ranging, then come back to the table and find a way to make spending cuts. overall, a lot of the conservatives have driven this discussion about deepening cuts. but the republicans in the house have made it appear clear that that is where the trouble line. >> the chairman was to keep the continuing resolution, legislation that keeps the government funded and running. he wants to keep that separate from sequestration. explain why and what might happen on that. >> i think it is a stop-gap measure. it is not a real bill or appropriation bill that funds the government. it is basically avoiding government shut down. i don't think mr. rogers was to have a discussion on how to avoid the sequestered until we get very close to a government shutdown if people cannot agree on which to do it. one thing we did discuss, that is important for people to

understand is that the sequestered woodcuts overall government spending by $1.20 trillion for the next nine years. this year, it would be $85 billion. how rodgers, the way he would present, he would write that the government would be funded the way it was last year, but if the sequestered takes effect, it would cut off -- >> a big part of this process? >> it is unclear exactly how all of this will work. part of it is that sometimes, if you talk to some of the people, the new were more ardent er moreatives, -- the new wer

conservative members, they take the view that they would fund the government at the level agreed to with the senate and president obama. the sequester would be in effect, but they would be rid of a lot of these cuts. but the tea party really wants the lower figure locked in. that is important for what is going on in the future returns to writing these bills -- in the future when he returns to writing these bills. the headlines around the country, where a lot of the real nuts and bolts work happens and where the more incremental changes in our government are made. >> down in the engine room. thank you very much for being a part of the "news makers."

[captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2013] >> i think the women themselves, in many cases, were interested in politics, but had no vehicle to express that in their lives. so they were attracted to men who would become politically active or were already politically active. >> each of them, i find them

intriguing. half of them, particularly because they are so obscure historical. i think half of these women probably would be almost totally unrecognizable to most men and women on the street. >> this president's day, c-span premiere's its first -- its new series, first lady, influence and image. with historians, chiefs of staff, social secretaries, chefs and curators exploring the lives of the women who served as first lady, from martha washington to michelle obama. season one begins monday night at 9 east -- and 9:00 eastern and pacific. and what's the program earlier in the day live at 2:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. next, president obama and his

state of the union address. he talks about minimum wage income control. this is an hour and 15 minutes. mr. speaker, mr. vice president, >> mr. speaker, the president of the united states. [applause]

>> thank you. thank you. [gavel] thank you. members of congress, i have the

distinction of presenting to you the president of the united states. [applause] >> thank you. thank you. thank you very much. thank you so much. thank you. thank you very much. thank you. mr. speaker, mr. vice president, members of congress, fellow americans, 51 years ago,

john f. kennedy declared to this chamber that "the constitution makes us not rivals for power but partners for progress." "it is my task," he said, "to report the state of the union -- to improve it is the task of us all." tonight, thanks to the grit and determination of the american people, there is much progress to report. after a decade of grinding war, our brave men and women in uniform are coming home. [applause] after years of grueling recession, our businesses have created over six million new jobs.

we buy more american cars than we have in five years, and less foreign oil than we have in twenty. [applause] our housing market is healing, our stock market is rebounding, and consumers, patients, and homeowners enjoy stronger protections than ever before. [applause] together, we have cleared away the rubble of crisis, and can say with renewed confidence that the state of our union is stronger. [applause] but we gather here knowing that there are millions of americans

whose hard work and dedication have not yet been rewarded. our economy is adding jobs -- but too many people still can't find full-time employment. corporate profits have rocketed to all-time highs -- but for more than a decade, wages and incomes have barely budged. task,our generation's then, to reignite the true engine of america's economic growth -- a rising, thriving middle class. [laughter] --[applause] it is our unfinished task to restore the basic bargain that built this country -- the idea that if you work hard and meet your responsibilities, you can get ahead, no matter where you come from, what you look like, or who you love.

it is our unfinished task to make sure that this government works on behalf of the many, and not just the few, that it encourages free enterprise, rewards individual initiative, and opens the doors of opportunity to every child across this great nation. [applause] the american people don't expect government to solve every problem. they don't expect those of us in this chamber to agree on every issue. but they do expect us to put the nation's interests before party. [applause]

they do expect us to forge reasonable compromise where we can. for they know that america moves forward only when we do so together, and that the responsibility of improving this union remains the task of us all. our work must begin by making some basic decisions about our budget -- decisions that will have a huge impact on the strength of our recovery. over the last few years, both parties have worked together to reduce the deficit by more than $2.5 trillion -- mostly through spending cuts, but also by raising tax rates on the wealthiest 1 percent of americans. as a result, we are more than halfway towards the goal of $4 trillion in deficit reduction that economists say we need to stabilize our finances. now we need to finish the job.

and the question is, how? in 2011, congress passed a law saying that if both parties couldn't agree on a plan to reach our deficit goal, about a trillion dollars' worth of budget cuts would automatically go into effect this year. these sudden, harsh, arbitrary cuts would jeopardize our military readiness. they'd devastate priorities like education, energy, and medical research. they would certainly slow our recovery, and cost us hundreds of thousands of jobs. democrats, republicans, business leaders, and economists have already said that these cuts, known here in washington as the sequester, are a really bad idea. now, some in this congress have proposed preventing only the defense cuts by making even bigger cuts to things like

education and job training, medicare and social security benefits. that idea is even worse. [applause] yes, the biggest driver of our long-term debt is the rising cost of health care for an aging population. and those of us who care deeply about programs like medicare must embrace the need for modest reforms -- otherwise, our retirement programs will crowd out the investments we need for our children, and jeopardize the promise of a secure retirement for future generations. but we can't ask senior citizens and working families to shoulder the entire burden of deficit reduction while asking nothing more from the wealthiest

and most powerful. [applause] class't grow the middle simply by shifting the cost of health care or college onto families that are already struggling, or by forcing communities to lay off more teachers, cops, and firefighters. most americans -- democrats, republicans, and independents -- understand that we can't just cut our way to prosperity. they know that broad-based economic growth requires a balanced approach to deficit reduction, with spending cuts and revenue, and with everybody doing their fair share. and that's the approach i offer tonight. on medicare, i'm prepared to enact reforms that will achieve the same amount of health care savings by the beginning of the next decade as the reforms proposed by the bipartisan simpson-bowles commission. [applause]

already, the affordable care act is helping to slow the growth of health care costs. [applause] go reforms i'm proposing even further. we'll reduce taxpayer subsidies to prescription drug companies and ask more from the wealthiest seniors. we'll bring down costs by changing the way our government pays for medicare, because our medical bills shouldn't be based on the number of tests ordered or days spent in the hospital -- they should be based on the quality of care that our seniors receive. [applause] and i am open to additional reforms from both parties, so long as they don't violate the guarantee of a secure retirement. our government shouldn't make promises we cannot keep -- but we must keep the promises we've already made.

[applause] to hit the rest of our deficit reduction target, we should do what leaders in both parties have already suggested, and save hundreds of billions of dollars by getting rid of tax loopholes and deductions for the well-off and well-connected. after all, why would we choose to make deeper cuts to education and medicare just to protect special interest tax breaks? how is that fair? how does that promote growth? [applause] now is our best chance for bipartisan, comprehensive tax

reform that encourages job creation and helps bring down the deficit. the american people deserve a tax code that helps small businesses spend less time filling out complicated forms, and more time expanding and hiring, a tax code that ensures billionaires with high-powered accountants can't pay a lower rate than their hard-working secretaries, a tax code that lowers incentives to move jobs overseas, and lowers tax rates for businesses and manufacturers that create jobs right here in america. [applause] that's what tax reform can deliver. that's what we can do together. [applause]

i realize that tax reform and entitlement reform won't be easy. the politics will be hard for both sides. none of us will get 100% of what we want. but the alternative will cost us jobs, hurt our economy, and visit hardship on millions of hardworking americans. so let's set party interests aside, and work to pass a budget that replaces reckless cuts with smart savings and wise investments in our future. and let's do it without the brinksmanship that stresses consumers and scares off investors. the greatest nation on earth cannot keep conducting its business by drifting from one manufactured crisis to the next. [applause]

let's agree, right here, right now, to keep the people's government open, pay our bills on time, and always uphold the full faith and credit of the united states of america. [applause] the american people have worked too hard, for too long, rebuilding from one crisis to see their elected officials cause another. [applause] now, most of us agree that a plan to reduce the deficit must be part of our agenda. but let's be clear -- deficit reduction alone is not an economic plan. [applause] a growing economy that creates good, middle-class jobs -- that must be the north star that

guides our efforts. [applause] every day, we should ask ourselves three questions as a nation -- how do we attract more jobs to our shores? how do we equip our people with the skills needed to do those jobs? and how do we make sure that hard work leads to a decent living? a year and a half ago, i put forward an american jobs act that independent economists said would create more than one million new jobs. i thank the last congress for passing some of that agenda, and i urge this congress to pass the rest. tonight, i'll lay out additional proposals that are fully paid for and fully consistent with the budget framework both parties agreed to just 18 months ago. let me repeat -- nothing i'm proposing tonight should increase our deficit by a

single dime. it's not a bigger government we need, but a smarter government that sets priorities and invests in broad-based growth. [applause] that is what we should be looking for. our first priority is making america a magnet for new jobs and manufacturing. after shedding jobs for more than 10 years, our manufacturers have added about 500,000 jobs over the past three. caterpillar is bringing jobs back from japan. ford is bringing jobs back from mexico. after locating plants in other countries like china, intel is opening its most advanced plant right here at home. and this year, apple will start making macs in america again. there are things we can do,

right now, to accelerate this trend. last year, we created our first manufacturing innovation institute in youngstown, ohio. a once-shuttered warehouse is now a state-of-the art lab where new workers are mastering the 3d printing that has the potential to revolutionize the way we make almost everything. there's no reason this can't happen in other towns. so tonight, i'm announcing the launch of three more of these manufacturing hubs, where businesses will partner with the departments of defense and energy to turn regions left behind by globalization into global centers of high-tech jobs. and i ask this congress to help create a network of fifteen of these hubs and guarantee that the next revolution in manufacturing is made in america. we can get that done. [applause] if we want to make the best products, we also have to invest in the best ideas.

every dollar we invested to map the human genome returned $140 to our economy. today, our scientists are mapping the human brain to unlock the answers to alzheimer's, developing drugs to regenerate damaged organs, devising new material to make batteries ten times more powerful. now is not the time to gut these job-creating investments in science and innovation. now is the time to reach a level of research and development not seen since the height of the space race. we need to make those investments. [applause] and today, no area holds more promise than our investments in american energy. after years of talking about it, we are finally poised to control our own energy future.

we produce more oil at home than we have in 15 years. we have doubled the distance our cars will go on a gallon of gas, and the amount of renewable energy we generate from sources like wind and solar -- with tens of thousands of good, american jobs to show for it. we produce more natural gas than ever before -- and nearly everyone's energy bill is lower because of it. and over the last four years, our emissions of the dangerous carbon pollution that threatens our planet have actually fallen. but for the sake of our children and our future, we must do more to combat climate change. [applause]

yes, it's true that no single event makes a trend. but the fact is, the 12 hottest years on record have all come in the last 15. heat waves, droughts, wildfires, and floods -- all are now more frequent and intense. we can choose to believe that superstorm sandy, and the most severe drought in decades, and the worst wildfires some states have ever seen were all just a freak coincidence. or we can choose to believe in the overwhelming judgment of science -- and act before it's too late. [applause] the good news is, we can make meaningful progress on this issue while driving strong economic growth. i urge this congress to pursue a bipartisan, market-based solution to climate change,

like the one john mccain and joe lieberman worked on together a few years ago. but if congress won't act soon to protect future generations, i will. i will direct my cabinet to come up with executive actions we can take, now and in the future, to reduce pollution, prepare our communities for the consequences of climate change, and speed the transition to more sustainable sources of energy. four years ago, other countries dominated the clean energy market and the jobs that came with it. we've begun to change that. last year, wind energy added nearly half of all new power capacity in america. so let's generate even more. solar energy gets cheaper by the year -- so let's drive costs down even further. as long as countries like china keep going all-in on clean energy, so must we. in the meantime, the natural gas boom has led to cleaner

power and greater energy independence. that's why my administration will keep cutting red tape and speeding up new oil and gas permits. [applause] but i also want to work with this congress to encourage the research and technology that helps natural gas burn even cleaner and protects our air and water. indeed, much of our new-found energy is drawn from lands and waters that we, the public, own together. so tonight, i propose we use some of our oil and gas revenues to fund an energy security trust that will drive new research and technology to shift our cars and trucks off oil for good. if a non-partisan coalition of ceos and retired generals and admirals can get behind this idea, then so can we. let's take their advice and free our families and businesses from the painful spikes in gas prices we've put up with for far too long.

i'm also issuing a new goal for america -- let's cut in half the energy wasted by our homes and businesses over the next twenty years. [applause] the states with the best ideas to create jobs and lower energy bills by constructing more efficient buildings will receive federal support to help make it happen. america's energy sector is just one part of an aging infrastructure badly in need of repair. ask any ceo where they'd rather locate and hire -- a country with deteriorating roads and bridges, or one with high-speed rail and internet, high-tech schools and self-healing power grids. the ceo of siemens america -- a company that brought hundreds of new jobs to north carolina -- has said that if we upgrade our infrastructure, they'll bring even more jobs.

and i know that you want these job-creating projects in your districts. i've seen you all at the ribbon-cuttings. tonight, i propose a "fix-it- first" program to put people to work as soon as possible on our most urgent repairs, like the nearly 70,000 structurally deficient bridges across the country. [applause] and to make sure taxpayers don't shoulder the whole burden, i'm also proposing a partnership to rebuild america that attracts private capital to upgrade what our businesses need most -- modern ports to move our goods, modern pipelines to withstand a storm, modern schools worthy of our children.

let's prove that there is no better place to do business than the united states of america. and let's start right away. part of our rebuilding effort must also involve our housing sector. today, our housing market is finally healing from the collapse of 2007. home prices are rising at the fastest pace in six years, home purchases are up nearly 50 percent, and construction is expanding again. but even with mortgage rates near a 50-year low, too many families with solid credit who want to buy a home are being rejected. too many families who have never missed a payment and want to refinance are being told no. that's holding our entire economy back, and we need to fix it. right now, there's a bill in this congress that would give every responsible homeowner in

america the chance to save $3,000 a year by refinancing at today's rates. democrats and republicans have supported it before. what are we waiting for? take a vote, and send me that bill. right now, overlapping regulations keep responsible young families from buying their first home. what's holding us back? let's streamline the process, and help our economy grow. these initiatives in manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, and housing will help entrepreneurs and small business owners expand and create new jobs.

but none of it will matter unless we also equip our citizens with the skills and training to fill those jobs. [applause] and that has to start at the earliest possible age. study after study shows that the sooner a child begins learning, the better he or she does down the road. but today, fewer than 3 in 10 four year-olds are enrolled in a high-quality preschool program. most middle-class parents can't afford a few hundred bucks a week for private preschool. and for poor kids who need help the most, this lack of access to preschool education can shadow them for the rest of their lives. tonight, i propose working with states to make high-quality preschool available to every child in america.

[applause] every dollar we invest in high- quality early education can save more than seven dollars later on -- by boosting graduation rates, reducing teen pregnancy, even reducing violent crime. in states that make it a priority to educate our youngest children, like georgia or oklahoma, studies show students grow up more likely to read and do math at grade level, graduate high school, hold a job, and form more stable families of their own. so let's do what works, and make sure none of our children start the race of life already behind. let's give our kids that chance.

[applause] let's also make sure that a high school diploma puts our kids on a path to a good job. right now, countries like germany focus on graduating their high school students with the equivalent of a technical degree from one of our community colleges, so that they're ready for a job. at schools like p-tech in brooklyn, a collaboration between new york public schools, the city university of new york, and ibm, students will graduate with a high school diploma and an associate degree in computers or engineering. we need to give every american student opportunities like this.

four years ago, we started race to the top -- a competition that convinced almost every state to develop smarter curricula and higher standards, for about 1 percent of what we spend on education each year. tonight, i'm announcing a new challenge to redesign america's high schools so they better equip graduates for the demands of a high-tech economy. we'll reward schools that develop new partnerships with colleges and employers, and create classes that focus on science, technology, engineering, and math -- the skills today's employers are looking for to fill jobs right now and in the future. now, even with better high schools, most young people will need some higher education. it's a simple fact -- the more education you have, the more likely you are to have a job and work your way into the middle class. but today, skyrocketing costs price way too many young people out of a higher education, or

saddle them with unsustainable debt. through tax credits, grants, and better loans, we have made college more affordable for millions of students and families over the last few years. but taxpayers cannot continue to subsidize the soaring cost of higher education. colleges must do their part to keep costs down, and it's our job to make sure they do. [applause] tonight, i ask congress to change the higher education act, so that affordability and value are included in determining which colleges receive certain types of federal aid. and tomorrow, my administration will release a new "college scorecard" that parents and students can use to compare schools based on a simple criteria -- where you can get the most bang for your

educational buck. to grow our middle class, our citizens must have access to the education and training that today's jobs require. but we also have to make sure that america remains a place where everyone who's willing to work hard has the chance to get ahead. our economy is stronger when we harness the talents and ingenuity of striving, hopeful immigrants. and right now, leaders from the business, labor, law enforcement, and faith communities all agree that the time has come to pass comprehensive immigration reform. [applause]

real reform means strong border security, and we can build on the progress my administration has already made -- putting more boots on the southern border than at any time in our history, and reducing illegal crossings to their lowest levels in 40 years. real reform means establishing a responsible pathway to earned citizenship -- a path that includes passing a background check, paying taxes and a meaningful penalty, learning english, and going to the back of the line behind the folks trying to come here legally. [applause] and real reform means fixing the legal immigration system to cut waiting periods, reduce bureaucracy, and attract the highly-skilled entrepreneurs and engineers that will help create jobs and grow our economy.

in other words, we know what needs to be done. as we speak, bipartisan groups in both chambers are working diligently to draft a bill, and i applaud their efforts. now let's get this done. send me a comprehensive immigration reform bill in the next few months, and i will sign it right away. [applause] but we can't stop there. we know our economy is stronger when our wives, mothers, and daughters can live their lives free from discrimination in the workplace, and free from the fear of domestic violence. today, the senate passed the violence against women act that joe biden originally wrote almost 20 years ago.

i urge the house to do the same. [applause] and i ask this congress to declare that women should earn a living equal to their efforts, and finally pass the paycheck fairness act this year. [applause] we know our economy is stronger when we reward an honest day's work with honest wages. but today, a full-time worker making the minimum wage earns $14,500 a year. even with the tax relief we've put in place, a family with two kids that earns the minimum wage still lives below the

poverty line. that's wrong. times why, since the last this congress raised the minimum wage, nineteen states have chosen to bump theirs even higher. tonight, let's declare that in the wealthiest nation on earth, no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty, and raise the federal minimum wage to $9.00 an hour. [applause] this single step would raise the incomes of millions of working families. it could mean the difference between groceries or the food bank, rent or eviction, scraping by or finally getting ahead. for businesses across the country, it would mean customers with more money in their pockets.

in fact, working folks shouldn't have to wait year after year for the minimum wage to go up while ceo pay has never been higher. so here's an idea that governor romney and i actually agreed on last year -- let's tie the minimum wage to the cost of living, so that it finally becomes a wage you can live on. [applause] tonight, let's also recognize that there are communities in this country where no matter how hard you work, it's virtually impossible to get ahead. factory towns decimated from years of plants packing up. inescapable pockets of poverty, urban and rural, where young adults are still fighting for their first job. america is not a place where chance of birth or circumstance should decide our destiny.

and that is why we need to build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class for all who are willing to climb them. let's offer incentives to companies that hire americans who've got what it takes to fill that job opening, but have been out of work so long that no one will give them a chance. let's put people back to work rebuilding vacant homes in run- down neighborhoods. and this year, my administration will begin to partner with 20 of the hardest- hit towns in america to get these communities back on their feet. we'll work with local leaders to target resources at public safety, education, and housing. we'll give new tax credits to businesses that hire and invest. and we'll work to strengthen families by removing the financial deterrents to marriage for low-income couples, and doing more to encourage fatherhood. because what makes you a man isn't the ability to conceive a child -- it's having the courage to raise one.

[applause] stronger families. stronger communities. a stronger america. it is this kind of prosperity -- broad, shared, and built on a thriving middle class -- that has always been the source of our progress at home. it is also the foundation of our power and influence throughout the world. tonight, we stand united in saluting the troops and civilians who sacrifice every day to protect us. because of them, we can say with confidence that america will complete its mission in afghanistan, and achieve our objective of defeating the core of al qaeda.

[applause] already, we have brought home 33,000 of our brave servicemen and women. this spring, our forces will move into a support role, while afghan security forces take the lead. tonight, i can announce that over the next year, another 34,000 american troops will come home from afghanistan. this drawdown will continue. and by the end of next year, our war in afghanistan will be over. beyond 2014, america's commitment to a unified and sovereign afghanistan will endure, but the nature of our

commitment will change. we are negotiating an agreement with the afghan government that focuses on two missions -- training and equipping afghan forces so that the country does not again slip into chaos, and counter-terrorism efforts that allow us to pursue the remnants of al qaeda and their affiliates. today, the organization that attacked us on 9/11 is a shadow of its former self. different al qaeda affiliates and extremist groups have emerged -- from the arabian peninsula to africa. the threat these groups pose is evolving. but to meet this threat, we don't need to send tens of thousands of our sons and daughters abroad, or occupy other nations. instead, we will need to help countries like yemen, libya, and somalia provide for their own security, and help allies who take the fight to

terrorists, as we have in mali. and, where necessary, through a range of capabilities, we will continue to take direct action against those terrorists who pose the gravest threat to americans. [applause] as we do, we must enlist our values in the fight. that is why my administration has worked tirelessly to forge a durable legal and policy framework to guide our counterterrorism operations. throughout, we have kept congress fully informed of our efforts. i recognize that in our democracy, no one should just take my word that we're doing things the right way. so, in the months ahead, i will continue to engage with congress to ensure not only that our targeting, detention, and prosecution of terrorists

remains consistent with our laws and system of checks and balances, but that our efforts are even more transparent to the american people and to the world. of course, our challenges don't end with al qaeda. america will continue to lead the effort to prevent the spread of the world's most dangerous weapons. the regime in north korea must know that they will only achieve security and prosperity by meeting their international obligations. provocations of the sort we saw last night will only isolate them further, as we stand by our allies, strengthen our own missile defense, and lead the world in taking firm action in response to these threats. likewise, the leaders of iran must recognize that now is the time for a diplomatic solution, because a coalition stands united in demanding that they meet their obligations, and we will do what is necessary to prevent them from getting a nuclear weapon.

[applause] at the same time, we will engage russia to seek further reductions in our nuclear arsenals, and continue leading the global effort to secure nuclear materials that could fall into the wrong hands -- because our ability to influence others depends on our willingness to lead. america must also face the rapidly growing threat from cyber-attacks. we know hackers steal people's identities and infiltrate private e-mail. we know foreign countries and companies swipe our corporate secrets. now our enemies are also seeking the ability to sabotage our power grid, our financial

institutions, and our air traffic control systems. we cannot look back years from now and wonder why we did nothing in the face of real threats to our security and our economy. that's why, earlier today, i signed a new executive order that will strengthen our cyber defenses by increasing information sharing, and developing standards to protect our national security, our jobs, and our privacy. [applause] now, congress must act as well, by passing legislation to give our government a greater capacity to secure our networks and deter attacks. [applause] even as we protect our people, we should remember that today's world presents not only dangers, but opportunities.

to boost american exports, support american jobs, and level the playing field in the growing markets of asia, we intend to complete negotiations on a trans-pacific partnership. and tonight, i am announcing that we will launch talks on a comprehensive transatlantic trade and investment partnership with the european union -- because trade that is free and fair across the atlantic supports millions of good-paying american jobs. we also know that progress in the most impoverished parts of our world enriches us all. in many places, people live on little more than a dollar a day. so the united states will join with our allies to eradicate

such extreme poverty in the next two decades -- by connecting more people to the global economy and empowering women, by giving our young and brightest minds new opportunities to serve and helping communities to feed, power, and educate themselves, by saving the world's children from preventable deaths, and by realizing the promise of an aids-free generation. [applause] above all, america must remain a beacon to all who seek freedom during this period of historic change. i saw the power of hope last year in rangoon -- when aung san suu kyi welcomed an american president into the home where she had been imprisoned for years. when thousands of burmese lined the streets, waving american

flags, including a man who said, "there is justice and law in the united states -- i want our country to be like that." in defense of freedom, we will remain the anchor of strong alliances from the americas to africa, from europe to asia. in the middle east, we will stand with citizens as they demand their universal rights, and support stable transitions to democracy. the process will be messy, and we cannot presume to dictate the course of change in countries like egypt, but we can -- and will -- insist on respect for the fundamental rights of all people. we will keep the pressure on a syrian regime that has murdered its own people, and support opposition leaders that respect the rights of every syrian.

and we will stand steadfast with israel in pursuit of security and a lasting peace. [applause] these are the messages i will deliver when i travel to the middle east next month. all this work depends on the courage and sacrifice of those who serve in dangerous places at great personal risk -- our diplomats, our intelligence officers, and the men and women of the united states armed forces. as long as i'm commander-in- chief, we will do whatever we must to protect those who serve their country abroad, and we will maintain the best military in the world.

[applause] we will invest in new capabilities, even as we reduce waste and wartime spending. we will ensure equal treatment for all service members, and equal benefits for their families -- gay and straight. [applause] we will draw upon the courage and skills of our sisters and daughters, because women have proven under fire that they are ready for combat. we will keep faith with our veterans -- investing in world- class care, including mental health care, for our wounded --

[applause] warriors, supporting our military families, and giving our veterans the benefits, education, and job opportunities they have earned. and i want to thank my wife michelle and dr. jill biden for their continued dedication to serving our military families as well as they serve us. [applause] but defending our freedom is not the job of our military alone. we must all do our part to make sure our god-given rights are protected here at home. that includes our most fundamental right as citizens -- the right to vote.

[applause] when any americans -- no matter where they live or what their party -- are denied that right simply because they can't wait for five, six, seven hours just to cast their ballot, we are betraying our ideals. [applause] that's why, tonight, i'm announcing a non-partisan commission to improve the voting experience in america.

and i'm asking two long-time experts in the field, who've recently served as the top attorneys for my campaign and for governor romney's campaign, to lead it. we can fix this, and we will. the american people demand it. and so does our democracy. [applause] of course, what i've said tonight matters little if we don't come together to protect our most precious resource -- our children. it has been two months since newtown. i know this is not the first time this country has debated how to reduce gun violence. but this time is different. overwhelming majorities of americans -- americans who believe in the 2nd amendment -- have come together around

commonsense reform -- like background checks that will make it harder for criminals to get their hands on a gun. [applause] senators of both parties are working together on tough new laws to prevent anyone from buying guns for resale to around criminals. police chiefs are asking our off our streets, because they are tired of being outgunned. and so does our democracy. each of these proposals deserves a vote in congress. [applause] if you want to vote no, that's your choice. but these proposals deserve a vote.

because in the two months since newtown, more than a thousand birthdays, graduations, and anniversaries have been stolen from our lives by a bullet from a gun. one of those we lost was a young girl named hadiya pendleton. help to get weapons of war and massive ammunition magazinesshe. she loved fig newtons and lip gloss. she was a majorette. she was so good to her friends, they all thought they were her best friend. just three weeks ago, she was here, in washington, with her classmates, performing for her country at my inauguration. and a week later, she was shot and killed in a chicago park after school, just a mile away from my house. hadiya's parents, nate and

cleo, are in this chamber tonight, along with more than two dozen americans whose lives have been torn apart by gun violence. they deserve a vote. gabby giffords deserves a vote. [applause] the families of newtown deserve a vote. the families of aurora deserve a vote. the families of oak creek, and tucson, and blacksburg, and the countless other communities ripped open by gun violence -- they deserve a simple vote.

[applause] our actions will not prevent every senseless act of violence in this country. indeed, no laws, no initiatives, no administrative acts will perfectly solve all the challenges i've outlined tonight. but we were never sent here to be perfect. we were sent here to make what difference we can, to secure this nation, expand opportunity, and uphold our ideals through the hard, often frustrating, but absolutely necessary work of self- government. we were sent here to look out for our fellow americans the same way they look out for one another, every single day,

usually without fanfare, all across this country. we should follow their example. we should follow the example of a new york city nurse named menchu sanchez. when hurricane sandy plunged her hospital into darkness, her thoughts were not with how her own home was faring -- they were with the twenty precious newborns in her care and the rescue plan she devised that kept them all safe. we should follow the example of a north miami woman named desiline victor. when she arrived at her polling place, she was told the wait to vote might be six hours. and as time ticked by, her concern was not with her tired body or aching feet, but whether folks like her would get to have their say. hour after hour, a throng of people stayed in line in support of her.

because desiline is 102 years old. and they erupted in cheers when she finally put on a sticker that read "i voted." [applause] we should follow the example of a police officer named brian murphy. when a gunman opened fire on a sikh temple in wisconsin, and brian was the first to arrive, he did not consider his own

safety. he fought back until help arrived, and ordered his fellow officers to protect the safety of the americans worshiping inside -- even as he lay bleeding from twelve bullet wounds. when asked how he did that, brian said, "that's just the way we're made." that's just the way we're made. we may do different jobs, and wear different uniforms, and hold different views than the person beside us. but as americans, we all share the same proud title -- we are citizens. it's a word that doesn't just describe our nationality or legal status. it describes the way we're made. it describes what we believe. it captures the enduring idea

that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations, that our rights are wrapped up in the rights of others, and that well into our third century as a nation, it remains the task of us all, as citizens of these united states, to be the authors of the next great chapter in our american story. thank you, god bless you, and god bless the united states of america. [applause] united states, to be the

[captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2013]

>> following the president's speech, florida senator marco rubio the response. this is about 15 minutes. >> good evening. i'm marco rubio. in the united states senate. president obama on the start of his second term. tonight, i have the honor of responding to his state of the union address on behalf of my fellow republicans. and i am especially honored to be addressing our brave men and women serving in the armed

forces and in diplomatic posts around the world. you may be thousands of miles away, but you are always in our prayers. the state of the union address is always a reminder of how unique america is. for much of human history, most people were trapped in stagnant societies, where a tiny minority always stayed on top, and no one else chance. but america is exceptional because we believe that every life, at every stage, is precious, and that everyone everywhere has a god-given right to go as far as will take them. like most americans, for me this ideal is personal. my parents immigrated here in pursuit of the opportunity to improve their life and give their children the chance at an even better one. they made it to the middle class, my dad working as a bartender and my mother as a cashier and a maid. i didn't inherit any money from them. but i inherited something far better - the real opportunity to accomplish my

dreams. this opportunity - to make it to the middle class or beyond no matter where you start out in life - it isn't bestowed on us from washington. it comes from a vibrant free economy where people can risk their own money to open a business. and when they succeed, they hire more people, who in turn invest or spend the money they make, helping others start a business and create jobs. presidents in both parties - from john f. kennedy to ronald reagan - have known that our free enterprise economy is the source of our middle class prosperity. but president obama? he believes it's the cause of our problems. that the economic downturn happened because our government didn't tax enough, spend enough and control enough. and, therefore, as you heard tonight, his solution to virtually every problem we face is for washington to tax more, borrow more and spend more. this idea - that our problems were caused by a government that was too small - it's just not true. in fact, a major cause of our recent downturn was a housing crisis created by reckless government policies.

and the idea that more taxes and more government spending is the best way to help hardworking middle class taxpayers - that's an old idea that's failed every time it's been tried. more government isn't going to help you get ahead. it's going to hold you back. more government isn't going to create more opportunities. it's going to limit them. and more government isn't going to inspire new ideas, new businesses and new private sector jobs. it's going to create uncertainty. because more government breeds complicated rules and laws that a small business can't afford to follow. because more government raises taxes on employers who then pass the costs on to their employees through fewer hours, lower pay and even layoffs. and because many government programs that claim to help the middle class, often end up hurting them instead. for example, obamacare was supposed to help middle class americans afford health insurance. but now, some people are losing the health insurance they were happy with. and because obamacare created expensive requirements for companies

with more than 50 employees, now many of these businesses aren't hiring. not only that; they're being forced to lay people off and switch from full-time employees to part-time workers. now does this mean there's no role for government? of course not. it plays a crucial part in keeping us safe, enforcing rules, and providing some security against the risks of modern life. but government's role is wisely limited by the constitution. and it can't play its essential role when it ignores those limits. there are valid reasons to be concerned about the president's plan to grow our government. but any time anyone opposes the president's agenda, he and his allies usually respond by falsely attacking their motives. when we point out that no matter how many job-killing laws we pass, our government can't control the weather - he accuses us of wanting dirty water and dirty air. when we suggest we strengthen our safety net programs by giving states more flexibility to manage them - he accuses us of wanting to

leave the elderly and disabled to fend for themselves. and tonight, he even criticized us for refusing to raise taxes to delay military cuts - cuts that were his idea in the first place. but his favorite attack of all is that those who don't agree with him - they only care about rich people. mr. president, i still live in the same working class neighborhood i grew up in. and tonight, he even my neighb't millionaires. they're retirees who depend on social security and medicare. they're workers who have to get up early tomorrow morning and go to work to pay the bills. they're immigrants, who came here because they were stuck in poverty in countries where the government dominated the economy. the tax increases and the deficit spending you propose will hurt middle class families. it will cost them their raises. it will cost them their benefits. it may even cost some of them their jobs. and it will hurt seniors because it does nothing to save medicare

and social security. so mr. president, i don't oppose your plans because i want to protect the rich. i oppose your plans because i want to protect my neighbors. hard-working middle class americans who don't need us to come up with a plan to grow the government. they want a plan to grow the middle class. economic growth is the best way to help the middle class. unfortunately, our economy actually shrank during the last three months of 2012. but if we can get the economy 't to grow at just 4 percent a year, it would create millions of middle class jobs. and it could reduce our deficits by almost $4 trillion dollars over the next decade. tax increases can't do this. raising taxes won't create private sector jobs. and there's no realistic tax increase that could lower our deficits by almost $4 trillion. that's why i hope the president will abandon his obsession with raising taxes and instead work with us to achieve real growth in our economy. one of the best ways to encourage growth is through our energy industry. of course solar and wind energy should be a part of our energy portfolio.

but god also blessed america with abundant coal, oil and natural gas. instead of wasting more taxpayer money on so-called "clean energy" companies like solyndra, let's open up more federal lands for safe and responsible exploration. and let's reform our energy regulations so that they're reasonable and based on common sense. if we can grow our energy industry, it will make us energy independent, it will create middle class jobs and it will help bring manufacturing back from places like china. simplifying our tax code will also help the middle class, because it will make it easier for small businesses to hire and grow. and we agree with the president that we should lower our corporate tax rate, which is one of the highest in the world, so that companies will start bringing their money and their jobs back here from overseas. we can also help our economy grow if we have a legal immigration system that allows us to attract and assimilate the world's best and brightest. we need a responsible, permanent solution

to the problem of those who are here illegally. but first, we must follow through on the broken promises of the past to secure our borders and enforce our laws. helping the middle class grow will also require an education system that gives people the skills today's jobs entail and the knowledge that tomorrow's world will require. we need to incentivize local school districts to offer more advanced placement courses and more vocational and career training. we need to give all parents, especially the parents of children with special needs, the opportunity to send their children to the school of their choice. and because tuition costs have grown so fast, we need to change the way we pay for higher education. i believe in federal financial aid. i couldn't have gone to college without it. but it's not just about spending more money on these programs; it's also about strengthening and modernizing them. a 21st century workforce should not be forced to accept 20th century education solutions. today's students aren't only 18 year olds. they're

returning veterans. they're single parents who decide to get the education they need to earn a decent wage. and they're workers who have lost jobs that are never coming back and need to be retrained. we need student aid that does not discriminate against programs that non- traditional students rely on - like online courses, or degree programs that give you credit for work experience. when i finished school, i owed over 100,000 dollars in student loans, a debt i paid off just a few months ago. today, many graduates face massive student debt. we must give students more information on the costs and benefits of the student loans they're taking out. all these measures are key to helping the economy grow. but we won't be able to sustain a vibrant middle class unless we solve our debt problem. every dollar our government borrows is money that isn't being invested to create jobs. and the uncertainty created by the debt is one reason why many businesses aren't hiring. the president loves to blame the debt on president bush.

but president obama created more debt in four years than his predecessor did in eight. the real cause of our debt is that our government has been spending 1 trillion dollars more than it takes in every year. that's why we need a balanced budget amendment. the biggest obstacles to balancing the budget are programs where spending is already locked in. one of these programs, medicare, is especially important to me. it provided my father the care he needed to battle cancer and ultimately die with dignity. and it pays for the care my mother receives now. i would never support any changes to medicare that would hurt seniors like my mother. but anyone who is in favor of leaving medicare exactly the way it is right now, is in favor of bankrupting it. republicans have offered a detailed and credible plan that helps save medicare without hurting today's retirees. instead of playing politics with medicare, when is the president going to offer his plan to save it? tonight would have been a good time for

him to do it. of course, we face other challenges as well. we were all heart broken by the recent tragedy in connecticut. we must effectively deal with the rise of violence in our country. american continues to be indispensable. safeguarding human rights. the goal is a better place is a when america is the best country on earth. in the short time i have been here, nothing has frustrated me more like what the president has laid out tonight. what we need is accountable, efficient government that allows more middle-class jobs. we do not have to raise taxes.

it replaces these cuts with responsible reforms. it does not have to be erratic cuts for those in need. we need to create new taxpayers so they can afford to help those who cannot help themselves. every problem cannot be solved by the government. it has caused a moral breakdown in our society. the answer is primarily in our families and our faith, not a politician. i know both republicans and democrats love america. we can come together to solve our problems because the choices before us could not be more important. if we could get our economy healthy again, we could be the most prosperous americans ever. we will forever be known as the generation responsible for

america's decline. with short-term deals that do little or nothing. some believe that they just can or will not make the right choices anymore. our strength has never come from the capital but our people. a people united that if you have a dream and you're willing to work for it, nothing should be impossible. americans have always celebrated in been expect -- inspired by those who have succeeded but is the dream of those still trying to make it that sets our nation apart. across this land, parents will hold their newborn children in their arms for the first time. many of these parents, life has not gone the way they planned.

make they were born in circumstances they found it difficult to escape. maybe they are young mothers, all alone, the father long gone. tonight, when they look into the eyes of their children, their lives will change forever. in those eyes, they will see what their parents saw in me and what your parents saw in you. they saw all the hopes and dreams they had for themselves. this dream for a better life of their children is the hope of parents everywhere. politicians here and throughout the world have long promised that more government can make those dreams come true. we americanses have always known better. from the earliest days we embraced liberty and because we did america remains one of the few places on earth where dreams like these even have a chance. each time our nation has faced great challenges what has kept us together is a shared lope for a better life. now, let that hope bring us together again.

to solve the challenges of our time and we can write the next chapter in the amazing story of the greatest nation a man has ever known. thanks for listening. may god bless all of you. may god bless our president. and may god continue to bless the united states of america. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2013] >> you can watch the state of the union speech and responses from senator paul and others online. go to c-span.org/sotu. now we go live to the national mall running from the capitol to the lincoln memorial where environmental groups are holding the for word on climate rally. a number of them are being held across the u.s. today. -- forward on climate rally. >> give me some music. come on. oh, yeah. let's go.

come on. we say no, you say keystone. no. keystone. no. keystone. no keystone pipeline. no keystone pipeline. no keystone pipeline. no keystone pipeline. come on. no keystone pipeline. come on. no keystone pipeline. >> oh, yeah. make some noise!

"s.o.s." by sting] >> thank year, thank you, thank you. it's a lot will warm. they say where we are right now is at least 30,000 strong. let me say this as we get started. right here, not too far away of the lincoln memorial, dr. king -- 50 years ago -- yes.

august 20th, 1963, they marched for jobs and freedom. they marched for equality. they marched so we could come together as black-and-white, brown, yellow, red, male, female, straight, gave we could all come together account as united. united against what appe? this rally it 50 years later is as important of not more important than the rally them. while they were fighting for quality, we're fighting for existence. so that in 2063, but years from

now, they will look back door and this rally and they will see you up front, you in the back, you over here. if we succeed, this pipeline does not exist and they will look back and say, thank you. we have come to for the turnaround now. as we say in hip-hop, can't stop, won't stop. we're going have some fun today. half the battle was showing up. one minute until i bring my good andkinnon. mccan know this is being alive

streamed and there are certain corporations watching us right now. they are afraid of you because we know that organized money cannot be organized people. [applause] when i bring out bill mckinnon, you guys make some noise. you understand that? ready? ok. the founder of 350.org. the one, the only bill mckib ben. [cheers and applause]

>> what a sight you are. all that i ever wanted to see, all i ever wanted to see, was a movement of people to stop climate change. and now i have seen it. you guys look so beautiful. hometown heroes pepper like our friends that have been blocking key stop with their bodies down in texas. -- blocking keystone. they understand the fight against fracking and taking the tops of mountains is ultimately the fight for a living planet.

it is the people who lived through sandy and people surviving the drought. it is the students out 250 colleges who are now fighting the fossil fuel industry head on, the biggest new movements in decades. it is all of you. you are the anti bodies kicking in a the planet rises to fight its fever. we have waited a long time to get started. you're already seen the arctic melts and their colleagues in 190 countries at 350.org tell us

every day about some new drought or flood. the easiest answers are no longer enough. we're going back to start taking a tough decisions. hole, stopre in a wh digging. above all, stop the keystone pipeline. the president can do that with a single stroke of his pen. if he does, he will become the first world leader to veto a project because it is bad for the climate. [applause] that -- that -- would be a legacy and a signal to the rest of the world.

we will keep making our case. we will follow him and the secretary of state iran the country. as bringing goes on, we will unite that fight with a focus on all of the others we still need to get to. as summer comes on, this will just pick up. i want everyone to circle those days at the end of july that are on average the hottest every year. we're going to try to make them hot politically, too, this year. maybe we set aside a few dollars each week for a bail fonda, ok? -- a bail fund, ok? we have been firm but united, a peaceful. we have to stay that way because the job have undertaken as the most important that ended human has ever been entrusted with. it is our job to make sure the plan met does not

catastrophically over heat. the oil companies' this plan is to wreck of the earth. the government is too busy taking money. history shows that though we are never going to outspend the fossil fuel industry, we can find other currencies to work with. cash, spirit, creativity. [applause] the powerful look at the future that brought here today. we can see in our mind's eye, all the generations to come. we know why we fight. we can see the beauty of the world, the color on the hillside. we know why we fight.

our brothers and sisters in the poorest part of the world know why we fight. i cannot promise that we will win, but i waited a quarter- century since i read the first book about all this to see if we would fight. today, as the biggest climate rally by far -- by far -- in u.s. history -- [applause] today, i know we are born to fight, the battle, the most fateful in human history. it is finally joining and we will fight it together. >> you can do better than on that. give it up for bill mckibben. [applause] a little bit of housekeeping. first, the whole world is

watching. we have cameras in here blocking the whole world, right here. you hold your signs up abotu chest high, and you are good to go. people from big oil have come about to join their rally. we are a living bunch. welcome to the forward on climate rally. hug your neighbor. that's beautiful. that's beautiful. you are getting too huggy now. a little too much now. [laughter] next up is a dear friend of mine. he is the trustee and president

of rebuild the dream. give it up for my friend, a van jones. [applause] ♪"tricky"] ♪ >> all right, all right. give it up. my goodness. i wish you guys could see what you look like. aeolic look beautiful. beautiful.ok well, this is it. this is the last minute in the last of the biggest and most

important game humanity has ever played. this is it. one thing i know doesn't work in this town, you do not fight for what you want. you deserve what you get. if you do not fight for what you want, you deserve what you get. i have the honor of working for this president and i want to direct my message to him. [applause] president obama, all the good that you have done, all the good you can imagine doing, it will be wiped out by floods, fires, super storms if you fail to act now.

it is a gun pointing at the head of the future. everything you have done, history will judge you based on one decision alone. it is not in the hands of the congress. that decision is not in the hands of any governor. it is not in the hands of any mayor or dogcatcher. it is in your hands, mr. president. your hands. the decision to let this pipeline come to america is the most fateful decision you'll ever make. it would be like lighting a fuse on a carbon bomb. that is what it would be like,

mr. president. you cannot allow that happen. if this pipeline goes through, mr. president, the first thing it runs over will not be farmland. the first thing it runs over will not be small towns. if you let this pipeline go through, mr. president, the first thing it runs over is the credibility of the president of the united states of america. that is the first thing it will run over. i want to say unequivocally to this next generation -- stop being chumped. i'm going to say it again. to the next generation -- stop being chumped.

you elected as president. you reelected this president. you gave him the chance to make history. he needs to give you the chance to have a future. stop being chumped. stop being chumped and fight for your future. thank you very much. [applause] in case you're wondering what everyone in the front row is smiling, it has nothing to do with my speech. it give it up. rosario dawson in the house. [applause] >> i just want to say thanks for all of you being here. the only reason the president's address had this front end center is because of you.

keep up your good work. we have a delay on this pipeline. let's make sure we get a no. let them change the conversation on. these are the tar sands. this is our future. fracking is not a bridge to nowhere. it could potentially be 100 years for us and the tar sands will be 100 years of energy, what happens to the jobs created in wind, solar, waves, and other technologies? what will happen to the electric car dachshundno. say yes to science and technology, yes to health and the future, yes to local economies being able to sustain. we have clean water. we have vegetables. we have animals not buying, fish rising to the top of lakes

because the groundwater teaming with methane and chemicals we do not know of. tap water does not need to tell us this. we need transparency cover real information. we do not need is an companies who told us it was ok to smoke and hospitals telling us fracking is safe. we did not believe you then and we do not believe you now. no fracking, no tar sands. yes on innovative technology for our future. we're not passing on trillions of dollars in debt and food we cannot eat, watery cannot drink. thank you so much for making this issue front and center, making sure that he understands, and all the other leaders understand how the constituents behind them to support them to do the right thing. you are building a legacy.

thank you for doing that with us. [applause] >> i'm good now. i got two-out hug rosario dawson. have to do a few things. there are just too many of you and you are growing and growing. we like wind. we like solar. we like things above the ground, not beneath the ground. let's do this. two things. one, those of you climbing on the speaker towers, we cannot do that because they will fall over. we need you not to do that. and then those of you on your right, my left, there are

thousands here, move over. first of all, given up for our sign language interpreter. -- give it up. we need you to kind of shift. and the count of three, shift. move to your left. got that? nice and easy. not to your right. there you go. shifting. look at them. like a sea shifting. awesome. there they go. keep shifting. wow, they are shifting. my goodness. all right. group.my hold on, hold on.

i'll lead you in. that's my crew. one, two, three make some noise. powershift! one, two, three -- powershift, powershift, power shift, power shift. power shift, power shift, power shift. that's all right. ok, ok, ok. next up, let me say this. the reason why you see these groups exploding as four years, the movement has been silent. this is going to be somewhat segregated where we have groups here and there. this just got too big so we are broken down our silos and we

have all come to gather under one big thing. chief jacqueline thomas, the chief of the saik'uz first nation in british columbia, canada. give it up. she held to the formation of an alliance that has 6 million nations and they are leading a declaration that has been signed by first nations. beautiful. they are awesome. they're leading the fight against the northern gate way tar sands pipeline. they asked me to say this. cia.

cowboys and indians alliance. that is what it stands for. are you with me? cia. come on. ♪ on me. c.i.a. c.i.a., c.i.a. ♪ight" fun.] ♪

>> county, washington. -- howdy. i bring greetings from the first nation communities in british columbia, canada. firstly, as my first nations protocol of respect, i must thank mustkayak of the indian nation for allowing us to do business in their traditional territories and for their warm letter of welcome. -- thank you chief kayak. i am jacki thomas from saik'uz first mission. i have been a member of government for many years. i am a member of a proud plan. it is my responsibility to take

care of the water. each plan has the responsibility and we all work in unison to restore this great land that we live on. this traditional government system i am a part of has survived generations and generations of attacks to assimilate us, but my traditional government system is alive and well. it will continue to be alive and well into the future. [applause] i am a mother of four and a grandmother of one. i was raised by my own grandmother. she was a traditional medicine moment of my people -- medicine woman of my people. she was known as dr. sophie thomas.

her words are still with me today. what she told us is when we take care of the land, the land takes care of us. [applause] if we destroy this land, we will destroy ourselves. and speaking on behalf of the indian alliance from northern british columbia. this translates into -- people of the earth. i am part of people from the northern regions of the northwest territories down to my cousins in the navajo of arizona. we formed an alliance to stop the northern gate with a project which plans to bring -- gateway project to the tar sands which

will be put on tankers to go to the asian markets. the alliance is opposed to it irresponsible environmentally damaging projects that puts our communities, our water, our culture, our land, our fish, our animals, and most importantly our plants that risk. it puts at risk my neighbors to the east of me who live in the tar sands. the government does not recognize these people, and these people have been dying of mysterious cancers. their water is polluted. they're animals are sick. mother earth is sick. our alliance has used our own laws to protect our land, and for centuries we have done this. we created the save the frazier

declaration which we are proud of across the great land of canada. we have promoted this on the freedom train in 2012 to go to toronto. currently, we have over 130 pipers nations in canada signed up. -- 135 first nations. we will be signing international documents with other nations of the indigenous world in the future. [applause] we are endorsed by many municipalities in canada. most recently, the city of mayor assigned and made a proclamation that december 13th, 2012, was saved the fraser declaration date for the city of vancouver. this was very brave because my government, the canadian

government, has been calling me an environmental extremist, a radical, and an enemy of canada. all i want and my people want is to protect this land, the water , and all that is sacred. this water we're talking about has no color. this water we're talking about is not just water for my own people. it is water for my neighbor ranchers, my neighbor farmers that live next door to me. it is a human issue and that impact everyone. we are all connected. [applause] the alliance has brought our

communities together in canada because we have had oil spills. if you have had on oil spills in this country. oil will spill. it's just a matter of when. it's billed in kalamazoo, which i hear cannot be cleaned up. -- it spilled in kalamazoo. they spilled in alberta, in the territories of the cree, in the northwest territories and the brothers and sisters that i know of from the northwest territories. who can forget exxon bell does -- exxon valdez? in most recent memory, we had the bp spill on the news day after day, month after month.

they hurt the brothers and sisters of the nation that my sister has visited. never in my life have i ever seen whites and natives work together until now. [applause] thank you for doing this work for me. in canada, the first nations are always expected to be the sacrificial lambs for our government in terms of the economy. like a the economy is a human being, like the economy is more important than our land and water. water is a non renewable resource. we cannot take it for granted.

the alliance has never signed a treaty. we have never gone to war. we have never ceded our territories and we never will. [applause] under the united nations declaration on the rights of indigenous people, the alliance has not given our free, pryor, and informed consent to this project. -- free, prior, and informed consent. in canada, there is a judicial review process going on. while it is under way, the government has made public statements to the effect that this project will go through. [boo's] over the last year, my country has made changes to

environmental laws to ease the burden on industry to withiminant laly go forward these projects. specifically, we have we billc 38 and c 45 that have been passed over the last nine months in ottawa. there was no discussion. they did not asked our permission to do this. they just did. the time has come in our idle no more movement also. [applause] we want to let the general public know that we cannot keep taking out of greed. should only take out of need. hurry up? ok. i want to share with you my

thoughts and the thoughts of first nation canadians on obama's victory down here. we celebrated because we prayed also that this country would be led by a person of color. [applause] it gives us hope that there is change that will come. my prayers are that in my own country, they will start to wake up and take care of our people as i have faith you're president will take care of you. your president will not put industry interest above human interest. i am here to ask you and ask the world to help us. the canadian government has made it clear they will not.

we need your help to stand with us. we need your prayers. i need someone to stand with me as the bulldozers,. i'm laying down my life-- as the bulldozers come. i'm laying down my life. [applause] i need you to hear us. i do not approve keystone. i need to hear you support us and stop this. we cannot sacrifice our children's future. we cannot do alone. i am asking help from the water keeper's alliance, the conference of native american indians. i feel like there's the support of many for the first time in my life. appearin[applause] we cannot believe we can stand before big oil and unsustainable

development -- we can believe. i want to thank you for sharing and listening to my words and assisting me in this time of historical importance, not just for my people but for yours. [applause] >> come on, you guys. come on. come on. i was warm back there. as we get ready for the next piece, we want to keep this going because i want to make sure you are -- there's still too many on the right. i need you to shift to the left.

hold on, hold on. if you're way in the back, put your hands up. way in the back near the monument. the whole back row, wave to them back in the back. now, what i need you to do, a little bit of a work out. you ready? as you shift again, shift and jump. can you do that? shift and jump come on now. ["gangnam style"]

power shift power shift power shift power shift power shift power shift >> to did not warm up and then, that was your opportunity. -- if you did not warm up, that was your opportunity. here we go. looking at the multi tier approach, inside and outside, in the suites and in the streets. coming up now is someone who is doing it in the suites. they're doing it on the inside. give it up to the fine senator from rhode island. give it up. give it up for senator sheldon

whitehouse. make some noise. [applause] >> thank you. thank you. welcome. welcome to our nation's capital. welcome to our peoples mall. there is a lot of history here of americans coming to this place to make their voices heard. so thank you for coming and adjoining that history of american voices. your voices can make a difference. your voice is a need to make a difference.

because congress is sleepwalking through this crisis and it's time to wake up. [applause] help wake us up. add your voice as a citizen of the climate change taskforce with me and congressman waxman of california. sign up at wakeuptoclimatechange.com and make your voice is heard. you know, the polluters do not want you here. they do not one new year. -- they do not want you here. they do not want your bourses heard. have the lobbyists. they have the super -- they do not want your voices heard. they have the super pac's.

they have this town in their pockets. they have the situation under control. and then you show up. and then that we show up. and we change the game. you brought your voices. are you going to be heard? you know we need to hear you. are you going to be heard? they say that climate change is a hoax. are you going to be heard about that? and they say that the science isn't clear and we should wait some more. are you going to be heard about that? we are going to be heard. we are going to make this right.

it is not just us. there is a man over there in the white house who has found his voice on climate change. we are going have his back. he has said it to fail to act is to betray future generations. are we going to betray future generations? we're going to help barack obama win this fight and make this right. it's not just for us. , looked down the hallways of history. -- look down the hallways. they are watching. they know this is our time. they know this is our choice. they know this is our moment. they know that we were made for

this moment. to our children, their children, their children, are we going to say we failed eudoxus no chance. we're going to have the president's back. -- no chance. we're going to look down the hallways of history with those children, grandchildren, great- grandchildren and we're going to say to them -- yes, we did. say to them -- this was our time and these were all voices. this was our choice. by god, yes, we did. [applause] yes, we can. yes, we can. yes, we can.

yes, we can. yes, we can. yes, we can. >> ladies and gentleman, it has been said one ought not to be obstinate unless one ought to be. and then, one ought to be unshakable. my friends, let us be unshakable. [applause] >> one more time, make some noise. [applause] before a bring on our next speaker, i want to just take five seconds and say this. the reality of our movement is this.

if we fail, the consequences are dire. they have already been dire. you see, i'm from louisiana. my family and friends went through katrina. and for those in new york, you have just gone through sandy. people put your fists in the air all over. fists all the way around. air for first in thst in the those babies with asthma, the grandma's dealing with cancer, for all those who have dealt with cancer, bad water, bad air. put your fist in the air for humanity. stop. -- can't

>> won't stop. >> can't stop. >> won't stop. >> can't stop. >> won't stop. >> now make some noise ! give it up for maria cardona, senior adviser from hillary clinton's 2008 campaign. she's on cnn. give it up for maria cardona. ♪ >> gracias. buenos tardes. allso happy to be here with of you at this historic event. this is a way to stand up for climate change.

thank you to 350.org, nrdc, and teh sierra club, and all of you making this powerful rally possible. for our children, our future, we must do more for climate change. just a few short years ago, the environmental issues did not really register with latinos as a constant concern. times have changed and that has changed. that has changed, sadly, because we have seen the detrimental effect of toxins in our air and water and what it does to our families and their children. unfortunately, latino communities, families, and all the communities in this country are suffering from this. they may not disproportionately live in communities where their

air and water have been poisoned, our children have as much. we live. we breathe, we play in these places that have been poisoned by these toxins. to the president's statement, we do not have to choose between our environment and our economy. that really hit home for latinos and for all of us. carbon pollutions from the dirty power plants and saying no to the keystone and tar sands pipeline. legacy, hisama's response, his resolve in responding to the climate crisis. the zero oil industry claims that the keystone pipeline is for our energy security. we know that this pipeline is

the industry new access to foreign markets and the ability to hurt the tar sands for more money. it is win-win for them. what about us? what about ensuring we have what we need to make sure our families have economic security and health security? it's a lot for all of us when it comes to clean air and clean water in our climate. we also keep hearing about these job killing regulations. for millions of americans, especially minority and low- income communities, clean air protections are lifesaving regulations. this is another big reason why environmental issues are registering on the mind of some and a latino families today. we and unequivocal support lowering the pollution from power plants. we need new regulations and it

will help the health of our family now and into the future. the president's plan to create more clean energy jobs, responsible energy development, it is literally what the doctor ordered for all of us. sure that we help this president on his commitment and plans when we marched to the white house today. on climate change, amigos, i have no doubt that with your commitment, your energy, your heart and soul -- si,! si se puede >> one more time, i need your

help. for those on the speaker stands -- get off. say it. for those on the speaker stands -- get off. those of the speaker stands -- get off. please. please. nice rally. [laughter] right now, we're going to have our little celebrity. it's not only about the media. from the streets to the suites, but those who join us and have a great platform. give it up for nolan from "modern family. " -- "modern family." give it up.

and fighting in the streets, 2011 prize winner. keep pushing. on cue, just jump. let's jump. oh, yeah. come on. say no keystone pipeline. say no keystone pipeline. say no keystone pipeline. say no! you are awesome. thank you so much.

>> on behalf of canada, i apologize. i'm ashamed of what my country is doing. i'm ashamed we're knocking on your door for oil. i want to stand up here as a canadian and say i'm sorry to the workers in canada and the workers in america have to go home and look their kids in the eye and know they are damaging their future. i want to say yes to jobs that allow americans and canadians to go home and look to their kids in the eye and say, i'm fighting for you. our work for you. >> thank you so much. thank you, thank you. moving along. these are for the people fighting in the trenches out

there. keep fighting. keep hope alive. we are behind you, barack obama. >> let's keep going. next up, give it up. tom snyder. >> hi. i'm not the first person expect to be here today. i'm not a college professor. i do not run an environmental organization. for the last 30 years i have been a professional investor randall look at billion dollar investments for decades -- a professional investor, and i look at $1 billion investment. and i'm here to tell you one thing. the keystone pipeline is not a good investment. let me say this. i get the argument for the

keystone pipeline. the argument for the pipeline is -- a business as usual. we use fossil fuels. we continue to use them. we need fuels, we need to transport them. but the time for business as usual has passed. [cheers] we cannot afford 40 more years of dirty energy. we cannot afford the drought's and the disasters. mars -- most of all, we cannot afford not to build a cheaper, cleaner, more secure energy system. [cheers] look, investment is about analysis and timing. we are always asking the question -- why is today different from the other day before this? it is different because it is time now for the first time to

look comprehensively. we have to consider all the costs and ask ourselves if this pipeline helps us or helps a few narrow interests? love, we are americans. we have never been scared to look at the facts. we have never run away when things are hard. someday we will be too scared to face the facts. someday we will not answer the bell when it rings for us. but not today. today we absolutely have to stand up and face the truth. today we have to dare to say no to the keystone pipeline. but today we have to decide to invent a cleaner, safer, cheaper energy future together. thank you very much.

." [applause] -- [cheers] [applause] >> make some noise, come on. our next speaker, but we just say this, you can cletweet [indiscernible] hanging in there, read you. hanging in there. some of you all, all of you, i love you all. thank you. some of you drove on the boss for two days straight. a bus -- a bus for two days straight. if you did that, make some

noise. [cheers] if you drove more than four hours, make some noise. [cheers] if you drove more than two hours, make some noises. [cheers] this next section is for you. ♪ >> c'mon, c'mon, c'mon. fight the power. by the power. by the power by the power. -- fight the power, fight to the power, fight the power. fight to the power. ♪ god bless you, thank you so much. you all are so beautiful.

the lake creek nation, northeast alberta, also an educator for the sierra club. give it up here. ♪ >> hello. i come to you from the beaver lakes free nation, located in northern alberta, canada. first and foremost, i want to say thank you to the indian nation of the potomac river, now known as washington, d.c. i stand here today with my brothers and sisters in solidarity, which includes you

as well. [cheers] i stand here as a first nation woman to say that we should never have to choose between our moral obligations, our indigenous ways of knowing and being who we are as keepers of the land. we should never have to choose between them. i am here because i have an obligation to our children, my ancestors, and our one true mother. [cheers] if this pipeline goes through, it will be at the cost of human life, their life, water life. i come from the fork of where this pipeline will ultimately further developed and already destroyed land -- develop an

already destroyed the land. england and switzerland, in 20 years the sahara desert in northern alberta. what was once the pristine northern forest. if this pipeline goes through tell your government will further assist in the raping and pillaging of the lands of my ancestors. [booing] ignoring the basic human rights to clean air and water and our inherited constitutionally protected rights. i am bound by natural law and there is nothing natural about a people dying from cancer. fish with cancers on them. most with pus bobbles under the skin. babies being airlifted to the hospital for drinking

contaminated water. that is the truth. communities like my sisters, located in one of the three tar sands deposits. they experienced a massive oil spill, bigger than the kalamazoo in michigan. this is what our future looks like. the law is being broken every single day as more and more industries to break into my nation's traditional hunting territory. today over 19,000 permits are granted from our government, profits pushing through expansion. ultimately the size of florida when they are done. then they will promise to give us back what was never there is in the first place. [cheers] do not be fooled by their ideology of what reclamation is.

reclamation is me standing here with the 99%. proclaiming who we are, who i am as the first nation people of journal island. we are here today to say that we never went anywhere, nor do we plan to. [cheers] i am here to share with you what true and honest leaders think when disaster strikes. it will not know race, color, or creed. i am here to tell you that when that happens, the greed is going to show us that we cannot eat money and we cannot drink oil. [cheers] we all believe the same color. i sat here far away from home and my children to tell you that

there have been hostages taken in the game that they play of environmental roulette. calcifying themselves with money. we have an obligation to our one true mother. we take care of her, she will take care of us. providing and nurturing, an economy that is not stable? she will fight back. we cannot ignore our mother along these pipeline routes. we must wake up. in solidarity, my relations. i am grateful to each and every one of you because you give me the strength to keep on keeping on. [cheers] i ask you all to stay around the

the end of the march as an action of solidarity and friendship. we will link hands standing sideways and eventually moved into a unified circle. want to hear more? come on down on a case -- come on down to case streak at 7:00 p.m. with that, i would like to introduce [inaudible] elder of oklahoma. >> i am a member of the nation of oklahoma. my name is [indiscernible] the name of my captors is casey, so i give you my colonized name as well. i see you might read relatives, my black relatives, my white relatives, like yellow relatives out there.

i see you my fellow relatives, grand relatives, water relatives. [cheers] you could be anywhere. you could be doing anything. instead you chose this day to be here. you chose this day to stand in solidarity, to stand in solidarity with the human race, because we know that our mother earth with a shrug of her shoulder could shake us off. with nearly a talk to her thunder nation, she could watch us away. but instead she nurtures us. instead she gives us strength. instead she feeds us the power

to come together. we are allies with the greatest powers that are. we are off -- we are allies with the father-son, the mother earth, allies with the relatives of the moon and the stars. my relatives, you are with us. [applause] [cheers] my relatives, this is the beginning of the change. [cheers] my relatives, what you do today makes the difference. i thank you and i love you. [cheers] >> the relative from louisiana. [cheers] [indiscernible]

people fighting this -- people fighting the pipeline on the southern leg. [cheers] here for the people of port arthur, lawndale, here for them [indiscernible] [cheers] [horns] [cheers] >> everybody, make some noise, you all. [cheers] [horns] >> are you all ready to march? are you all ready to march? [cheers] are you all ready to march? >> up front, are you ready to march?

[cheers] in the back, are you ready to march? [inaudible] [cheers] get me some hip-hop on the mike skills. first i want to give a shout out. michaels daughters could be the youngest protester out here. four months old, give it up. [cheers] out here making it happen. i hope that when she turns 50 this plan that still exists. you all with that? -- this planet still exists. you all with that? [cheers]

beautiful. they use so much. thank you. the black side will form a pipeline. there are over 40,000 of you out here right now. if you hold it up, hold the black side towards the sky. there it is, all the way around. there in black. that represents dirty energy. not a good look at all. turn it over to the white side. that looks fantastic. look at that, look at that, look at that. that is amazing. ok, ok. you got it, you got it. that is the game plan. i will have michael step in real quick. first of all, it trying to be

here with my good friends at the sierra club and 350, but also the other organizations who are part of this. make some noise for the others who are a part of this right now. thank you. thank you. this is for you. 20 seconds, are you ready to march? [cheers] are you ready to march? [cheers] are you ready [indiscernible] march? [cheers] [horns] 35 a, ready to march? [cheers] [horns] here we go, here we go. [music] [horns] [cheers] ♪

>> [indiscernible] ♪ >> [indiscernible] [horns] >> the whole world is watching. ladies and gentleman, the whole world. ♪ [horn] come on. [chanting]

♪ >> it is time, give it up. ♪ [cheers] >> they said -- they said that 10,000 people could not come together in february, and they were wrong. they said that there was no way that 20,000 of us could come together in the middle of winter. they were wrong. they said that 30,000 of us could not come together when it was so cold, and they were wrong. [cheers] we are 35,000 strong. 35,000 strong.

this might surprise you. president obama, when he signs the object -- the executive order rejecting the tar sands pipeline. he will not only have laundered the presence of olive view -- honored the presence of all of you and the billions you represent -- from the ranchers of texas to the farmers of nebraska to the people in the coal fields of appalachia fighting the cold industry. [cheers] to the people on the front line fighting the fracking industry in new york, nor -- [cheers] colorado, michigan, ohio [cheers] once again, i said michigan twice. [cheers]

when president obama signs that executive order, not only will he be on the right side of history, but on the winning side. [cheers] now, i know that sometimes it does not feel like we are winning. i know that we all watch the news and read the papers and we see what is happening because of climate change to our communities, countries all around the world. and it is terrifying. i know that there are a lot of us out here who are parents, grandparents -- i see a lot of beautiful babies. i know that it is terrifying to think about what the world will look like when those kids grow up. i feel that myself. eight years ago my wife, mary, brought our little girl into the world. our little angel, she is here

today. the cutie with the white hat. eight years ago we were in a darkened screening room, watching vice-president al gore giving one of his in convenient truth speeches. i remember us sitting there, we had just brought this beautiful little angel in to the world and we were terrorized about what climate disruption would do to the world. we were holding each other's hands, squeezing each other's hands, we were terrified. let's think about what has happened over the last few years. wildfires destroying thousands of homes across the west. super storm sandy, a 1,000 mile diameter hurricane at the end of october, slamming into the eastern seaboard. hitting the jersey shore where i grew up. destroying the house that my mother lived in, that i grew up

in. despite this, despite what we are seeing, i am optimistic. i believe we will prevail. i want to tell you why. 10 years ago or so, president george w. bush and dick cheney -- [booing] they propose a plan to build 200 coal-fired power plants across the country. it was a gift wrapped present to their fossil fuel bodies. what they did not count on was that that -- was that one of those plants, sierra club activists and other volunteers got together, they had never challenged a coal plant before. they pulled the permit application, they taught themselves about the issue, they organize their friends and they shut the plant-bomb.

[applause] -- they shut the plant down. [cheers] florida, kentucky, new mexico. together we have built a coalition of hundreds of organizations with thousands of people, and we are winning. we have defeated coal plants in florida, shutting down 230 of the plants on the south side of the chicago. we shut down the coal plant just across the river on the potomac. i am standing here today saying that together, as a movement, we have defeated and we have shut down more than 300 proposed and existing coal fired power plants across the country. [cheers] so, remember that the next time

that someone tells you that climate change is inevitable. remember that the next time someone tells you that our movement is not strong and we are not growing. what is happening right now -- what is happening is the fossil fuel barons, their lawyers and spin doctors, their lobbyists are losing their grip on the psyche of the country. [cheers] the spell has been broken, the spell has been broken. our clean energy future is not just in the future, it is happening right now. there are facts about clean energy that they do not want to to hear. the wind industry has doubled in the last four years. the solar industry has grown by a factor of five. [cheers] i what, in what now gets 20% of

their power from -- iowa, iowaa now gets 20 percent of their power from wind. [cheers] colorado will soon be at 30%. [cheers] by the time that my kids are out of high school, by the time that our three little children are out of high school, 50% of the power in this country will come from solar and wind. [cheers] and we will never look back. so, what do you need to know? the spell has been broken. the spell has been broken. the lasting at want to say is about president obama. mr. president, we have heard what you said on climate. we have loved a lot of what you said, but mr. president, our

question is -- what will you do? mr. president, what will you do when the tap water catches on fire because of fracking? what will you do when the arctic melts? what will your do when the rain forest dries up? mr. president, what will you do about the keystone xl pipeline? [cheers] that is right, you hold the executive power of hope in your hand. write down these words -- i hold -- i reject the keystone pipeline. mr. president, join us. we will not be stopped. we are strong, we are powerful, we are building a clean energy future in our time. are we on the right side of

history? are we on the winning side of history? [cheers] are we on the winning side of history? [cheers] do we want president obama to join us? [cheers] do we want obama to lead us? [cheers] will we fight? will we give up? [cheers] will we win? will we win? [cheers] are you ready to march? [cheers] to the white house? [cheers] well, then let's go. [cheers] ♪ \ >> start marching right now. when you come back, cousins on the white house.

[indiscernible] ♪ >> let's go, let's go. ♪

♪ >> people gathered on the national mall for the forward on climate rally, getting ready to march the fairly short distance to the white house now. one of a number of rallies being held in a number of cities across united states, including states where there are proposals to run the keystone xl pipeline expansion.

independents and others and call in, just picture to meet your television and if you have called for the past biggio with the past 30 days, give someone else a chance. -- and if you have called within the past 30 days, please give someone else a chance. kansas, your thoughts? caller: so thrilled to see people care. there are some people in kansas, but the governors really backward. the missouri river is disappearing. scary. it is down to sand bars. we are in a drought. they are using the reservoirs. offers will not be replenished.

it is very hard to change anything here. these are well-informed people. all you have to do is look at missouri. it is frightening to live in a drought area. god bless the marchers, they give me hope. >> marching on to the white house right now in savannah, ga., colleen, are you there? caller tell if i was a martyr, i would be there. >> what do you think about what you saw at the rally? caller tell -- caller: i tell you, more than 12 years, we put stickers with people on college

campuses who took off two months later. behind their the fumes. >> what do you think about the rally? caller: i think it is great. what is happening to our mother earth, my husband is from the flat head nation in montana. i support everyone who is there for the rally.

i support everyone who is there. >> what did you think about what the speakers from the indian nation had to say? caller: they are great. bless their hearts. blessed mother earth. caller code i think it is essential that we step up as a global force and take more responsibility. i think that the munitions industry should retool their whole infrastructure into disaster relief. doing good in the world, putting a positive face of american

ingenuity because we have the capacity to do it. we should be stewards of the excellences of god. we are crushing it and treating it like a garbage dump, a violation of all the things that come to the future and all the things we should cherish. the treasure of beauty, this land. we must protect it, it is our duty. >> we are watching the for word on climate rally kind of winding down as the participants make their way to the white house. we are going to show you the rally again later today. taking your calls on the environmental rallies across the united states. republican line, hello. caller: [indiscernible]

texas [indiscernible] pollutes scared [indiscernible] happened to use natural gas and don't pollute [indiscernible] systems natural gas easy to convert and dull blue -- pollute -- don't pollute [indiscernible] electric cars, natural gas cars ought to be produced [indiscernible] electricity charges the battery. you are going to have pollution

from the creation of the generation of a charge of battery -- generation of the charged battery. [indiscernible] >> thank you. sharon, democratic line. caller: it is wonderful. i was so proud. just so happy that they did that. we are in dire need. i have seen it coming four years. i wish i could have been there, but i couldn't. i think it is a wonderful, wonderful thing. i was so proud of them. i have indian blood in me and i was so proud of everyone there. i want to say -- god bless you all and thank you all for doing this.

>> thank you. ken, line for independence. caller: how are you? >> real good. what do you think about this rally? caller: i am right here where the refineries are and there are tens of thousands of folks contributing. most of these refineries are now only by national oil companies. i do not think that bringing it down from canada -- there is so much more that these foreign companies are shifting in from the u.s., the refineries were designed to run crude. caller: it is wonderful. i was so proud. just so happy that they did that. i know that we have it here in this country, but the idea was to keep the rest of the world

wealthy and in great shape without worrying about our economy. the sooner that we get back to living in our hearts and trees and things of this nature, the happier we will be. >> john is on the line from base city, michigan. caller: happy to see this protest going on. i want to make a comment about our republican governor in michigan, who wants to go forward with fracking in this state. he claims it is a safe way of attaining energy, which i disagree with. we are in the middle of the earth's 20% of natural freshwater. all these different chemicals pumped into the earth, where they go, they cannot tell. so proud of our native americans

from canada and the united states. our system has taken their lands and their resources from these people. now they are standing up. every person, white, black, what ever, we need to be shoulder to shoulder and get those renewable resources going to a much greater extent. we have a turbine on our property and i am so happy to have it. we are happy to take energy that comes from anywhere that is not fossil fuels. i am happy to see this rally. politicians had better stand up and represent us. that is what i have to say. i am glad that the rally is going on. >> many of the speakers called on president obama and call upon him to not allow the xl

pipeline going through. there are many states with keystone pipeline, the keystone xl project would bring it to new states, affecting others as well. dave, what do you think about the rally for climate change? caller: natural gas, wind power, nuclear power, things we can access in the future, but it is necessary the people understand that in the near future, jobs are important and hat -- helping our economy is important. the second thing that people need to understand is that young people are the key. i hear a lot of people calling in and they sound like they are in the middle ages.

i think it is important to connect with young people and get them to understand that this is important. i am 23 years old right now and my generation is going to have to make the biggest change, make the choice to fix the climate and the change thing, so it is important to make a connection with young people. >> you can see that we are on the national mall today. lots of people gathered here are now walking over to the white house for the march. the next call comes from california and the independent line. caller: if i was at the march i would not be in the mountains of california, looking down on dead pollution. everyone needs to look it up on your computers, the first of january and the 1500 highly developed nations.

we are listed as the first actively dying nation. what a horrible price tag week, the people, who are alive with our livers and our species, we have paid for this in same job to make money over human life. i encourage everyone to learn the truth. we have to save life. without life, there is nothing in our future. please, realize, stand up and speak. you are being poisoned every day. look at the health-care costs, look at the numbers of babies who die. look at the amount of asthma, cardiovascular disease. >> david is going to be our last call, madison heights, michigan,

democratic line. caller: thank you for taking my call. i wanted to give a shout out to my brother in bay city, michigan, from a couple of callers ago. we have a governor who is rotten, who is a little not see and goes against the people of michigan. he is going to ruin the great lakes when the asian carp comes in. but i am so very happy to see this rally to save our planet. everyone knows, republican, democrat, or independent, everyone knows the climate changes going on. storms are happening but -- beyond what they were 100 years ago and no one is preparing for those storms. relief was rejected by 85% of the republicans. how could they possibly face

their brothers, their sisters, their wives -- anyone, look at their neighbors and say no to disaster relief in america? that is not american. our storms are going to get worse. there is such a thing as climate change. i hope that the xl pipeline never goes through and i am so happy that this rally will take the roots of justice. maybe i am dating myself, 1970, the first others day. i was a 12-year-old kid and i marched on earth day. it is about time that people start getting this planet back in order. >> thank you for your call. thank you for all the calls today. if you did not get a chance to

weigh in, we will be opening the phone lines again tomorrow morning on "washington journal." later today we will show you this rally, the forward on climate rally again, at 6:30 p.m. here on c-span. next tuesday the canadian ambassador to the u.s. will be at the newseum talking about energy and the environment. he has been critical of the media coverage of the pipeline, which canadian officials want approved. tomorrow on "washington journal," we will look at the history of presidential second terms with douglas brinkley, with a look at the pensions, costs and benefits of former presidents of the united states. our guests for that discussion is wendy ginsburg. again, "washington journal," is

live here at 7:00 a.m. eastern here on c-span. >> i think -- [video clip] >> these women were attracted to men who were going to become politically active or were already politically active. >> each of them i find contract -- i find intriguing, half of them precisely because they are so obscure, historically. half of them would be totally unrecognizable to most men and women on the street. >> this president's day be premier our new series, "first lady's." interviews with historians, chiefs of staff, social curators, exploring the lives of the women who have been first

lady. in a first of its kind project for television, season one begins on monday night. watch the program earlier in the day, live on c-span. >> members of president obama's cabinet were before the senate approriations committee today outlining their sentiments of what would happen if the automatic spending cuts, the sequestration, went into effect on march 1. they discussed homeland security housing, and education. this is three hours. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2013] >> good morning, everyone. today we are convening the committee of appropriations. it is the first hearing in the 113th congress for the appropriations committee.

the focus of today's hearing will be on the impact of the sequester and the critical, national functions that are important to the security, safety, and future of the american people. as i take this gavel, i'm mindful of -- and acknowledge the previous leadership of the outstanding chair. it is a great honor for me to be part of this committee. we all carry a special place in our hearts today for senator daniel inouye. i want to acknowledge the incredible cooperation i have seen. one of the senators was the vice chair. he talked to me in those early days to ask that they remove the hurricane sandy

appropriations. i will be forever grateful for his steady hand and wise counsel and direct assistance that he provided me. i want to acknowledge that my ranking members in this committee. it is well-known to many of the the members of the appropriations committee and the senate that senator shelby and i have a long-standing, personal and professional relationship. we have been through the house of representatives together. we sit on the server committee and served together. i look forward to working with him as my vice chair and

continuing the tradition of bipartisanship that has been characteristic of this committee. my relationship with senator shelby is based on mutual trust, mutual respect, and the desire to move forward. we know that we will disagree on matters of policy, that if we could agree it on matters of progress i get beyond ultimatum's, government lurching from one dramatic event to another and return to regular order, the country will be better governed and the american people will be better served. this appropriations committee, i will remind everyone, is one of over two congressional committees -- the revenue committee gathers revenue to operate the government of the united states. the other is to make wise and prudent expenditures in the

interest of the united states. we are constitutionally mandated except finance and appropriations. we were created by congress to govern. we were created to help govern the nation. this is what brings us to our hearing today. we will focus on the impact of the sequester. i think it is a bad idea. it is bad policy. it is a bad economic policy. it is bad governing policy. i really do not like it. it is working with the leadership to be able to find a way to avoid the sequester in the hopes that a higher power find a way for the nine years that it is mandated. what we hope to accomplish today is to take a look at the impacts if the sequester happens for the american people.

thank you for everyone coming. we thank you for speaking about defense. it has been well heard and well spoken. we look toward to hearing from you, secretary napolitano. in the u.s. military, military, those who wear the uniform, will be protected in the sequester, and they should. there are others that need to be protected. what is the impact of them? and also the future of the country, the ability to -- the middle class. this is where secretary donovan, we want to talk to about housing and the economy. what is it that we need to do? you hold the future of america in your hands. we went to innovate, but first we have to outeducate. we want to hear about the impacts of sequester for educational reform. i believe we will run to view with destiny.

we must solve this problem. i do not think the american people quite understand the impacts were sequester mandates and $85 billion cut that is equally shared by defense and by domestics. you are a national security secretary napolitano. layoffs and services not delivered to the american people -- i have to cope with my members here on the issue of the fiscal cliff. also, the issues of implementing homeland security. we want to talk about the impact on these agencies. what about the fbi?

what about the people who staff are federal prison? in the area of health and education, i understand for mental -- where will they go? a nursing home? we are cutting funding. we are here to listen to you. we know the impact that when defense sneezes, the economy could catch pneumonia. also, ship guard workers. we want to hear from you. enough about hearing from me. working with the leadership, i will fight to fight a balance solution of increased revenue and strategic cuts and look at the inventory spending. there needs to be a balance solution. the burden can not be done by

cuts on these agencies alone. make sure the sequester does not happen this year and does not happen over the next nine years. i've been like to turn my vice chairman, senator shelby. then we will go to the panel after that. >> thank you, chairman mikulski. thank you for your kind words. today we will hear from our witnesses on the impacts of the sequester, which is appropriate and timely. the cuts are poised to take effect in 15 days. it should be noted that the

sequester is something that congress and the president set in motion, knowing full well that this day would come. the sequester would bring spending cuts that are automatic and across the board for discretionary. the formula would determine how many cuts are made and stead of what is based on economic growth, say it, and prosperity. cuts will come without regard to a program's merit. some of the most severe cuts will hit defense programs. we must reduce spending, but it should be done in a deliberate way. the sequester was supposed to be a last resort in the so-called supercommittee failed to agree upon measures. in the end, maybe stan impasse. -- they reached an impasse. we have seen the sequester coming, but we have not taken any steps to fix it.

congress has only delayed it further. this situation prevents -- present an opportunity. the president has called on congress to act, but he has not put forward a proposal the specific options. also when i hear the president some members say that the solution must include raising taxes further, i question their seriousness in fixing the overall problem. i've seen the lease analysis.

we do not have a revenue problem, but a spending problem. revenue is on the path to increase and to return to levels that are in line with our historical average of 18-19% of gdp. in contrast, government spending remains high during the next 10 years and is expected to grow beyond its 40 year average. this will occur even with discretion all spending -- discretional spending caps. cbo estimates that discretionary spending will fall like more than 3%. that is below the historical average. the real driver of our that is not discretional spending, but entitlement spending. cbo report this combination of an aging population, rising healthcare costs, and health insurance subsidies will drive up the costs of programs. this will be to a death spiral. the issue is compounded by the costs of servicing our debt. it will rise in 2012 to over $850 billion rejected in 2023. by then, interest will be 6% of our discretionary budget. this growing debt poses an

increased risk of precipitating a fiscal crisis the likes of which we have never seen. the warning signs that we are moving forward, the fiscal meltdown has been in place for a long time. congress has repeatedly failed. it has been years since congress has even had a regular budget process with appropriations measures upon -- that were agreed upon. i believe the american public deserves a transparent and accountable budget process at the stores fiscal order. sequestration should not be part of the process. it is certainly no long-term solution to our spending problem. it should be a cautionary tale for congress. the sequester we face is the the sequester we face is the tip