c what other comedians have said on line. .organ got bore >> we will have an election night remarks in a moment. first, comments by newt gingrich. >> thank you for that kind introduction. we are proud of our many volunteers here. thank you for your support. we are engaged in this race because we believe america is at

a crossroads. there are only a >> we are committed to removing him from the white house. [applause] newt gingrich has the experience necessary to rebuild the america we love. he has a successful record of creating jobs, bouncing the budget and reforming our government. we need a leader who can articulate why president obama and his policies are wrong for america. we need a leader who understands that we must contain and defeat our enemies. we need a leader with bald solutions to create a better future for all americans. i believe that leader is my husband. please welcome former speaker of

the house newt gingrich. [applause] >> thank you. thank you. let me thank all of you for coming out tonight. i want to thank john in amy who went all out and made this possible. thank you for the two of you for organizing this on such short notice. i think all of us are here tonight because we agree with

the statement that this is the most important election of our lifetime. if you have any doubt about that, it should have been dispelled by president obama's performance today. he failed to take responsibility for anything 3.5 years after becoming president. he was talking to students who will have a hard time finding a job because he is treated the worst economic recovery since the great depression. this talking to students adopt a hard time going to the interview because he has presided over the highest gasoline prices of any in american history. his talking to students to spend the rest of their lifetime paying taxes to pay interest on the debt he has run up. the closest thing that could come to a solution must continue subsidizing student loans by barring other money.

he will have the chinese loan the united states the money so the students to not pay the full price of the student loans of the rest of their like they can pay taxes. this is like someone saying to you i'm going to let you have a credit card and by the way you would not have to pay any interest on it except that i will take the interest out of your pocket every month. i was struck today figuring how to describe the fundamental dishonesty of the obama system. what he's offering on student loans is flimflam. he is saying i will subsidize a student loan by borrowing this money over here which you will pay taxes on the rest of your life. the average student his listing

today is going to pay $300,000 in taxes in their lifetime for interest on the federal debt. that is like buying an entire house politicians get to live in. they are not going to get to live in it. here they have an administration that makes it less likely to get a job four years ago he said he is in favor of marriage between a man and woman. he said today and managed to cleverly not say anything about it but did meet with a leading opponent of it. he opposes it. he opposes this. i am here to tell you that we

released a video in favor of the referendum and in favor. one of the reasons we are determined to go to tampa is to fight for a platform that does have this kind of issues in it and does include not only the issue of marriage but frankly lays out the notion that the second of them right to bear arms should be embodied in a treaty for all human beings everywhere in the plan because it comes from our creator and not our government. folks here here tonight veteran social security have been number

one reform of taking social security off budget so it is never again part of any negotiation but the trust fund pays automatically without politicians threatening senior citizens with withholding their trust. the number two is to allow younger americans have the right to choose a personal social security savings accounts along the model of cow listing, texas. it is been there over 30 years. people are getting bigger retirement accounts. they are in charge of it. no politician can take it away. it is increasing the strength of the economy, because it is real savings.

we are going to go to tampa to fight for an american energy independence plans and no future president will ever about to a saudi king. the answer to the challenge has to be strategic. it is not just military. it has to start by america becoming the leading producer of oil and gas in the world so that we are able to be independent of

the strait of vermouth and say he may have a problem dealing with the street, but we do not. it is tiny figure out how you are going to be involved in how you will -- it is time to figure out how you are going to be involved and how you will bear responsibility for that very dangerous part of the world. this is a very key part of having jobs. in north dakota they now have an enormous breakthrough in the development of oil flowing from 150 million barrels in reserves to 24 million barrels in reserve because a new technology. they have 16,000 jobs they cannot fill. the 3.5% who are unemployed do not have the right skills.

it is possible for us to develop an american energy program to create millions of new american jobs, taking americans of all welfare and all of unemployment, putting americans back toward paying taxes. is the biggest single step toward getting back to a balanced budget. as the only person who has held bouncy but of four consecutive years in a row, -- who has helped balance the budget four consecutive years in a row, we can take all of the oil and gas revenues that come as royalties from federal lands -- it will be 16 to $18 trillion in royalties.

we could create a national debt retirement funds in their lifetime. we could pay off the national debt. i can see that that young man likes the idea. you have them all trains. there are important things we should be doing. the future under obama is so dramatically different that this is the most important election of our lifetime. in terms of who he would appoint oas federal judges, the difference between his radicalism is really that dramatic. this is a very key election. we're committed to doing everything we can to ensure that conservatism is in fact fully

representative of tampa and is fully represented in the administration. we want to take a minute to think peoplthink people. -- to thank people. campaigned in rhode island. we feel a real sense of gratitude to are those folks. and to the 180,000 people who have donated at newt2012.org. governor romney is good to have a very good night. it is a night he worked hard for for six years. if he does end up as the

nominee, i think every conservative in this country has to be committed to defeating barack obama. let's be very clear about this. we have a wonderful visit this afternoon at the billy graham's library. it is a remarkable place. it is equal to a presidential library. it put too much closer to christ into got. i think each of us has to take responsibility protecting the rights of our children and grandchildren. we really believe every person

in this room was in doubt by our creator with in alienable rights. we believe they come from thought. we believe america is a remarkably precious place. over the next few days, we are going to look realistically at where we at. we have worked very hard. we have a lot of support from a number of people. we will be here in north carolina all week. there's one where june to more that are the has 1100 seats. they are all filled up already. i am confident we will have lots of folks to talk about. i want to do that as someone is a unifier in his realistic. out this.g to send 95% of those folks pay to benefit the dollars or less. for many of them it was as big

an investment as the wall street ing out.ire max l. t we will think carefully by how we will be the most helpful to this country and make sure that barack obama is a one-term presidents. we want to make sure that we send it the best signal to texas. we want a conservative platform. we want the values that go back to goldwater and reagan to be represented. this is about a lot more than just beating one person. this is about ripping out of the bureaucracy, all of the bad laws, all the habits of the left that have been crippling this

country. that does not take a conservative movement in the news media and a variety of places. be their shoulder by shoulder with you as you think about to best be affected citizens. then we're going to rely on you for help and devise. the news media is so confused. we have 23 events altogether. we are going to be at 23 event in north carolina. thank you of. god bless you. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] >> now to mitt romney, the winner of all five of tuesday's primaries. after the polls close, it ought to supporters in new hampshire.

this is half hour. it is so good to be back here. new hampshire. it is good to be here. it is just a little over a year ago that we talked about this campaign. i was hesitant.

four years ago we had been there a tough primary. i tell them i would never do this again i was pretty certain. mitt romney committed that i said that after every pregnancy. i knew our country was in real trouble. i knew we needed real leadership to turn this thing around. i asked him one simple question, can you fix it? he said yes. that is all i needed to know. [applause] i said if he can fix it, then we need to do this. we launched this campaign a few months later. i have been on the trail with met for a very long time. we have been to 35 states.

i use a good to the other side right get the chance to talk to people. the tell me that the tough times they're going through. they share their worries and fears. many are concerned about the deficit. people tell me they're praying for us. they are thinking of us. in moments like those, there is no limit to the goodness of america. there's no question that we can get this country back on track. they got up every morning and volunteered for us. this election will be the most

important of our lives. because of you, the better america begins tonight. now of like to introduce the man i know you can leave our nation back to prosperity, my husband, amid romney. -- mitt romney. >> thank you. thank you. thank you for that.

welcome. thank you, in delaware, connecticut, and new york. tonight i can also say thank you, america. after 43 primaries, many long days and more than a few long nights i can say with confidence in gratitude the you have given me a great honor and solemn responsibility. together we are going to win on november 6. we've launched this campaign not far from here. it was a beautiful day in june and in new hampshire. it has been an extraordinary journey.

americans have always been an eternal optimist. we have seen hopes and dreams diminished by false promises and weak leadership. everywhere i go, americans are tired. many of those fortunate enough to have a job for working harder for less. for every single mom who fills heartbroken but she has to explain to her kids that she needs to take a second job, for grandparents who cannot afford the gas to visit their grandchildren anymore, for the mom and dad never thought they would be on food stamps, for the small-business owner desperately cutting back hold on a little longer.

a better america begins tonight. [applause] tonight is the start of a new campaign to unite every american knows in their hearts that we can do better. the last few years have been the best of barack obama can do. it is not the best america can do. tonight is the beginning of the end of the disappointment. it is the start of a new and

better chapter that we will write together. in the days ahead, we have many of years personally. i want to learn about their families. i want to know what you think we can do to make this country better. i will probably tell you elizabeth about myself. i will start by talking about my wife. someone like my daddy grew up for and never graduated from college to pursue his dreams and worked his way up to running a great car company.

only in america could a man that my dad become governor of a state or he once sold paint from the check of his car. when i see you i think i will tell you that i was successful in business. that rumor is true. he might not have heard that i became successful by helping start a business that grew from 10 people to hundreds of people. our businesses helped start other businesses like staples and the sports authority. not every business made it. their good days and bad days. every day was a lesson.

after 25 years i know how to lead us out of this economy and into a job-creating recovery. four years ago at barack obama dazzled us in front of greek columns with sweeping promises of change. after we came down to earth and all this celebration and parades, what do we have to show for 3.5 years? is it easier to make ends meet? is it easier to sell your home or buy a new one? have you saved what he needed for retirement? are you making more at your job? to you have a better chance to get a better job?

are you paying less at the pump? if the answer yes to those questions, president obama would be running for reelection based on his record. because he has failed, he will run a campaign of diversions and distortions. that kind of campaign may have worked at another place at a different time but not here. not now. it is still about the economy. we are not stupid. people are hurting in america. when the something is terribly wrong. we know that this election is about the kind of american

people live in and the kind of america we will lead to future generations. when it comes to the character of america, president obama and i have very different visions. government is at the center of his vision. it dispenses the benefits, far as what it cannot take, consumed a greater share of the economy. with obamacare installed, a government would have control of almost half of the economy. we would have ceased to be afraid of our society. this president is betting is on a path for our lives so be ruled by bureaucrats and boards. his at the estimate said that washington knows best. we have seen where that have leaves. it deadens the entrepreneurial. and it hurts the very people it is supposed to help. those promised to spread the wealth around only ever succeed

in spreading poverty around. other nations have chosen that path. it leads to chronic unemployment, a crushing debt, and stagnant wages. i have a very different vision for america and for our future. it is in america driven by free them where free people pursuing happiness create free enterprises that employ more americans. wages and salaries rise. i see america with a growing middle-class and rising standards of living. i see children more successful than their parents. some successful beyond their

wildest dreams. this american is fundamentally fair. we will stop the and fairness of urban children being -- the unfairness of urban children being denied access to good schools. we will stop the unfairness of politicians getting money to their friends. we will stop the unfairness of requiring union workers to

contribute to politicians not of their choosing. we will stop the unfairness of government workers getting better pay and benefits than the taxpayers they serve. we will stop the unfairness of one generation passing larger and larger debts on to the next. in the american ic, character and choices matter. education, hard work and live within our means are valued and reward it. poverty will be defeated. this is taught by parents, learned in school and practice

in the workplace. this is the america that was one for us by the nation's founders and earn for us by the greatest generation. it is the most powerful economy in the world. as a look around at the million americans about war, the graduates to cannot get a job, the soldiers who returned home to an unemployment line, it breaks my heart. this is not have to be. it is the result of failed leadership. we restore america if restore freedom and opportunity that made this nation the greatest on this earth.

today this is a little steep. with always been a nation of big steppers. many americans have given up on this president but they had never thought of giving up and not on america perrin in the days ahead, it join me in the next that toward that destination one across america we can have a sigh of relief and of the promise of america has been kept. the dreamers can dream bigger. the help wanted signs can be dusted off. we can start again. it is time we will get it right.

we will stop the days of apologizing for success and never again apologize for america abroad. there is a time not so long ago when each of us could walk a little taller and stand a little straighter because we have to give no one else shared. we were american. that meant something different for each of us.

these days are coming back. that is our destiny. we believe in america. we believe in ourselves. our greatest days are ahead. we are americans. god bless this great nation. god bless the united states of america. bob bless you good people. thank you so much. thank you.

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>> president obama but it's the university north carolina to talk about student loans. then discuss the solvency of social security. later, at arizonas immigration law. >> born in a no. 3 work camp, it is only world she had ever known. he is the only one you ever escaped from the camp. >> his first memory of the age of around four was going with his mom to a place near where he grew up in the camp to watch somebody get shot. in shooting public executions were held every few weeks. they violated camp rolls and

terrorized the people who lived rulese camp to obey the ural from then on. >> learn about society and civilization. may 6, look for our interview with robert caro which coincides with the "passage of fire" his multi volume biography. >> i have seem to have earned a place for people will listen to me. the greatest generation writing that book and gave me a kind of a platform. it was unanticipated. i've got to step up as a journalist.

at the start of this dialogue appeare. >> he urges americans to redefine the american team. he wrote about the great degeneration -- greatest generation. >> president obama talked to students at the university of north carolina today about college. he called on progress to pass a bill that would prevent the interest rates on student loans to 6.8% on july 1. they currently charge half that rate.

this is 40 minutes. thank you. hello, n.c.. now, first of all, i want to thank domonique for that unbelievable introduction. wasn't she good? you can tell she will be an outstanding teacher. >> i love you, president obama. >> i love you back, i do. love north carolina.

i love north carolina. i do. every time i come down to this state i just love it that much more. i said a while back, the thing about north carolina is even the folks who don't vote for me are nice to me. aboutt say that everyplace. now, i want to issue a quick spoiler alert, later today, i am getting together with jimmy fallon -- (applause) -- and the dave matthews band -- (applause) -- right here on campus.

we're going to tape jimmy's show for tonight -- so i want everybody to tune in, make sure it has high ratings. it's a dave matthews fan right here. we've got some wonderful people who are here who are doing a great job for you guys. first of all, your governor, bev perdue, is in the house. give her a big round of applause. there she is. we've got your congressman, dave price -- congressman david price. congressmen gk butterfield. congressman brad miller. your mayor, mark kleinschmidt. chancellor of unc, holden thorp. >> four more years. four more years. >> it is great to be back on the lady tar heels' home court.

this is an arena with some serious hoops history. i know the men's team used to play here back in the day. i just want to remind you right off the bat -- i picked unc to win it all in march madness. want to point out. and if kendall hadn't gotten hurt -- -- who knows where we might have been. i saw mcadoo, by the way, at the airport. he came by and said hello, which i was excited -- so i just want you to know i have faith in you guys. now, it's always good to begin with some easy applause lines -- talk about the tar heels. but the reason i came to chapel hill today is to talk about what most of you do here every single day -- and that's study, i assume. higher education is the single most important investment you can make in your future.

so i'm proud of all of you for doing what it takes to make that investment -- for the long hours in the library -- i hope -- -- in the lab, in the classroom. this has never been more important. whether you're here at a four- year college or university, or you're at a two-year community college, in today's economy, there's no greater predictor of individual success than a good education. right now, the unemployment rate for americans with a college degree or more is about half the national average. the incomes of folks with a college degree are twice as high

as those who don't have a high school diploma. a higher education is the clearest path into the middle class. now, i know that those of you who are about to graduate are wondering about what's in store for your future. not even four years ago, just as the global economy was about to enter into freefall, you were still trying to find your way around campus. and you've spent your years here at a time when the whole world has been trying to recover, but has not yet fully recovered from the worst economic crisis since the great depression, the worst economic crisis in most of our

lifetimes -- and that includes your teachers. our businesses have added more than 4 million jobs over the past two years, but we all know there's still too many americans out there looking for work or trying to find a job that pays enough to cover the bills and make the mortgage. we still have too many folks in the middle class that are searching for that security that started slipping away years before the recession hit. so we've still got a lot of work to do to rebuild this economy so that it lasts, so that it's solid, so that it's firm. but what i want you to know is that the degree you earn from unc will be the best tool you have to achieve that basic american promise -- the idea that if you work hard, you can do well enough to raise a family and own a home, send your own kids to college, put a little away for retirement.

that american dream is within your reach. and there's another part of this dream, which is the idea that each generation is going to know a little bit more opportunity than the last generation. that our kids -- i can tell you now as a parent -- and i guarantee you, your parents feel this about you -- nothing is more important than your kid's success. you want them to do better than you did. you want them to shoot higher, strive more, and succeed beyond your imagination. so keeping that promise alive is the defining issue of our time. i don't want this to be a country where a shrinking number of americans are doing really, really well, but a growing number of people are just struggling to get by. that's not my idea of america. i don't want that future for

you. i don't want that future for my daughters. i want this forever to be a country where everybody gets a fair shot and everybody is doing their fair share, and everybody is playing by the same set of rules. that's the america i know and love. that's the america within our reach. i think back to my grandfather. he had a chance to go to college because this country decided every returning veteran of world war ii should be able to afford it, should be able to go to college. my mother was able to raise two kids by herself because she was able to get grants and work her way through school. i am only standing here today, michelle is only who she is today -- (applause) -- because of scholarships and student

loans. that gave us a shot at a great education. we didn't come from families of means, but we knew that if we worked hard we'd have a shot. this country has always made a commitment to put a good education within the reach of all who are willing to work for it. that's what makes us special. that's what made us an economic superpower. that's what kept us at the forefront of business and science and technology and medicine. and that's a commitment we have to reaffirm today in 2012. now, everybody will give lip service to this.

you'll hear a lot of folks say, yes, education is important -- it's important. but it requires not just words but deeds. and the fact is, that since most of you were born, tuition and fees at america's colleges have more than doubled. and that forces students like you to take out a lot more loans. there are fewer grants. you rack up more debt. can i get an "amen"? >> amen. >> now, the average student who borrows to pay for college now graduates with about $25,000 in student loan debt.

thats the average -- some are more. can i get an "amen" for that? >> amen. >> yes -- because some folks have more debt than that. >> amen. [applause] >> americans now owe more on their student loans than they do on their credit cards. and living with that kind of debt means that this generation is not getting off to the same start that previous generations -- because youre already loaded up with debt. so that means youve got to make pretty tough choices when you are first starting out. you might have to put off buying a house. it might mean that you cant go after that great idea for a startup that you have, because youre still paying off loans. maybe youve got to wait longer to start a family, or save for retirement. when a big chunk of every paycheck goes towards loan debt,

thats not just tough on you, thats not just tough for middle-class families, its not just tough on your parents -- its painful for the economy, because that money is not going to help businesses grow. i mean, think about the sooner you can start buying a house, thats good for the housing industry. the sooner you can start up that business, that means youre hiring some folks -- that grows the economy. and this is something michelle and i know about firsthand. i just wanted everybody here to understand this is not -- i didnt just read about this. i didnt just get some talking points about this. i didnt just get a policy briefing on this.

michelle and i, weve been in your shoes. like i said, we didnt come from wealthy families. so when we graduated from college and law school, we had a mountain of debt. when we married, we got poorer together. [applause] we added up our assets and there were no assets. [laughter] and we added up our liabilities and there were a lot of liabilities, basically in the form of student loans. we paid more in student loans than we paid on our mortgage when we finally did buy a condo. for the first eight years of our marriage, we were paying more in student loans than what we were paying for our mortgage. so we know what this is about. and we were lucky to land good jobs with a steady income. but we only finished paying off our student loans -- check this

out, all right, im the president of the united states [laughter] [applause] we only finished paying off our student loans about eight years ago. that wasnt that long ago. and that wasnt easy, especially because when we had malia and sasha, were supposed to be saving up for their college educations, and were still paying off our college educations. so we have to make college more affordable for our young people.

thats the bottom line. and like i said, look, not everybody is going to go to a four-year college or university. you may go to a community college. you may go to a technical school and get into the workforce. and then, it may turn out that after youve had kids and youre 35, you go back to school because youre retraining for something new. but no matter what it is, no matter what field youre in, youre going to have to engage in lifelong learning. thats the nature of the economy today. and weve got to make sure thats affordable. thats good for the country, its good for you. at this make-or-break moment for the middle class, weve got to make sure that youre not saddled with debt before you even get started in life. because i believe college isnt just one of the best investments you can make in your future -- its one of the best investments america can make in our future. this is important for all of us. we cant price the middle class out of a college education.

not at a time when most new jobs in america will require more than a high school diploma. whether its at a four-year college or a two-year program, we cant make higher education a luxury. its an economic imperative. every american family should be able to afford it. >> amen. >> so thats why im here. now, before i ask for your help -- ive got something very specific im going to need you to do. but, north carolina, indulge me. i want to briefly tell you what weve already done to help make college more affordable, because weve done a lot. before i took office, we had a student loan system where tens of billions of taxpayer dollars were going to banks, not students. they were processing student loan programs except the student loans were federally guaranteed so they werent taking any big risks, but they were still taking billions of dollars out of the system.

so we changed it. some in washington fought tooth and nail to protect the status quo, where billions of dollars were going to banks instead of students. and they wanted to protect that. they wanted to keep those dollars flowing to the banks. one of them said -- and im going to quote here because it gives you a sense of the attitudes sometimes were dealing with in washington. they said, it would be "an outrage" -- if we changed the system so that the money wasnt going through banks and they werent making billions of dollars of profits off of it -- said it was "an outrage." and i said, no, the real outrage is letting these banks keep these subsidies without taking any risks while students are working two or three jobs just to get by. thats an outrage. [applause] thats an outrage. so we kept at it, we kept it at -- we won that fight. today, that money is going where it should be going -- should have been going in the first place -- its going directly to students.

were bypassing the middleman. that means we can raise pell grants to a higher level. more people are eligible. more young people are able to afford college because of what we did. [applause] over 10 years, thats going to be $60 billion thats going to students that wasnt going to students before. now, then, last fall, i acted to cap student loan payments faster, so that nearly 1. 6 million students who make their payments on time will only have to pay 10 percent of their monthly income towards loans once they graduate. now, this is useful -- this is especially helpful for young people who decide, like domonique, to become teachers, or maybe they go into one of the --

>> social work. >> -- social work or one of the helping professions. and they may not get paid a lot of money, but theyve got a lot of debt. and so being able to cap how much per month youre paying as a percentage of your income gives you a little bit more security knowing you can choose that profession. and then we wanted every student to have access to a simple factsheet on student loans and financial aid, so you can have all the information you need to make your own choices about how to pay for college. and we set up this new consumer watchdog called the consumer financial protection bureau -- (applause) -- and so theyre now putting out this information. we call it know before you owe. know before you owe. its something michelle and i wish we had had when we were in your shoes -- because sometimes we got surprised by some of this debt that we were racking up. so thats what weve done. but its not enough just to increase student aid. we cant keep subsidizing skyrocketing tuition or well run out of money.

and colleges and universities, theyve got to do their part also to keep college costs down. so ive told congress to steer federal aid to those schools that keep tuition affordable, that provide good value, that serve their students well. and weve put colleges on notice, if you cant stop tuition from just going up every single year a lot faster than inflation, then funding you get from taxpayers, at least at the federal level, will go down -- because we need to push colleges to do better, and hold them accountable if they dont. now, public universities know well, and governor perdue knows well -- states also have to do their part by making higher education a higher priority in their budgets.

i know that bev is fighting hard to make tuition affordable for north carolina families. thats a priority for her. but last year, over 40 states cut their higher education spending. and these budget cuts have been among the largest factors in tuition increases at public colleges over the past decade. so were challenging states to take responsibility. we told them, if you can find new ways to bring down the cost of college and make it easier for students to graduate, then well help you do it. but i want everybody here, as youre thinking about voting, make sure you know where your state representative and your state senator stands when it comes to funding higher education. theyve got to be responsible. theyve got to be accountable as well to prioritize higher education.

all right. so helping more families, helping more young people afford a higher education, offering incentives for states and colleges and universities to keep their costs down -- thats what weve been doing. now congress has to do their part. they need to extend the tuition tax credit that we put in place back when i came into office. its saving middle-class families thousands of dollars. congress needs to safeguard aid for low-income students, like pell grants, so that todays freshmen and sophomores know that theyll be able to count on it. thats what congress has to do. congress needs to give more young people the chance to earn their way through college by doubling the number of work/study jobs over the next five years.

that's what congress needs to do. and then there's one specific thing -- and now this is where you come in -- there's one specific thing that congress needs to do right now to prevent the interest rates on student loans, federal student loans, from shooting up and shaking you down. so this is where you come in. i want to explain this, so everybody listen carefully. five years ago, congress cut the rate on federal student loans in half. that was a good thing to do. but on july 1st -- thats a little over two months from now -- that rate cut expires. and if congress does nothing, the interest rates on those loans will double overnight. so im assuming a lot of people here have federal student loans. the interest rates will double unless congress acts by july

1st. and just to give you some sense of perspective -- for each year that congress doesnt act, the average student with these loans will rack up an additional $1,000 in debt -- an extra thousand dollars. thats basically a tax hike for more than 7 million students across america -- more than 160,000 students here in north carolina alone. anybody here can afford to pay an extra $1,000 right now? >> no. >> i didnt think so. so stopping this from happening should be a no-brainer.

helping more of our young people afford college, that should be at the forefront of americas agenda. it shouldnt be a republican or a democratic issue. this is an american issue. the stafford loans were talking about, theyre named after a republican senator. the pell grants that have helped millions of americans earn a college education, thats named after a democratic senator. when congress cut those rates five years ago, 77 republicans in the house of representatives voted for it -- along with a couple hundred democrats -- -- including the democrats who are here. so this shouldnt be a partisan issue. and yet, the republicans who run congress right now have not yet said whether or not theyll stop

your rates from doubling. were two months away. some have hinted that theyd only do it if we cut things like aid for low-income students instead. so the idea would be, well, all right, well keep interest rates low if we take away aid from other students who need it. that doesnt make sense. one republican congresswoman said just recently -- im going to quote this because i know you guys will think im making it up -- . >> we trust you. >> no, no, no. she said she had "very little tolerance for people who tell me they graduate with debt because theres no reason for that. >> booo -- >> im just quoting here. im just quoting. she said, students who rack up student loan debt are just

sitting on their butts, having opportunity "dumped in your lap. >> booo -- >> i mean, im reading it here, so i didnt make this up. now, can you imagine saying something like that? those of you who have had to take out student loans, you didnt do it because youre lazy. you didnt do it lightly. you dont like debt. i mean, a lot of you, your parents are helping out, but its tough on them. theyre straining. and so you do it because the cost of college keeps going up and you know this is an investment in your future. so if these folks in washington were serious about making college more affordable, they

wouldnt have voted for a budget that could cut financial aid for tens of millions of college students by an average of more than $1,000. >> absolutely. >> they certainly wouldnt let your student loan rates double overnight. so when you ask them, well, why arent you making this commitment? they say, well, we got to bring down the deficit. of course, this is the deficit they helped run up over the past decade. didnt pay for two wars. didnt pay for two massive tax cuts. and now this is the reason why you want students to pay more? they just voted to keep giving billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies to big oil companies that are raking in record profits. >> booo -- >> they just voted to let millionaires and billionaires

keep paying lower tax rates than middle-class workers and their secretaries. >> booo -- >> they even voted to give an average tax cut of at least $150,000 to folks like me, the wealthiest americans -- a tax cut paid for by cutting things like education and job training programs that give students new opportunities to work and succeed. now, thats their priorities. and that doesnt make any sense. do we want to keep tax cuts for the wealthiest americans who dont need them and didnt ask for them? or do we want to make sure that theyre paying their fair share? do we want to keep subsidizing big oil, or do we want to make sure were investing in clean energy? do we want to jack up interest rates on millions of students, or do we want to keep investing in things that will help us and help them in the long-term --

things like education and science, and a strong military and care for our veterans? we cant do both. we cant have it both ways. weve got to make a choice about what our priorities are. you know, ive said this before, but im just going to keep on repeating it, in america, we admire success. we aspire to it. i want everybody to be rich. i want everybody to work and hustle and start businesses and study your tails off to get there. but america is not just about a few people doing well. america is about giving everybody a chance to do well. everybody -- not just a few -- everybody. thats what built this country. thats what the american dream is all about. a lot of us had parents or grandparents who said, maybe i cant go to college, but some day my son, hell go to college and ill be so proud of him.

a lot of us had parents or grandparents who said, maybe i cant start my own business, but maybe some day my daughter, shes going to start her own business, shes going to work for herself. a lot of us had parents or grandparents who said, i may be an immigrant, but i believe that this is a country where no matter what you look like and where you come from, no matter what your name is, you can make it if you try. north carolina, thats who we are. thats our values. thats what were about. so, no, "set your sights lowe" -- thats not an education plan. youre on your own" -- thats not an economic plan. we cant just cut our way to prosperity.

previous generations made the investments necessary for us to succeed, to build a strong middle class, to create the foundation for americas leadership in science and technology and medicine and manufacturing. and now its our turn. weve got to do the right thing. i want one of you to discover the cure for cancer, or the formula for fusion, or the next game-changing american industry. and that means weve got to support those efforts. so if you agree with me, i need your help. i need you to tell your member of congress, were not going to set our sights lower. were not going to settle for something less. now, all of you are lucky, you already have three congressmen who are on board. so dont -- you dont need to call them. theyre already doing the right

thing. but im asking everyone else whos watching or following online -- call your member of congress. email them. write on their facebook page. tweet them -- weve got a hashtag. heres the hashtag for you to tweet them, #dontdoublemyrate. all right? im going to repeat that -- the hashtag is #dontdoublemyrate. you tweet -- everybody say it just so everybody remembers it. >> dont double my rate. >> dont double my rate -- its pretty straightforward. your voice matters. so stand up. be heard. be counted. tell them now is not the time to double interest rates on your student loans. now is the time to double down on smart investments to build a strong and secure middle class. now is the time to double down on building an america that lasts. >> absolutely.

>> you -- absolutely. you and me, all of us here, every single one of us -- were here only because somebody, somewhere, felt responsibility not just for themselves, but they felt responsibility for something larger. it started with them feeling responsible for their families. so your parents sacrificed, your grandparents sacrificed to make sure you could succeed. but then they thought bigger than that. they thought about their neighborhood, they thought about their community, they thought about their country. now -- >> the planet. >> they thought about the planet. and now its our turn to be responsible. its our turn to keep that promise alive. and no matter how tough these times have been, no matter how many obstacles that may stand in our way, i promise you, north carolina, there are better days ahead. we will emerge stronger than we were before. because i believe in you. i believe in your future. i believe in the investment

youre making right here at north carolina. that tells me that you share my faith in americas future. and thats what drives me every single day -- your hopes, your dreams. and im not quitting now because, in america, we dont quit. we get each others backs. we help each other get ahead. and if we work together, well remind the world just why it is that americas the greatest nation on earth. thank you, everybody. god bless you. god bless america.

>> this year's student cam competition, we asked studentses to submit a video telling which part of constitution was most important to them and why. we meet with andy locascio. good morning, andy. >> gorp. >> the topic of your video joe article 5. can you explain what that is? >> article 5 is basically the constitution's process for changing itself. whenever that is thought of as necessary, either the congress or 2/3 of the states propose an amendment and then states are required to ratify it 3/4 of the

states are required to ratify it in order for that change to come into the constitution. >> how did you come to choose this as your topic? >> well, i think article 5 is really exeveryonifies the american value. i think within the american dream is this idea of progress. and what better way to show progress than through the change that has been made, the changes that have been made to the constitution in the last 200 years through the amendment process we have had an enormous expansion of suffrage for women, for african-americans, for people outside of, you know, the continental united states. i think it is important to remember that we started as a

very different nation than what we are today. i think i chose the topic because it really is the most american article in our constitution. >> you mentioned the genius of the framers including article 5 in the constitution. what did you mean by that? >> they were not going get it all right so they built in this process for change so that it is a country evolves, so can the documents by which we live by. i think that really, aside from, you know, some of the great things that they wrote down, you know, i think that was real genius of the framers. >> you have interviewed some experts. how did they further your understanding of article 5? >> i think more than anything, they provided a round view of a very controversial topic.

they obviously had very different views on it but i think the importance of being objective in a documentary is exeveryonified by the very the experts that we interviewed. >> what would you like people to take away from your video? >> for people to understand what i have been saying. the framers didn't get it all right and they the framers knew they wouldn't get it all right. we have this view of the framers of our society that they were angelic beings that knew all. i think that is somewhat irresponsible because they really didn't and they knew it. so they built in this system for change so that america would last and for the last 200 years,

it has. >> thank you so much for joining us, andy and congratulations again on your win. >> thank you so much. >> and here is a portion of andy's video, "america over time". >> i believe it is an american value. over the last 200 years, we have stumbled through a lot of messes but still uphold the constitution. but the power of the constitution is its ability to live within society -- the amendment process in article 5. >> had there not been an article 5, there would not have been a constitution because many of the leading citizens, the foremost among them, thomas jefferson would not have supported the constitution without an article 5. >> but i know also that laws and institutions must go hand in hand, the progress of the human mind as that becomes more

developed, more enlightened and new discoveries are made, new truths distance disclosed, manners of opinion changed. let us provide in our constitution for a provision. >> you can watch this video in its entirety as well as all other winning entries at our website student cam.org. >> next on c-span, cabinet secretaries discuss the solvency of social security. a senate hearing examines arizona's immigration law. and later, interior secretary ken salazar talks about domestic oil and energy production. >> on "washington journal" tomorrow morning, we'll discuss defense spending with adam smith

in washington. representative michael mcthis caul, a texas republican joins us to talk about cybersecurity. we'll take your questions about the future of the postal service with a staff writer and we'll be joined by a student cam winner. he will discuss his documentary, who owns free speech, with james duff, the c.e.o. of the museum. >> rosy orgs donnel was the president's first choice to be here this evening and she withdrew citing a nasty and brutal confirmation process. [laughter] i wasn't even the second choice. dennis miller was the second choice but he got hung out by an

illegal nanny technicality. but isn't that what the confirmation process is how about about here in washington, weekend out the truly qualified to get to the truly available. >> i thought that, you know, when you got into office, you would put a swift end to your basketball pickup plan. come on. first black president playing basketball. that's one step forward two, steps back. [laughter] and really, are you any good? i bet you think your game is really nice right don't you? nobody is going to give the president a hard foul with the secret service standing there. [laughter] >> jon stewart and wanda sykes are just two of the comedians who entertained the washington press core at the annual white

house correspondence dinner. this weekend, c-span will offer live coverage of the event saturday nights. see what others have said about these dinners. c-span.org/videolibrary. >> according to a report released this week by the social security trustees, the program won't be able to pay out full benefits beginning in 2033, three years earlier than previous projections. treasury secretary timothy geithner and kathleen sebelius took part in the findings. this is a half-hour.

millions more will do so in the future. as today's reports made clear, these programs have the resources they need to fulfill their commitments to the americans people for years to come. social securities, retirement

and disability programs have dedicated funds sufficient to cover benefits for the next 20 years. but in 2033, incoming revenues and trust fund resources will be insufficient to maintain the payment of full benefits. after that time, dedicated funds will be sufficient to cover about 3/4 of full benefits. medicare's hospital insurance trust fund will have resources sufficient to cover benefits until 2024, the same year as projected in last year's report. the projections in this year's report, however rrks some more more pessimistic than last year's projections. for the combined social security trust funds, the 75-year imbalance is up .4%. this is in large part due the trustees assumptions of lower real wages over the 75-year projection period.

with regard to medicare, the projected imbalance of the trust fund has increased by .6% due changes in cost production projection methods recommended by the 2010 and 2011 medicare technical review panel. while uncertainty surrounding these 75-year projections is very substantial, nonetheless these reports emphasize the reports of building consensus on reforms that will put these programs on a sounder financial footing for the future. the affordable care act began this process with the most significant entitlement reform in decades including methods of restraining medicare and reigning in cost growth. we can preserve medicare. to preserve medicare is to implement the act fully and effectively.

that's why the president has put together a plan to strengthen medicare. at the beginning of the next decade this is plan achieves the same amount of annual health care savings. the president's approach would lower costs by changing way we pay for health care with new incentives for doctors and hospitals eliminating excess subsidies to prescription drug companies and asking wealthier seniors to pay more. in his state of the union address last year, the president outlined a set of principles to reform. they emphasize the importance of finding a bipartisan solution that strengthens social security and does not hurt current recipients or slash benefits for

future retirees or tie programs to the stock market. as we work to strengthen social security and medicare, it is critical that reforms are slowly phased in overtime so that current beneficiaries are not affected and future beneficiaries do not experience precipitous changes. at the same time, it must be balanced and even handed. we will not support proposals that sow the seat of destruction in the name of reform or that shift the cost of health care to seniorses in order to sustain tax cuts for the most fortunate americans. social security and medicare are the twin pillars of retirement and security in this country. they are expressions of the fact that we are one nation. thank you. i'm going turn the floor over to

my colleague and fellow trustee, kathleen sebelius. >> thank you secretary geithner. today's trustee report confirms that medicare is in a much stronger position than it was a few years ago thanks to the affordable care act. without the health care law, the hospital insurance trust fund would be exhausted in 2016, just four years from now. but as a result of the law, we have added another eight years to its life putting medicare on much more solid ground. the law does this through a range of reforms, from cracking down on fraud to preventing costly medical errors to reducing excess payments to medicare advantage plans. as a the report shows this first waive of reforms will save medicare $220 billion by 2016

and lower costs for americans with traditional care by $60 billion. that's real none people's pockets. in addition, it describes reforms in the law that could lead to bigger savings down the road. by addressing the major driver of rising medicare costs. we know that many leading health systems have reduced costs by improving care. for example, by managing care more effectively for patients with chronic conditions to keep them healthier and out of the hospital. but in the past, the medicare payment structure has made it difficult for providers to provide that kind of care. the health care law begins to break down those barriers with new reforms to free doctors and nurses to deliver higher quality, more efficient care. these incentives are just in the beginning phases. we're confident they will improve care and save money. that means it is very possible that in the long run, the health

care law will do more to stabilize finances than the report today indicates. unlike some of the other plans that have been put forward, this is an approach that will put medicare on a stable trajectory without eliminating the guaranteed benefits that

beneficiaries haved on for decades or shifting the costs on to seniors. it is an approach that makes shower strong medicare is there for our children and grandchildren. today's report shows that this approach can work. and it also makes clear how important it is that we continue to implement the reforms in the health care law and the president's budget to secure the promise of medicare for generations to come. >> good afternoon, everyone. thanks for joining us today. today we have heard about the long-term financial future of social security and medicare. these programs serve as a critical lifeline for millions of americans, especially those experiencing these tough economic times. today close to 54 million americans received scorblee security benefits including 38 million retirees, 10 million americans with disabilities and six million survivors of deceased workers.

social security serves as a critical kole role in combating north this country. if social security payments were excluded from income, the number of older people in poverty would increase by almost 14 million individuals. however challenges remain for social security and medicare and thus the retirement security of many americans who depend on the benefits they provide. geithner and sebelius have addressed these challenges. we know costs for both programs are continuing to increase due to the continued retirement by the baby boom generation and lower birthrates for younger generations. people are also living longer and the cost for health care per beneficiary continues to rise, especially for private health insurance but also for our public programs. reducing the cost of medicare will take effect in the coming years. that's one big reason why

ensuring the successful implementation of this historic health care law is so important. but there are other important steps that strengthen the solvency of the social security and medicare trust fund. in the past 25 months, the economy has generated 4 million jobs. layoffs are decreased to 2006 levels and the unemployment rate has decreased from a peak of 10% at the height of the recession to 8.2% today. we have made steady progress but we're not out of the woods yet. we have a lot more work to do to make every person in every community thriving again. putting more people back to work now is crucial to the health of the social security and medicare trust fund. when more people are working, our payroll tax base gross and more people are able to contribute to the trust funds. we're taking more steps to put people back on the job. the recent extension of the

unemployment insurance and the important reforms that come along with i it are critical to this effort. in providing more services and flexibility, we're turning the unemployment system into a reemployment system. additionally, we're funding job training initiatives focused on making sure that the skilled workers, that's what people are looking for in the office or factory floor. we have worked to incentivize businesses to put more people back to work. we also continue to support policies that encourage disabilitied and older workers to stay on the job. many disabled workers can and do want to work. so we have got to help them do just that as quick awe can. we put forth a number of initiatives to speed up medical recovery to get folks off disability insurance and back on the job.

over the last three years, the department of labor has helped 16 states provide disability insurance claimants with targeted job coaching and training to help ghement back to work. last year alone, the number of one-career centers gauging participants increased by 34%. together we're hoping those who can get back to work do so and making sure they can keep sop of their benefits to get the help they need to transition back to work. sorpe security and medicare provides a safety net for millions of work americans. many of whom are low income and depend on those programs for their survival. we must act soon to address the immediate and long-term imbalances. the earlier these reforms can be made, the more options and time we have to better prepare for those affected and to ease the burden on our most vulnerable communities. thank you.

>> we would like to begin by commending the public trustees for their important contributions for this year's report. this vort the first one since 2007 where we haved that benefit of two confirmed trustees for the painstaking work. they work together in bipartisan fashion that should be a model for all of us in washington. having them onboard has made a difference in areas ranging from techniques and economic analysis to plain language. speaking of bipartisan congeniality. it is time for congress to taken to task of retooling social security for the long haul. this year's three-year movement on the exhaustion day for the oasdi trust fund makes action more critical than ever. congress must begin the process of deciding what levels of benefits and taxation best serve

the interests of younger americans who are increasingly uncertain as to whether they can count on social security. it is also now vital for congress to consider reallocating assets dean with the trust funds so that disabled americans don't have to fear reductions of benefits in 2016. finally, as in the past, i want to urge you in the media not to complicate congress' responsibilities. please, please remember, that exhaustion is a term of arts and it does not mean there will be no money left to pay any benefits. after 2033, even if congress does nothing, there will still be sufficient assets to pay about 75% of the current level of benefits. unacceptable but it is still a fact that there will be sufficient assets there.

due almost entirely to demographics and the recession. in the past year, there have been reports to the contrary. we need the debate to begin and need it to be civil and fact-based. clear and accurate reporting on the complexities of the system is essential to that debate. and to wrap up, this is the sixth trustee's report i have signed, more than any other commissioner and i would be remiss if i concluded my remarks without telling you what a tremendous privilege it has been to serve as a trustee. thank you. >> the social security medicare programs remain among the more remarkable legislative achievements in american history. these two programs have between them provided critical insurance protections for hundreds of

million s of americans. they have done it at exceptionally low administrative costs and they have done it with financing methods that while they essential have their critics have been accepted by most of the american people as equitable historically. it is important to remember these achievements as we review this year's financing projections. both social security and medicare finances took a further term for the worst this year and of course as with merely every year, the passage of time bringing those programs to long-term solvency. we need to remember as we view our options that the strength of these programs especially depends not only on the finances being restored but that this is done so that the public continues to believe is fair and as time continues to pass and program finances continue to become more strained, this becomes more difficult to achieve. before getting to the special

numbers about social security, first i would like to note some differences between social security projections and medicare projections. social security does not tend to have large swings in its outlook from year to year. medicare, on the other hand, faces greater uncertainty because of factors like health care cost inflation are more difficult to predict. my colleague will talk about the medicare side where we have had some offsetting projection changes in the short-term, some positive, some negative and with social security, by contrast, thufrl year most of the variables lined up on the negative side. as a result on the social security side, both the short-term and long-term outlook worsened somewhat. sormeyurt's imbalance is 2.6% of taxable payroll. that is the program's tax base in worker wages.

that is a 0.44 points worsening relative to last year. this is now largest deficit that we have seen in social security since the 1983 reforms and this is the second largest single-year deterioration that we have seen in all of the trustees reports since the last major reforms. the completion date is now anticipated to be 2033. that's been moved up from 2036. so we have lost some ground not only because of the passage of time and legislative action in but because programs were weaker than previously projected. in fact, the 2033 date is the earliest projected by the trustees. there were a few trustees reports in the mid 1990's that saw depletion happening earlier but we have to remember now it is much earlier in the game.

as a result, never since the 1983 reforms have we come as close to the depletion as we are now. now 21 years off may sound like a long way but given magnitude of the financing shourt fall, it is actually not. our window for dealing with it is closing fairly rapidly. in 2033, it has been said we will have enough revenue coming in to pay 75% of scheduled benefit task force pay really a tax would have to be raised from 12.4% to 16.7%. that 25% benefit reduction, you have to bear in mind we would have to cut benefits for people already on the rolls including many who are already receiving benefits today in 2012. when you factor in the trying to shield people already receiving benefits, it is clear we don't have a great deal of time left to resolve the imbalance in a

way that people on both sides of the aisle will find acceptable. our greatest immediate concern, we have the fact that the disability trust fund is projected to be exhausted in 2016. the earliest of the different trust funds we report on. one option is to reallocate the tax rates between the disability and retirement sides of social security. we have to remember to shore up social security only at the -- of the other side. we're going to have to make some tougher choices. we have to otherwise decrease the disability tagses. we have to find roughly $30 billion of savings annually within the disability programs starting within five years to prevent insolvency. why does this year's report show a decline in social security finances? because this is a disruption of economic data. we had a longer than expected social security -- this year.

3.6%. worker taxable earnings 1.6% lower in 2011 than we projected last year.

. .

it is a good thing we disagree. he is looking like an evangelical preacher down there. then he backed down. mean, i'm'm not passionate. i am too.

that is the difference. latinas that are americans support this overwhelmingly. in 2006, we have for ballot initiatives. they voted 60% on all four of those. hang on. hang on. why do demean the hispanic community? why would you demean them? hang on. one question at a time. why would we think they're less of an american? folks who have fought for this country and others, they love this country as much as you are i appeared i find it demeaning that you think they're the good is because they are hispanic. that is not true. >> is it true that you are linked to people that are investing more prisons? >> that is not true. npr invented the story.

i find it amazing -- i think they will come from a dream. there is no truth for that. zero. she has already read the solicitor general. kagen should recuse herself. my guess she will refuse yourself. if not it will be applied for. i knew there and -->> i'm getting that far. i knew i would have the odds. and everyone would probably be against me, the democrats especially. they're pro-amnesty but call it reform. it covers the real intent. i'm willing to defend arizona

whether i am one guy in the crowd or not. the majority of americans stand for the citizens. >> the fact is if you were set up, if some of the colleagues set up, maybe we would have a balance hearing? >> i do not know the reasoning. if they thought it was going to be unfair, i would have appreciated a phone call. i am not one to run from what i believe is the right thing to do. i have a moral compass. >> the romney campaign is insisting that there were not saying that it was the model. had the feel about that? >> i'm not going to comment on

something i have not read. >> they said he is not referring to it. have you feel about that? >> i'm not going to get into specifics. i have for these advisers. i know romney is a compassionate man. i also think he understands the crisis in damage. for i admire that about him. >> where was that? >> it is at the convention in 2010. we went up in the corner. there are exceptions. i think it can be carved out. you cannot do these blanking policies or use taxpayer dollars to subsidize its.

>> do you support the dream act that is targeted? >> anytime they want to do something, we think it is ok to import illegal foreign labor. it is not a path to citizenship. that is why they will probably never get anything passed. >> would you support a card vote just for students? >> i will not support any blanket policy. >> bay would render this obsolete.

>> we have already been through this. there is only four sections of the 10 that are in question. read the bill. it is all merit. we sat down and went there every line. for we are very careful. we knew it would go to court. we wrote it to go to the supreme court. >> under federal law, it is a civil offense when they are not documented. under arizona law becomes a criminal offense. how many were under federal law? >> it is not the same thing as civil.

we need to make sure that is clear. illegal entry under federal law is a crime. >> of listed was but in a manner to be divorced. -- enforced. it did not really change appeared they can -- does not really change. they can remove the illegal policies. it is an important section. i am very confident. it still be a chilling effect on those wanting to model its. it does not change the constitution.

i have been enforcing immigration laws since i was a puppy in march 1970. it was never an issue. the states have never been pre- empted. in case you did not catch it, the states have never been pre- empted. >> that will not be the decision. people seem not to get that right. they will bring the one thing the state police said about. if they deny this part, the make a prediction. i realize you are brilliant.

walk on water. if you lose, it would seem to me but they would be saying more. >> it did not pass the package did not have that majority. the pre-emption issue is the same argument. the misinformation, tourism is up in arizona. with cannot retreat from this. i love my country. i love and respect those that come here. many of those who do not come here lately are not that people. some of the people. those laws must be honored.

>> he had a statement thinking that this was political theater and not meant to be productive hearing. what do you say to that as >> i do not entirely disagree. we knew it was mostly politics. he can run this bill. it was a popular bill supported across america. it was supported across america. i do not think he can get it heard in the house. >> was it worth their while to come on here today? >> i came here. absolutely. even though we are here, it is important that i come here and represent the state. >> even though they're only two senators up there, do you think it was productive? it to be shown in the media.

i hope that they cover it well. >> what is your message to them faxed you want to see them leave the country. >> my heart goes out to them. no blanket policy. i am not apologizing for having sat down. i'm touched by parents who have kids to make trouble decisions. i cannot change that. the laws must be in force. it must be enforced. >> it is not a concern to you?

>> only the federal government can fix that. states have no ability to remain here. lead as a federal purview. >> he said he was in paris on -- embarrassed on behalf of the state. maybe he feels like michelle obama who said the only time she was proud was when they elected her husband. i am embarrassed for the victims. up to 9000 americans are killed at the hands of illegal aliens. i am embarrassed by those who do not have been respect for the people from jobs taken, wages are pressed, the cost is immeasurable. that is what i am embarrassed about. those who refuse to do something

about the damage to americans. >> what about the immigration from mexico is not at the net zero. what is happening in arizona is not happening in other states. the problem have three times the national average. we have gone from 49th in the nation to number six and job recovery. arizona has done some things right. we have done a lot of things right. >> have they told you they're not going to come? >> i have no idea. it is not about me. it is about state rights. arizona has the right to protect the citizens and just for americans.

it is arizonas obligation. >> are you disappointed that you did not have senator kyl here or any other republican? >> i would have appreciate phone call. this is about stay right. arizona has certain rights. we're not defending arizona is right. it is the law. arizona took a lead in the nation to saw the national crisis. what goes in arizona does not stay in arizona.

>> are you disappointed he cannot show up with any other republican senator? >> why did you think they didn't? >> i have no idea. it to be unfair for me to assume. and not have that conversation. >> are you aware of the economic problems because the lack of hard labor? >> absolutely not true. the heritage foundation showed that immigrants use social services>> social services 3 the four times out of any. they commit violent crime three times out of any other. these myths have to be set

aside. they are not true. >> most of the workers are undocumented. those are official statistics. >> you have 26 year of unemployment. there is not a job they will not do. one of the problems we have is that we are raising its. they do not want to work in the sweat environment. batus problem -- part of our problem today. >> what are you hoping the supreme court will take under consideration tax a lot of people are saying they will -- considerations that a lot of people are saying [unintelligible] >> that prohibits. i do not know how they can say is. they say they can do with no restrictions.

they said it was fourth. it is unrestricted. in arizona, i took that into consideration. i made it clear in the bill that ou can not use racial profiling. you have to have legitimate context. you must have reasonable suspicion. the federal government does not put it in their. >> are you confident that officers across the stage are following that direction? >> i am i know the good parts of these folks. absolutely. when you make thousands you will find some that do not agree. these are good men and women trying to do their job. they are cautious and careful and respectful.

>> the senate judiciary committee meets to hear from janet the pulse, -- napolitano. and on friday, more coverage of the legal fight over arizona's immigration law when we bring -- bring new oral arguments. that is friday at 8:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. >> i have learned a certain place where people will listen to me and i have always cared about the country. the greatest generation gave me a platform that was unanticipated. and i thought i should not

squander that. i should step up, not just as a citizen, but as a father, husband, and grandfather. if i see these things i should try to start a dialogue, which is what i am trying to do about where we need to get to next. >> tom brokaw urges americans to redefine the american dream. your questions for the former anchor and editor of nbc nightly news. he is written about the greatest generation, the 1960's, and today. live at noon eastern on c-span's book tv. >> can salazar was at the national press club yesterday where he discuss energy independence, and domestic oil production, and renewable energy. he says the obama

administration remains accountable to holding those responsible for those responsible for the bp oil spill. this is about an hour. >> few people understand or have a greater inspiration for land and a farmer. then make their living from the land and they know the effect of mother nature and father industry. ken salazar is from 5 generation of farmers. he was born and raised in colorado with no electricity and no telephone. the focus was on hard work and an appreciation for the land. after a stint in the seminary, he wound up going to college. getting a law degree am being asked to work as a legal counsel for the governor. he said that i will do it for one year because i do not want to be in politics. as the story goes, his political

career was mapped out by a mentor on a napkin in the room of a tamale shop. he served as attorney general, u.s. senator, and now secretary of the interior where oversees public lands including the fish and wildlife service, the land management, u.s. geological survey, and offshore drilling. his biggest challenge is finding the balance between preserving natural resources and using them to create energy. at the beginning of the administration, salazar was part of what some dubbed the green dream team. he said public lands were no longer a candy store and we cannot drill our way to energy independence. after more than three years, he has learned that keeping a lid on the candy jar, and responding

to natural and man-made events is no small task. when the ndp deepwater verizon exploded two years ago, and 53 gallons of oilspilled into the gulf every day, environmentalists criticized interior department and even the president said the cleanup was too slow. gas prices topped four dollars a gallon in some places and the obama administration is under pressure to boost production. interior department announced a plan to streamline permits for land-based trilling and last week salazar moved a step closer to allow surveys off of the atlantic coast to determine what oil and gas resources exist in that area. when he appeared with president obama to accept the nomination, he created a buzz by wearing a cowboy hat at the white house. even after all of these years, he wears his stetson so frequently that almost every

prayer for a piece makes an mention. this introduction without the complete without saying something. even though you did not wear it today, because we are indoors, welcome to the national press club. [applause] to run for office. she defeated her opponents. did she is no stranger to politics. thank you for being a part of this and been the chair of the speaker's committee and to debra, thank you for helping put this event together. all of the tables, to members of our team who are here and

people i have worked with for a long time. i remember him covering the senate race. today, in my honor, and he wore a shirt -- so, let me thank you all for being here today. i want to speak about energy issues that are important to our nation and which all of you are working on today. it seems that the conventional wisdom says that our nation is divided over and digitalis' seat. i do not have to tell you that. -- energy policy. i do not have to tell you that. almost every day you have someone putting out a three. plan for $2 gasoline. " claiming that there is a secret agenda out there to shut down energy production. the reality is that a americans

agree on energy. if you can get beyond washington, and you talk to people directly, you hear the same things that i hear over and over. about what our challenges are and how we must tackle them. americans know what they want. they want to cut our reliance on imported oil. they know a lot of factors affect gas prices, including world markets and that there is no silver bullet in the near term. americans also agree we need to broaden our energy portfolio. they support conventional energy but in state after state across the country, we have seen the states moving to vote in more solar, more wind, and more of biofuel production into the

mix. americans want to see continued expansion of offshore drilling but they also believe that you need to choose the right places for that to take place and you need to enforce safety standards to protect people and the environment. people see stronger fuel economy standards for vehicles that as a good thing. the proof is in the cars they are buying. for the first time ever, and gm sold more vehicles than they had never sold there are for -- that are fuel-efficient vehicles. 100,000 cars that can make more than 30 miles to a gallon. that is a remarkable achievement. sales ares monthly in fuel-efficient vehicles. who would have imagined that five years ago? there is also home this imagined

anergy world, may be a world of a fairy tale and falsehoods that we see here in washington, d.c. it is in that imaginary world where we see that continuing and growing divide in the energy debate in america. the divide is not among ordinary americans. it is between some people in washington, d.c. it is between the real world and be imagined, carried to a world -- fairy tale world. it is an invention of political rhetoric. it is a place where you hear cries of drill, a drug, antril, notwithstanding the fact that -- drill, drill, drill,

notwithstanding the fact that much is open for business. and lance are sitting idle. a 50 million acres. it is a place where up is seen as down, where leftists seen as right, -- left is seen as right, where oil shale is mistaken for shale oil. record profits and justify billion dollars in subsidies. and where rising u.s. production and our falling dependence on foreign oil somehow add up to bad news. one member of congress went is so far as to say the jobs from solar, wind, and biofuels are somehow phony.

that if technology is new, it somehow is not real. president obama got it right when he pointed out that if these folks had been in charge when columbus set sail, and they would have been the charter members of the flat earth society. the good news is that he imagined energy world is actually very small. i think you can find its edge when you walk out of the house of representatives. that is the end. for those of us to spend our time in the real energy world, let's talk about the reality we work on every day with this great team at its interior and my other colleagues in the white house. without question, we face serious energy challenges in this country.

we know that today and we have known it for a long time. gas prices are taking on a real toll and creating pain on family budgets. our economy is still vulnerable to the ups and downs of world oil markets, as they have been for the 12 oil spikes we have seen since the formation of opec. but because so many americans, including industry, and environmental organizations, but especially the american people are results oriented, and all of the above energy approach is the right approach. our nation has made remarkable progress over the last three years. industry, government, investors, science, stakeholders, all deserve credit. on the broadest to scale, u.s. gas production is at an all-time

high. gas production is at an all-time high. and oil production is at an eight-year high. total oil production from the lands which we oversee have increased 13% over the first three years of this ministration. that is compared to the last three years of the prior administration. now, something i worked on for a long time was to get rid of our dependence on foreign oil. so we in the heartland and the rockies are proud of the fact that oil imports have gone down every single year since president obama took office. thanks to the booming oil and

gas production, and more efficient cars and trucks, and a world-class refining sector that last year was an exporter for the first time in 60 years, we cut net imports by 10%. that is a million barrels a day in the last year alone. imagine that. a million barrels a day less being imported into the united states of america. line up those million barrels on the interstate or warehouses. that is a lot of oil. a million barrels a day in the last year alone. we all know oil and gas is a part of our energy portfolio. we have embraced it and it will continue to be. but we also know that renewable energy and the new energy frontier is something that is

important for the people of america. renewable energy production has doubled over the last three years. on public lands, and we are on our way to meeting the president's: permitting 10,000 megawatts of large-scale renewable energy by the end of the year. it will power millions of american homes through that effort that the people at blm have worked on of the last three years. all of these trends show they are gathering strength. they also reflect the practical problem solving mind-set we are bringing to bear at car -- all levels of our decision making. when president obama asked me to run the department, he sent me here to fix problems and help us

find solutions for the long term on problems that had escaped from people who had been in my position and had served in the past. let me give you three examples that illustrate the problem- solving approach to energy that i believe is the hallmark of this administration. first, and the story is well- known to all of you because you worked on this matter, let's look on offshore oil and gas and safety. jennifer, you know the details of what has been going on. deepwater horizon shook the confidence of a americans and offshore energy development. you remember 50,000 barrels a

day spewing out endlessly into the gulf of mexico. witnessing that oil spill at that level for 87 days could have prompted the public to say, no more. no mas. that is it. it is too dangerous. but we knew that oil and gas was an important part of our economy. we had to move quickly to strengthen safety standards and environmental protections. we had to ensure that companies drilling below the surface of the ocean are prepared to drill safety at those depths under the seat. we had to make sure they were prepared to deal with another blowout.

we had to take an organization that had been created long before and de-conflict those missions into strong again separate agencies, which have become world class agencies in the work that they do. the industry, for its part, also had to answer our call to raise the bar. drilling activities in the gulf for back to pre-spill levels. the u.s.'s position as a global gas safety.loil and that is true when i visit brazil or as we host in norway this june. it has been good but the bar has been raised.

that is good for domestic production in america's oceans, and it is also good for the industry as a whole. at the end of the day, it is good for american energy security. our approach does not stop in the oceans of america are we see hundreds of millions of acres. it also goes to the onshore areas where we have oversight of 700 million acres of the lands that belong to the american people. we have moved to on a reform agenda. you can see the benefits of our results. when we took office, the leasing program was in disarray. imagine s -- nearly half of all

leases on public lands were protested, put into the framework of endless litigation. projects with thousands of wells were stuck because they could not move forward. at the end of 2008, the previous a ministration offered some areas near arches national park where i was looking at a commercial from the state of utah. they were advertising the wonders of utah. arches national park. that program had become so highly divisive and controversial. when we moved in we said we're going to move forward with production. we also said we would restore to

reduce conflicts on our public lands. reforms have helped bring the public into the leasing process earlier. so that fewer leases and up in court and litigation. we work to resolve the controversy is on some of the largest projects in the western, including more than 3500 new wells in one state. 3500 gas wells that will move forward because we are fixing problems. in another part of the world, an effort led by the deputy secretary of interior, the united states government under

president obama's direction is coordinating its energy permitting activities in alaska. it is to a good result. we are working to deploy a new system for processing permits a on blm lands. we expect to reduce and permitting times by two-thirds. there is a common theme in all of this, tackling a problem head on, getting it done right, and moving on to the next challenge because we know there are other challenges ahead. offshore ocean energy development in the united states. onshore and the many reforms we have brought. the last area, where we have spent a significant amount of time, in a tour of renewable

energy world. in 2009, when i first came to the department of the interior, not a single solar energy project had been approved for construction on the public lands of the american people. offshore, it had been a disaster from day one. languishing for eight years in a process that seem to have no end. since 2009, we moved in a new direction, it achieving results. we have authorized a 29 geothermal projects on lands. i have been there and seen these projects rising out of the desert. they will make believers out of the skeptics. when these are built, it will

provide over 6,500 megawatts of queen power. 2.3 million american homes and thousands of jobs as we grasped the new energy frontier. we have also approved it at the department of the interior and what we have done on the atlantic and in places on the pacific, working with the governors of those states, we have built an offshore wind leasing program for the united states. none of this would have happened if not for the people we have deployed to help make sure government reviews aren't done in a timely basis. i am proud of what we have done on this frontier and a believe it will be a lasting legacy for the american people. i begin my remarks by suggesting there was a widening gap between

the real energy world that i work on every day, which we have made so much progress a, and the imagined, fairy tale world of the falsehoods of a campaign year. i want to be realistic about what we can expect from this house of representatives but i believe there are some things they can work on. some low hanging fruit that could be passed even this year. they should put the energy security of the united states ahead of politics of the time. i will mention three items. there could be many more they could work on to help us get to this and future. the first, congress should move immediately to codify the reforms we have implemented

since the deepwater horizon disaster. it is an excusable congress has yet to enact one piece of legislation to make in drilling safer. for the american people, for all of you, for those of us who lived through that crisis, it would seem to be a clarion call to action. what should we do as the united states of america to make offshore drilling more safe? my early days india administration, the testimony before the natural resources committee, they said ocean energy is such an important part of the portfolio that we should have organic legislation that codifies what the agency

does on behalf of the american people. it was not done then and even since the deep water rising, it has not been done. liability caps have been in place for such a long time. $75 million, still the same today as they were before the deepwater spill. some people may have amnesia about the deepwater horizon crisis. i do not wanted. i do not believe the american people have it. i believe that the american people want to the united states house of representatives to act on responsible legislation. one of those aspects of responsible legislation would be to codify the reforms we have implemented in the executive branch. number two, i am not trying to

give a laundry list of 100 things. i am not sure they could get it done. codification of much of what we have done and some liability reforms we have proposed. they should be able to get that done in 48 hours. there is another thing they could do. we are working with the congress on legislation to implement an agreement we reached with mexico to open the oil and gas reservoir for development. it would terminate a moratorium on drilling along our maritime boundary and provide a framework for new exploration the size of delaware. we estimate it " contained 172 million barrels of oil and 300 four billion cubic feet of natural gas. that agreement came about as a

result of some hard work between people in the department of interior and the state department and the mexican government. it culminated in a signing attended by the president of mexico at the g-20 meeting recently. it was signed by secretary clinton. while some people say mexico move slow, in this case, the mexican legislature is already approving the agreement. we should not have to wait. congress should act on approval of that agreement through implementing legislation. it will be good for the energy security of the united states and it would be good for the

entire gulf of mexico because it is only one pond. it is shared between the united states and mexico. it is a place where we know we have the largest proven reserves of oil and gas in our country. those are two things that the congress could do, codify what we have already done, approved an agreement we worked on very hard in the gulf of mexico. maybe they want to do some other things. i believe that americans want to see congress implemented policy that makes for a long-term sustainable, renewable energy economy. that includes making tax credits for renewable energy generation and refundable. so there is financial certainty and we do not face the boom and

bust that many of us witness in the 1970's with solar power. we need a clean energy standard. we are moving forward with our own but it would be good if the congress were to pass a standard that would provide a signal to investors that they need. if it were given, there would be billions of dollars on capital that would move to the new energy frontier. is that likely congress will rise to the occasion this year? that they can do those three things? we had the bipartisan effort so we could get some legislation. i would hope so. i would hope that the congress can see that the needs of the american people are first and

foremost as opposed to the politics of the day. i think those who stand in the way of solutions are going to find the ground shifting under their feet. the energy world is changing. with or without them. whether it is our oil and gas technology, our power plants, the pace of innovation is staggering. the united states is determined to leave the new energy world. the president is determined to make sure the united states leads this world for the united states. it is no longer a question of whether you support renewable energy or conventional energy or the environment or you favor the economy -- the american people have already decided to take an all of the above approach. it is what we have been

implementing and will continue under president obama. if there is a choice to be made, it is whether you are going to be a part of the bright and promising future or whether the politics of the moment are going to see us have a repetition of what we have seen the failed energy policies of past decades. many will remember the formation of opec and richard nixon calling upon the nation to move toward energy independence. you will remember jimmy carter talking about moving forward with a the moral imperative war as we look for energy independence. you'll remember the national energy lab in golden, colorado.

and everyone should remember though oil and gas price shocks we have seen since the 1970's. every time they come around, it is the same bond per sticker on solutions. we are not into that business of a bumper sticker solutions. we are in the business of real solutions. with the work we have done of the last three years and three months, we have laid a solid foundation for america to get to an energy security that is worthy of the people of this great country. thank you very much. [applause]

>> is there any compromise possible between the republicans and democrats on energy policy? >> i think that there is always that possibility. i was a member of the united states senate. i have friends on the democratic side and the republican side. i have friends in the house of representatives of both sides. i remember being part of the coalition that put together the 2005 energy act. i remember the great work of the senator working with pete. we did some great things together. the polarization we have seen now in the united states congress, especially in the house, is troublesome. i think their view of justice

same -- just saying no is wrong. they should be saying we have challenges in america. gas prices and the oil and gas future are important and there are a number of things we can do. instead of spending their time politicking in trying to get an upper hand in an imagined world, and they should work on real solutions. >> what you say to critics who say the u.s. is not issuing permits quickly enough? >> i think you will find critics that will make those false charges against this administration but 15,500 permits have been processed through the land management just

the last few years. we have lived through a national crisis. we have issued over 100 permits to drill in the gulf of mexico. the gulf is back. those critics do not know what the facts are. it is another example of the falsehoods better being spread .n this political season i w i was with a couple of senators. as we looked at what is happening and the development of oil and gas, we looked at it as having as much oil that we now find in saudi arabia. i was there three years ago. senator conrad took me to the reservation and said we have a problem. the government is not working.

permits are not issued. there is no development taking place in this reservation. we set up a permit process to try to break through the bureaucracy that was not working. today, when you go to the reservation, 200 permits have been granted. oil and gas is everywhere. in indian country, where there are millions and millions of acres of potential development, the oil development and production on indian land has doubled, doubled, in the last three years. for those who say we are not issuing permits, there are simply wrong. >> how has the obama administration improved oil administration? is that lowering gas prices for families? >> on the oil and gas

production, we are producing more oil than at any time since 2003 here in the united states. those are the facts. more gas is being produced in the united states than at any time in our history. when one looks at the question of production from public lands, or we have critics who say we're not doing enough, we're producing 13% more oil off of our public land than three years ago. so, we're doing as much as we can to make sure we are implementing the all of the above energy strategy. at the end of the day, we know we cannot drill our way to energy independence. those who have tried that approach in the past are responsible for the failed

energy security policies of the united states in the last four years. they have not taken the kind of approach that president obama and we are taking, which is an all of the above approach, knowing we need all of the sources of energy to power the american economy. >> gasoline exports are up, squeezing supply. shouldn't american oil serve americans first? >> american oil is serving americans first because the oil we are producing is what we are using to power our economy from the gulf of mexico along. about 30% of all of the oil and natural gas to reproduce in the united states comes from the gulf of mexico and it is consumed in the united states. the energy we are creating in the united states is partly

responsible for the fact that last year we imported less than a million barrels a day than we had in the prior year. a million barrels a day. the energy that is being produced is being used in the united states. on the issue of gas prices, as everybody knows, it is determined through global economics. no one has the ability. not even harry potter to wave a magic wand and say we're going to have gas prices at $2 or $3. it does not work that way. that is the point that i hope most americans understand. there is no silver bullet. there is no magic wand. if we are going to find our way to addressing one of the most important questions of the security of the united states,

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