time to say this strategy -- that strategy has failed and a new strategy needs to be put in place? >> now, you know, look, first of all, with regards to the iaea report, that was perfectly in line with the intelligence assessments, certainly that i've seen, with regards to iran. we've always made the point that they continue to try to develop a threshold capability with regards to their nuclear capacity. but at the same time, there continue to be divisions within iran as to whether or not to actually build a bomb itself. so in many ways, the iaea report pretty much indicates that they continue work on that capability, and that's pretty much reflected in our intelligence assessment. but nevertheless, the fact that a respected international organization like iaea has come to this determination i think raises serious concerns that

iran continues to flaunt international rules and standards. and as a result of that, it's very clear that additional sanctions have to be applied. >> just a -- on the national guard becoming a full member of the joint chiefs of staff, that idea is out there. there was a hearing just today. general dempsey expressed his opposition. president obama during his campaign expressed his support. now, where do you stand, and where does the administration stand? >> i stand with this guy. [laughter] >> are you in line with the president on this? >> you know, i mean, i -- look, on this one, you know, i think the chairman and the joint chiefs have indicated that -- you know, that -- look, that individual is at the table, but at the same time, that person really doesn't have a budget, doesn't really have, you know, the kind of authorities that the service chiefs have. but, you know, look,

nevertheless, national guard is important; our reserves are important. it's important to hear their views. but in terms of being a member of the joint chiefs of staff, that's something that i think ought to be reserved for those that have, you know, direct command and direct budgets that deal with our military. >> i don't know. i was asked, as i always will be, to give my own personal best military advice. and in fact, when i swear my oath, that's exactly what i -- what i promised to do. and i gave my advice today in a rather lengthy hearing. you're welcome to go and look at the transcript. >> has the president changed his mind, that you know of, or is he -- or is he still opposed to it? >> i think -- >> does he support -- does he still support it? >> i haven't really talked to the president about this particular issue. but i think if i know this president, i think he would seriously take into consideration the recommendations of the chairman and the joint chiefs. >> mr. secretary, on the budget cuts, refer to a different but a related issue on the budget cuts --you may now refer to an october report in congress by dod on contracting fraud.

the report's own conclusions are that the penalties for contractors repeatedly involved in fraud -- and some of these are big; we're talking about some of the big guys as well -- that it's not clear the remedies are sufficient, that more work needs to be done, and that they need to increase the size and capability -- again, reading from the report -- of the acquisition workforce to ensure that the interests of the taxpayers and our war fighters are protected. do you believe that the remedies currently in place are sufficient to ensure those interests? and do you believe that, particularly at this time, when you're making the cuts you've described, 20% across the board, that particularly now more needs to be done to make sure that taxpayers and soldiers and sailors are getting, in effect, what they pay for? >> look, one thing i've made clear as we've gone through this budget process is, everything has to be on the table and we've got to look at everything. and this is an area that we have to look at, when it comes to procurement reforms, when it comes to the kind of contracting problems that you've reflected in your reporting.

this is an area we've got to look at very closely, to make sure that doesn't happen. not only -- not only does it impact on the taxpayers' funds that are provided for the purpose, but more importantly, it impacts on the very weapons and technology that these contractors are involved in. and that -- all of that concerns me. and so for that reason, that is part and parcel of the areas that we're looking at as we make the budget decisions for the future. >> mr. secretary, there is a great deal of concern that maybe the budget cuts are going to impact the military assistance programs to mexico. do you think that will -- that that will happen? and also, do you have any interview -- have you scheduled any encounter with your counterpart from mexico? >> i would -- i'm looking forward to doing that. i actually -- i'm going to go up to canada, i think, next week, but my hope is to be able to do the same with mexico in the near future as well.

and you know, with regards to the kinds of assistance that we provide mexico at the present time in order to deal with the drug cartels and try to assist them in the serious problems that mexico's confronting, we certainly aren't contemplating any cutbacks in that area, because, i mean, that does involve the kind of assistance that we think is extremely important not only to protecting the security of mexico but protecting our security as well. >> mr. secretary -- >> thanks, everybody. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011]

>> monday house democrats for among voters law changes. we will hear from map -- you'll hear remarks from john conyers, steny hoyer, and the president of the naacp. that is live at 2:00 p.m. eastern on c-span3. >> i want to make sure that we have taken every step possible to bring peace of mind to the family members of our fallen heroes. and for that reason, this review commission will look at the processes and procedures there and make sure that we are implementing the highest standards in dealing with the remains of our fallen heroes. and in addition to that, i want to make certain that we have taken all appropriate disciplinary action here. >> with respect to the most

recent accusation, i have never acted inappropriately with anyone, period. >> with hundreds of hours of new public affairs programming available each week, if the c- span video library as the online resource to find out what you want anyone. indexed, searchable, cheryl. it is washington your way. >> today president obama began a nine-day trip to the asia- pacific region with a weakened -- weekend economic conference and a light. he stopped in hawaii to speak to troops aboard the uss carl vinson. where he gave his weekly address. he honored veterans for their service and sacrifice and called on businesses to hire veterans and their spouses. he also discussed legislation passed this week -- that gives tax credits to businesses that hire veterans. then you will hear from joe

heck who gives the republican address parity talked about the legislation now goes through this chamber and his experience during an appointment to iraq. >> i'm speaking to you from the bridge of the aircraft carrier uss carl vinson in san diego. this is one of the biggest ships in the navy, and on friday it was home to one of the most unique college basketball games i've ever seen. it also gave members of our military and our veterans a chance to unwind a little bit, and on this veterans day, i want to take this opportunity to thank all our men and women in uniform for their service and their sacrifice. but this day isn't just about thanking our veterans. it's about rededicating ourselves to serving our veterans as well as they've served us. and right now, that's more important than ever. last month, i announced that, as promised, we will end the war in iraq by the end of the year. many of our military families will be welcoming loved ones

home for the holidays. at the same time, we've begun to wind down the war in afghanistan. and in the next five years, over a million servicemembers will transition back into civilian life -- joining the 3 million who have already done so over the last decade. these are men and women who have served with distinction in some of the most dangerous places on the planet. but for many of them, the challenges don't end when they take off the uniform. today, more than 850,000 veterans remain unemployed. and too many are struggling to find a job worthy of their talents and experience. that's not right. we ask these men and women to leave their families and their jobs and risk their lives to fight for our country. the last thing they should have to do is fight for a job when they get home. to give our veterans the opportunities they've earned, i've directed the federal government to lead by example -- and already, we've hired 120,000 veterans. we've also challenged private companies to hire or train 100,000 post-9/11 veterans or

their spouses by the end of 2013. so far, many patriotic companies have answered the call, hiring more than 16,000 americans. and yesterday, thanks to the hard work of michelle and dr. jill biden, companies announced their commitment to train or hire 125,000 more over the next two years. but we need to do more. that's why, as part of the american jobs act, i called on congress to pass a returning heroes tax credit, which would give businesses a tax break for each unemployed veteran they hire. and a wounded warriors tax credit, which would give businesses a tax break for hiring an unemployed veteran with a disability related to their service in uniform. these proposals will go a long way towards putting our veterans back to work. and on thursday, i was pleased to see the senate put partisanship aside and come together to pass these tax credits. after all, standing up for our veterans isn't a democratic responsibility or a republican

responsibility -- it's an american responsibility. it's one that all of us have an obligation to meet. and the house should pass this bill as soon as possible so i can sign it into law. as commander-in-chief, i want every veteran to know that america will always honor your service and your sacrifice -- not just today, but every day. and just as you fought for us, we're going to keep fighting for you -- for more jobs, for more security, for the opportunity to keep your families strong and america competitive in the 21st century. so to all our veterans -- thank you for your service. god bless you. and may god bless the united states of america. >> hello, i'm congressman joe heck from the great state of nevada. as an active member of the army reserve for more than 20 years, i have a deep appreciation for my fellow servicemen and women, as well as their families. on veterans day, we consider the debt of gratitude we owe all these brave patriots for the sacrifices they've made so

that we may live free. i've deployed three times in my military career, most recently in 2008 to western iraq, where i was running the emergency services section of a combat support hospital. one night, we got the call over the radio from a helicopter saying they were coming in with a marine who had been shot. we got ready and waited. about two minutes out the radio crackled again and the medic on the helicopter said they'd lost him. still, we did everything we could. we were unsuccessful. he was 20 years old. after the nursing staff carefully washed away the desert sand and dirt of battle, two of my medics came in with an american flag. i'm not sure where they got it -- it might have come off the flagpole in front of the hospital. they proceeded to gently drape the stars and stripes over the body. they then took up a position of parade rest at the foot of the bed and stood there. and stood there, and stood there.

four hours later, i said, "you guys need a break." their answer was, "sir, never leave a fallen comrade." such is the caliber of the men and women we call veterans. they've left stories like this all over the world. love of country inspires them to serve, and looking out for one another is their highest priority on the battlefield. we can all learn a lot from that. so whenever you meet a veteran or see a young man or woman in uniform on the street, please take the opportunity to say "thank you." it's the least we can do. and it's how we keep the spirit of veterans day alive all year round. there's more to it than that, of course. we owe it to our veterans to ensure they come home to a strong economy, so they can transition into civilian life and support their family with a good paying job. last month, the house of representatives passed the veterans opportunity to work act, which would provide training and assistance to

unemployed veterans, and break down bureaucratic barriers preventing them from finding work. it's smart legislation that members of both parties support, and i'm pleased the senate passed it. we have a lot more to do. the house has passed several bipartisan bills to ensure all americans have the opportunity to secure a good job to provide for their families. all of these jobs bills deserve the support of our senators and a strong show of leadership from the president. because with unemployment still much too high, we just can't wait to take bipartisan action that will help put americans back to work. together, we can rise above politics to make certain our nation remains great and worthy of our veterans' sacrifices. god bless our military and the country they so gallantly serve. >> today on washington journal, the potential impact of the supposed cuts to the defense budget, with frank gaffney.

after that, a look at the future of education policy with dennis van roekel, head of the national education association. later, the president of the alzheimer's association talks about a new report on the disease. that is 7:00 a.m. eastern right here on c-span. >> in his new autobiographical narrative, decorated veteran and best-selling author karl marlantes comes to terms with his posttraumatic stress disorder decades after vietnam. >> i started telling this guy about my symptoms. jumping up in the middle of the night and running outside without knowing what was going on. you know, a car would honk behind me and i would get out of my own and just attack the car behind me. and he said to me, have you ever been in a war? and that hit me so hard. in the middle of this room, 80 people, i started bawling, snot coming out of my nose. if you have ever been in a war

-- it was that simple. and when he got me back into some semblance of control, he said, you've got ptsd, have you ever heard about it? and i said no. >> sunday night on q&a. >> wednesday, watch live streaming coverage of the annual national book awards from new york city. red carpet interviews with a non-fiction finalists. the awards ceremony starts a 6:00 p.m. eastern. this evening, we're live from the miami book fair in a miami. find a complete schedule online. >> president obama began his nine-day trip to the asia- pacific region today. it included remarks at the apec conference in honolulu, hawaii. he was interviewed by the ceo

of the boeing company and talked about italy and greece resolving their debt crisis, u.s. trade relations with china and russia, and ways to improve exports. this is about 40 minutes. >> mr. president, few forums are watched more closely by those of us in the business community than apec -- testimony to the extraordinary opportunity it represents for both sides of the pacific rim. as you know, apec accounts for 55% of global gdp and is growing faster than the global average -- significantly faster. it represents 2.7 billion consumers, and purchases 58% of u.s. exports. so i'm honored, very honored, to represent many of the wide- ranging interests of the business community on stage with you today. unlocking the growth potential

that exists within apec is a huge opportunity for job creation here in the united states and for our economic partners. secretary clinton spoke about that yesterday within the context of greater engagement of women and small business, for example. [applause] given that you represent -- and i'm working my way up to a question here. given that you represent the largest economy in the group, your views on subjects pertinent to that growth potential are vital, and that's what i'd like to explore with you here this morning. just to start at 50,000 feet, you just participated in the g- 20 meeting last week, where global growth was a -- and threats thereof was a central topic of discussion. with the benefit of the viewpoints exchanged at the g- 20 session, what now is your

outlook for the global economy, and maybe with just an eye toward its impact on the apec economies? >> well, first of all, jim, thank you for having me here. thanks to all the business leaders who are participating. i understand that there have been some terrific conversations over the last couple of days. i want to thank our hawaiian hosts for the great hospitality. [applause] as many of you know, this is my birthplace. i know that was contested for a while -- [laughter] [applause] but i can actually show you the hospital if you want to go down there. [laughter] and i also have to make mention, first of all, that in all my years of living in hawaii and visiting hawaii, this is the first time that i've ever worn a suit. [laughter] so it feels a little odd. obviously we have just gone

through the worst financial crisis and the worst economic crisis since the 1930's. and one of the differences between now and the 1930's is that the global economy is more integrated than ever, and so what happens in asia has an impact here in the united states. what happens in europe has an impact on asia and the united states. at the g-20 meeting, our most immediate task was looking at what's happening in the eurozone. and if you trace what's happened over the last two to three years, we were able to stabilize the world economy after the crisis with lehman's and get the world financial system working again. we were able to get the economy growing again. but it has not been growing as robustly as it needs to in order to put people back to work. and my number-one priority has

been to not only grow the economy but also make sure that that translates into opportunities for ordinary people. and i think leaders from around the world are thinking the same way. i was pleased to see that european leaders were taking seriously the need to not just solve the greek crisis, but also to solve the broader eurozone crisis. there have been some positive developments over the last week -- a new potential government in italy, a new government in greece -- both committed to applying the sort internal structural reform that can give markets more confidence. there is still work to be done in the broader european community, to provide markets a strong assurance that countries like italy will be able to finance their debt. these are economies that are large.

they are economies that are strong. but they have some issues that the markets are concerned about. and that has to be addressed inside of italy, but it's not going to be addressed overnight. so it's important that europe as a whole stands behind its eurozone members. and we have tried to be as supportive as we can, providing them some advice and technical assistance. i think that we're not going to see massive growth out of europe until the problem is resolved. and that will have a dampening effect on the overall global economy. but if we can at least contain the crisis, then one of the great opportunities we have is to see the asia pacific region as an extraordinary engine for growth. and part of the reason that we're here at apec is to concentrate on what you just identified as about half of the world's trade, half of the

world's gdp, and a growing share. and so the whole goal of apec is to ensure that we are reducing barriers to trade and investment that can translate into concrete jobs here in the united states and all around the world. if we're going to grow it's going to be because of exports. it's going to be because of the great work that companies like boeing is doing. it's going to be because we've got high standard trade agreements that are creating win-win situations for countries, the way we were able to do bilaterally with south korea just recently. and if we can stay on that trajectory, letting this region of the world know that america is a pacific power and we intend to be here, actively engaged in trying to boost the economy worldwide and for our respective countries, then i am cautiously optimistic that we'll get through this current crisis

and will come out stronger over the next couple of years. >> fixing europe obviously a priority, but the growth is here for now. although as i've traveled around the asia pacific region, i and others have detected a slight sense of unease and uncertainty among government and business leaders around whether the u.s. intends to maintain its role in helping to ensure the political, economic stability of this region, other forms of stability, including the free flow of communication and commerce. i do know that secretary of state clinton and secretary panetta recently delivered some very reassuring remarks, which i'm sure didn't happen by accident. but i think your view on that,

on this subject, is of great interest not only to the business community but to the community at large here in the region. and so, how does asia fit as a priority for our country? and where is its place -- in a multifaceted way, not just business -- in the asia pacific region? >> the united states is a pacific power and we are here to stay. and one of the messages that secretary clinton, secretary panetta have been delivering, but i am personally here to deliver over the next week, is that there's no region in the world that we consider more vital than the asia pacific region, and we want, on a whole range of issues, to be working with our partner countries around the pacific rim in order to enhance job growth, economic growth, prosperity and security for all of us. and let me just give you a

couple of examples. the apec conference that we're hosting here is going to have some very concrete deliverables around issues like regulatory convergence, which permits countries to all think about whether our regulations are as efficient, as effective as they can be, or where are they standing in the way of smart trade. i'll be traveling to australia to celebrate the 60th year of the american-australian alliance, and that will signify the security infrastructure that allows for the free flow of trade and commerce throughout the region. the tpp -- the trans-pacific partnership agreement that i just met with the countries who are involved, we're doing some outstanding work trying to create a high-level trade

agreement that could potentially be a model not just for countries in the pacific region but for the world generally. and so, across the board, whether it's on security architecture, whether it's on trade, whether it's on commerce, we are going to continue to prioritize this region. and one of the gratifying things is that, as we talk to our partners in the region, they welcome u.s. reengagement. i think we spent a decade in which, understandably, after 9/11, we were very focused on security issues, particularly in the middle east region. and those continue to be important. but we've turned our attention back to the asia pacific region, and i think that it's paying off immediately in a whole range of improved relations with countries, and businesses are starting to see

more opportunities as a consequence. >> you know, i don't think the business community has fully understood the comprehensiveness of your approach out here, and i think -- because it all does link together -- security, business environment, bilateral trade facilitation -- all these things really do link together. and i think secretary clinton has made a very comprehensive case for it -- we've seen in some of her published work and some of her speeches. so this looks like --i wouldn't say a major new direction, but it is something that is a major priority for you over the next number of years, is -- am i capturing it right? >> there's no doubt. it is a reaffirmation of how important we consider this region. it has a range of components. now, some of those are grounded in decade-long alliances. the alliance we have with japan

and south korea, the alliance we have with australia -- the security architecture of the region is something that we pay a lot of attention to. and we're going to be going through some tough fiscal decisions back home, but nevertheless, what i've said when it comes to prioritizing our security posture here in this region, this has to continue to remain a top priority. and on the business side, this is where the action is going to be. if we're going to not just double our exports but make sure that good jobs are created here in the united states, then we're going to have to continue to expand our trade opportunities and economic integration with the fastest- growing region in the world. and that means, in some cases, some hard negotiations and some tough work, as we went through in south korea.

i think that was a great model of prioritizing trade with a key partner. it wasn't easy. i said at the outset that i wanted -- i had no problem seeing hyundais and kias here in to see some chevrolets and fords in seoul. and after a lot of work and some dedicated attention from president lee, we were able to get a deal that for the first time was endorsed not just by the business community but also was endorsed by the united auto workers and a number of labor leaders. and that shows how we can build a bipartisan support for job creation in the united states and trade agreements that make sense.

>> you referenced korea and colombia, panama -- big, strong, pro-trade votes. i mean, it was a major legislative accomplishment. and the momentum that ambassador kirk talks about flowing into the trans-pacific partnership -- just let's spend a minute on that. you raised it earlier. do you see other apec countries joining -- the obvious question is japan? and how significant is the tpp for this region of the world and for the united states? is there anything else you'd like to say about it? >> well, keep in mind that almost two decades ago when apec was formed, the notion was to create a trans-pacific free trade agreement. obviously the membership of apec is extraordinarily diverse.

it reflects countries with different levels of development. and so for many years that vision, that dream i think seemed very far off in the distance. what happened was, is a group, a subset of apec countries came together and said let's see if we can create a high-standard agreement that is dealing with tariffs and non-tariff barriers to trade, but let's also incorporate a whole range of new trade issues that are going to be coming up in the future -- innovation, regulatory convergence, how we're thinking about the internet and intellectual property. and so what we've seen -- and we just came from a meeting in

which the tpp members affirmed a basic outline and our goal is, by next year, to get the legal text for a full agreement. the idea here is to have a trade agreement that deals not just with past issues but also future issues. and if we're successful, then i think it becomes the seed of a broader set of agreements. and what's been really interesting is how, because of the success of these first few countries joining together, we're now seeing others like japan expressing an interest in joining. and i'll have a meeting with prime minister noda later this afternoon and i'll get a sense from him about the degree to which japan wants to go through the difficult process involved. and i don't underestimate the difficulties of this because each member country has particular sensitivities,

political barriers. it requires adjustments within these countries where certain industries or certain producers may push back. for japan, for example, in the agricultural sector, that's going to be a tough issue for them. but we're not going to delay. our goal is to try to get something done by next year. and our hope is, is that if we can model this kind of outstanding trade agreement, then, potentially, you see a lot of others joining in. >> sounds like real momentum. >> yes. >> sounds like real momentum. you know, another issue, just shifting gears slightly, same kind of subject -- russia, pending ascension to the wto. and as you know, russia will host apec in 2012. assuming that the wto process is successfully concluded, what kind of opportunities do you see

as they try to integrate further into the global economy, become more asia-facing themselves in the process? i mean, there is a clear agenda there for them as theyve try to upgrade their economy. but there is a reason that youre making this happen, that youre going after wto. and so maybe give us a few words on the benefits of it all. >> well, first of all, weve had a excellent working relationship with president medvedev. the united states and russia obviously have a whole range of differences on a whole range of issues, but we also have some common interests. and i believe it is very much in the united states' interest to see russia in the wto. not only will it provide greater opportunities for u.s. businesses in russia, but it also will create a even stronger

incentive for russia to proceed down a course of reforms that will be good for the russian people, but will also integrate them with the world economy. for the united states, i think a message that applies not only to the tpp but also to russia, is the u.s. will do well if everybody is playing by the rules. i believe weve got some of the best entrepreneurs, businesses, universities. we have a system that has some flaws, but overall we have extraordinary transparency. we have a legal system that protects intellectual property. we are at the cutting edge of the information technology boom.

and so if we can create a system in which everybody is playing by a common set of rules, everybody knows what those rules are, then i think u.s. workers and u.s. businesses are going to excel. theres not reason why globalization should be something we fear. its something that we should be able to excel at as long as everybody is in agreement about how we proceed. and so, whether its in the wto, whether its in the tpp, whether its in forums like apec, my message to all our trading partners, to other countries, is -- if you are playing by the rules, then america is ready to do business. and we will remain open. we will fight against protectionist measures. but we are also going to be pushing hard to make sure that you are not engaging in gaming the system. and we want strong enforcement of these international norms and rules. we think that will be to

everybodys benefit over the long term. >> agree. and many of us have, i should say, benefited from the steadfastness that many in your cabinet have shown in supporting this, the enforcement side of the wto. we appreciate it. china. you will be meeting here with chinas senior leadership, and many of us in the business world face a common dilemma with china that perhaps you do at your level. we see a world where our interests lay in both competing with china, on one hand, in global markets and within their marketplace, and also engaging with china for access to its market, on the other. yet, challenges abound, and you alluded to a lot of them just a minute ago -- intellectual

property protections, adherence to the wto, rules you mentioned, currency debate, drilling rights, et cetera. theres a long list. but against the backdrop, will you be getting into specifics this week in your discussions? and how would you assess the u.s.china relationship when voices now, on both the left and the right, are calling for a harder line from your administration? tough to navigate. >> well, first of all, i think that we have created a frank dialogue with the chinese over the last two years that has benefited both countries. and my general view is that there can be a friendly and constructive competition between the united states and china, and a whole range of areas where we share common interests and we should be able to cooperate. we should be rooting for china to grow, because not only does

that then present an enormous marketplace for american businesses and american exports, but to see so many millions of people, hundreds of millions of people, lifted out of poverty is a remarkable achievement. and so whether its china, whether its india, these emerging countries, what theyre accomplishing in a few short decades -- alleviating poverty, helping ordinary people all around the world get access to opportunity -- thats a wonderful thing that we should be rooting for. and those are potential customers for us in the future. but what ive said since i first came into office, and what weve exhibited in terms of our interactions with the chinese, is we want you to play by the rules. and currency is probably a good example. there are very few economists who do not believe that the rmb is not undervalued.

and that makes exports to china more expensive, and it makes exports from china cheaper. that disadvantages american business. it disadvantages american workers. and we have said to them that this is something that has to change -- and, by the way, it would actually be good for chinas economy if they refocused on their domestic market, that that kind of appreciation of their currency would help the overall balance of payments globally and it would increase growth in china and increase growth here in the united states. intellectual property. i dont think its any secret -- jim, you talked to a lot of ceos and probably a lot of folks in this room -- for an economy like the united states, where our biggest competitive advantage is our knowledge, our innovation,

our patents, our copyrights -- for us not to get the kind of protection that we need in a large marketplace like china is not acceptable. government procurement -- if we are allowing foreign countries to bid on projects in the united states of america, we want reciprocity. state-owned enterprises, how they work -- all these issues i think have to be resolved. some of them can be resolved in multilateral forums. some of them will have to be resolved bilaterally. i am sympathetic to the fact that there are a lot of people in china who are still impoverished and theres a rapid pace of urbanization thats

taking place there that chinese leaders have to work through. but the bottom line is, is that the united states cant be expected to stand by if theres not the kind reciprocity in our trade relations and our economic relationships that we need. so this is an issue that i've brought up with president hu in the past. we will continue to bring it up. there is no reason why it inevitably leads to sharp conflict. i think there is a win-win opportunity there, but weve got to keep on working diligently to get there. and in the meantime, where we see rules being broken, well speak out and, in some cases, we will take action. weve brought more enforcement actions against china over the last couple of years than had taken place in many of the preceding years, not because were looking for conflict, but simply because we want to make sure that the interests of american workers and american businesses are protected. >> i think one related question,

looking at the world from the chinese side, is what they would characterize as impediments to investment in the united states. and so that discussion im sure will be part of whatever dialogue you have. and so how are you thinking about that? >> well, this is an issue, generally. i think its important to remember that the united states is still the largest recipient of foreign investment in the world. and there are a lot of things that make foreign investors see the u.s. as a great opportunity -- our stability, our openness, our innovative free market culture. but weve been a little bit lazy, i think, over the last couple of decades. weve kind of taken for granted -- well, people will want to

come here and we arent out there hungry, selling america and trying to attract new business into america. and so one of things that my administration has done is set up something called selectusa that organizes all the government agencies to work with state and local governments where theyre seeking assistance from us, to go out there and make it easier for foreign investors to build a plant in the united states and put outstanding u.s. workers back to work in the united states of america. and we think that we can do much better than were doing right now. because of our federalist system, sometimes a foreign investor comes in and theyve got to navigate not only federal rules, but theyve also got to navigate state and local governments that may have their own sets of interests. being able to create if not a one-stop shop, then at least no more than a couple of stops for people to be able to come into the united states and make investments, thats something that we want to encourage. >> and im old enough to remember this process around japanese automotive companies,

20 or 30 years ago. and the process moved slowly then, it had some of the similar dynamics, but some of those companies are very, very fine american companies, and have contributed a lot to our economy. >> and, look, these companies can put people back to work. they can have a terrific impact. and it's important for us to make sure that, since we want american companies to be able to invest in other countries, that we also show some openness to their investments here. one thing i want to mention, jim, that i think is important -- i mentioned that we're on track to double our exports, a goal that i set when i first came into office. part of the reason for that is because of some terrific work that's been done by our export/import bank. we've substantially increased the amount of financing that

we're providing to companies. i think boeing appreciates the good work that -- >> upon occasion, we're at the teller window. >> on occasion, yes. but one of the things that i wanted to mention is we're starting to focus on how we can get small and medium-sized businesses plugged into the global economy as well. somebody mentioned earlier that i think secretary clinton had talked about women-owned businesses. well, a lot of women-owned businesses are smaller businesses and medium-sized businesses. and they may have great products, but they may not have the infrastructure to be able to navigate a whole bunch of other countries' customs and regulatory impediments. and so for us to be a champion not only of financing but also making it easier for them to enter into the global marketplace is something that we want to focus on. >> that program is a big deal. and i see it from a boeing perspective -- a lot of our

suppliers are tapping into it, and it's going to make a difference. speaking of exports, as chairman of your export council, i've had the privilege of working with you and members of your cabinet to pave the way to meet your goal of doubling exports. priorities have been ftas, intellectual property rights protection, export credit financing, technology release -- which you haven't commented on, but you've made some progress on -- and business and tourist visa processes -- and you know the list. what's your assessment of how we're doing? >> you guys are doing great. and i want to thank all the members of the export council. they've been giving us some terrific ideas. some of them are modest, but they make a difference. backstage before we came out, i just signed a piece of legislation that was voted on

unanimously out of congress that essentially sets up a apec business gold card, a travel card that allows businesses to be able to -- [cheers and applause] everybody here appreciates it because they're not going to have to wait in line as long at the airport. so that generated a lot of popularity. but that's an idea that came out of the business council that we've been able to execute. and we're going to keep on trying to pursue every avenue that we have to see how we can ease and smooth the ability of doing business with the united states and u.s. businesses being able to operate overseas. and some of that has to do with us changing our own internal operations. for the business leaders who are here, there's been a lot of

commentary about regulations and my administration's approach to regulations. and, frankly, there have been some misconceptions, particularly in the business press. and so let me just comment on this. i make no apologies for wanting to make sure that we've got regulations that protect consumers from unfair practices or shoddy products, that protect the help of our kids here in the u.s., that make sure that our air and water is clean. but i think its really important to know that over the first two years of the obama administration, weve actually issued fewer new regulations than the previous two administrations, that we've applied, for the most part, a rigorous cost benefit, and we have seen a lot more benefit for every dollar that our

regulations cost than previous administrations. and this is where its relevant to the export issue -- one of the things were also doing is engaging in what we call a regulatory look-back, where weve asked all the agencies that are under the executive branch control, but also independent agencies that voluntarily been willing to look at every regulation thats on the book, with a simple question -- is this helping to grow the economy, create jobs, and is it doing a good job in this 21st century of protecting the health and welfare of the public and consumers? and if a rule isnt working anymore, we want to get rid of it. if a rule could be done cheaper and faster, then we want to hear about it. and our relationship with the business council is a great example of where youve given us

some suggestions where you said, you know what, this rule -- we understand what you were trying to do, but its actually creating a lot of unnecessary costs, and heres a way to do it that would meet your objective but do it in a much more efficient, effective way. we are eager for that kind of input, and thats the kind of relationship with the business community we want to establish. >> and we will respond to that, and i appreciate those comments. another place is export controls, where your administration -- at least as someone who deals in that world a lot, particularly in this region, where it becomes much more of a sticking point doing commerce than youd imagine if you have any technology in your products -- where i think your administration has made more of an effort than any administration in recent memory. and can you give us an update on that? >> yes. >> because theres been some progress recently.

>> for those of you who may not be fully familiar with this issue -- because we have such a terrific advantage in high-technology areas -- in cutting-edge advance manufacturing or the work that weve been doing in information systems and so forth -- traditionally, there has been a security element to u.s. export policy where weve said there are certain products that could be weaponized, could have military applications, in which we are not going to permit an easy time of exporting those products. and under the leadership of bob gates, my former secretary of defense, he actually recommended that we reexamine this whole issue of export controls to make

sure that it was up to date and that we were not unnecessarily inhibiting u.s. companies from taking advantage of their biggest competitive advantage, and going out there and selling high-value products made by high-wage workers that create a lot of opportunity for american workers and american businesses. so weve gone through a very systematic process. we are i think starting to see that process bear fruit. were going to need some cooperation from congress, but there's some things we can do on the executive side. and essentially, the goal of the reform is to clear away impediments for export of those things that really at this point dont have a military application, or are first-generation stuff that everybody else has already

caught up on, so that we can actually focus more on those very narrow sets of technologies where there really is a significant security component. and we feel optimistic that over the next couple of years were going to start being able to make progress. that will help contribute to american businesses being able to make sales, and american workers and american jobs being created here in the united states. >> it will be a big deal for our customers out here, broadly speaking. we have time for one more question, mr. president. and as you mentioned earlier, following this meeting youre headed down to australia -- i just came from australia -- they cant wait -- for a state visit, and then to indonesia for two regional meetings, the east asia summit and the u.s.asean summit. as you approach those, what are the issues? what do you hope to accomplish? >> in australia, were going to be focusing a lot on the

security alliance between our two countries, but that obviously has broader implications for u.s. presence in the pacific. when we get to bali for the asean meeting and the east asia summit, were going to be speaking, again, about how can we, a great pacific power, work with our partners to ensure stability, to ensure free flows of commerce, to ensure that maritime rules, drilling, a whole host of issues are managed in a open and fair way. and one of the things that im very encouraged about is the eagerness of countries to see the u.s. reengaged in this

region. i think back here in the united states, there are times where we question our influence around the world. and obviously, having gone through a couple of tough years, having been engaged in a decade of war, we recognize all the challenges that are out there for the united states and the reforms and changes that were going to have to make to ensure that we are competitive in this 21st century global economy. but the news i have to deliver for the american people is american leadership is still welcome. its welcomed in this region. its welcomed in the transatlantic region. and the reason its welcomed i think is because we have shown

that we are willing to not just look after our own interests, but try to set up a set of rules and norms in the international arena that everybody can follow and everybody can prosper from. and people appreciate that. and so i am very proud of the leadership that america obviously has shown in the past. but i also dont want people to underestimate the leadership that were showing now -- whether its on trade agreements like tpp, or the security issues that face the pacific. we are i think poised to work in a spirit of mutual interest and mutual respect with countries around the world, but we continue to be a country that people are looking to for active engagement. >> all very welcomed news. mr. president, thank you very much.

your perspectives were very much appreciated. >> thank you very much. enjoy the good weather. >> coming up, "washington journal." we'll take your questions and comments. >> this morning on "washington journal," the potential impact of the joint deficit reduction committees proposed cuts.