brief vis to japan and made a message and discuss the ongoing situation. as part of that visit, i meant with senior japanese government and tetco officials. just to briefly recap, on friday, march 11, when the earthquake and tsunami struck, the nrc's headposition. under the reorganization act of 1980. for the past few weeks, they have been monitoring event in japan. despit the efforts, the nths still have reactors for facilities here in the united

states. i, needless to say, am incribly proud of their work. as regards the current situation of the reactors in japan, from the information we have, we believe the situation currently is static. we don't see significan changes on a day-to-day basis with the reactors. it is not yet, however, what we believe to be stable. namely, that giving additional events or her circumstances that there would not be the potential for significant additional problems at the reactors. so the efforts continue to be on these efforts toransition from static to stable to ensure a long term, ultimately, ability to provide cooling for the spent fuel pools. looking forward to the work that we have as an negative dealing with fugitives in this country, on monday, march 21st, the commission acted quickly to move

and explore to determine whether the agency should make improvements to our regulatory system. this i this iss an invation to take a systematic review of our own facilities ilight of the japan situation. this review will be conducted in a short term and longer term time frame. the short term review, which will take approximately 90 days, has already begun and will identify potential or preliminary near term operational or regulatory issues. a long term review will begin as so as we have sufficient information from japan. but we expect that review to be completed within six months of the good it in that time. as we move forward with these lessons learned than other counterparts around the world. i recently returned from the fifth review meeting on nuclear

safety which provided an important opportunity for nations to address the issue in japan, and begin the terms for short and long-term cooperati. in conclusion, i want to reiterate that we ton to take licenses and oversight with the u.s. license sees. based on the 90-day review and under -- on behalf of the commission, i thank you for the opportunity to appear before you toy and would be happy to answer any queions that you may have. thank you. >> thanks to both of you for testifying. madam chairman? >> thank you so much, mr. chairman. first i want to thank both of you because you have been available to those of us on both sides of the aisle here to answer our questions. i appreciate that so much.

i want to put in the record something i golt from usgs, because it happened in japan, it didn't happen here, obviously. but how many earthquakes, i would say to my friend, have we had in america that they have maged to document, and it's 157 earthquakes all over this great nation and in every part of this country. these are over 6.0. 157 earthquakes over 6.0. i also asked for the documentation on tsunamis, and what i do have is the areas where the highest risks are. that would be alaska, hawaii very high, west coast high, puerto rico, virgin islands

high, the others low to very low. so i'm going to put those both in the record. >> no objection. >> thank you. mr. yasco, i know you've been very involved, mr. chairman, in helping the people in japan. every one of us on both sides are grateful, because i think america is at its best when we're there for our friends and we certainly are. right now you described -- you said it's a static situation not a stable situation. so let me ask you, what's the best thing that could happen right now with those reactors, and at's the worst thing that could happen? >> i'm reluctant to speculate on the worst thing that can happen because there is always something. >> well, i think it's important. what's the best thing that can happen, what's the worst? we all hope for the best, but what's the worst thing that can

happen? >> right now what our focus is on is that it ensures to provide or that the japanese can continue to provide cooling to the reactor and water into the spent fuel pools, and that is a process that is working right now. as i said, it's not necessarily the most stable configuration. for instance, there was an aftershock last night, so they had to remove some of the individuals, they lost some of the power, so some of the pumps they were using were not able to work for about 15 minutes. what we want is to move into a situation where that kind of situation would be dealt with in a more predictable manner and less for the possibility of the loss of the cooling systems. every day the reactors continue to have cooling and continue to

receive water and other types of cooling, the likelihoodof a similar event goes down. >> so the cooling, obviously, here is key, and there's nothing else that could go wrong, in your mind? >> that's correct. the primary focus is to maintain cooling. if you lose the ability to cool the reactors, then you have the poibility of a further degradation in the fuel which could lead to a greater release than what's going on. >> is a leak still going on in the ocean? >> we believe now that some of them have been stopped, but there is the possibility that there are other leaks and other material being released. >> how radioactive is that water? >> right now the japanese are surveying the water that's going

out into the ocean. i haven't seen figures of that. >> will you let me know how much contamination is flowing into the ocean? >> absolutely. >> your board found that epa fixed monitors had a tampering bias against larger particles, which could include hot particles. have you taken any actions to address the concerns? >> yes. yes, chairman, we have. that report was done several kwheerz ago, and since that report was done, epa responded to do an additional study on the ef sassy ficacy of monitoring et in catchg all sizes of particles. the real traumatic ones are the smaller ones, and what we found was through that study, our six monitors can collect the very smalle particles reasonably effectively. i do want to say, having newer monitors, there are newer

monitors out there that get even greater capture, but if you look at the purpose of the system, which is to give broad levels of background for events that are known, the current system is certainly effective. >> my time is expired, i just want to say to chairman jaszko, i've got these two nuclear plants that were built a very long time ago, and now apparently pg&e and central california have dropped their relicensing personally now. i guess i want to talk to you about -- and nobody has to respond to this. i'm thinking common sense. . >> you've got more that live within 50 miles of one of my clients and about half the radius that live within 50 miles

of the other. about half of these are near earthquake faults. so what i'd like to say to you and the others when we get to speak to them, and i think we will, to my mind, i think the commission when you're relicensing, has t look at this as though it's a new opportunity. would you license a plant that came to you now with that circumstance right by or near earthquake faults, studies that is there will be more frequent earthquakes and both involve tsunamis though one is the more vulnerable. i just hope that you -- again, i'm not asking you to think lopg a and hard about this, but if you would say no to a new operator, i hope you'll think about how it makes any sense to just keep on going. unless there is a major

reinforcement and hardening of some of these ildings and the rest. so i just leave you with that thought that those are my concerns. >> thanks, madam chair. >> thank you very much, mr. chairman. i appreciate both of you being here today and chairman i appreciate the time you've been available to me, visiting by office and addressing these various concerns that are critical, questions that need toto be answered. i noticed last week the california coastal commission concluded that a nuclear emergency such as is occurring in japan is extmely unlikely at the state's two operating nuclear power plants. would you agree with that california coastal commission's conclusion? >> we think it's very unlikely to see a large earthquake and a tsunami. >> they went on to say, the combination of a strong ground motion and massive tsunami that occurred in japan can't be generated by the kinds of faults that exist in the vicinity of

the two plants in nuclear plants in califora. you agree with the assessment there? >> it's my understanding the type of fault in japan was a different type of fault that doesn't exist off the coastf california. >> thank you. i mentioned in my opening statement that on april 6th, activist, strengthen and oversight on uranian recovery and i noticed how they are using that in japan when approving uranian mines domestically in the united states. do you see a japaneconnection we uranian mining in the united states? >>o direct connections. >> thank you. mr. chairman, whene last had an opportunity to visit my office, i discussed my concerns about the delay in approving permits for uranian mines and

you mentioned the delay was working things out with the epa and we finally achieved the resolution necessary. you thought you now had a template to move forward approving additional min. do you believe you worked out of those issues so we can now proceed with a faster permitting process? >> i believe we worked out -- come to a good understanding of how we deal with our environmental pact statements. we are, however, continuing to work through issues that are our responsibilities under two consult with tribal governments as part other requirements and that is the last activity that we're working on as we finalize our efforts on these uranian recovery operations. >> administrator, you are comfortable with and any issues in a timely manner. >> i remain committed to resolve

any issues we might have with respect to wyoming. i don't believe the article referenced sites in wyoming. >> the overall approval. thank you. i wanted to get back, mr. chairman, with the nrc response in japan and you have 250 staff both function s and working hard on this. given the commitment to the resources to japan, if we had any sort of emergency in the united states, would you be able to redeploy in a way we would not put ourselves in a disadvantage? >> absolutely. as this event has gone forward we have looked at our staffing levels and actually we've transitioned our approach to the staff in our operations center to have a smaller team there who can respond quickly but then would reach back to our larger agency to get information requests as they need. it allows us to respond but in away that allo us to continue

with our other important responsibilities. >> senator inhofe raised the issue about you invoking an emergency pwers as a result of this. could you describe to me how you interacted with your fellow commissioners during this nuclear incident and how you relied on them on making decisions as well? >> there's not so much invoking of the emergency authorities. that's an authority that the chairman has. most of the activities that i'm engaged in as part of this response have been normal super advisory and communication responsibilities. i would note and we can provide this information for the record, but immediately after we entered our monitoring mode on march 11th. an e-mail was sent down indicating we had done that. within the first 24 hours we had four briefings of the assistance of the commissioners. over the last several weeks,

i've done at least 26 briefings to my colleagues onhe commission, including one public commission meeting that was held about a week after the event started. thers been about overall, about 60 briefings to staff of the commission assistance and about 80 products have been provided to the commission indicating the status to the response efforts and activities that are ongoing. ihink there's been good communication with the commission about what we're doing and how we're dealing with reonse. >> thank you, mr. chairman. >> miss chairman, as a point of personalrivilege as the senator mentioned, the plants in my state, i appreciate his concern. let me put into the record two letters by the california coastal commission, they want new earthquake studies, number one. number two, what my friends said about the fact it would be unlikely we would have such an accident in california absolutely very unlikely. it's unlikely. that's exactly what they said

about pan. to the word. so we've got to move beyond talk. and get to this serious question of what do we do to do everything in our power to make it se. >> is there an objection to the unanimous request? so ordered. my first question of the chairman, if i could, i would like to quote albert in steen, in adversity lies opportunity. when asked the question, what is the worst that can happen following up on this tragedy? one of the worst things that could happen, we wouldn't learn anything from it. that's one of worst things that could happen. we have had not a whole lot of time but se time has passed sie this sad chapter began unfolding. talk to us about the lessons we have learned in the past weeks.

and let's -- maybe that would suggest that what we're doing is appropriate, good, smart, safe and maybe some things we learned that we can do better. >> i think one of the issues we've really come to recognize is that the station event is a very serus ent. the good aspect is that we've alwaysnown that is a very serious type of event and type of situation which you lose the ability to have electrical power to the site. fundamentallywe think that's the primary cause of the problem. what we're really working to establish is why exactly they got into the station with the station blackout and what were the lead factors affecting that. i think we've seen the importance of emergency planning in having the ability to respond and provide emergency guince to the population around the nuclear power plant and we've seen that that -- carries out its intended function, it moves

people out of an area they can be exposed to harmful levels of radiation. if we look at the kinds of things we've seen right now, those are the big lessons we've learned. we have this 90-day task force that wl look at very specific things in the next two months, two and a halfonths. i don't want to get too far in front of the work they are doing because they put together talented people at the agency. we're going to do a good thorough look. i want them to start giving the answers that they hear me say at a hearing. i ink that if there's anyne other lesson we've learned, after three mile island, we learned it is important to go about this kind of review in a system being and method callaway. i think that's what we're doing. that will be the continued focus i have with the agency. because we want to make sure we put in place the kind of changes that make safety better and not the kind of changes tt in the

end wind up undermining safety. >> i think what senator alexander said if you took the spent fuel and stacked it up on a football field it would be 20, to 25-feet high. we have a blue ribbon commission working at the direction of the president to consider what we should be doing with that spent fuel. and give us some idea when we expect to hear back from that commission, i think they what they recommend may tie in closely with what they are facing in japan. >> we're anticipating an interim report from the commission sometime this summer and then with fal report sometime later by the end of the year. when we look at the issues of spent fuel, this is something, again, that the agency, the commission has put a rong focus on making sure the spent fuel can be stored safely and securely, the structures,

whether in pools or -- are designed to deal with a large earthquake that are designed to deal with natural disasters, significant security related events. we have a kind of a multitiered system of protection thatxists in all of our plants, and that includes these unlikely events like these natural disasters and then a layer of protection on that to look at if that kind of unlikely event happens and all of the systems don't function well, we have additional procedures in place to address that kind of situation and ultimately equipnt put in the plants to kind of do that last line of defen in terms of providing cooling to the pools or ultimately to the reactor core. >> we have 104 nuclear power plants. the first one was built 50 years ago, i think it was 42 years ago, not 50. a number of plants up for re

licenseure. new technology and n design, how do the events from japan, how do they figure in the re-licensing plans and how do lessons learned figure into the approval process, renewal process for the new design? >> fundamentally we think about these issues not necessarily for a plant that's 41 years old or 42 years old or 1 year old and 10 years old. we think about this in terms of the plants there now in the safety of existing fleet of reactors. the reviews we're doing, the first review is to identify any issues we need to address mediately. we wouldn't wait for rely sen re-licensi to make changes to the plants. fundamentally the kinds of changes we're looking at would be applicable to all of the plants in the country, whether

they are getting license extended or not. in addition, we have a very robust process of reviewing the license applications and th renewed license applications that gives the public an opportunity for input that gives an opportunity to raise issue. and we think those procedures and processes are robust enough to deal with the new issues that come about from the japan situation. fundamentally these changes may take time to implement. in the interim, we'll evaluate every situation as it comes up. if there's something we need to do to slow down, we'll slow down. if we can move forward appropriately, we'll move forward appropriately. we'll be in a better position after the 90-day review is done to see if there are any remedial actions that need to be taken. >> senator alexander, you're next. >> thank you both for your testimony. as we look at electricity produced in the united states, we use about 25% of all

electricity in the world in our country. i believe about44% is produced by coal, 20% by nuclear power, 23% by natural gas, 7% by hydroelectric power. we think of those as base load electricity, electricity that's reliable over long periods of time, about 2% is wind, much less than 1% is solar. what would be the effect on our country's ability to comply with epas clean air standards if we didn't -- if we replaced nuclear power with either coal plants or natural gas plants? >> well, nuclear power emissions are low to zero for the pollutants that epa regulates so there would be presumably an increase in pollution, even with the best pollution control technology fossil fuel plants

are going to have higher emissions, including greenhouse gas pollution, which nuclear power does not have. >> but probably half of our coal plants don't have that -- >> about half of our coal plants in the country are not controlled for air toxics like mercury, arsenic, cadmium. we recently proposed a rule to address that issue. when it comes to carbon pollution, of course, it's quite different. >> we have a live discussion, senator carpenter and i worked a long time on the mercury issue. the point is, to keep it in perspective, nuclear power provides about 20% of our electricity but 70% of our emissions free electricity which is important as we think about clean air and climate change. mr. jacksco, for how long can

the 104 reactors we have safely store spent fuel on site? >> well the commission recently -stated what we refer to as our waste kpency finding, that we believe at least about 40 years beyond the expected lifetime -- 60 years beyond the expected lifetime of the plant we can safely store spent fuel. that gets you generally to about 100 years of time that you could store the fuel safely and securely. as part of this recent decision asked the staff to go back and look longer than that and see are there -- if there are any issues right now that would make it challenging to store that fuel for 200 or 300 years or longer time frame. we expect to begin loking at that in the next year and have an answer in probably a couple of years about that question. right now we don't see any major issues that wou present a significant challenge for the

longer term storage of the fuel. >> for purposes of understanding what we're trying to store, does it sound about right to say as i did earlier, that all used nuclear fuel that's been produced in the last 35 years would fill a football field about and then about 20 foot high. >> i've heard that statistic manyimes but never sat down and calculated and made sure it's right but it sounds reasonable as an approximatation. >> the nuclear waste policy act of 1982 established a fund into which rate payers, those of us who pay eltric bills, pay about $30 billion to build a finding resting place for used nuclear fuel. a second step of the obama's administration plan for used nuclear fuel which i hardly endorse, not just to store it safely on site, but then to do

advanced research to find a way to reuse nuclear fuel which will greatly reduce the mass of it so that -- and permit it to be used over and over again. inhe end, aren't we still going to have some stuff left that needs to be stored over a long period of time? and we still have this football field full of nuclear fuel spread around at 104 sites. where are we going to put that? we've got $23 billion sitting in a fund we've collected from electric bills. shouldn't we be using it to try to find a way to put them out since it doesn't seem to be ing anywhere? >> from the nrc's perspective, our job is to make sure the fuel, regardless of how it's being reused or stored or processed, is done safely and securely. that's our number one focus. we, of course, work with the industry. we cmunicate with the rest of the federal government.

as approaches are being developed to look at ways to deal with that in the long-term. the blue ribbon commission in providing them about iormation about our approach to safety and security as they work to farm late their opinions about ultimately what could be done with this fuel in the long term. >> you are welcome. thank you. senator lautenberg. >> thas to each of you for the knowledge and energy you bring and i use that term directly. we feel pretty comfortable, however, the long history that japan had with nuclear power and established nuclear regular tri system looked like japanese installations were absolutely safe. but clearly they weren't.

now what assurances do we have that our nuclear plants are prepared as they might -- we could get for our worst case scenario. >> well, senator, i would say there's really three or four levels of protection that we have at the plants. first and foremost, the plants are designedfor the unlikely events of what we think the maximum historical natural phenomenon is. like a hurricane or an earthquake or a tsunami, so we start with that and we design the plants to be able to deal with that kind of situation. then on top of that, all of the plants have a set of procedures and guidelines for what you would do in the situation, all of those systems you built in to deal with the situation failed. and those what we refer to as our severe accident management guidelines.

and those give youhe procedures, the approaches to dealing with the very severe events if they were ever to occur. for that to occur, a lot of safety systems that are redundant and have a lot of backups would have to fail and not work properly. even beyond that, if all of those systems were to fail, we required all plants in in country to have an additional set of procedures to deal with very extreme damage conditions at the plant, much like what you're seeing in japan. and we required all of the utilities to put equipment in place to respond and ultimately to be able to provide cooling to the reactors and spent fuel pool. we have a robust system to ensure that we can minimize or mitigate any potential releases to the public. >> the -- what we see is rather frightening in scope because almost no matter what you do,

you can't guarantee that there will be zero risk in the production of nuclear energy and nuclear facilities. so we keep on developing new policies as a result of unfortunately terrle experiences and we have -- we hope we have no further terrible incidents. miss jackson, new jersey is home to four nuclear reactors, including the oldest nuclear plant in the country, the oyster creek station. two years older than the damaged japanese plant. now, with your long experience in protecting health and environment in new jersey, how confident can we be that the nuclear plants at our state are sufficiently safe to protect all of our people at all times? >> well, i would defer to the

chairman on the safety issue except to say obviously, what was recently announced, which was that that plant was voluntarily -- the owners have agreed to shut it dn, i think is part of the solution with respect to that particular facility. >> well, we're -- little reassurance honestly because if they said okay, we'll even cut short the period that the license covers, which means that there's an element of worry out there. there can't be -- >> senator, if i could just comment and my understanding of the part of the reason for not extending the plant operation was motivated by the cost and some of the economic factors. certainly from the nrc's

perspecte, we didn't see a safety reason to not operate beyond 2019 when the plant would operate. again, when we do license renewal. what we do is add on additional requirements to the license sees for them to monir the plant to make sure the plant equipment and systems important for safety get older but they have a way to monitor and make sure the aging does not have any adverse impacts on safety. in addition to the standard and regular strong safety program we have, we add on top of that the additional requirements to make sure that as the plants age they do it in a way that's protective of t public health and safety. >> one last question. the rest beyond that i'll send to you for the record and look for respse. the nrc requires evacuation plants only withinen miles of a plant. but the american government has warned americans in japan to

stay at least 50 miles away from the damaged reactor. we confirmed that when we turned our ships around about 50 or 60 miles. i guess when all else fails, we have to be absolutely certain that a way to evacuate these areas is foolproof in terms of its ability and its durability. and would it make sense to require evacuation plans in our country to address the same distance to u.s. facilities for new plan? >> well, that's something we're going to look at as part of the reviews we're doing. the ten-mile evacuation zones that we currently have are designed to be the region in which you pre-stage and prepare evacuations. if conditions were to warrant some additional reaction beyond that, those actions could aulsz be taken. as we've seen in japan, nuclear

events tend to develop over a long period of time. this is three weeks into this event. and we've had the time and ability to make protective action recommendations and update those and modify them as conditions of the plant change. so that ten miles is really based upon the idea of what you need thave prepared right away so you have an event that develops quickly, you can address that and have pre-staged and pre-prepared what to do. there's always the ability to go farther or modify the plans to deal with the existing conditions and exact conditions on the ground. but i also want to stress, this is something we're going to take a look at as part of the review to see if there are changes to the emergency preparedness. >> thanks very much. thanks to each much you. >> thank you, mr. chairman and thank you all for your testimony. the first question i wanted to ask about is the venting system

to release the hydrogen in the japanese plants succeeded in venting the hydrogen outside of the core only to have it explode outside. the u.s. went through in the 1980s a hardening of our vent systems on our reactors and the japanese plants went through the upgrade. why the venting system didn't succeed in venting the hydrogen that it wouldn't explode after it left the core and is there a difference in the venting system between the japanese plants and u.s. plants that would give us similar problems? >> it's not exactly clear what the source of the hydrogen was. obviously we saw hydrogen or some fires in the unit four reactor as well. that likely came from the spent fuel pools. the spent fuel pool in that building because of the reacting core there did not have fuel in

it. so at this point, we don't have definitive information about the source of the hydrogen. it's possible it came from the spent fuel pools and not necessarily from the venting operation, that's something that we'll look into as we get some more -- really as we get past the more emerge ent crisis in japan, we'll get the detailed information about that effort. and i would say that realy the fundamental issue we see is the station black joult event. in the united states when we're talking about a station blackout event, we quire each plant toch at least two diesel generators for each reactor. if there's a multiple reactor site we'll have four diesel generators on the site. they have to have the fuel in an area that's protected so that it can be -- it can supply the diesel generators for in the

event of some type of natural hazard. then beyond that, have something that we call our coping requirements, which requires the utilities to be able to deal with the loss of offsite power until they are able to restore their offsite power. >> i only have a limited amount of time. you dodged the basic question, is our venting system different from the japanese system? it is fairly understand that a fair amount of hydrogen came from the splitting of water molecules and probably explosion of the clouding. in that situation and understanding that scenario, why did the hydrogen explode after it was vented rather than being disbursed safely into the atmosphere. if we have no insight, that's fine. ourenting system different? >>t this point we don't have the detailed information to know if it's -- >> let me go on to a second question. >> in at least one of the

reactors, believe it's number two, that the there was discussion of plugs in the bottom of the reactor vessel, the core that were used for loading fuel in. and concern that that design left a vulnerability and that the plugs inrted after fuel was put in melted at a lower temperature than the rest of the core containment vehicle and could have been a flaw that would allow fuel to escape. is that just spefic to that one reactor or is that a common design and has that been discussed concern in the past? do we have that design in the united states? >> we can get you specific information on that design, but again, i would stress right now the information about the condition of all of the reactors is very preliminary and very uncertain. you indicated the hydrogen explosion. again, it is correct that that is a result of usually of exposure of fuel but that can of

course, occur both in the spent fuelpools and as well as the reactor core. the exact source at this point is not clearly understand and probably will be some time before we know definitively where it came from, whether it was interaction with the clouding in the spent fuel pool or the reactor core itlf. and that's where there's a bit of uncertainty. >> you didn't answer my core question. the plugs that are apparently in the design of at least one reactors on the bottom side, do we have a similar design? >> we can get you that information. i don't have that off the top of my head right now, but again, i don't want to speculate necessarily that that was a contributing cause to any of the condition of reactor two at this point. >> another issue is the containment vessel itself. in the 1972, there was a report from the predecessor organization atomic energy commission that recommended the mark one system be scontinued beuse of unacceptable safety

risk because of the smaller containment design and more susceptible to a buildup of hydrogen, obviously something that seems like was an interesting insight given what we have now witnessed. indeed, apparently the reason for the smaller and lighter containment vehicle was the cost of a heavier and stronger containment vehicle. there was later in the 1980s, discussion of a nrc official, they had a 90% probability of bursting it fuel rods overheat and melt. there has be in changes to the containment vehicles. do we feel we've satisfactorily addressed the weakness issues raised in the 1970s and '80s. >> fundamentally the actions that were taken as you indicated, one was to provide

the hardened venting which provides aelease path to release terial as pressure builds up to release that pressure and do it in a way that you prevent as much of the release as possible when you do that process. the other thing that was done were efforts to do was called a night droe general inerting, you introduce nitrogen into t atmosphere and reduce the likelihood of a hydrogen combustion. >> we had a series of follow-up studlies that looked at how do you ultimate litigate them. for the mark one containments those were the change that's were made to address that. again, we're going to lo at the information from japan to see how similar or different their designs were at the time

of the accident to see if there are additional lessons we'll learn. >> thank you. >> you're welcome. thank you. mam chair? >> thanks. i want to follow-up on earthquake faults because we had written a commission and asked you for an explanation of how many of our reactors or let's just say or plants are located on or near seismically active faults. >> the number in your initial statement, generally we would say two plants that are near -- in high seismic areas and nine plants in more medium areas. again, i want to stress, we require all plants in the united states to be designed to deal with seismic events, as all of us here in washington know, it was only a couple months ago we felt an earthquake here in washington. sohey are all designed to deal

with seismic events and we design them, again, based on the accelerations that the plant itself would feel or actions and motions that the plant would feel at the actual site of the plant, rather than based on the magnitudes of the earthquake. >> before you get into all that, i don't have a lot of time. in japan, they would give the same answer. they gave the same answer. tepco said we're proud of the robustness of our containment vessels and in a case of an earthquake everything would safely stop and put it in the record, if i could. not the blah blah but the actual -- >> but the point is it's eerie to me because i don't sense enough humility froall of us

here as some great scientist once said, we think we have all of the answers but mother nature may not agree with us. so a lot of what you're saying is the same thing that they said and you're right, you are being conservative because even though plants don't sit on or near, you' thinking ahead. but the fact is, if you take one of my -- we have the two plants that are high intensity seismic areas. you know, one is built to -- they are both built to withstand a certain level of earthquake and yet so is japanese plant was i believe 7.5 built withstand and they had a 9.0. you can't know for sure what's going to happen. i guess, are you doing aajor inspection as senator feinstein and asked you two, of the two

plants that are in high propennsylvanpro pensty earthquake zon. >> we are looking at all plants in the country to see if tler lessons learned from japan. >> you said there are two plants that are in the highest risk and you're not treating them any differently. that's a little worry some to me. >> senator, i wouldn't necessarily say they are in the highest risk. >> there were two plants on the highest seismic activity areas and those two e our plants in our state. >> what we look at ultimately are the consequences, the plants that are in california are designed to deal with much, much higher seismic activity than any other plants in the country. so they -- >> there may be a reason for that, mr. chairman because they are more risk -- look, we just have a new report that says that they are not built to high

enough earthquake proof standards because we have reports of a new fault at deab blow, we'll hear that from senator lakesly. and there are reports that say there will be much more frequent activity than was suspected both in perhaps tsunami and earthquake. i'm asking you again, i don't know if we got the letter back from them. if you could just -- you know how senator feinstein and i feel. it's on our watch. i don't know how many people are? the states -- delaware, how many people in delaware? >> almost a million. >> how many in your state? >> half a million. >> ie got half a million people who live within 50 miles of one of my plants and 7.4 million who live within 50 miles of my other. so this isn't about you know,

some theoretical capacity if something went wron i know you feel you do ongoing inspections but some of those found safety culture problems too. so let me just press you. i know senator blakesly is coming up and we're working together on this. that's an important point. nothing to do with partisanship. if i won't be here for his testimony, can i send you his testimony and ask you to take another look because we have both these plants are up for renewal. although their licenses run to about 2022, something like that, 2027. 2022. so they are not going anywhere but they are up -- they are both now going to undertake new 3-d earthquake study, which is great. i praised both operators for

doing that. but it means to me that while that's happening you know, as -- correct me in i'm wrong, bill gray said, tell me if i heard him right, the chance of something like this happening an event like this is between 7 and 10,000? >> i think he said frequently of about 7 imagimagnitude earthquas every seven years. i don't want to speak for the congressman. >> i would say to yo take a look at the record and 157 earthquakes we've had over 6. so as we know, listen, when i was a county supervisor they head 100-year flood, we have to plan for a 100-year flood and i was a lot younger then. do we really need to do this? esn't mean it's going to happen in 100 years. could happen several times

within ten years then not happen again. we've got to respond in a much different way and i don't feel the humility from all sides here. i don't think we're humble enough in the face of what mother nature could do. and i think that's although i have to admit that the statements made by all parties here were revery reasoned. we need to inject more humility, look what happened in japan, they are bragging how this could never happen. arrogantly boasted of the world's best nuclear technology, now they can't figure out how to keep the thing from leaking and all of the rest. enough said. thank you. >> thank you. >> administrator jackson, i don't want you to feel like you're being ignored here.

>> very much appreciated. >> i can barely see her lip move when you speak, mr. chairman. administrator, we were talking earlier, i don't know if it was senator alexander or someone else, who said we were talking about the number of people who have died in the 41, 42 year history of nuclear power plants in this country because of the radiation. folks either who worked in the plants or lived in the area around those. i think i asked this question of the chairman last time he was here, i think he said, to the best of his knowledge, no one has died of radiation poisoning or sickness. that was the quote you said, right in the. >> at nuclear power plants, there have been in related industries some accidents that led to fatalities. in the nuclear power, plants themselves there haven't been any. >> you've been great to work with us on any wide range of

clear air issues, including mercury admissions and i don't know -- no want to put you on the spot. i would like to get a sense for the range of injures, death that have bra damaged children born, babies born because of emissions from fossil fuel plants that put out not only co2 but merry. can you give us a sense for that? we're talking about the loss of not st tens of lives or hundreds of lives but far greater. can you give us a sense of that over the 40 years? give us a sense of the imaginefy tud? are we talking thousands of folks whose lives have been shortened? >> thank you for your leadership on clean air issues. long and outstanding record so

thank you. whdon't i simply say we recently released a proposed rule to deal with mercury and toxic emissions from power plants that burn coal. and the estimates were annual estimates of tens of thousands of fewer bronchitis incidents and 150,000 i believe the number one, fewer visits to asthma related doctor or hospital visits. when it comes to fine part cal pollution, there are -- it's not just sickness, it's death. so literally, tens of thousands a year of avoided deaths, prematures deaths. i don't have a number f 40 years that accumulate, but of course the clean air act has been around for 40 years and has a long and proud history of i think the most recent estimate

was $2 trillion in avoided health cost and benefits just from 1990 2012, 2020 alone. money isn't the same as lives saved and the tragedy of a sick child but it has quite -- those emissions have real impacts on public health. >> one of our colleagues earlier in the hearing made the point that for almost any source of electricity in this country, there are risks concerns related to them and obviously we have the kind of concern of risk born in japan that we need to be mindful of to learn as much as we can to make sure that tragedy doesn't occur here. whether it's coal fired plants. in other states we wanted to play off wind mill farm, but there are people who think they are unsightly and complain about the loss of lives of birds.

we have concerns with respect to tapping the great reserves of natural gas that we're happy, concerns raised about solar panels and some of the materials that we use to create that. all kinds of concerns. what we have to ha here at the end is be as vigilant for all of them. i would ask there to be as mindful as concerned about air pollution problems that relate to fossil fuel plants as we are the potential loss of life or in danger of health from nuclear power plants. sometimes we lose our sense of balance. let me ask you as a follow-up to that, about the epa radiation monitoring and in the next panel we have several state and local officials and let me ask, how did the epa inform state and local officials about potentially high levels of diation in milk or wat in their community and what actions would be taken in high levels of radiation are found by epa

monitoring? >> let me first start every model we've seen and we agree with the inputs don't show we'll see any high levels and we have not seen hgh levels. if anything i would character them as trace increases from background. one of the interesting things is we have decades of background. we have a good understanding of what's normal for these monitors. and what we have done is set up a system where we do post the data for rain water and drinking water and milk. we'll post those on the website along with the air monitoring data, near real time, 4 to 6-hour as well as those with the cart ridge data which can take a longer time. even when we see trace levels, we alert the sta entities that are affected by those motors where the states are. we work very closely with our

partners at health and human services. through cdc and fda, depending whether we're talking food stuffs like milk or other issues, it's very important that the health officials in those states are not surprised by even trace increases because we want them to be able to feel comfortable that they know what the data say and what they mean and context you'llize that for citizens. most aren't speaking of radiation or understanding the units coming at them. we haven't gotten it perfect every time. we also work with ee leked officials. >> i'm going to stop there and some colleagues who are here and some not will have questions to submit in writing. how long do they have to submit those? >> they have two weeks to submit their questions in writing and we ask that you promptly respond. thank you so much for being here and for testifying today.

agn, our thanks to you and the teams you lead at epa. at the nrc for the continued vigilance being demonstrated response to this disaster. thanks so much. with that, we'll envit our second panel, actually, trd panel. you can see this entire hearing online at c-span.org. >> i do not think it is a problem for them. they're not forcing people to give their money. if you want help, you can get help. i do not think it is an honest

job. if they have no other options, phil batt for them. but if they're doing it because it is easy and they do not work very hard -- >> there is welfare. there are those who take advantage of that. but if they're really need help, they have shelters and places they can sleep. i don't think there are enough of them, but there are places. >> every day while driving to school, i pass a stranger near the mall. each day he wakes up, trudges half a mile to his corner and stands in the same place. the stranger is familiar to everyone but known to no one. is there nothing being done to end this tragedy? nothing to help homeless?

-- help the homeless? >> nearly 6 million low-income households pay more than half their monthly income for rent. or live in severely substandard housing. our homeless assessment report found on any given night in america, more than 640,000 men, women, and children are without housing. >> i am the assistant coordinator and i will give you a quick tour of our facility. this is our stacking room where we have the overflow of what we give out for clients. >> i am the coordinator. our food shelf is blessed

because this community is extremely supportive. there are food pantries that are struggling to keep food on the shelf and we have been able to keep up with demand. >> we try to give everyone one week's worth of groceries a month. the average family of four receives anywhere from six bags to eight bags of groceries. >> people in crisis can call 211 and they have a database that is national. they can get a multitude of information. usually this is the first call for help which is what they should do. they find themselves -- if they find themselves in a situation where they do not have a job or losing their house, they can call to 11 and they can give them the information they need. >> if we did not get one more donation, this would begun. >> food shelves like these are

put in place to help those like the stranger i see on the corner. a stranger who was a stranger no more. >> i am brad. i have been homeless for 5.5 years. it is tough in minnesota. there is nice people like the guy i am doing this documentary for. you get -- if you do good, you get twice as good back. i hope someday to land a job or do whatever i have to do. the with the economy is -- way the economy is, it is tough out here. i am not out here for alcohol or

drugs. i hope it gets better. i've been sober now for almost 10 years and a lot has changed except for no work. i have even went to companies and ask if i could go outside and pick up cigarette butts for $3 an hour. they just laugh at me. the federal government will not give you loans or any assistance or anything because i am a male. it should not be labelled to females with kids. it should be anybody. it should help for months and if they're messing up for using the system, i could see, and nothing has changed because the what the handout park. there will not stay straight --

they will not stay straight. >> although brad made it seem as if the federal government did nothing to assist the homeless, there are in fact many programs out there. >> debate receive federal assistance to do this? >> many do. they do not all the receive assistance. there are many shelters that do not. the federal government does provide a sizeable amount of money, over $2 billion a year for shelters and transitional how thhousing. for emergency assistance to people. there is an extensive network. over 40,000 programs. >> i spoke with a woman who works for one of these programs. this shelter would have welcomed brad. >> anything from mental health to housing. one thing we have is young

people. 18 years old, slipping down here. -- sleeping down here. >> the individuals are thankful for assistance programs provided to them. one thing the shelter can opt provided employment. he sold everything he could to move for a job. the downfall of the economy caused his company to close. >> i stand here and i got a corner. some of the guys are out of work [inaudible] this is a good place. >> it is not nice to be doing

this, but you have to do what you have to do to survive. >> go to studentcam.org to watch the videos and continue the conversation about this documentary on our facebook and twitter pages. >> white house event launching an initiative to honor military service members and their families. in an hour, secretary of state clinton on relations between the u.s. and muslim countries. after that, senators jeff sessions of alabama and chuck schumer of new york on federal spending. later, we will prepare the hearing on what the u.s. can learn from the nuclear disaster in -- reair the hearing on what the u.s. can learn from the nuclear disaster in japan. >> the senate judiciary hearing

on the rights of crime victims on c-span3 at 10:00 a.m. eastern. on the president's speech fiscal policy. this weekend, the national review's kevin williamson define socialism and how it is at work in america today. karla peterson recounts the lives of the new york it leads. and a look at jacqueline kennedy, eleanor roosevelt, and barbara bush. you can get our schedules e- mail. sign up for the alert. >> president obama and vice- president biden joined the first lady and jill biden today to

launch their initiative supporting and honoring military service members and their families. from the white house, this is a little more than an hour. >> i am so honored to be here. i am a military spouse of 35 years and a proud mother of two air national guard members. [applause] i became a volunteer with the delaware national guard family assistance program in 2002 when activatedquadron was and deployed to the middle east. my son jason deployed to the middle east the following year. just like in many other states across the country, there is a network of the national guard espouses in my state who have always supported one another. especially during deployments. as more families face

deployment, we wanted to do more. in 2007, my friend and i formed delaware boats on the ground. a nonprofit organization that supports members of the military, their families, and veterans. especially in times of separation or need. with the help and expertise of individuals, local businesses, and community groups, we have stop christmas stockings for soldiers, fix broken air conditioners, and thrown baby showers. whatever needs to be done, we try to find a way to make sure it happens. during our second year, jill biden became a volunteer for boots on the ground. a four years later, our volunteers have assisted hundreds of military families in countless different ways. when delaware boots on the ground was formed around the

breakfast table, i never imagined i would be at the white house with president obama, telling you all about it. i never dreamed of our story would capture the interest of the entire nation. we are simply military families helping military families. today, we're telling that story and through the hard work of first lady michelle obama and dr. jill biden, hundreds more stories like ours are being listed -- lifted up so everyone understands just how easy it is to support our military families and just how much that support means to the military community. i want to thank you both for all you do on behalf of our military families. and now, it is my honor to

introduce someone who has always been committed to the military. he has been a regular national guard for 30 years and visits with members of our military and across the country and across the world. today, i have the honor of -- as a military spouse and military whether to introduce my friend, vice president joe biden. [applause]

>> welcome to the white house. when they made their first presentation in philadelphia, there were both scared to death. now, i am scared to follow jill. we just returned from a ceremony that honored bob dole and his heroic service and unparalleled devotion to serving veterans in this country. he always knew and taught me what many of us have come to learn. that we have many obligations in this country but we only have one truly sacred obligation. that is to prepare those who we send to war with all they need and take care of those who return from war and their families with all they deserve.

although bulbs generation was one of the greatest generation, this generation of warriors, this generation of warriors may be among the most devoted because of a long, long period of service they have had to endure. they have seen and participated in two wars that extended almost a decade. we have lost in the process over for -- exactly as of an hour ago 5000 -- 5957 fallen angels. 43,006 have been wounded and there is more of a job to be done. there is still more warriors deployed. i do not think there has been a time in american history when a

generation of military families has had to endure for as long and as much as this generation of american families of service people. as i said, we only have one truly sacred obligation. the poet john milton said of shirley and the blue star families, he said, "they also serve who only stand and wait." in this generation of military families as i said earlier, they have selectstood a long time. i look at the men and women in uniform. i do not think there has been this many times when people have been in battle, wounded, seen

bloody combat and sent home again. it is one thing to go the first time not knowing what the horrors of war may be like. but to saddle up and go back again and again and again. why multiple flights into iraq and afghanistan, the last time in i set up with the pilots and i said, how many tourists? of the four in the cockpit, only one had served two. three had served -- to have served four and this was the fifth four the fourth. -- fifth for the fourth. jill and michelle and bringing

awareness to the country and we owe them a lot. your child, it is your child. you miss their first step. the first smile that they smile. the missed birthdays. the anniversaries that were celebrated on skype. we learned about skype when our son was in iraq for year. their support at home has never wavered. i would say that they too, the families that surely represents represents, they are as brave as the people that are there. a truly deserve our support. as i said, jill and i know a

little of what is like. we learned how much it means to those who are in a war zone. thousands of miles away. knowing that their family is being cared for, that the next door neighbor has offered to cut the grass while their husband is overseas. or that the next-door neighbor will give a jump-start on that cold morning when you are trying to get the daughter or son to elementary school. they know that those little things are the things that make every day work or not work. it matters. it matters because it is one less thing they have to worry about in theater. all of you who served in the military and served overseas know i am not exaggerating when i say that. every single warrior i made in place in afghanistan or iraq or

bosnia in those days and kosovo. all they ask about, they ask about what it is like a home. can you give my wife a call? can you pick up the phone and call my pop and let him know it is ok. all americans should know that one act of kindness extended to a family of a soldier or sailor or marine or coast guardsman, river bridge into the -- reverberates into the heart of the soldier. i promise you, it matters. it matters. jill always points out the 1% of our nation is serving. over 1 million young women and men.

i was in iraq in one of saddam's old palaces. one soldier gathers around and 5 and 10 and you are standing on a chair talking to a bunch and i said you are a great bunch of young guys. 61 years old. they are not all young. only 1% of the families have served in those wars. 100% of american families have an obligation to commit to that 1%. and show one single act of kindness to deployed veterans family. as jill has declared many times

as second lady, helping to muster the strength and to remind the neighbors and everyone in america has a duty to fulfill that sacred obligation i mentioned. jill knows how important it is for our troops and the families. she knows also that how far a little bit of support can go. my wife i'm about to introduce it feels in her bones, it has become part of who she is. the blue star indelibly branded on her heart. if has, among our family to define her. i am honored to present to you the second lady of the united states, the blue star mom, my wife, jill biden. [applause]

>> good morning. i am jill biden and i am a proud military mom. as my husband said, we are honored to have you here at the white house today. as we express the gratitude of our entire nation to those who serve in our military and to their amazing families. you are all heroes from the moms and dads who keep their families together while your loved ones are serving overseas, to the grandparents who support and the children who are strong and brave while mom and dad are way. you go about your business everyday, lifting up your communities, volunteering at your schools, lending a hand to your neighbors, and you do it all while carrying a heavier burden than most folks imagine.

you are truly remarkable. as joe said, we have been a national guard family for the last 10 years. 2.5 years ago, i stood in dover, delaware, watching as our sun prepared to deploy to iraq. i remember it like it was yesterday. like other military families, i saw an intense mixture of pride and concern and i can honestly say not a day passed during his your way when i did not worry about his safety. during the deployment ceremony, a friend slipped a prayer into my hand. it brought me comfort and i have shared it with many others since then. the prayer asks for courage and strength for each soldier, to do their duty when they risk their lives to protect our freedom.

and expresses thanks for the sacrifice of these men and women and their families. that prayer has been a huge source of comfort to me, especially in the year that bo was deployed. i could be riding on the chalkboard in my class for more preparing a meal and -- writing he chalkboard or preparing a meal. i said the prayer. i pass this on in the hopes it comforts them as it did me. i have had the opportunity over the last few years to attend several of the deployment and return ceremonies. i have seen the pride, the trepidation, the relief, and the pure joy. i have spent time with spouses

and children, grandparents and friends. somehow it is always the mothers to seek me out. they know i understand their experience. because i do, i offer them my thanks, my prayers, and a warm embrace. have met so many amazing families. last month, i attended a deployment ceremony where i met call thenonow grandparents. grandparents of three children under the age of 10 were deploying and they decided to circle the wagons and take care of the children together. the grandmothers are here today. graeme but charleses home babysitting. i want to thank your entire family for their service.

just think about these women. they do not live on a base or where uniforms. they are serving. they could be your neighbor's. -- neighbors. they could be at your church or synagogue or customers at a hardware store you manage. imagine how community could rally around this family, helping with carpools, sporting events, or school activities. i see through my work with organization that small groups can make a difference. imagine form, not what these small gestures mean to a family but what they mean to a soldier. thousands of miles away, who knows that someone is looking out for the ones he loves back

home. there are small and effective groups like this all over the country, from the barbeque mastered travels the state of ohio to cook for military families, to the accounts providing free attacks service, to the soldiers collecting equipment for military kids. these efforts make a difference in the lives of our families. when i was in iraq last year, i heard a story that has stuck with me ever since. an officer told me about the little girl in his daughter's class who broke into tears when she heard the "ave maria" song during a program. the little girl explained the song had been played at her father's funeral. her father had been killed in iraq. as a teacher, i know that all

teachers would want to understand that little girl's experience. so i shared that story with a group of educators and i am so pleased to share the good news today that the american association of colleges for teacher education has partnered with the military child education coalition to promote training for future teachers. together, they hope to teach 10,000 future educators how to best serve their military connected students across the country. in our travels, we have seen many teachers who are making a real difference for the military children in their classrooms. teachers who are range parent teacher conferences by skype so deployed parents can participate, or teachers who encourage students to take a

photo of their deployed parents to their desk so they can look at it whenever they feel the need. where teachers like the one in my granddaughter's classroom who hung up a photo of my sons deployed units so the class would know that natalie's dad was at war. that photo of her dad on the wall men the world to her. and men the world to me and joe. -- meant the world to me and joe. there are groups who are supporting our families and showing their countless ways to help. some large and many small. but all important. i can tell you from personal experience, all appreciate it. we can all join forces. i am thrilled and tumbled to be

here today with a group of people that represents the best of this nation. individuals and families who embody the strength, the resilience, and the patriotism that has shaped the united states of america. we, joe, myself, barack, and michelle, we are here because of you. we're here to celebrate you. you are doing your part, the government is doing its part. each american has the ability to make a difference in the life of a military family. that is what this initiative is all about. every one of us can combat to -- commit to one small act of kindness. and now, it is my honor and privilege to introduce a man who is doing his part as a strong leader and cost an advocate for our service members, veterans,

and military families. he is also the husband of my partner on this effort. our president and commander-in- chief, barack obama. [cheers and applause] >> thank you. please have a seat. thank you. thank you. please be seated. thank you very much. as you can see it, the vice president and i are the warm-up acts today. our role is to introduce our better halves. michelle and jill are our better

three-quarters or 4/5. just all-around better. thank you for your introduction in sharing your personal experiences and stories and be able to describe how much this means to you personally. to the vice president, the entire family, which like so many others has known the pride and the worries and fears of their loved ones. we're joined by members of congress, by members of my cabinet, joint chiefs, but leaders across the administration, just about every sector of american society. most of all we're joined by our service members and their families, representing the finest military the world has ever known. while the campaign that brings us together is truly unique, it does reflect the spirit that is familiar to all of us.

has to find ust i as a people and a nation for more than two centuries. freedom is not free. simple words that we know are true. our freedom has been paid by the service and sacrifice of those who step forward and raised their hand and said send me. they put on uniform and swear an oath to protect and defend and they carry titles that have commanded the respect of generations. soldiers, airmen, marines, sailors, coastguardsman. carnation indoors because these men and women are willing to defend it with their very lives. and as a nation, it is our solemn duty and our moral obligation to serve these patriots as well as they serve us. but we are here today because these americans in uniform have

never served alone -- not at lexington, not at concord, not in iraq, not in afghanistan. behind every american in uniform stand the wife, husband, imam, a doubt, -- a mom, a dad, a sister or brother. these families are the force behind the force. they too are the reason we have got the finest military in the world. whenever i am with their troops overseas, when i asked them what can we do for you, there is one thing the request more than anything else. take care of my family. take care of my family. because when our troops are worried about their families back home, it is harder for them to focus on the mission overseas. the strength and the readiness

of america's military depends on the strength and readiness of our military families. this is a matter of national security. it is not just the right thing to do. it makes this country stronger. that is why over the past two years, we have made major investments to take care of our military families. secretary gates has been one of the leaders in this process -- a new housing and child care for families, new schools for military kids, better health care for veterans, new educational opportunities for hundreds of thousands of veterans and their family members under the post-9/11 gi bill. that is why as part of a landmark presidential study directed, for the first time ever, the well-being of our military families is now a national priority, not just a defense department priority, not just a va party, it is a

federal government party. today, my administration is working to implement nearly 50 specific commitments to improve the lives of military families, everything from protecting 5 -- families from financial scams to improving education for military kids and spouses, to stepping up our fight to end homelessness among veterans. as commander-in-chief, i am not going to be satisfied until we meet these commitments. across this administration, we will keep doing everything in our power to give our military families the support and respect they deserve. but as we have said all along, this cannot be the work of government alone. something else has been true throughout our history. our military and our military families cannot be the only ones bearing the burden of our security. the united states of america's strongest and as americans, we're at our best when we remember our obligations to each other. when we remember that the price of freedom cannot simply be paid by a select few. when we embrace our

responsibilities to each other, especially those who serve and sacrifice in our name. that is why the extra nine work that mashal and jill -- the extraordinary work that michelle and jill have been engaged in is so important. i remember how it began. it was during our campaign. michelle was meeting with women across the country, listening to their struggles. inevitably, there were complaints about husbands and not doing enough around the house and being confused when you have to brush the daughter's hair and get that ponytail right. so they were sharing notes. but in all these conversations, there was one group that capped capturing -- kept capturing michelle's heart. that was military

spouses. she decided if she was given the opportunity to serve as first lady, she would be their voice and that is what she and jill have done. you see the events around the country on the basis, in the communities, at the hospitals with our wounded warriors wear they celebrate your families and what we can do to support you better. what you do not see is what happens when the cameras are off. how michelle and jill come back and how they are inspired by what they saw and they advocate on your behalf. i want every military family to know that michelle here is to not just as a first lady or a fellow american but as a wife, a daughter, and a mom. she is standing up for you and your family is not just today

but every day. the voice that she promised to be, that is what she has been out there doing, making sure that you are getting the support and appreciation that you and your families deserve. and so it is my honor to introduce to you my extraordinary wife, america's extraordinary first lady, michelle obama. [applause] >> thank you, everyone. thank you. it is a thrill, and it is always nice to be introduced by the president of the united states. it is kind of cool. and on behalf of all of us, i

want to thank my husband, i want to thank joe for their leadership. from the top down, their personal commitment to keeping our military families strong is really what has allowed this to be here. i have told military families that. this is something that comes from the very top. this is not just about me and jill. we have husbands who care about your families, that care about these issues, and we would not be here today if it were not for their leadership. so here we are. this is the moment we have been working toward for such a very long time. let me say that i am just thrilled that all of you could be here today as we watch this unprecedented national campaign to honor and support our incredible military families. we're calling it joining forces. pretty good. [applause] we call it joining forces for a

very special reason. this campaign is about all of us, all of us joining together, as americans, to give back to the extraordinary military families who serve and sacrifice so much, every day, so that we can live in freedom and security. joining forces is a challenge to every segment of american society to take action, to make a real commitment to supporting and engaging these families. and i want to thank you because this campaign is the result of everything that so many of you have shared with us and taught us over the past two years. i am especially grateful to my phenomenal partner in this effort, a blue star mom herself and a tireless champion of guard and reserve families, and an inspiration to me throughout this entire process, my dear friend, dr. jill biden.

and we need to give jill -- [applause] joining forces is inspired by the amazing military spouses and children who we have met across the country, some of whom have been able to join us today. families who have told us that even with a huge outpouring of support for our troops over the last decade, the truth is that as a country, we do not always see their families, our heroes on the home front. these families have appealed to us like a military mom who wrote to me and said, "please do not let americans forget or ignore what we live with." please do not let them forget. joining forces is shipped by the insights of spouses like becky

gates and patty sheehan second and debra mullen and spouses of the joint chiefs, spouses of our senior enlisted advisers and countless spouses of all ranks, many of whom i see sprinkled around have been terrific visors to us. also, the passionate advocates representing military families who are here, and of course, members of congress from both parties, they're all in support of this. these are all leaders who devoted their lives to serving our troops and their families and to have helped us to understand where and how campaign like this could make a difference. joining forces built on the great work of the president and vice-president and the entire administration, which has made military families of priority across the federal government, even as we recognize, as the president said, that this work cannot be done by government alone.

and i am excited that as a result of the work that we have done with so many people over the past two years, businesses and organizations across america, including some of the best known names and brands, have already responded to this call. today, as part of joining forces, they're going to be announcing a major new commitments to support military families and you will see those incredible commitments as we go forward, but we are tremendously grateful for so many of them stepping up so early. joining forces is rooted in those american values of service and citizenship that have kept our country strong throughout history. in world war ii, the nation went to war. just about every family was a military family or knew someone that was. however, today, with an all volunteer force, fewer americans

serve or know someone who does. unlike our troops military -- military families do not wear uniforms so we do not always see them. like our troops, these families are proud to serve than they do not complained, so as a result, the rest of us do not always realize how hard it can be or what we can do to lighten their load. i have to unmet i have not always realized it myself. my father served in the army but he served before was born so i did not grow in a military family. i always revered our troops but like many americans, i did not see firsthand how much our military families sacrifices well. that is why we are joining forces. this is about the responsibility we have to one another, as americans. it is about the fact that as joe said, 1% of americans may be fighting on our behalf, but 100% of americans need to be

supporting our troops and their families. this campaign is about renewing those bonds and those connections between those who served and the rest of us who live free because of their service. this is a national initiative. here's how it will work. first, as part of a new public awareness campaign, we're going to highlight the service of these families that americans do not see. the first step in taking action as awareness. our military families are all around us. we may not know it. we are going to remind americans that most military families live off base, in thousands of communities across the country. they are our neighbors and our co-workers. the military spouse who puts a full day in at the office and goes home to do the parenting of two while their husband or wife is deployed. we will remind them that most military children go to public schools. they are our kids classmates and

teammates, like the girl in your daughter's class try to make new friends and handle the normal pressures of growing up, even as she worries whether dad or mom will come home safe. many of our national guardsmen and reservists and their families do not live anywhere near a military base. they are in virtually every community in this country. one day, they are our police officers, our fire fighters, our doctors and our teachers and the next day, they're called to duty and deployed to a war zone. just about every county in america has sent a service member to iraq or afghanistan. and their families, including gold star families who have made the ultimate sacrifice, they live all over america. they -- there probably is not a town in this country without a veteran. in other words, we want americans to realize that in a way, every community is a

military community. these are the stories we're going to tell. these are the stories that we're going to celebrate. and to help us, we're being joined by some outstanding folks who know a little thing about capturing the public's attention, folks like nascar and wal-mart and major-league baseball. there will be creating public- service announcements. other psa's will feature the likes of oprah winfrey and steven spielberg and tom hanks. everyone is stepping up. the major gilts in entertainment all have committed to telling war stories of military families in tv shows and movies. working together, we're going to make sure that our military families are never forgotten. this leads to the second part of joining forces -- what we can actually do to support these families. so we're going to focus on the specific things are military families told us they care most part, and things i think that

all of us can make a unique contribution to. the areas of employment, education, wellness, and that includes mental health. in employment, we will be champions for our military spouses and veterans as they look for new jobs and advance their careers. we will make sure it that businesses note just how lucky they would be to have these talented spouses and veterans on their team. in the area of education, as jill said, we will work to help our military children thrive in the classroom, even as they move between schools and deal with parents being deployed. and we're going to work to make it easier for military spouses to continue their education and get their degrees. in the area of wellness, including good mental health, we just asemind this nation our troops deserve the best support when dealing with the stresses of war and long deployments, so to military spouses and children. they need the support as well.

which brings me to the most important part of joining forces and that is how we will get this done. as i said, this is a challenge to every segment of american society and our motto is simple. everyone can do something. we are joining forces across the federal government. those nearly 50 commitments that the president mentioned our guard to make such a difference for so many military families, but these commitments do something even more important. they're going to give military families a seat at the table across the federal government. it means we will work together to make sure that we are forging new federal partnerships to serve military families for years to come. we're going to be joining forces with states and cities and local governments. we want the country to know about states like michigan and cities like pittsburgh and

augusta, ga. that encourage folks to volunteer and support our troops and veterans and their families. states can make it easy for their families -- these families. they can make it easier for spouses to get their professional licenses and certification and they can make it easier for children to transfer between schools. every state, every city, and every town in this country can do something. we are joining forces with businesses, both large and small, including some of america's biggest employers, which are making new commitments as we speak today. companies like sears, k mart, and sam's club are telling military spouses who work at their stores that if they move to a new duty station, they will do their best to have a job waiting for those houses. siemens is setting aside 10% of their open position for veterans. the u.s. chamber of commerce is stepping up, is encouraging its

millions of members to hire military spouses and veterans, to find mentors for military wives and women veterans, and that chamber will host more than 100 job fears across the country for these individuals. technology leaders like aol, indeed.com, cisco, will help connect military spouses of veterans with employers that are hiring. companies like hewlett-packard and microsoft will train military spouses in new technologies so they can start their own businesses. believe me, the list goes on and on, because every business can do something. we are joining forces with nonprofits with their reach into communities all across the country. the uso is going to expand its efforts to help americans support military families.

the military child education coalition is joining up with the national pta and with more than 100 teaching colleges to help educators and communities better serve our military kids. the national math and science initiative will be bringing advanced placement courses to tens of thousands of students. the sierra club and ymca are parting with the national military family association to get 15,000 military kids and families to camp this year. the american assault -- heart association will help 100,000 military spouses and women veterans lead healthier lives. and again, the list goes on and on. everyone is stepping up. every nonprofit can do something. finally, this is about all of us joining forces as americans. and we can do it right where we live and work. as jill said, if you are parent or teacher, you could encourage your school to find new ways to

support our military kids. if you are a lawyer, an accountant, a counselor, you can offer your services to a military family provoke. if you are a member of a church or synagogue or mosque, you could urge your faith community to reach out to military families who are grieving the loss of loved one. it could be something as simple as mowing the lawn, shoveling the snow for that family down the street, telling that mom or dad you will take their shift at the car pool, or lending a hand to that wounded warrior in your neighborhood. you do not even have to know a military family, because thanks to great organizations like blue star families and their partnerships with the american red cross and servicenation, every american can write a letter to a military family and let them know that, in their honor, you will be serving are volunteering in their own community. it is that easy.

if you ask any military family, they will tell you sometimes it is the smallest things, those simple gestures that say thank you that can make the biggest difference in their lives. if you need ideas, you do not have to go far, because we are creating a new web site. forces.gov.ce because every single american can do something. that includes me and jill. we're not asking anybody to do anything we will not do ourselves. we're hitting the road tomorrow. michelle and jill on a road trip. i think jill will drive. we are going to be travelling throughout the country, celebrating the service of military families and the communities and nonprofits and businesses and folks who support

those families every day. at each stop, we're going to be encouraging every american to ask a simple question -- "how can i give back to these families who have given me so much?" i am excited about this campaign angeles to. we know that this cannot be something we'd do just for this year or just for the next year. this is not a short-term effort because our military families deserve our respect and support at every stage of their lives, no matter who is in office. it is our hope that what we're launching today becomes part of the family -- fabric of our country. to make sure that it does, i am roud that one of american's leading non partisan institutions have stepped forward to coordinate joining forces. it will be guided by an advisory

board of distinguished americans with a wealth of experience in serving military families and bringing people together around a common cause and that includes general stanley mcchrystal and patty sheehan secchi. both of them are here today, and we're grateful you for leading this effort. [applause] good stuff. [applause] so, jill and i truly believe that if enough people across this great country realize just how much are military families do for us, and if we look in our own lives to see what we can offer, then there is absolutely no limit to what we can do together to keep these families, and our country, strong. if we do this, if we come together, i know that we will come closer to our vision of a

nation that truly recognizes and honors our military families. it is an america where every soldier, sailor, darman, marine, and coast guardsmen and woman can deploy knowing their family will be taken care of back home. it is an america where every military spouse has the support that he or she needs to keep their family strong and thriving. it is an america where every military child has the support he needs to grow and realize their dreams. it is an america where our veterans and their families, especially our goldstar families who have sacrificed so much, are honored throughout the entirety of their lives. in short, we see a nation where more americans across every sector of society are joining forces on behalf of our military families.

and believe me, this is going to remain one of my defining missions as first lady. so i thank you for joining us to make this happen. and jill and i hope this campaign will be worthy of the service and sacrifice and strength of every single military family in this country, and that it will make a real difference in their lives for years to come. so thank you so much. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, please remain seated until the official party has departed.

>> one of those must have worked. [laughter] ♪ ♪

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>> in a few moments, secretary of state hillary clinton. after that, jeff sessions and

chuck schumer. and then we will be aired the hearings on what the u.s. can learn from the nuclear disaster in japan. >> on washington journal, which will focus on federal spending and president obama speech on the budget. our guests are republican representative mickey -- vicky hartzler and allyson schwartz. we will be joined by joyce raezer. levitt 7:00 a.m. eastern. >> policies ban on twitter. is the fastest way to get programming and schedule updates as well as linked to a bins we have covered. you can twet questions directly to our washington journal gas. . guests. it started at twitter.

>> next, secretary of state hillary clinton at the annual u.s.-islamic world forum. the forum which includes leaders of the u.s. and more than 30 muslim-majority countries, if traditionally meets in doha but is convening in washington for the first time. this is a little more than a half-hour. >> good evening, everyone. let me thank you for that introduction in your years of friendship. it is such a pleasure for me to join you at this first u.s.- islamic world forum held in america.

his highness the emir and the people of qatar at general wesley hosted the forum for you. i was honored to be aghast and doha anda -- a guest in dha last year. i want to thank the brookings institution for keeping this event growing and going. i want to a knowledge my colleagues in the diplomatic corps here tonight, including the minister of state for foreign affairs of qatar, the foreign minister of jordan, and the secretary general of the organizations of the islamic conference. over the years, the u.s.-islamic world forum has offered the chance to celebrate the diversity months of muslims around the world. from qatar, which is pioneering

innovative energy solutions and preparing to host the world cup, to countries as varied as turkey, senegal, indonesia, and malaysia, each offering its own modern rigid model for prosperity and progress. this forum also offers a chance to discuss the equally diverse set of challenges we face together, the need to confront violent extremism, the urgency of achieving a two-state solution between israel and the palestinians, the importance of embracing tolerance and universal human rights in all of our communities. and i am especially proud that this year tough for of it is reckoned using -- recognizing that contributions of these millions of american muslims to do so much to make our country strong. as president obama said in cairo, islam has always been a part of american history.

and every day, american muslims are helping to write our story. i do not need to tell this distinguished audience that we are meeting at a historic time for one region in particular. the middle east and north africa. today the long era of winter has begun to thaw. for the first time in decades there is a real opportunity for lasting change, a real opportunity for people to have their voices heard and their priorities are addressed. this raises significant questions for us all. will the people and leaders of the middle east and north africa pursue a new, more inclusive approach to solving the region's persistent political, economic, and social

challenges? will they consolidate the progress of recent weeks and address long-denied aspirations for dignity and opportunity? or when we meet again at this forum in one year or five years or tan, will we have seen the prospects for reform fade and remember this moment as just a mirage in the desert? these questions can only be answered by the people and leaders of the middle east and north africa themselves. the united states certainly does not have all the answers. in fact, here in washington, we are struggling to scratch out answers to our own difficult political and economic questions. but america is committed to working as a partner to help unlock the region's potential

and to help realize its hopes for change. much has been accomplished already. uprisings across the region have exposed myths that for too long were used to justify a stagnant status quo. you know, the myths that governments can hold onto power without responding to their people's aspirations or respecting their rights. the myth that the only way to produce change in the region is through violence and conflict. and most pernicious of all, the myth that arabs do not share universal human aspirations for freedom, dignity, and opportunity. today's new generation of young people rejects these false narratives. and as we know and as we have

seen, they will not accept the status quo. despite the best efforts of the sensors, they are connecting to the wider world in ways that their parents and grandparents could never imagine. they now see alternatives on satellite news, on twitter and facebook, in cairo and tunis. they know a better life can be within reach, and they are now willing to reach for it. but these young people have inherited a region that in many ways is unprepared to meet their growing expectations. its challenges have been well documented in a series of landmark arab-human development report. independently authored and published by the united nations development program. these reports represent that

cumulative knowledge of a leading arab scholars and intellectuals, and answering these challenges will help determine if this historic moment lives up to its promise. that is why this january in if just weeks after a desperate young tunisian street vendor set fire to himself in protest, i set -- i talked to the leaders in the region about the need to move faster to move -- to me there's people's needs and aspirations. in the 21st century, the material conditions of people's lives have greater impact on national stability and security than ever before. it is not possible for people not to know what is happening beyond their own small village.

and the balance of power is no longer measured by counting tanks or missiles alone. now strategists must factor in the growing influence of citizens themselves, connected, organized, and often frustrated. there was a time when those of us who championed civil society or who worked with marginalized minorities or on behalf of women or focused on young people and technology, were told that our concerns were noble but not urgent. that is another false narrative that has been washed away. these issues among others are at heart of smart power, and they have to be at the center of any discussion attempting to answer the region's most pressing questions. first, can the leaders and citizens of the region reform

economies that are now overly dependent on oil exports and stunted by corruption? overall, and arab countries were less industrialized in 2007 than they were in 1970. unemployment often runs more than double the worldwide average, and even worse for women and young people. a growing number of arabs live in poverty, crowded into slums without sanitation, safe water, or reliable electricity. a small elite has increasingly concentrated control of the region's land and wealth in their hands. the 2009 arab development report found that these trends, and i quote, "result in the ominous dynamic of marginal as asian."

reversing this dynamic means grappling with a second question -- how to match economic reform with political and social change. according to the 2009 global integrity report, arab countries almost without exception have some of the weakest anti- corruption systems in the world. citizens have spent decades under martial law or emergency rule. political parties and civil society groups are subject to repression and restriction. judicial systems are far from either free or independent. and elections, when they are held, are often rig. this leads to a third and often overlooked question -- will the door to full citizenship and participation finally opened to women and minorities?

the first arab human development report in 2002 found that arab women's political and economic for dissipation was the lowest in the world. -- economic participation was the lowest in the world. the 2005 report called women's empowerment "the prerequisite for an arab renaissance inseparably and causally linked to the state of the arab world." this is not a matter of the role of religion in women's lives. muslim women have long enjoyed greater rights and opportunities in places like bangladesh or indonesia. or consider the family law and morocco or the pros -- the personal status code in tunisia. communities from egypt to send a call are beginning to take on

entrenched practices like child marriage, honor crimes, and female cutting. all of the roof -- all the world we see living proof that islam and women's rights are compatible. but unfortunately, there are some who are actually working to undermine this progress. they export of directly anti- woman at ideology to other muslims communities. all of these challenges from deep unemployment to widespread corruption, the lack of respect and opportunity for women, have fueled frustration among the region's young people. changing leaders alone will not be enough to stat -- to satisfy them. not if cronyism and closed economies continue to choke off opportunity and participation, or of citizens cannot rely on police and the courts to protect their rights.

the region's power brokers both inside and outside of government need to step up and work with the people to craft a positive provision for the future. generals and imams, businessmen and aristocrats, everyone has a role to play. they also have a lot to lose if um is notion vaccuu filled. an important question is how egypt and tunisia should consolidate the protest the -- the progress that has been made in recent months. how can protestors stay involved? it will take forming political partisan address his seed -- and

advocacy coalitions. in cairo last month, i met with young activists who are passionate about their principles. they were still sorting out how to be practical about their politics. one veteran journalist and dissident expressed concerns this week that a reluctance to move from protests to politics with in his words "in danger the revolution's gains." he urged young people to translate their passion into a positive agenda and to use political participation to achieve it. as the people of egypt and tunisia and raise the full responsibilities of citizenship, we look to a transitional of authorities to guarantee rights

like freedom and expression, the about -- to provide basic security on the street, to be transparent and inclusive. and unfortunately this year we have seen too many violent attacks from egypt to iraq to pakistan. there are still dozens of religious and ethnic minorities, part of a troubling worldwide trend documented by the state department's annual human rights report released this past friday. communities around the world are struggling to strike the right balance between freedom of expression and tolerance of unpopular views. each of us has a responsibility to defend universal human rights of people all faiths and creeds. i want to applaud the organization of the islamic conference for its leadership in securing the recent resolution by the united nations human

rights council off the texas strong stand against discrimination and violence, based on religion or belief, that does not limit freedom of expression or worship. in both egypt and tunisia, we've seen troubling signs regarding the rights and opportunities of women. so far women have been excluded from key transitional decision making processes. when women marched alongside men through tahrir square in the early days of the revolution, they were part of making the change that egypt was seeking. when they recently walked again to the square to celebrate international women's day in their new democracy, they were met by harassment and abuse. you cannot have a claim to a democracy if half the population is left out. and we know from long experience

that building a successful democracy is a never-ending task. within 200 years after our own revolution, we are still working on it, because real change takes time, hard work, and patients. but is well worth the effort. as one egyptian women rights activists said recently, we will have to fight for our rights. it will be tough. it will require lobbying, but that is what democracy is all about. in a democracy, you have to persuade your fellow citizens, men and women alike, to go along the path that you wish to take. and we know that democracy cannot be transplanted wholesale from one country to another. people have the right and responsibility to devise their own government. but there are universal rights that apply to everyone. and universal values that undergird vibrant democracies everywhere.

one lesson learned by transitions to democracy around the world is that it can be tempting to fight the old battles over and over again. rather than the focus on ensuring justice and accountability in the future. i will always remember watching nelson mandela of at a luncheon he hosted after his inauguration as president welcome three of his former jailers because to him they were as important as any team or president or prime minister who was there. because when he was powerless, when he was imprisoned, they treated him with dignity. they looked upon him as a fellow human being. it helped him to move beyond what he had suffered.

he never looked back in anger but always forward in hope. the united states is committed to standing with the people of egypt, tunisia, and the region to help build sustainable democracy is that will deliver real results for people who deserve them. we want to support the aspirations that are still importance. on this our values and interests converge. history has shown that democracies do tend to be more stable, more peaceful, and ultimately more prosperous. but the challenge is how we get from where we are to where we want to be. so that this question for us as americans is how can america be an effective partner to the people of the region? how can we work together to build not just short-term stability, but long-term

sustainability? with this goal in mind, the obama administration began to reorient u.s. foreign-policy in the region and around the world from our first days in office. we put partnerships with people, not just governments, at the center of our efforts. the administration moved quickly to respond to recent events and to affirm the principles that guide our approach. the president and i have spoken about this on a number of occasions, most recently to us late afternoon today. and i know that the president will be speaking in greater detail about america's policies in the middle east and north africa in the coming weeks. and we start from the understanding that america's core interests and values have not changed, including a commitment to promote human rights, result -- resolve longstanding conflicts, counter iran possible threats, and that the al qaeda and its extremist

allies. this includes the renewed pursuit of the israeli- palestinian peace. it is no more sustainable than the political systems that have crumbled in recent months. neither israel's future as a jewish democratic state, nor the legitimate aspirations palestinians can be secured without a negotiated to-state solution. and while it is a truism that only the parties themselves can make the hard choices necessary for peace, there is no substitute for continued at the american leadership, and the president and i are committed to that. we believe our concerns are shared by the people of the region, and we will continue working closely with our trusted partners, including many in this room tonight, to a advanced as mutual interests. we understand that a one-size-

fits-all approach does not make sense in such a diverse region at such a fluid time. as i said before, the united states has specific relationships with countries in the region. we have the decades-long friendship with bahrain that we expect to continue long in the future, but we have made clear that security alone cannot resolve the challenges facing them. violence is not and cannot be the answer. if political process is, one that advances the rights and aspirations of all the citizens of bahrain. and we have raised our concerns publicly and directly with bahraini officials and we will continue to separate the united states also strongly supports the people of yemen in their quest for greater opportunities, the pursuit of political and economic reform they will meet

their aspirations. the president needs to resolve the political impasse with the opposition so that meaningful political change can take place in the near term in an orderly, peaceful manner. and as president obama has said, we strongly condemn the violence committed against peaceful protesters by the syrian government over the past few weeks. president assad and the syrian government must respect the rights of the syrian people who are demanding the freedoms that they have long been denied. going forward, the united states will be guided by careful consideration of all the circumstances on the ground and by are consistent values and interest. but also by something else -- we believe in this region. we see no reason that it cannot be among the most progressive,

prosperous, peaceful, successful regions in the world. when we look the other regions in the world that have undergone change, sometimes violent, sometimes difficult, we see no reason why this region cannot succeed. and wherever we can, we will accelerate our work to develop stronger bonds with the people themselves. with civil society, business leaders, religious communities, women, and minorities -- we are rethinking the way that we do business on the ground with citizens, and we want the citizens themselves to help set the priorities. for example, as we invest in egypt's new democracy and promote sustainable development, we are soliciting grant proposals from a wide range of local organizations. we want you partners. we want to invest in new ideas. we are exploring new ways to use

connection technologies to expand dialogue and open lines of communication. as we mapped out a strategy for supporting transitions already under way, we know that the people of the region have not put their lives on the line just to vote once in an election. they expect about proceed to deliver jobs, sweep up corruption, expand opportunities that will help them and their the united states will be working with people and leaders to create more dynamic and diversified economies. the united states will provide immediate economic trend -- assistance to help transitional democracies overcome early challenges including $150 million for egypt alone. as egypt and tunisia continue building their democracies, we

will help them have continued growth, jobs stabilization, and trade. the job corp. will provide up to $2 billion to a provide money for jobs across africa. we look forward to working with africa to establish funds for egypt and tunisia that will give money to competitive markets and give small and medium-sized businesses access to capital. our global entrepreneurship program is seeking out new partners and opportunities. we want to expand the qualified investment zones which allow egyptian companies to send to the united states and duty-free. we are working with partners for a new beginning, an organization led by former secretary madeleine are -- madeleine albright and walter from the

aspen institute. it was formed after president obama's cairo speech. it is formed by the leaders of morgan stanley and cisco. this will connect american investors with partners in the region's transitional democracies. under the auspices of a new beginning, the u.s. partnership for economic recovery is building a network of public and private partners and programs to deepen economic integration among the countries in north africa. this past december in algiers, the partnership brought many business leaders and diaspora leaders from the united states and north africa. they have helped lay the groundwork for cross border

initiatives to support start-ups entrain use. there will be a follow-up meeting later this year in morocco. we will discuss ways to encourage closer economic integration across the region. as well as with the united states, europe, and the rest of the world. the united states and north africa are home to rich nations with excess capital and poor countries hung greer for investments. forging the trade and economic relationships between neighbors could create many, many new jobs. across the mediterranean, europe represents enormous potential for greater trade and investment. if we want to reduce trade barriers in north africa alone, just that one act could boost gdp levels by as much as 7 or 8% in tunisia and morocco.

it could lead to hundreds of million dollars in new wealth across the region every year. the people of the middle east and north africa have the talent, they have the drive to build a vibrant economies and sustainable democracy is. just as citizens have already done so in regions long held back by a closed political and economic systems. from southeast asia to eastern europe to latin america. it will not be easy. there are many, many obstacles. unfortunately, iran provides a powerful cautionary tale for the transition under way. the democratic aspirations of 1979 were subverted by a new and personal dictatorship. iran's leaders have consistently pursued policies of violence abroad and tyranny at

home. in tehran, security forces had beaten, at the cannes, and in several recent cases, killed peaceful protesters, even as iran's president has denounced violence against the billions in libya and other places. he is not alone in his hypocrisy. al qaeda's propaganda has linked the region's peaceful, happy movements to their ideology. their arguments that the only way is a violent change have never been so fully discredited. last month, we witnessed a development that stood out, even in this this -- extraordinary season. colonel gaddafi's troops turn their guns on their own people.

their helicopter gunships and remote -- unleashed a reign of terror against people that had no means to defend themselves against the assault from the air. hundreds of thousands of citizens were in the cross hairs. in the past, when confronted with such a crisis, the leaders of north africa and the middle east averted their eyes or closed ranks. not this time. not in this new era. the oic, the gcc issued strong statements. the arab league convened in cairo amidst all the commotion of egypt's democratic transition to condemn the violence and suspend libya from the organization, even though colonel gaddafi held the rotating presidency. the arab league called for a no- fly zone.

i would like to thank the uae and jordan for contributing planes to help enforce it. the arab league confirmed the right of the libyan people to fulfill their demands and build their own future and institutions in a democratic framework. that is a remarkable statement and that is a reason to hope. all of the signs of progress we have seen in recent months will only be meaningful if more leaders in more places move faster and further to embrace this spirit of reform. if the work with their people to answer the region's most pressing challenges to diversify their economies, open their political systems, crackdown on corruption, respect the rights of all of their citizens

including women and minorities. those are the questions that will determine whether the people of the region make the most of this historic moment or fall back into stagnation. the united states will be there as a partner working for progress. we are committed to the future of this region. we believe in the potential of its people. we look forward to the day when all of the citizens of the middle east and north africa and all around the world have the freedom to pursue their own god- given potential. that is the future that all of us should be striving and working toward. thank you all very much. [applause] do you want me to stay here?

[applause] >> madame secretary, i am quite confident that i speak for everybody here that as we listen carefully to what you had to say, and we listened very carefully indeed, all of us appreciated that we were hearing for the first time a truly comprehensive, clear, and authoritative explanation of administrative policy, purpose, and hope for the arab awakening. i am equally confident that everybody here joins me in being thankful that you would use this occasion to make these statements and draw us into your thinking and give us a sense of what the president will have to say in due course.

everybody is hopeful that you will be with us again next year. please join me in thanking secretary clinton. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] >> in a few moments, senator sessions of alabama and schumer of new york on federal spending. in a little bit more than a half-hour, a hearing on what the u.s. can learn from the disaster in japan. and then an initiative to help servicemen and their families. later, we will restart the remarks of secretary clinton at the islamic world forum.

>> a couple of live events to tell you about tomorrow on c- span3. the senate judiciary committee hold a hearing on the rights of crime victims. president obama will talk about his fiscal policy at a speech at george washington university. that is a little bit after 1:30 eastern. throughout the month of april, we will feature the top winners of c-span's student cam competition. they submitted the theme, washington d.c. through my lens. this will be just before washington journal. meet the students who created them. visit the students online anytime. president obama will outline his deficit reduction plans in a speech yesterday at george

washington university including steps to lower the cost of medicare and medicaid. that is a little bit after 1:30 eastern time. members of congress are looking forward to the next fiscal year and what the president will say. in 15 minutes, chuck schumer. first it is ranking member jeff shut -- just sessions. >> mr. president, the american people have high expectations -- they should have that, and they should demand that. and one of the basic expectations that we should have for our president that he would be honest and forthright in discussing the critical issues facing our nation. he should engage in the nation's most important debates and provide leadership and take all appropriate steps to protect our nation when we face a clear and

present danger. clearly, the dominant issue of our time, i think there is no dispute within this chamber, that issue is our fiscal path, the debt course we're on, the fact that we want to see our country be prosperous and grow, create more jobs, not losing jobs. and to do that, we've got to confront the large soaring debt that we have. it dwarfs all other issues. the american people know it. they gave a shellacking to the big spenders in the last election. it's what i hear whenever i'm at home, what my mails and e-mails and phone calls say. people are worried about the future of our country economically, and they are exactly right. the people that are not right are those who say change is not necessary. people who are in the n denial -- people who are in denial, government agencies and

departments, people who receive governmental grants and programs think that nothing has changed in their own minds, but things have changed. i wish it weren't so, but it is so. so the congressional budget act requires that congress pass a budget every year by april 15. that's this friday. the budget that congress has received from the white house a few weeks ago, i have described as the most irresponsible budget ever submitted by a president to the congress and to the nation because it did nothing to confront the problems we face. it made no recommendations about the entitlement programs -- social security, medicare, medicaid. zero. it increased discretionary spending, increased taxes by $1.7 trillion. and according to the congressional budget office who

analyzed the president's budget, they conclude that had it increases the debt, when it's all over, more than the debt would have been increased if we hadn't had a budget from the president, even with the $1.7 trillion in new taxes. that's why it was irresponsible. it did not confront the issues that we so seriously confront today. and he said when he announced it that that budget would cause us to live within our means, that it would not increase the debt and that we're not going to spend any more money than we're taking in. fact check organizations have all found that to be false. it's plainly false. the lowest single year in which we have a deficit -- and we have a deficit every year under the president's budget -- is $740 billion. and it's increasing in the tenth year to $1.2 trillion.

the highest deficit president bush was $450 billion. the lowest president obama projects in ten years is $750 billion and going up in the out years to $1.2 trillion. in contrast, house budget committee chairman paul ryan has made the most serious attempt, i think, maybe in history to deal with the systemic threats our country faces to tackle our long-term fiscal challenges. now, the bowles and simpson debt commission cochairmen appointed by president obama -- his own commission -- described paul ryan's budget this way: a serious, honest, straightforward approach to addressing our nation's enormous fiscal challenges. they went on to say -- quote -- "going forward, anyone who issues an alternative plan to

chairman ryan's should be held to the same standard when offering their solutions. we simply cannot back away from these issues." close quote. rather than defend the president's budget or offer an alternative, what we've been seeing in this chamber are just attacks on congressman ryan, attacks on anybody that says change has got to occur. they act like nothing has to change. many remain in denial. our chairman, senator conrad, who said so many good things -- our democratic chairman -- about the need to challenge the status quo and make changes to put our country on the right path, said representative ryan's proposal is partisan and ideological. he provides dramatic tax cuts for the wealthiest financed by draconian reductions in medicare

and medicaid. his proposals are unreasonable and unsustainable. close quote. well, is this going to be the nature of our discussion? i thought we were supposed to be trying to reach a bipartisan understanding of the challenges facing us and do something about it. you saw what the president's own debt commission cochairman said respectfully of the ryan proposal. and this is what our leadership says. others have called it extreme. they say it's driven by these evil tea party people who don't know anything. they know something. they know the government is spending us into virtual bankruptcy and that congress has failed in its basic responsibilities to protect the nation from economic danger. the american people are right. well, so the president now says

that after really not once discussing with the american people why we have a crisis, i called on him before the state of the union message to enter into a dialogue with the american people, to look them in the eye and explain why we're in trouble, why we've got to change. who wants to go and propose any reduction in any spending? the presiding officer: senator sessions, you have five minutes left. mr. sessions: i thank the president. and who wants to do that? we're in a position where we have to make those kind of tough choices, just like our counties, our cities, our mayors, our state governors are make every day. so now we're told the president is going to give a speech. he hasn't yet even discussed the

danger we face. and we're told that the president is planning this major speech to discuss our long-term fiscal problem. well, i'd say, first of all, it has to be considered a dramatic admission that his previous claims that his budget calls on us to live within our means, to pay down the debt and not add to the debt were false. they say that the president will support some of the recommendations in the fiscal commission, his own commission, bowles and simpson. i hope that's true, but i just want to say this: at this point in history, with the budget supposed to be passed in the senate friday, and we haven't even had a markup to have a hearing on a budget, we've not seen one other than the president's previous budget which is so utterly irresponsible, i think he owes more than a speech.

we hear a lot of speeches in this country, a lot from the president. all we need is numbers. what he needs to do is submit a new budget. if he's going to change his projections for the future and go into -- propose alterations in our entitlement programs, let's see the numbers. he's got, what? 300, 500 people in the president's office of management and budget. so if this is serious, let's have a serious proposal. the house has done it. the house, republican house, they've got a budget. they're going to move that budget. i suspect we'll have that budget passed in the house by friday. it's got real numbers, real integrity, real change. it puts us on a path to prosperity, not debt and decline. the american people know this is

serious. they know we're in a dangerous time. and all we have to do is rise up and make some tough choices like mayors and governors and families are making around their kitchen table every day. this is not -- when we get through this exercise -- and we will; over a period of years probably -- we're not going to find that the government sank into the ocean because we reduced agencies 15%, 20%, 25%, even if they need to be that much. most won't have to be that much. so the president needs to lay out concrete specific details about how he intends to solve these challenges that we face. not a general speech. and the house and senate budget committees must be able to review what he proposes, as the budget act presumes, in real numbers, and add them up. and the congressional budget office needs to be able to

analyze it, the nonpartisan budget office to, see what will actually play out in terms of dollars. the executive office of o.m.b., the president can do this, in 1996 president clinton produced four budgets, and that shutdown occurred during that time, and they had a big fight during that time. but you know what happened three years later? the budget was balanced. yes, it was a messy fight and people made a lot of mistakes. but the end result was the american people said you're spending too much. congress rose up and said we're not going to keep doing this. and they balanced a budget. we're in a deeper hole today. it's going to be a lot harder, but it can be done again if we meet the challenges. so the questions that must be

answered by the president in the new budget are some of these: the fiscal commission recommends $1.3 trillion less in discretionary spending than proposed in the president's budget. how does the president plan to alter his budget to achieve those savings? the fiscal commission recommends finding $600 billion in entitlement savings. but the president's budget would increase entitlement spending by $905 billion. that's his budget he submitted already, a few weeks ago. how does he intend to achieve these savings in enstphaoeuplts the fiscal -- in enstphaoeuplts the fiscal commission recommendations would reduce our debt by $4 trillion. the ryan plan would reduce it by $5 trillion. but the president's budget would increase the debt by $10 trillion and would not produce any savings really.

how would the president alter his original budget to reduce the debt by $4 trillion. i'd like it to see something more than a speech. give me a break. i'd like to see some numbers. sphwhr so we can discuss it. -- where? so we can discuss it. once the president engages, we can have that long overdue national dialogue about solving the nation's problems. but he's got to acknowledge we have one, as every wince has told us. the debt commission chairman, sirch does on an bowles, said this nation has never face add more predictable financial crisis. they see it coming. we've got to change. so i hope in his speech he'll discuss entitlements, discuss whether it is good to burden the energy companies with new taxes,

discuss whether we should tax small businesses even moshings discuss the military budget. these are real tough issues. i think the president should talk about that. rather than trying to drain every cent of tax revenue from the american people, washington should try to drain every cent of waste from the federal budget. i hope this does not continue the pattern of retreat that is already emerging where the president supports deficit reduction in theory but resists it in pravmen practice and clait when he's forced to accept reductions. for a presidency to abdicate his responsibility to lead the effort to meet one of the greatest challenges of our nation's history would be tantamount to leaving the battlefield in a time of war. so i hope we have a speech. i hope it's backed up with real numbers, and i hope and pray

that it represents a recognition by the president of the united states that we have a serious fiscal challenge before us. business as usual cannot continue. change is necessary, and that he intends to participate in that and help lead the good change that's necessary. i thank the president and would yield the floor. and i note the absence of a quorum. inhofe. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. schumer: so, mr. president, just resuming my remarks, paul ryan, the author of that blueprint, called it the path to prosperity. mr. president, it may be a path to austerity, but it is hardly a path to prosperity. nonetheless, with the negotiations finished just days ago on last year's budget, congressman ryan has succeeded in jump-starting the debate

about next year's. the president himself will join this conversation about how to do long-term deficit reduction in a major address tomorrow at g.w.u., george washington university. this is a debate we must have, and the president's entrance to it comes not a moment too soon. it will make for a powerful contrast with the republicans' plan. e contrast we will hear from our president tomorrow will kely not be in the commitment to deficit reduction. paul ryan's goal in his budget is to trim the deficit by by $1.6 trillion over the next ten years. he does not succeed in meeting this target, according to c.b.o. in fact, budget experts say his proposal only achves achieves $155 billion in net deficit reduction, but the number itself is not the issue. without a doubt, we must be

ambitious in setting a target for deficit reduction. we cannot be gun-shy about achieving fiscal discipline. soo, the contrast will not be in how much we seek to reduce the deficit. it will be in how we -- we go about doing so. the republicans would like the looming debate to be one about numbers, but instead, it will be about priorities. and, mr. president, the ryan budget has all the wrong priorities. the house republican budget puts the entire burden of reducing the deficit on citizens, studentsnd middle-class families. at the same time, it protects corporate subsidies for oil companies, lets waste at the pentagon go untouched, and would give even more tax breaks to the millionaires amongst us. in short, the ryan budget puts the middle c