. when senator mikulski led us on the floor of the senate, we all came together on behalf of women. that is now part of health care. it is well past time to come together and finally agree on a budget so that we can focus on the issues affecting real families everyday. it is time to get back to relentless focus on jobs. now, it is my pleasure to introduce a great friend, a champion, and cohort on the finance committee with me. >> thank you, debbie. it is great to be here with my women colleagues. i can tell you this, these women are a mighty line of defense against cutting planned

parenthood. america is hurting. our economy is suffering. we need to be focusing on job creation. yes, we need a budget that says that we can live within our means, but this was not a budget impasse on fiscal issues. this is a budget stalemate on those who will not budge unless their social agenda is jammed through congress. it is not in the mainstream view of america to cut planned parenthood. what people are proposing is an extreme view of the 11th hour of where government might shut down. planned parenthood is about public health and about prevention. let's remember that public health services act was signed into law by president nixon. it had strong bipartisan support and was the first and only comprehensive program dedicated to family planning and nationwide services. it is an integral part of an

effort -- of an infrastructure for health care for over 5 million low-income women and men and 25,000 community clinics nationwide. the 29 planned parent clinics in my estate administered tests for over 170,000 infectious diseases and over 30,000 breast exams. for every public dollar that title 10 family planning and medicaid programs invest in family planning clinics, it saves the public for dollars in medicaid related costs. make no mistake about this -- this is not a budget impasse on fiscal issues, this is about those who will not budge unless there extreme social agenda is jammed through congress. we are standing here with the mainstream american view of saying, "we are going to fight to continue to have a good public health services provided

that saves us money in the long run and it is about doing the right thing." i would now like to turn it over to my colleague, senator [unintelligible] >> thank you for york leadership. today i was supposed to be in the warhead, minnesota. they have basically past and millions and millions of -- there are students out of school. there are seniors. that is where i should be. instead, we are sitting here. how do you think those people fear if they do not know if the federal government will be in business tomorrow? we have assured them that fema will be there for them. but they do not really know what happene. that is just wrong. i held back my vote last year on the debt ceiling is a week to

get our budget deficit commission established. i am glad i did that. there is serious work going on. but never did i think that at this hour i would be standing here over politics instead of over what we should be doing, which is a budget solution for this country. these are the facts. in minnesota, title 10 funding provides nearly 300,000 women and the millions more nationwide with vital, preventive health services. it helps women with breast and cervical cancer screening. it educates women of proper health and preventive service action. a while ago i was going through a medical detector. there was a deputy sheriff standing there. she looked at me and said, " those guys are not going to mess with my boys -- birth control or the late?" i made a commitment to her that they would not. this is a budget discussion. this is not about her birth control. this is what we are standing up

here today. they are not going to mess with the deputy sheriffs birth control. this is not about politics. >> next, the great senator from the great state of north carolina, kay hagan. >> thank you. none of us here got elected to shut the government down, and yet here we are at the 11th hour actually talking about that. not only that, we have come together on the numbers from a budget standpoint, yet it is when an's health care that brings us to the table? in north carolina, if we are the most military-release date in the nation. yet, so many of our military men and women fighting overseas, their families in north carolina are wondering, "are we going to get paid? what is going to happen? we are active right now in three wars. we have 19,000 troops of the coast of japan helping the japanese.

yet, their families are concerned? i placed it to them that we would definitely be sure that they get paid on time. once again, here we are at the 11th hour with the debate being on women's health care? we have close to 70,000 stellar -- federal employees in north carolina. look at the national parks. look at the people that want to apply for social security. look at all those issues were government comes to bear. yet those of employees of wondering if they will go to work on monday and what is going to happen to all the people that they help. we talked about the flood. all those issues are of concern to some many people in our country. it is high time that we seriously leave await these divisive policy riders. they cannot disrupt the progress on getting our fiscal house in order. we are all concerned about the long-term debt and the annual

deficit. we know we have to come to terms on that. but that is not want to happen right now at the 11th hour. we have to begin the long term discussion and we have to lead -- leave this kind of politics to another day. i would now like to and introduced senator gillibrand from new york. >> i am very proud to stand here with my colleagues on this issue. the last election was about the economy. it was how we will come together to solve these tough problems -- these budget issues, these fiscal issues. we have an agreement between the house and the senate. we know what budget number we can reach together. but, no, we will not come together to solve these problems because radical republicans in the house refused to do so. they want to but there and ideological agenda before the american families. the height of men that does --

what they are cutting in this bill are safety net for poor, at risk women. for pre cancer screenings, for prenatal care, for early detection of testes, for all of the safety nets that keep our families safe. it is unacceptable, and we would all a line. >> our democratic center leaders wanted to be here. let me make this clear. we note that we have to keep the government opened. we are extremely concerned for the millions of americans that will be impacted, but we are not going to throw women under the bus to give them an agreement to keep the government opened. you have heard the anger and frustration and the reality. that is where we are. >> is it your understanding that house republican opponents of planned parenthood believe that federal money is

[unintelligible] this is an approach to show their opposition to abortion? is that valid? >> if you have to ask them how they use their rhetoric. the reality you just heard. the vast majority of this funding goes for preventive care. the vast majority goes for organizations that senator boxer talked about beyond it planned parenthood. the fact is that what they are saying to us today is if you want to keep the federal government opened, you have to try when and under the bus. we are saying we are not going to do that. >> senator kyl went on the floor and said that 90% of planned parenthood's money is used for abortion. that is intentionally false. i want to reiterate this. i am not sure they know exactly

what they are doing over there. if they are telling you as a member of the press that this title 10 money all goes to planned parenthood, that is incorrect. 75% of its goes to other organizations. they are listed. you could see them. i named some of them. there are 4500 clinics, 25% of which are run by planned parenthood. let's understand something else, the hyde amendment governors this program. not one single dime can be used for abortion. >> this is really a very crafty move on their part. they note that federal funding for abortions is illegal. what they are going to do is take down the whole infrastructure regardless of if the money is raised privately so that you will not have first- class clinics for women to get to. that is what we object to.

i think patty murray said it right -- we cannot let win and get thrown under the bus. i am one that remembers what life was like 50 years ago for young women in this country. we have come so far with a whole tapestry of care. this would be destroyed if the republicans are successful >. >> look at what we are talking about here. of what to talk about the j- word -- jobs. how to grow the economy in my own state. they do not know how to create jobs. they want to change the topic to their radical approach to the budget. it is a radical.

it cuts $1 billion at the national institutes of health. $1 billion for head start. $50 million from prenatal care. they changed the topic from jobs since they did not know how to do it. then they said they're going to fight to bring down the debt and the deficit. that has not worked out because, to their surprise, we have specific, immediate, achievable ways. since they lost that fight, they want to change the topic so that all they are talking about is a radical, ideological agenda. you all want to ask questions about what planned parenthood does. they are changing the subject. let's get back to what we were talking about -- how to avoid a shutdown.

it begins with the budget. let's get the focus on the budget. let's reduce spending. we can achieve a number. for all of the radical a geological writers, we can vote on that later on tomorrow. we can vote on sunday. we can vote on monday. it i am ready. but do not play games with small-business loans. do not play games with cancer research. do not put it in at all. do not let them change the subject. don't let them sucker punch you in due falling that line of debate. we are ready to punch back. >> [unintelligible]

>> i do not even think we should answer that question. this is not about your city. this is about hundreds of thousands of people who need services that are going to be denied. this is about military people serving in iraq and afghanistan in are not going get their check. this is about people to get the government closes, they may not make their next house payment. that is what this is about. the number has been achieved. this is the sort of chimera here. the government does not need to close because, essentially, we had met their number. it is above $70 billion. we are prepared to do that. i heard michelle bachmann say, and i assume she knows what the

number is, that unless we repeal obama care in this bill, we cannot vote for this bill. that is where we are going with this. women's health as one part of this. your answering that question is exactly why we are so angry. no woman in this country should be asked a question of giving up their health care. >> can i ask my question? >> we do not have to close the economy. we do not have to do any of this. we have a deal on the numbers. guess what this is about. numbers. this is about cutting a deficit. it is done. to bring in this whole other agenda is absolutely extreme, radical, and we are going to say

to the american people, you be the judge. we have met their numbers. we have done what we had to do. this is like wisconsin in some ways. >> what is your biggest concern about the economic impact of the shutdown in washington state? >> as senator boxer just said, the government cannot shut down. we have come to an agreement. it is very difficult for many of us to come to the numbers they ask for, but we did. we believe if they take this issue off the table, it will stay open. that is what should happen. that is what i would say to my soldiers. that is what i was say to someone getting an fha loan. that is what i would say to hundreds and hundreds of government employees. we have made considerable concessions, but we have drawn a line in the sand.

that line has come down to women's health care in this country. >> we are probably going to have a higher foreclosure rate this year than last year. we are not even out of this economic mess. these are people who need help. and we are going to shut down government because mike spence said yesterday that the senate would shut down government unless we continue to find the largest abortion provider in america? that is not about fiscal policy. that is not about reaching a number. that is extreme republican views in the house saying that is what they need to have before they vote for a budget. that is holding hostage americans that are trying to keep in their homes or want to

get a paycheck. they are holding back economic recovery all because of an extreme social view. they are demanding that the house and representative john boehner and here too. -- adhere to. these are not even in the mainstream views of america. they cannot reengineer a social agenda in america by jamming in at the 11th hour something as important as when's held. priced the deal is done. we are ready to keep government open, but we will not do it at the expense of women's health. thank you. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] >> here on c-span, showing you

some of the events and briefings from throughout the day. coming up next, the senate democratic caucus and majority leader harry reid. >> the house leadership has a very tough choice to make. they do not have a lot of time to make that choice. they can't keep their word to cut the federal deficit or they can shut down america's government and women's access to health care. if that sounds ridiculous, it is

because it is ridiculous. we all know the federal budget is very complex. but the choice here is a simple choice. a lot of cuts were very difficult to make. the choice should be very easy. we use the word rider around here a lot lately. now it has become plural -- writers. -- riders. if the government shuts down over access to, for example, cancer screening, the economy really be hurt. let's remember that in five weeks the gdp has dropped one poll%. our intelligence and diplomatic efforts around the whole world are significantly declined. in the process, our credibility

will be damaged. we have an obligation to our allies around the world that we will be able to meet our obligations. what if a family has worked and worked and are finally able to qualify for a whole long? 8% of them are government supported loans. they would stop. they would not be able to get one. if that person wanted to buy a home -- what about the person trying to sell a home? small business will not be able to get the loans they need. taxpayers will not get their tax refunds they have earned. the federal government shut down does not mean we will lock the doors. but it does mean that it has everyday consequences for people throughout america.

it is not only federal employees, almost 100 -- almost 1 million federal employees -- they, just like everybody in america, have trouble making all their payments. maybe they have waited a few years to buy a new car. they had been planning for a long time to take a vacation. this shutdown would have a tremendous impact on the state of virginia. this is virginia's big week now. it is the cherry blossom festival. people plan to come here all year. one thing they want to do when they come here is take a walk down the mall, the to the national art gallery, go to one of the great smithsonian museums. stops women from

getting preventative test and the services that they need. it is against the law for any money to be spent for abortions. like it or not, it is all. speaker john boehner cannot settle that with republicans in the next few hours, it will be crystal clear to the american people that democrats are reasonable and republicans are responsible for setting down the government. -- shutting down the government. this money help save women's lives. it saves money down the road by catching diseases that are expensive to treat and sometimes too far along to treat. the fact that republicans have made this about women's health is really a shame.

>> four months and intensely for weeks we have been told by the republicans caucused and house members that this debate is about cutting spending. it is about the deficit and it is about the debt. we have heard that. we'll come together. we have moved incredibly difficult the to challenges to meet that number and we did it. here we are hours before a shot down when families are worried about paychecks, when people are worried about whether or not their fha house is closing next wednesday or if it will fall through. whether or not the contract they have in place is going to be capped. how they are going to pay their mortgage. they are being told it is no longer about the deficit. it is about taking away the rights of millions of women in this country to get access to

preventative care. it is about an extreme, ideologically stronghold on the other side that has said, "we are not going to let your family get a paycheck next week or keep our parks open or have f h a -- loans go through. we want to take away women's access to health care." which stand together-- we standd as a caucus, to say not on our watch. we need to cut the deficit. difficult as it has been, we need to compromise and compromise. we're at a number that some of us are going to have to swallow darn hard because we understand the deficit and the consequences.

but no one in this country should be faced with the horrendous choice of not having a job on monday unless you give away women's rights. as a caucus, we stand together and say no. >> are there questions? >> someone said that during the negotiations last night that the vice president got a little exasperated. >> he was not flustered, he was dam mad. it shows how we have come to such an impasse here. the number has been agreed upon. last night it was agreed upon. now, the president has had at least one conversation with the speaker, and it should not be over so-called title grumman 10.

that is what it is. -- title 10. that is what it is. >> republicans and democrats have had at least five press conferences today to blame each other. shouldn't you be coming together to try to reach an agreement? >> don't i wish. all we need for them to say is the agreement that we made last night will be fulfilled. >> can you elaborate on that? what do you mean by that sir? we do not know what the agreement last night was. >> we agreed on a number. shh. i told you that earlier today. the number was 78 -- [no audio] >> we're happy to analyze any deal, but there is no question

about the number. it was agreed upon last night. >> the speaker says there was no deal on the number. is he telling the truth? >> the speaker has been saying this for a long time. i have the greatest confidence that john boehner is having a difficult time in his caucus. that does not mean that we cannot have an agreement. an agreement was reached. i do not know what happened last night, but as i indicated at 4:00 in the morning, i got an e- mail saying that they agreed to the number. >> there is a short-term bill to prevent the shutdown tonight. >> what we're trying to do now is -- and i talked to senator mcconnell today a couple of times. what we're trying to do is work something out procedurally. as you know, the senate can be a morass, a labyrinth, and we need to work our way through that. i hope that we will hear from

the house republican leadership stand. oon.ta once the agreement is made, we can figure out a way to go forward. if no agreement is made, we have a number of competing continuous resolutions and unanimous consent requests. procedurally, at this time, with all of the necessities of getting 60 votes, it is hard to do that. i hope that if the republicans in the house cannot agree to what they agreed to, then we will have to do is see what we come up with. it will be a very short term funding measure for the country. one last question. >> you said earlier this morning that you were working on a one a counter-offer to

what the house passed yesterday. >> it would take care of the troops. >> are all epa riders stripped out of the bill, or are they still in there? >> the agreement last night was made to maintain the number that we had with regard to discretionary spending and increase mandatory spending and defense cuts. that got to 78. in the short term, we have a short-term cr that is just a date change to keep the government functioning, but also it has taking care of our troops on that same cr. that is for the fiscal year. >> are there any spending cuts

in the short term c.r.? >> what about riders for the epa? are those in or out?

>> as word of a possible deal begins to circulate, republican leaders have called a conference for 9:45 p.m. we will update you with the results of that if we hear anything. at four o'clock this afternoon, house republican women spoke to reporters on the status of the negotiation. >> the future of this great country and how we can save it for our children and grandchildren. as many of you know, four months ago i gave birth to a little girl. like every child born in america now, she is born knowing $45,000. the projection is that in the next 10 years, her share will double to $90,000. now mom runs a family budget this way, and -- no mom runs the family but it this way, and neither should the federal government.

-- family budget this way, and neither should the federal government. with me today are my fellow women from the house and they are all going to share a little perspective. >> none of us want a government shutdown. but there is nothing more important to my daughter and granddaughter than good, sound fiscal policy where the men and women of america are not swallowed up by a huge debt and deficit. that is the way of the future for our children and grandchildren. >> i am from the state of illinois, probably one of the most bankrupt states. we have got to get all of that

-- get the states come to get the country back on track. we are facing -- get the states, get the country back on track. we are facing an economic future where we are about to reach the tipping point and be like in greece. we cannot shut down the government. we have to push for economic growth and create jobs. we are not going to do that by shutting down the government, and we have to move forward now. we have to cut the spending, cut the spending, cut the spending. this is what this is all about. it is not about some other issue that those in the senate, those on the other side keep talking about. what is on the table is how we are going to cut the spending. we cannot spend the money that we do not have. we have to allow people to be able to keep the money in their pocket to increase the economy.

from alabama's second district and i just want to mention to you my three children. it that is what this debate is about. it is about the state we leave this country and for our children. we must, we have a responsibility to make it better. it is about cutting spending. it is about the next generation. it is not about the next election. >>-from cincinnati, ohio. you know, every single day, moms and dads sit around the kitchen table and decide what kind of money they have for their families. with the rising price in gasoline, they are finding their paychecks smaller and smaller, and they have to make tough decisions on how they are going to feed their families. well, that is the decision we have to make here. as we sit around our kitchen table in each chamber of the

house, what are we going to do about this looming debt and deficit? the american public expects us to do the same thing they do every single day, and that is cut the unnecessary spending in washington. that is what this debate is about and that is what it needs to be about. i believe that both sides will come to the realization that what is best for the health of our nation is to stop the unnecessary spending and to do it now. >> hello, i'm from north carolina. you know, mom's across my district have been calling our office dealing with these issues that we're facing right now. they're very worried about the fact that the government is going to shut down. back home, in their own budgets, they have been trying to cut as much as possible. they're trying to provide for their families.

they're trying to provide for their futures. and now, faced with this shutdown -- and we have military wives who are wondering how they're going to be able to feed their children throughout the next week if military are cut off if the government shuts down. the senate needs to pass h.r. 1. it needs to do it today. the issue is the spending. we need to come to an agreement. we need to put that certainty back into americans' lives so that we can get this country back in order. i got into this fight because i have a 15-year-old son. in the health care professional and i would never want anyone's health care, especially women, to go without. i will remain in this fight, and we will all fight together. this group of conservative women has come at to speak to clarify this situation. >> we will double up on north

carolina. i am also from north carolina. i think what the public has learned is that republicans are being irresponsible. we have presented the facts -- are being responsible. we have presented the facts to the american people. they understand that we are in a fiscal crisis and that we have to cut wasteful washington spending and we need to do it now. we are unified in doing that, and it is the issue before us, and it is the issue that we are going to deal with. >> i am from tennessee. the reason why i am here today is a family decision. that family decision came because of two things. one, and the most important, is because i am a grandmother. i asked my children and my

husband, what do you think? is it time for me to go to congress and fight as i fought in tennessee? fight to make sure that we have a smaller government that spends the taxpayers' dollars well and gets us out of this terrible debt that we are in, that is going to take a chance of leaving our grandchildren in a place where they will not know the united states that my husband and i grew up knowing, with all of the opportunities. number two, as a small-business person, i know what this reckless spending and the amount of taxes does for business. it does not help to create jobs. what i heard throughout my district was, go up there and fight. go up there and fight for the small businessman and woman. get this spending under control. decrease the regulation. stop the taxes so that we can bring this country back to the fiscal economy that we have had in the past, and you do that by

cutting spending. i am proud to be here today and to stand here with my colleagues to say to the senate, get your act together. we have given you not one, not to do, not three, but now four opportunities to spot -- not two, not three, but four opportunities to cut the spending and get this country back on track. >> i am from wyoming. yesterday we sent to the senate a bill that would fund our troops so that the men and women who are making great sacrifices for this country would know that through the end of the fiscal year they would have the money they need. we also sent over $12 billion in cuts and an issue on abortion that democrats had supported in the past. these are all things that democrats had supported in the past. yesterday the president called that as a fraction -- called

that a distraction. since when are america's fighting men and women a distraction? that was a major piece of legislation for the house to pass in a way that gets us down the road. it was rejected out of hand by the president. and now today, democrats and the senate are trying to characterize or miss characterize these discussions as about women's health. today are not about women's health. it is about economic health. the economic health of our nation. and we will continue to fight for the deepest spending cuts that we can get to defend the economic health of this nation. >> i am from california and i would like to say what an honor it is to be up here with these amazing women. it is pretty powerful and beautiful. i just want to echo the point.

americans want an answer and they deserve an answer. but let's be honest about it. first, the democrats who controlled congress last year failed to pass a budget because of election-year politics. even more important, there is a striking, fundamental difference between the two parties when it comes to the size and scope of government. my thinking is guided by one undeniable fact. the growth of our national debt is simply unsustainable. we are going broke. we are fast approaching a time when all federal revenues will be consumed by interest on the national debt as well as entitlement spending. every single penny of it. that is reckless and irresponsible. that is why i believe we should be making deep spending cuts to non-essential programs right now to prevent that kind of financial catastrophe in the future. i believe americans want this too. [no audio[inaudible] [laughter]

>> today our national debt is growing by $4 billion a day. that is what this budget fight is all about. tough times require tough choices and borrowing $0.40 out of every $1 that the federal government now spends, much of it coming from the chinese, should not be the way of things any longer. it is time for washington to decide what we need as opposed to what we want. this debate is long overdue, but it will leave us better off as a nation in the future. we have an obligation, especially to our children and our grandchildren, to get our nation's financial health in order and to give them a fighting chance at prosperity. after all, as parents, what we want is a better world for our kids. we find ourselves in now on the brink of a government shutdown. i hope we can avoid it. i want to avoid it. it is also time to restore

sanity to government spending, and that is what the fight for the future of america is all about. thank you. >> good afternoon. i am from new york's 25th congressional district. i am glad you all came out today and it is an honor for me to stand here with my colleagues, the female members of congress. this ncr is about two things. it is about cutting -- this cr is about two things. it is about cutting spending and it is about doing what is right for our military. think about that soldier that is out in the field fighting for our freedom. he is out there defending our freedom, doing what he pledged he would do. the right thing for us to do, the right thing for the senate to do is to pass this c r said

that no member of the military, in addition to all the other issues they face out in the field, has to be worried about their wife and their children back in the states. we in this congress and the senate of that to our military. we have our military spread in three engagements as we speak here today. the right thing to do is to pass this c r and to fund the military until the end of the fiscal year. the second thing is continuing resolution is about is cutting. i have six children. i have 11 grandchildren. i ran for the sea to preserve the american dream for them. -- for this seat to preserve the american dream for them. that is what this is about. thank you. >> i am from missouri and i certainly share her comments about the military. it is very sad that our president and senator harry reid have been a wall on this issue. he is command -- awol on this

issue. he, as commander-in-chief, has put our men and women in harm's way on ticket, now 3 france, and that is unconscionable. -- two, now 3 fronts, and that is unconscionable. my philosophy comes from my background. i was a teacher and i would teach high school students how to balance their budget. i would say to them, you should not spend more than you taken. high-school kids could get that. i do not understand how come people here in washington do not get that. we are borrowing $0.42 out of every dollar we spend. we are $14 trillion in debt, and yet we are haggling over whether to cut $60 billion or $20 billion? that is, as they say, chump change compared to what we really need to do to reverse course. we are borrowing $3.8 billion a day.

even if we are able to get $62 billion in cuts, that is less than 20 days worth of borrowing that we will have reined in. i think it is very irresponsible of the senate to not take all of the cuts they could get this year. if they truly care that the country and want to put this back on the right course. we are mothers and grandmothers. i 12-year-old daughter says one thing. mony, you are fighting for my future. you are fighting for my future. thank you for doing it. we're trying to prevent the country from being bankrupt. that is why we stand here today. thank you. >> i'm from florida and i want to echo my colleague's remarks. it is about our children and our grandchildren. we are fighting for their future. the opportunities that we had,

we want them to have those same opportunities and even more. if we continue on this path, they will not have that. we need to get our fiscal house in order, and that is what we have done. 48 days ago we sent over a budget, one that should have been done last year. we are looking to help protect this nation, let it grow stronger, and get our fiscal house in order so that our children, our grandchildren, and their grandchildren will have the same opportunities and more. what we are asking for is that mr. reed pass the bill. let our children and our grandchildren have the same opportunities that we once enjoyed. thank you. >> good afternoon. i am privileged to represent new york's 19th district. i am absolutely honored to be with all of these fine women who care so much about their country and about our future together as

americans. the house republican conference is fighting to keep our we canent opene so that cut spending. the senate leadership is fighting to close the government so that they can keep spending. as my colleagues here have amply demonstrated, the american people elected us in november to be responsible, to use common sense, to stop spending money we do not have, money that needs to go back into their pockets. so, the message that we have for harry reid is that if we do come to the point of the federal government shut down, it will be harry's hold up. he is going to hold up the operation of the federal government for the sake of holding up the american people for a few billion dollars. he just cannot stand not to

spend. that is a disgrace. >> i'm from tennessee and as you can see, we have a terrific group of women in our republican conference. i know many of you probably feel like this is the moms and grandma's caucus today. i will remind you that there has been no more fierce defenders of liberty and freedom in our nation's history than when an -- women. we all feel that we are protectors of that legacy, of freedom and opportunity. it is our job to make certain that our children and future generations are going to enjoy that. we are going to continue this fight, and you will notice, you have heard us repeatedly today say we are in the fight, and indeed we are. we are in a fight to make

certain that washington realizes it does not have a revenue problem. it has a spending problem. we are in a fight to end wasteful washington spending. we are in a fight to protect america's families from higher taxes and wasteful spending that has gone on for decades, and we are in a fight to protect our children's future. you know what is so amazing? the spending, the reckless spending that takes place in this town is basically economic child abuse, because what it is doing is passing our children's future -- taxing our children's future and trading it to the nations that hold our debt. we care far too much to stand silently or to sit still and watch that happen. so again, we are here, and if no one wants to lead the fight, we

are in it to lead this fight. thank you for being here. the floor is open for your questions. >> why has so much time been paid by republican negotiators to planned parenthood if overall spending cuts are your goal? is it ideological? >> the house republicans from the very beginning have said that it is about getting the lowest number possible. we want money to be cut. we want to reduce the size of the federal government. we are responding to the demands of the american people that sent us here to do that. they want us to get our fiscal house in order. house republicans from the very beginning have made this about trying to get as much spending cuts as possible. >> but planned parenthood and title 10 and the abortion issue have all risen to a disproportionate share of that, haven't they? >> folks on the other side are trying to distract all of you

buy those issues. the bottom line is that it is about cuts. it is about spending reduction. earlier today we met with john boehner. he brought all of the republicans together. he told us they have largely agreed on the policy issues within the continuing resolution. it is about the level of spending. we are committed. we are standing by our speaker and giving him the strength to negotiate as high as no. as possible in spending cuts. >> it seems like the state of play right now appears to be that we are looking at something around $30 billion in cuts with title 10 funded. would you vote for that? >> we are going to see what comes back for it. at this time, we do not know. but i can tell you this, we're going to cut every single dollar we can cut, and we are not going to stop there. we want to get into cutting the

trillions, and we know that in the rye and budget, we are looking at $6.20 trillion. as you make the initial cuts in the ryan budget, those savings are going to compound every single year and it will get us on the road to a balanced budget. >> but that will not be on the cr. what do you think about the number 38? >> we will see. see whatng to wait and comes back. craigslist the one thing. i have been asked this question by -- >> let me say one thing. i have been asked this question by a number of people in my district. i'm not going to say what i will vote on until the measure is in front of me. we all know what happened with the most recent vote on the health care reform. it was said that we had to pass it before we know what's in it.

it is irresponsible for us to stand here and say what we will and will not do. until the measure is in front of you and you read every word and understand what is in it, it is hypothetical to ask the question over and over again. you know what? i was a responsible answer. we cannot negotiate, we cannot talk about what we will do [inaudible] >> them to tax a bill. we have let -- yet to see them passed a bill. we are waiting for the senate to take action. harry reid will not be able to to the american people

any maugre. they can see through that. i do not think the american people will buy what harry reid is saying. >> all of you i'd faint voted for hr1 the sum of want to respond to whether you support these funds on their own? >> this is about a package. the passage -- the package we just passed was a package. we cannot tell you what we are going to do. but the senate is doing is deflecting the real issue. the real issue is to cut the unnecessary spending in washington. you can continue to ask the questions. this is what the people are wanting us to do.

they are demanding as to do it. to save the only reason why we cannot get the dills is absolutely wrong. harry reid knows it. pass something. let's see what you got so we can respond. >> there are three issues on the table right now. spending,nding, more issue and it too much spending. that is what it is about. thank you. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] >> i am back with the live on c- span. less than two hours until the current short-term spending measure for 2011 expires. here is where things stand. there are reports that an agreement has been reached. that has not been confirmed.

we are waiting to hear some comments of the house republican conference. they have been called into conference 15 minutes ago. he just treated that the comments the starting with the house gop in the capital and to pray for wisdom. millions of families are affected. that is under way at the capitol. our cameras are there. we hope to have comments and bring them to you live. 1c span -- on c-span2 we are waiting to hear from harry reid. there are reports that he will speak at a clock 30. that has not been confirmed. you can follow it all. while we wait to see what happens over the conference and more news about a possible break through, and we will take said your calls for the next dinner

15 minutes or so. if you are republican, this is the number to call appeared to the craft, 202 585 3836. let's get to our calls. lots of them are waiting. good evening. >> i would like to explain my viewpoint, being a working mother. i am an only mother now. i am a widow. i have been a nurse for 30 years. i cannot spend more than i taken otherwise i will this my home. i am not for the government giving money to people to make poor choices. the more you reinforce the support choices and to give money away, no one is going to learn to stand up and take irresponsibility for themselves.

small businesses are having a tough time. they are helping new entrepreneurs. they do not help the small businesses in michigan. it is because of all the laws and restrictions that are out there. >> you are talking about poor choices. what are you talking about? >> the government is bailing everybody out because support choices. the last was the millions of dollars given from the government to bear rising, at at&t and one other company to bridge the gap of people who were retiring early for their health coverage. nobody is giving me health coverage is i leave my job. i've been in years for 40 years. i will have no insurance if i leave my job before i am 66. >> us go to georgia. mchale led is on our democrat line. michaela is on our democrat

line. >> i am a registered democrat. i of a tendency to vote for who i think would be the best job. i am astounded that we are at the place we are at. we still have democrats and republicans behaving as if there are five years old on the playground. neither of which are willing to accept any responsibility for their option. they are too busy pointing their fingers at each other. i would have thought it was clear to the government that the american citizens are tired of this. we need for them to accept responsibility for their action and their jobs. they are the one passing the laws. they expect us to live by this yet they do not do it themselves. that see them try to live on the amount of money that the average

american makes. my other concern is regarding the military. i have a niece whose husband has been deployed to libya. he has informed her that he is not getting paid. >> he is not plan to get paid? like this was before this weekend. he was informed several weeks ago. i have a son who's in the air force. they were informed tonight that they would be on furlough. she has a medical needs. he has medical needs.

it is particularly bread serviceman had been an active duty. >> thank you for your call. we will continue to take your calls. we are waiting. we have our cameras out of the conference waiting to see if any comment after after that meeting -- happen after that meeting. there is a pretty boisterous applause for john boehner. these are the cameras. we will set cameras at the white house. there may be a statement tonight from president obama. let's go back to calls. next is new york, barbara. independent line. >> i am sorry. i think it is ridiculous what our government is coming to. >> tell us a little bit more. you are on the air. >> my husband is in the

military. he is in the army. we have two children. i am pregnant with a third. if they do not come to some sort of agreement like adults and set standards and represent our country, and then my husband is going to go without pay. there are a cut in the next paycheck. it is a week ago. they are cutting half of that already? how are we supposed to feed our families? there is no telling when we are going to get reimbursed for them taking their time and not being adults. >> is your husband stateside are deployed? >> he stateside right now. >> thank you for joining us. let's hear from florida. >> i am calling -- i am currently in the military. i am wondering if it is such a big deal to get money, why is congress still getting paid?

would they still take this much time they were not getting paid? why did they get to keep their paychecks and i have to worry about how to pay rent? ? we are hearing a lot of callers on the military or relatives and fathers and mothers in the military. thank you. >> mexico to meet north carolina. -- next we go to north carolina. >> i am really disgusted with how much is taken as far as time for them to come up with a solution and to pass a deal to make sure that our government does not shut down. i think one of the best things to do if you take out the republicans and democrats and just look at the american people, what do we as the american people need. then we can try to get something solved. >> what do you think this says

about the possibility of next year's budget? >> when you look at them talk about the budget, you never really hear the real issues. all we keep hearing is to is doing what. if they democrats are running things, the republicans are fighting it. if the republicans are running things, the democrats are fighting it. we are all american people. we need to be able to sit down and be civilized on some sort of agreement and make share it is where it needs to be. here is austin, texas. >> how are you? >> i am fine. >> i'm from california, first-

time caller. >> called on. i'm going to put you on hold. i meant to pick up benjamin. he has gone up the line. >> i'm calling from california. thank you appeare. i would like to ask you a quick comment. do you believe think we will have a revolution or a problem there government? but what you mean by revolution? >> we are waiting to see some comments. it is going on as we speak. we have cameras at the white house waiting to hear comments from president obama this evening. this weekend, we talked about

the new chair of the republican national committee. it is sunday at 10:00 a.m. eastern. we asked him about president obama role and image in the discussion over the 2011 budget. this is what he had to say. >> we are pleased to welcome the chairman of the national committee. he is from wisconsin and took over the gavel in january. >> we have to start with the obvious. this is really hours away. are you confident you there will be one? one of the political ramifications? >> i am not sure if there will be a deal or not. i know the republicans are concerned about spending in this country. i think it is the number-one issue in america right now.

i believe that voters are very concerned about the trajectory of our spending and our debt in the country and the deficits that are pressing our economy. the most important thing is to get spending under control. the american people are demanding it. the deal depends on how much the president is willing to move on those spending numbers. if they are willing to move, they are on not be a shutdown. if they are not willing, there will be. it is the spending issues. jump in. >> are you worried that the president will emerge run this as a political winner and someone that has a strong leadership, a grown up in the room? >> i am not worried it will come

across as a political winner. i do think if the spending issues are not put under tight reins and if we do not get some real stamina on that issue, i think we are all going to be losers. everyone will be a loser to the american people. to me that is the number one priority. i'm not worried about whether the present will be seen as a winner or loser. it comes across as a loser in the debate. he recently engaged after doing his n.c.a.a. brackets on espn. he is not engaged. the president has not been engaged in a budget debate until recently. >> he is our guest sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. eastern. we recorded that conversation earlier today. but a few more of your phone calls on the possible government shutdown and discussions on the

2011 budget. here is austin, texas. go ahead. looks like we lost them. let's go to houston, texas. >> i am a military mom. i think it is unconscionable that our government would even consider cutting the pay of our soldiers. my son is afghanistan on active duty on the frontlines in the infantry. for those soldiers over there on active duty to even have to be concerned that they are not going to get a paycheck and that their families might that be able to pay their bills, i think it is shameful that the united states government would treat our military that way. as a mother, i cannot express to you might discuss. >> of wichita, kansas. a democratic collar. >-- caller. >> my heart goes out to the

soldiers and people in the marines. as far as the government goes, the government are not being fair to the american people. the republicans are not fair to the american people. everything would be better. until that happens, it will not happen. in a way, i hope they shut down. >> here is austin, texas. benjamin on our independent line. >> i am only 17. my name is benjamin. i do not know. i got interested in learning about c-span and everything. i took a look at my money. i was thinking about it is not worth anything.

>> we have a bad connection. we are going to move on. >> houston, hello? >> thank you. i think that all the politicians really need to step back and realize that the american people are the ones really being affected. the spending is out of control. they just need to rein that in. maybe all can combine our whatever. the spending is out of control. we understand the meeting at this hour. here is a tweaked from florida. he said that he is headed for

the gop conference meeting to get the latest. we have a fee of remembrance -- of the members of commercngress. we wanted to let me know that the president might make comments this evening. our cameras are over at the white house. we will take you live if and when the president comes at to say something. his former adviser and current campaign adviser david axelrod was in chicago speaking at the city club yesterday in an event we will air on sunday evening in its entirety. he was asked about the pending shutdown of this government. here is what he had to say. >> the republican party and newt gingrich when i was in dc appeared to have been punished

by the published back then. and public back then. the impact of the tea party and fox news, who does most hurt? if there is a deal, it is a matter of could get out to the microphone first? >> we make a mistake in politics all the time in government and in journalism to look at what happened before and this and that everything will happen in the same way. it really ever does. every situation is different. times are different. we have a fragile recovery right now that is moving forward. a shutdown would not be helpful. i think the public consciousness

on issues of spending are different. we shall not be thinking about in terms of who it helps or hurts politically. is bad for the country to have a shut down. there is the dynamic in america and washington. and how different they are. people out here are not viewing these issues in terms of the benefits republicans or democrats. they want us to get our job done. they want us to do the work. that is what the president has been trying to work there in a reasonable way. he ultimately met the republicans more than halfway on

this. the problem here is that you have a trip but republicans attach riders to the budget that are ecological in nature, is hearing -- zeroing out planned parenthood. these have no place in this budget debate. they become obstacles for solving it. >> that conversation with david axelrod, you will see it all on "road to the white house." while we are waiting to hear about the possible deal, the republican conference is meeting at this hour. we might hear reaction. david rogers who has cover congress for quite some time is writing in politico about a potential deal. he writes that after a long day of trading offers, the republicans were closing in

tonight on a budget framework that would cap 2011 appropriations at near or below $1.050 trillion by cutting domestic and foreign aid by more than $40 billion from the rate of spending at the end of this congress. that is reporting and david rogers and political. let's hear a couple more calls. as good to oklahoma. >> how are you? >> i am doing fine. >> if the government is being shut down, what are senger still getting paid? -- are senators still getting paid? what should we do? the day super huge vote on the thing or go to wal-mart and send eight text to washington. i am a voter myself. i'm still willing to fight.

it is the people we are fighting for. it is not an easy thing to work with no pay. it is the people we are protecting. it is not abortion. it is not all these deals. if you want to get together and do something to boost the american morale, good to government. >> let's go to texas. this is bill. >> thank you for taking my calls. i am speaking as a retired federal employe. i cannot speak for the professional field. i can speak for the general schedule employees. the policy has probably changed by now. back in the time when i was employed by the federal

government, the federal government was hiring four or five employees to do the work that too should do. i cannot blame it on the employees. the limit on management. they did not encourage people to do the work they were supposed to do. if the workers did not perform, they would be given a low rating in their evaluation. it was almost next to impossible to fire a federal employee. there could be a lot of cutting as far as employees and dods unless the policy has not changed since the time i was employed. that is my comment appeared like one last question. what department were you in? ? i was in the department of defense.

>> thank you for weighing in. a republican from pennsylvania. >> good evening. thank you for taking my call. what i'm calling about, i've been listening all afternoon to this. it is really disturbing -- you know, first of all this budget should have been in place last fall before the election. it should have been done. the democrats chose not to do it because they were trying not to lose the election. we know that. now we have republicans and there that are trying to cut the spending. they are trying to get this back on track. i have been listening to harry reid and boxer and mary and all those ones are out there that are going on and on that is all about the woman's health care. what they are doing is that they are hiding. they are lying.

what they are saying is the women will not be able to have health care. it will not be able to get checked or cancer. it is about abortion. i like many millions here in the united states do not want our tax dollars spent for abortion. i do not blame them for arguing for that. i thank god that they do. that is part of it. i was listening to the republican women. they said that is not what is bought back all. they said it is because the democrats do not want to bring the spending under control. it is this back and forth. you have to be between the lines. i know where the problem is. we need to get harry reid and that bunch to understand that we need to get a budget in place and led by air. we cannot continue to spend what we do not have. >> thank you.

>> thank you for joining us. here is where things stand. the current short-term spending measure will expire in an hour and a half or so. does the government shut down or not? we will find out. there is talk about a possible deal. c-span cameras are employees if there are comments after the conference. people have those comments for you live on the air if at all possible. meanwhile, a roll-call just treated -- tweeted that john boehner tells the gop that the deal is not done. the ask for support for a short- term bills. over on the senate side, the senate' is there. harry reid is expected to come sometime this evening. c-span2 is where you can find

the senate. you can follow that all life. we will continue to take your phone calls on "washington journal" tomorrow morning. we will hear from a member of the budget committee. i was on to talk about the 2011 negotiations and the budget committee. this happened mid-week. it was approved by the committee. he is joining us tomorrow morning at 8:00 eastern. we are ready to hear from house republicans and from president obama. let's show you more of some of the event today starting with john boehner at 11:00 eastern in a short briefing with an update to reporters on where things stood at 11:00 eastern this morning. >> the morning, everyone.

there is only one reason that we do not have an agreement. that issue is spending. we are close to resolution on the policy issues. i think the american people deserve to know when will the white house and senate democrats get serious about cutting spending? a bill that fails to include real spending cuts will hurt job growth and signal that washington is not serious about dealing with the spending addiction. i think the senate should follow the house's lead and impalas a funding bill and to do it today. i also believe the president should sign the funding bill into law. this is the responsible thing to do to support our troops and

keep our federal government open. thank you. >> hello. how are you? and all the rest of you as well. we are here hours before the government is going to run out of that authority and that people keep the country aborning. we just lost one more opportunity to keep the country being served by their government. we are now waiting to see what will happen next. my understanding from almost all the parties is that we have reached agreement on a number. we have reached agreement on

cutting spending. frankly, we democrats have gone 70% of the way toward making it complement's with our republican colleagues. it seems that is more than halfway. the only thing hanging up now is the president made it clear that he is not going to cut services for web and help. health.omen's that seems to be the problem. i am hopeful that we can reach agreement. we are working toward that end. >> do you know of any other plans tonight with the president? but i think talks are ongoing. >> how involved are house democratic leaders bag? >> the leadership office is

involved. the speaker is involved. the staff is involved. mr. repos as staff and mr. reid and the president is involved. >> why is it that they say there is an agreement on spending pete? >> i think my supposition is that both are accurate. there has been an agreement on a number that would be acceptable. the speaker believes that until there is an agreement on all items, there is not an agreement on any item. >> to you know where the cuts are going to come from?

i believe there is generally a number for cuts. it to be part of an agreement. >> is under discussion? >> i've not been in the discussion. and did not want to characterize them particularly. the president has made it clear. he does not want to undermine health services for women. >> with a be undermining it? >> i do not want to speak for the president. it is my view that it would be inconsistent with that policy. >> i want to make this clear.

we had these kind of differences between president bush and the democrats to control the congress. never once of a shutdown of government. to we understood the american people have elected a republican president would disagree on some of our thoughts. we had to come to an agreement in compromise that the government was to work properly. not because we like a particular provision but because we knew that you had to accommodate those. you do not get 100%. we have moved a long way in because we agree that we need to cut spending and get it under control. we have come 70% of the way

towards agreeing with what the republicans said their initial objective was. that was to cut spending. we did that. at no time did i hear that we would cut spending if the president will agree with our social policies. that was never part of the debate. we ought to move on. we need a continuing resolution so this country will not be put at risk of having the economy damaged. >> thank you. >> assuming the president wins, how many democrats do you think would be able to support this? >> i do not know the answer to that. i do not now the content of the agreement.

until then the the context, i need to know the construct of the agreement. >> i have not seen the content of the specific cuts that will be included to get to the number that is being discussed. until i know what is, is difficult to say what the number is. i have said that i think we can be comfortable. we do not like the number. we think it will hurt the economy and job creation. we needed to go much more slowly. republicans want to go in order not to undercut a fragile a recovering economy. until i see the contents,

economic a judgment on that. i think we will hopefully be able to do, assuming the president is in agreement. i'm hopeful that we can pass something through the house. thank you. >> the conference is discussing a possible ... bill. we will keep you posted. are there, a group of government employees rallied against the potential of a government shutdown. this is just over 15 minutes.

bad bob's bad be published bubble i in the presence of american foreign service association. we are representing people serving america today. we have 16,000 members. as several representatives of the different member agencies of the foreign services association. this includes the u.s. agency for international development, the foreign commercial service,

agricultural service, and the international broadcasting bureau. let's hear it for all of them. they are serving the american people. i want to say it is great to see all of you despite all the gloomy weather forecasts which have not materialized. thank you. to appeal the energy you are bringing here and your commitment to service. i want to thank you for coming out, by being here to express your support for public service and servants. we are here today joined by our friends from the american federation of government employees who represents our colleagues in the civil service.

the men and women of our civilian agencies are dedicated to patriotic service on behalf of the american people just as our brothers and sisters and our military are. you may realize it. according to the office of personnel management between 1995 and 2007, 200085 several servants and over 100 foreign service personnel have given their lives in the line of duty. we must never forget their sacrifice either. we must promote our national prosperity. we are here to urge our congress to come together as fellow americans to adopt a budget that

will allow us to do our job protecting and promoting american in chess. -- interest. a shutdown of our government would not just being a star spectacle here at home. it would not just be discouraging for hundreds of thousands of dedicated federal employees or millions of federal employees and caused inconvenience to the people whom they serve. we should also be mindful of how the world would look at the shutdown. and of the leadership role that america wants and needs to play in global affairs. in times of trouble, as americans and whatever our political party, whatever our religion or economic status or color or ethnicity, we must come

together and unite to meet the challenges that face us as a nation, not by shutting down but by working for america and americans. thank you. now i am obliged to call on francisco, of the vice-president from usa id to say a couple of words. >> thank you very much. i want to put this in a little perspective. they are putting a face to the employees. we are not baseless. we are what the rest of the world sees.

we are working in over 100 countries around the world. we represent the united states. we fight for the security, the process, and the help of the people we represent. we take this very seriously. we take risks. whitaker families with us. -- we take our families with us. we live in environments that difficult. for as, a shutdown would be an interruption of our work. it would be a waste of our country. what i am asking is for your support. what we want to do is this, we want to serve our country. that is why we are here.

this shutdown is not a good thing. thank you. >> i would like to ask tony bishop. >> the afternoon. i want to say that i am proud to be standing here of my colleagues. today we do not stand as employees or civil servant employees. we stand here as government employees. if i had to put together questions being asked to me by servants, it to be why must be the work around the dill separate the adverse consequences of those that work on the deal? we need to get together, get the budget passed, and obama of the business of america. thank you. >> ok. i would like to introduce keith

representing the foreign commercial service. >> thank you. thank you for coming out here. i know we all feel this very strongly. we have given our lives in service and professional careers to the jobs we do. we care about them. i am with the state department and all our colleagues. we wanted to defend the economic prosperity and overseas. we work to defend our standard of living. do we need economic prosperity in this country? do we need people defending our economic prosperity against our competitors? we need to be competitive throughout the world. of course we do. we return $380 of revenue and exports to the u.s. government for every $1 appropriated for us. there is not an investment like that hardly on the face of the planet today. this that make economic sense to

cut that investment? of course not. please, those who manage the economy, use some economic sense. keep us working and doing the jobs we care about. thank you very much. >> i would like to introduce someone known to you. >> hello. we want to serve today. hey, hey, all the way. we want to serve today. how sad. 15 years ago, i stood right here with the same plea not for

more money, not for more benefits but just for an opportunity to do our jobs. congress has got to find a way to deal with their disputes which do not interrupt our ability to work for the american people to defend the american people of around the world today. it makes no sense. it makes no sense. today american diplomacy. it makes no sense. and makes no sense. and makes no sense. today americans diplomatic and development and commercial folks are treating their dinner jacket for flat jackets. we are there to serve.

we are there to defend the united states. many congress not to stop us from doing our job. thank you. >> thank you. at the right to introduce daniel who is the state vice president. >> thank you. it is nice to see you coming out tonight today braving the reins. looking around i see colleagues here are involved in helping americans traveling in working overseas. providing services to members of our armed forces and helping american businesses and american farmers stay in business. getting americans message out to the world.

it says they are very different than now our enemies described us. i have to ask my self what the [bleep] is congress thinking. when an american couple cannot agree on how much to pay for entertainment. when an american cannot decide how much to pay for advertising. stop producing the byproducts.

it helps american businesses create jobs and keep american farmers solvent and for politics sake they describe us, the public servants been a dedicated our lives, to serving the american people as being problem rather than the solution. listen up. if next week american citizens overseas are on protected by their governments, do not blame us. we want to serve. if next week american businesses cannot deal with suppliers or customers from other countries, do not blame us.

we want to surf. if next week the people who watch and analyze the meaning of world events to protect our national security cannot work, do not blame us. we want to serve . we doing to tell congress that we want to serve. we want to serve. we want to serve. >> lesson. thank you everyone. and now we are working hard and cannot take too much time off. i will be led by carol in singing the star spangled banner

appear. >> oh say can you see, by the dawn's early light. what so proudly we hailed. at the twighlights last gleaming. who's broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight. for the ramparts of the w atched were so gallantly streaming. >> let's take you live to the

capitol for speaker boehner and house republicans. >> we have been able to come to an agreement that will cut spending and keep our government open. i expect the house will vote on a short-term continuing resolution to allow for time for this to be put together in legislative form and brought to the floor of the house and senate for a vote. i expect the fiv - final vote by next week. as you know, this has been a lot of discussion and a long fight. we fought to keep the government spending down. it is a keep a better environment for job creators. thank you.

>> very short comments from speaker boehner accompanied by other republicans of cited the house conference meeting. speaker boehner said there will be a short-term continuing resolution and a vote on that this evening. we will open up our phone again to hear from you and your phone. this is on plays between democrats and republicans on a short-term spending measure. we will have to get more details. speaker boehner was very brief. let's opening up our phone lines. democrats is 202-585-3886.

austin virginia next up. >> i am calling from virginia. i have been a single mom. and never had any government help. our homes are being closed next week. and quite a few thoughts on this. the entire stimulus bill could be handled differently. for one day, our government could take that and send the money out to taxpayers.

i am a realtor. they have applied for it. they lost their homes. this is all the same way. the foreclosures, the lost been raised. this is not about abortion. we are broke. as a nation, we are broke. ed president obama had $100 to live on, it would not matter if ms. obama needed an abortion. this is food. this is a rough. this is that much. >> yet made your point. not tried it the more calls.

this is a short-term spending bill. and longer-term deal is also in the works. independent line. >> thank you for taking my call. i am an independent. i am retired. i am on social security. i am really getting a a little bit fed up with washington. nobody has mentioned that it take eight years to get the country in the messages and right now. we want to go back and blame somebody for it. that is not the point.

for me once, shame on you. paul magers eyes, -- pull me twice, shame on me. it is time for the country to stand up and say "do something." but republican line. >> i am calling as a federal employee who will be affected the government the shutdown. my thoughts are that i am extremely disappointed as an american that it has taken congress this long to come to some type of an agreement. how is congress going to decide that my job is not essential? it might not be essential to them, but it is essential to my family as well as other americans around our nation. americans around our nation.