>> and we are actively considering a wide range of options here. i have not rolled any option now. i'm sure you noticed in these questions. i think the response that we have made so far is correct. we have emphasized the need for new diplomatic openings as well as for there to be cost and consequences for this russian action. but in the absence of a change of policy from russia, we will have to move on to making sure those costs and consequences do take place. mentionedtleman whatt wise in considering sanctions may be used against russia. as any had need conversations with his colleagues about the military technical corporation agreement which i understand is

due to be signed in the next few weeks? >> she is quite right that we have been due to agree to sign with russia in the near future. , theis situation chancellors that are doing -- chances of us doing that are rather reduced, to put it mildly. we have not made a formal decision about that. we are reviewing that and we will decide about it in conjunction with any other measures that we choose to adopt. >> given what russia has been allowed to do in mold over -- moldova, it may write a repeating crimea. will the russians feared that the international community will act differently? here withre parallels the parts of georgia.

has certainly been able to live with any consequences of those actions in the past. this is a repetition of that but on an even greater scale and that is why we say that in response to this, there have to be costs and consequences to deter the repetition of these events in the future. what are the other cost and consequences? he has mentioned veto restriction but surely restricting a few people from entering is not sufficient to meet the bar given how much to gain fromit has its current actions. will he say what else is actively on the table? >> no. consistent with all the answers i have given before, the european union has referred to targeted measures. i refer to well targeted legal

measures. i have not excluded anything. many other members have made interesting proposals during the course of their statements. i stressed before that it is important we take first measures as there to be unity as well them to be well-judged and well-targeted. that means we have to work on them together in the european union and that is what we are doing now. >> why does my friend believe that the president putin clearly feels he will get away with this? what are we in the rest of the free world doing wrong if putin believes he can act with impunity as he clearly does? saying to my honorable friend a moment ago, there have been previous russian actions which might be considered a model for this, in georgia and moldova. russia has not felt sharp

consequences as a result of that. that is no doubt in emboldening factor. i think russians have been earned by the imperative i was referring to a moment ago of trying to alleviate or reverse the major setback for russian foreign-policy that took place only 10 days ago in ukraine and also possibly by the desire, much earlier in response to answers to questions, permanently to impair the free and democratic operation of atlanticand its euro- aspirations. there is a mixture of motives. it is important that we raise the penalties and consequences for acting on those motives. >> even if russia won't agree at --, isn't that a

case for a rapid deployment as if they go tole other areas of ukraine? that may well deter an invasion of -- an incursion of russia -- >> this is an important point. it is one of the things we are pursuing that we hope the united nations representatives will also discuss with three ukraine. , two years ago, the house unanimously endorsed the present will -- the principles of asset freezes and visa bans on those responsible for crimes against humanity in russia and beyond. in light of the situation in ukraine, i urge you to look closely at the target sanctions ordering thethose incursion in ukraine, a clear violation of the cardinal rule.

my honorable friend has consistently pursued this over a long time. have the power to refuse entry into the u.k. two re believedwe a to be guilty of serious human rights violations. i'm not excluding any auctions and what we sighed to do -- options in what we decide to do. it >> with all of this unfolding, there is a great amount of concerns in nations like with a when he and poland about their future. what reassurance does my right honorable friend giving our nato partners that we stand shoulder to shoulder with them in defense of their sovereignty and independence? do. think they know that we these countries are very important members of nato. i mentioned earlier that our strong commitment to nato,

including maintaining the strongest armed forces in europe, all around, but it will be important for other countries strengthen their own military budgets and defenses over the coming years. that is something i have advocated for a long time. i think it would be of additional insurance to them. >> president putin has shown very clearly that under his leadership, russia will not respect the border and the sovereignty of a friendly neighbor. as a president who prides himself in answering russia's self-interest, should he not be alarmed to the market reaction of that? shouldn't the individual states of the european notion -- european union decide -- how can invest in russia? >> that is an important point. i think russia will have

underestimated the longer-term consequences of the action that they have just taken because there is an important read across to upholding international law on other issues. the reaction of the world over the long term will tend to diminish the influence of russia in the world. as well as shed a new light on russia's insistence on sovereignty in other international disputes. this will have very far-reaching consequences and those have not been fully appreciated yet in moscow. there is a vibrant ukrainian unity and they are concerned about family and loved ones. while the attention has been on the ukraine, what assessment do you make of the civil unrest in

other cities across the rest of the city -- country? the areas aren't important consideration as well. her's have been a potent -- the areas are important consideration as well. new governors have been appointed and the acting you president of ukraine has told us about the care he is taken to do that so that there is an inclusive approach to the regional and local government. there have been disturbances in some of those cities although there is some evidence that those have been planned externally. we don't have any proof of that. there is some evidence of that. i hope that, will return to those parts of the ukraine. should the people of the crimea and elsewhere in ukraine

seek a -- to determine their sovereign feature? what can this government give to ensure that those are conducted freely and fairly and not under the arm of the russian government? >> we can't give much assistance in ensuring that. if it takes place in an area controlled by the russian military. clearly, we will not be able to give a guarantee. suchuld be far better for referendums to be held under the constitution with international observers in the way that was described. but the referendum that was land for the 30th of march under the eyes or guns of the russian military is not one in which we could have at same level to which we could give that same level of assistance. clarification from

my right honorable friend, the foreign secretary, in the event of there being a legally and free constituted reference and on sovereignty in crimea under the ukrainian constitution, that the budapest memorandum of 1994 would not be an impediment to that? .> these are big if's is not the situation at all at the moment. the referendum proposing crimea is not legally constituted under the ukrainian constitution. we are a long way from that situation. the united kingdom will always knows,respect, as he democracy and the principles that we believe in, of human rights and so often included

self-determination, whenever they are truly and freely and legally expressed. complex severity may one day full debate on this issue. combat since must were fixed, distinctive emblems recognizable at a distance. do you agree that the russia must abide by the geneva conventions? >> my honorable friend makes a crucial point. despite having the last question, has managed -- i

thought he had the last question. he has managed to make a new point in a very pertinent one. there are reasons why soldiers should wear the insignia of their country and the most terrible misunderstanding can occur without that. he is quite right about that. the subject of debate, the legal house is not in his place but i'm sure that he is always aware of requests and he will of heard that particular one. does my friend agreed that russia's provocative warmongering provoke its weakness? being frightened of that, should we not warmly welcomed the ukraine as a europe?l ally in the 4 --

>> as far as i could see, the effects of the russian intervention have been to solidify the determination of ukrainians about their own independence, including among leading figures in the region representing the east and the south of ukraine. ishink my honorable friend also right, that this is an action born of weakness rather than of strength. it is a response, as i was arguing a few minutes ago, to a major reverse and an effort to alleviate that. ukraine, i think the people of ukraine will be all the more ownrmined to pursue their sovereign right, including a closer relationship with the european union. honorable are made in the

-- >> i was going to asked how long will it take for ukraine to become a member of the eu, assuming that is what they want, and should they not prefer trade with all of the neighbors? hope ukraine will be able to trade with all of its neighbors, including russia. the european union membership is not what is on offer to ukraine. that is not what is being discussed or debated. , ais association with the eu deep and comprehensive free trade area. these are the things that are on offer. i think any possibility of eu membership is too distant to be any realistic possibility in the foreseeable future. coming up on c-span, israeli prime minister benjamin speak to the

american-israel public affairs committee. president obama introduces a 2015 budget request, following senator mitch mcconnell with his reaction to the budget. >> coming up on the next washington journal, we examine the president's 2015 budget request. we discussed the budget and the administration's priorities for each agency. "washington journal" is like every morning at 7:00 eastern on c-span and you can join the conversation on facebook and twitter. sylvia burwell testifies thursday on the president's 2015 budget request on c-span3. you can join the conversation on facebook and twitter.

we do not have a criminal investigation role. we have a vast enforcement role, one of the most critical things he agency does is to enforce the federal securities laws, to make sure that wall street abides by the rules. we do not have the criminal authority. we have the power to bring, with the approval of our commission, civil actions, civil fraud actions and negligence actions, against those who violate these federal security laws. we cannot send anyone to jail but we can assess civil penalties. our level of penalties is not as high as we would like it to be. there is legislation that would give us the ability to assess higher penalties. we can require people who do wrong goings kick to get -- wrongdoings to disgorge their ill-gotten gains. we have the ability to bar people from the securities

industry so they cannot live another day to defraud again. white sunday night at 8:00 on c-span's q and a. the american israel public affairs committee is holding its annual conference this week in washington. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu spoke about around's theear program and israeli-palestinian conflict area this is 45 minutes. ♪

>> we are honored to be joined this morning by the prime minister of israel, benjamin netanyahu. [applause] like churchill in the 1930's, the prime minister has long been a voice in the wilderness. early to warn the world about the threat of terrorism and radical islam. he has fought the international campaign to you legitimize de-legitimize israel and argued the threat of a nuclear rise iran not just to israel but the entire world. , join me inentlemen

state ofng the first israel [applause] . mr. prime minister, today the american pro-israel community is gathered. send a clear, to message back to the message -- people of israel. those of us in this room and millions more across this country support israel's struggle for peace and security. thank you for your leadership and thank you for being with us today. ladies and gentlemen, it is my great honor to welcome the prime minister of the state of israel, benjamin netanyahu. [applause] ♪

[applause] >>.gov very much -- thank you

very much. thank you. thank you. thank you very much. thank you. i bring you greetings from jerusalem. [applause] capital of undivided israel and the jewish people. [applause] i want to thank all of you for working so tirelessly to strengthen the alliance between israel and america.

israel forpport for that alliance is at an all-time high and i can tell you that there is no country on earth that is more pro-american than israel. [applause] i want to thank the leaders of aipac, the officers of aipac, the 14,000 deltek -- delegates of aipac, the members of congress, the members of the , and our twonment able ambassadors, the ambassador of israel to the united states and the ambassador of the united states to israel, and our u.n. ambassador.ice --

i want to thank you all for safeguarding and nurturing the most precious alliance in the world, the alliance between israel and the united states of america. [applause] my friends, i have come here to draw a clear line. you know that i like to draw lines. [laughter] especially red ones. draw today ist to the line between life and death, wrong,ween right and between the blessings of a brilliant future and the curses of a dark past.

i stood very close to that dividing line tubing weeks ago -- two weeks ago. i visit in army in the golan heights. that field hospital was not set up for israelis. it was set up for syrians. [applause] israel has treated nearly a thousand will and syrians -- wounded syrians. men, women, and a lot of children. they come to our borders bleeding and desperate. often, they are near death. two suchit i met syrians. a shell-shocked father and is badly wounded five-year-old boy. man'sdays earlier, the

wife and baby daughter were bombsto bits by iranian dropped by assad's air force. now, the grieving father was holding his little boy in his arms and israeli doctors were struggling to save the boy's life. , and from thehem other patients there, what all the syrians who have been treated in israel say. they all tell the same story. they say, all these years, assad has lied to us. he told us that iran was our friend and israel was our enemy. but iran is killing us and israel, israel is saving us. [applause]

those syrians discovered what you have always known to be true . in the middle east, bludgeoned by her tree and -- by butchery and barbara some, israel is humane. israel is compassionate. israel is a force for good. [applause] that border that runs 100 yards east of that field hospital is the dividing line between decency and depravity, between compassion and cruelty. tandse one side s

israel, animated by the values we cherish. thou use that move was to treat sick palestinians, thousands from gaza. they come to our hospitals. we treat them despite the fact that terrorist that gaza hurled thousands of rockets at our city. it is the values that inspire is really medics and restaurateurs to rush to the centers of natural disasters across the world. to haiti, japan, the philippines, too many stricken lands. on the other side of that moral divide, steeped in blood and savagery, stand the forces of terror. a, al assad, as will qaeda, and many others. about seriousear sending a field hospital

anywhere? iranou ever hear about sending a humanitarian delegation overseas? you missed that memo? [laughter] do you know why you haven't heard anything about that? because the only thing that iran sends abroad are rockets, terrorist, and missiles to murder, maine, and amendments -- maim, and meanace the innocent. [applause] what the iranian regime does abroad is similar to what they do to their own people. they execute hundreds of political alert -- political prisoners. a throw thousands more into their jails and they repress millions in a brutal theocracy. if you want to understand the moral divide that separates

israel from its enemies, just hezbollah.he head of iran andhis -- hezbollah love death and israel loves life and that is why, he hezbollah will win and israel will lose. well, he is right about the first point. they do glorify death and we do sanctify life. but he is dead wrong on the second point. it is precisely because we love life that israel shall win. [applause]

in the past year, iran's radical regime has tried to blur the moral divide and wheels out it smiling president and its move-talking foreign minister. if you listen to their soothing with, they are not square a ron's aggressive actions. iran says they only want a peaceful nuclear program. why is it building a heavy water reactor, which has no purpose in a purple -- in a peaceful nuclear program? iran says it has nothing to hide. white does it ban inspectors from its secret military sites? not divulge the secrets of its military nuclear activities?

they absolutely refuse to say word about that. iran says it is not building nuclear weapons. why does it continue to build icbms, intercontinental ballistic missiles, whose only purpose is to carry nuclear warheads? unlike scud missiles which are limited to a range of a few hundred miles, icbms can cross orans and strike right now very soon. the eastern seaboard of the united states, washington, and very soon after that, everywhere else in the united states, up to l.a. iran's missiles can already reach israel. those icbm's that they are building, they are not intended for us. remember that beer commercial? bud's for for you -- you? [laughter]

iran building icbms, remember that at scud is for you. only the americans got that joke. [laughter] it is not only that iran does not walk the walk. in the last few weeks, they don't even bother to talk the talk. not's leaders say they will his mental a single centrifuge, they will not discuss their ballistic missile program, and guess what tune they are singing in tehran? it is not "god bless america." it is "death to america." they chant this as brazenly as ever. -- iranmy point continues to stand unabashedly

on the wrong side of the moral divide and that is why we must continue to stand unequivocally on the right side of that divide. we must oppose iran and stand up for what is right. [applause] my friends, yesterday met with president obama, vice president biden, secretary kerry, and the leaders of the u.s. congress. we had very good meetings. i thank them for their strong support for israel. [applause] for our security, including in the vital area of missile defense. i said that the greatest threat to our common security is that of a nuclear-armed iran.

we must prevent iran from having the capability to produce nuclear weapons. i want to redirect -- reiterate that point. not just to prevent them from having the weapon, but to prevent them from having the capacity to make the weapon. [applause] must dismantle iran's heavywater reactor and its underground enrichment facilities. we must get rid of iran's centrifuges and its stockpiles of enriched uranium and we must insist that iran fully divulge the military dimensions of its nuclear program. 17 countries around the world have peaceful nuclear energy programs. they are doing this without spinning centrifuges, without enriching uranium, without

operating heavywater facilities, and without conducting military nuclear research. onyou know why iran insists doing all of these things that the other peaceful countries do not do? it is because iran does not want a peaceful nuclear program. iran once a military nuclear program. i said it here once, i will say it here again -- if it looks like a duck, if it walks like a duck, if a quack like a duck, what is it? it ain't a chicken. it is certainly not a dove. it is still a nuclear duck. [applause] unfortunately, the leading powers of the world are talking about leaving iran with the

capability to enrich uranium. i hope they do not do that. error.uld be a grave iranuld leave the ron -- as a threshold nuclear power. to rapidlyable iran develop nuclear weapons at a time when the world's attention and we seeelsewhere as we speak that that could happen. ,n one part of the world today tomorrow and another part, maybe north korea. just remember what he wrote a few years ago. he wrote this in a rare moment of candor. if a country can enrich uranium even to a low-level, it can effectively produce nuclear weapons.

precisely. leaving iran is a threshold nuclear power would deliver a death blow to non-proliferation. iran is an outlaw state. it has multiple -- violated multiple un security council resolutions prohibiting enrichment. if we allow this outlaw, terrorist state to enrich uranium, how could we serious that -- seriously demand any other country not enrich uranium? i believe that letting iran enrich uranium would open up the floodgates. ofwould up a pandora's box nuclear proliferation in the middle east and around the world. that must not happen. [applause] we will make sure it does not happen. letting the worst terrorist

regime on the planet get atomic bombs would endanger everyone and it certainly would endanger israel since i run openly calls for our destruction. 70 years ago, our people, the jewish people, were left for dead. we came back to life. we will never be brought to the break of extinction again. [applause] as prime minister of israel, i will do what ever i must do to defend the jewish state of

israel. [applause] you know, i am often asked whether israel truly once diplomacy to succeed. my answer is, of course we want diplomacy to succeed. no country has a greater interest in the peaceful elimination of the iranian nuclear threat. will not be eliminated by just any agreement . only by an agreement that requires iran to fully dismantle its military nuclear capabilities. [applause] you know how you get that agreement with iran? not by relieving pressure, but

by adding pressure. [applause] pressure is what brought iran to the negotiating table in the first place and only more pressure will get them to abandon their nuclear weapons program. greater pressure on iran will not make war more likely. it will make war less likely. iranreater the pressure on , the greater the pressure on iran and the more credible of force on iran, the smaller the chance the forceful ever have to be used. peace isd gentlemen, israel's highest aspiration. i'm prepared to make a historic peace with our palestinian neighbors. [applause] peace that would and a

century of conflict and bloodshed. us. would be good for this would be good for the palestinians. thee would also open up possibility of establishing formal ties between israel and leading companies -- leading countries in the arab world. and leave me,ers, this is a fact. many arab leaders today already realize that israel is not their enemy but peace with the palestinians would turn our relations with them and with many arab countries into open and thriving relationships. [applause] the combination of israeli innovation and golf

entrepreneurship, to take one example -- i think this combination could catapult the entire region forward. i think that together, we could resolve -- actually solve the region's water and energy problems. israel has half the rainfall that we had 65 years ago. we have 10 times the population. our gdp has shot up, thank god. we have half the rainfall, 10 times the population, and our water use goes up. which country in the world is not have water problems? israel. [applause] why? technology and innovation. we could make that available to our arab neighbors throughout the region. waterld solve the problems, we can solve the energy problems, we could improve agriculture, we can withve education, health diagnostics on the internet.

all that is possible. we could better the lives of hundreds of millions. we all have so much to gain from peace. that is why want to thank the indomitable john kerry. new york and tel aviv, those are the cities that never sleep. john kerry is definitely the city -- secretary of state that never sleeps. [applause] i have got the bags under my eyes to prove it. we are working together literally day and night to seek a door both these, -- a durable peace, and the mutual recognition of two nationstates. [applause] israel is the nationstate of the jewish people. with the civil rights of all

citizens, and jews and non-jews alike, are guaranteed. the land of israel is worthy identity of the jewish people was forged. it was there were jacob dreamed his dreams. it was in jerusalem where david rolled his kingdom. we never forget that, but it is time the palestinians stop denying history. [applause] just as israel is prepared to recognize a palestinian state, the palestinians must be prepared to recognize a jewish state. [applause]

the president recognized the jewish state and in doing so, yourould be telling people, the palestinians, that while we might have a territorial dispute, the right of the jewish people to a state of their own is beyond dispute. [applause] you would be telling palestinians to abandon the fantasy of flooding israel with refugees were amputating parts of the galilee and recognizing the jewish state, you would finally make clear that you are truly prepared to and the conflict -- end the conflict. recognize the jewish state.

no excuses, no delays, it is time. [applause] my friends, it may take years, it may take decades for this formal acceptance of israel to filter down to all ayers of palestinian society. ace is to be more than a brief interlude between long-termel needs security arrangements on the ground to protect the peace and to protect israel if the peace unravels. though security arrangements would also a special always be though security arrangements would always be important but it would be war important when the peace in the middle east unravels.

three years ago, our region was a very different place. , anyonene sitting here listening to us -- can anyone tell me and be sure what the middle east would look like 5, 10, 20 years from now? that the security of .srael on our father's hopes in the middle east, that is usually a losing bet. we should always hope for the best, but in the middle east we have to be prepared for the worst. despite the best of hopes, international peacekeeping forces sent to neville -- lebanon, gaza, sinai, and golan heights, a did not prevent those -- areas fromming becoming armed strongholds against israel. if we reach in agreement with

the palestinians as i hope -- i don't delude myself. that peace will most certainly come under attack, constant attack, by hezbollah, hamas, al qaeda, and others. thatience has shown foreign peacekeepers, foreign peacekeeping forces, whether they keep the peace only when there is peace. when they are subjected to repeated attacks, those forces eventually go home. as long as the pieces under assault, the only force that can be relied on to defend the peace forcefend israel is the defending its own home, the israeli army, the brave soldiers of the idf. [applause]

i will reveal to you a secret. win theition may not universal praise. that occasionally happens when i stake out positions. i am charged with protecting the security of my people, the people of israel, and i will never gamble with the security of the one and only jewish state. [applause] as we work in the coming days, coming weeks to forge a door peace, ie -- a durable

hope that palestinian leadership will stand with israel and the united states on the right side of the moral divide. the site up these, thenciliation, and hope -- side of peace, reconciliation, and hope. you can clap. [applause] you want to encourage them to do that. i do, and i know you do, too. thank you. that is definitely on the wrong side of the moral divide is the movement to boycott israel. [applause] that movement will fail. [applause] why.e tell you [applause]

i want to explain to you why. beyond our traditional trading , countries throughout asia, africa, latin america where i will soon be going, these countries are flocking to israel. technologys really to help transform their technology their countries as it has hours. it is not just the small countries that are coming to israel. it is also the superpowers. superpowerse other -- apple, google, microsoft, yahoo! acebook, they come because they want to benefit from israel's unique ingenuity and innovation. the boycott movement is not going to stop that any more than the arab boycott movement could

stop israel from becoming a global technological power. they're going to fail. [applause] in the knowledge-based century, israel's best economic days are ahead of it, mark my words. [applause] wait, wait. i don't want you to get complacent. [laughter] the fact that they're going to fail doesn't mean that the bds movement should not be vigorously opposed. they should be opposed because they are bad for peace and they -- and because bds is just plain wrong. [applause]

most people in the bds movement don't seek a solution forced to states and two people. on the contrary, they openly admit that they seek the dissolution of the only state for the jewish people. they are not seeking peace. they are not seeking reconciliation. some of their gullible fellow travelers actually do believe that bds advances peace. the opposite is true. bds sets back piece because it hardens palestinian positions and it makes mutual compromise less likely. i think these are all important points, but not the critical one. the critical is that eds is morally wrong. it turns morality on its head. this is the main point. alln tell you israel, like

states, is not beyond criticism. we have a boisterous democracy. everyone has an opinion and believe me, no one in israel is shy about expressing it -- about anything. in israel, self-criticism is on steroids. aboves movement is not legitimate criticism. israel the making legitimate. it presents a distorted and twisted picture of israel to be naïve and the ignorant. farce.nothing but a here is why -- listen. in dozens of countries, academics are imprisoned for their beliefs. the universities of which country does bds want to sanction and boycott? israel.

he won country in the middle east were professors can say, write, and teach what they want. throughout the middle east, christians are fleeing for their lives. in what country does bds want churches to divide -- divest from? israel. the one country in the middle east that protects christians and the right of worship for everyone. [applause] throughout the middle east, and womens are jailed are denied their most basic rights. which country does bds want to sanction? take a guess. israel, the only country in the s, aon with a free pres progressive gay rights record, and where women have presided over each of the three branches of government. [applause]

this -- and anyone can verify this -- you have to wonder, how could anyone fall for the b.s. in bds? [laughter] [applause] well, you should not be surprised. run history people believe the most outrageous, absurd thing about the jews. oft were using the blood children to bake, that we were spreading the plague throughout europe, that we were plotting to take over the world. say, how can can educated people today believe the nonsense spewed by bds about israel? that should not surprise you, either. some of history's most

influential thinkers and writers dostoevsky, t.s. eliot, many others, spread the the preposterous lies about jewish people. it is hard to should prejudices that have been ingrained in consciousness over millennia. from antiquity to the middle ages to modern times, jews were boycotted, discriminated against, and singled out. out of thesingling jewish people has turned into the singling out of the jewish state. , divest, andoycott sanction israel, the most threatened democracy on earth, are simply the latest chapter in history ofd dark anti-semitism. [applause] those who wear the bds label should be treated exactly as we

bigot.ny anti-semite or they should be exposed and condemned. the boycotters should be boycotted. [applause] everyone should know what the --ters bds really stand for bigotry, dishonesty, and shame. [applause] , ikee who oppose bds scarlett johansson, they should be applauded. [applause]

scarlet, i have one thing to say to you. frankly my dear, i do give a dam. i know all of you give a damn, as do decent people everywhere who reject hypocrisy and lies and cherish integrity and truth. my friend, on behalf of the people of israel, i bring a message from jerusalem, the cradle of our modern civilization. it's a message from the bible. [speaking hebrew] have put before you life and

death, the blessing and the curse. so that you and your offspring may live. america and israel stand for life. we stand together on the right side of the moral divide. we stand together on the right side of history, so stand tall, stand strong, stand proud. [applause] thank you, thank you, thank you. [applause]

thank you. thank you. thank you very much. thank you all. doing a great job. thank you. [applause] thank you all. >> senate foreign relations

committee chairman and as was among tuesday's speakers at the apex conference. he talked about iran's nuclear program saying he supports the plume of the sanction should be in place. he also talked about ukraine and the aid pact in word don -- being worked on by has committee. >> please welcome the former aipac president lonnie kaplan. [applause] ♪ >> this morning we are honored to welcome one of the true leaders in the united states senate. is 13 years in the house, he the current chairman of the senate foreign relations committee, senator robert menendez.

senator robert menendez has been one of america's most outspoken figures on behalf of freedom around the world and on the quest to prevent a ran from acquiring nuclear weapons capability. from being the lead sponsor on legislation to delivering powerful floor speeches, the senators focus, dedication, and leadership on this issue are second to none. please welcome a true champion , senatorited states robert menendez.

[applause] >> [speaking spanish] >> thank you very much, and i might continue -- for those of you who are terrified i might continue in spanish, let me a thanke kaplan -- let me lonnie kaplan. -- thankonored to bank those i have stood shoulder by at ourr with sometimes

own political peril. we have always stood together when it comes to the security of the state of israel, and it's one of the hallmarks of this organization. i am especially honored this the stage withe prime minister netanyahu, a powerful voice for a strong, secure, and democratic israel. he is the personification of a sentiment john kennedy once expressed when he said, "israel order toreated in disappear. israel will endure and flourish. it is the child of hope in the home of the brave. it carries the shield of democracy and honors the sword of freedom. like israel, benjamin netanyahu is not created to disappear, and i know with the shield of democracy in one hand and the sword of freedom in another, he

will inform and inspire us as he always has. what other reflections? i am proud to appear before aipac as the manifestation of government istory all about, citizens petitioning their government so when some question their motives i would remind them of the first re-words of the preamble of the constitution of the united , ands, that we the people that's who you are. when i addressed this for him last year, i said israel and the united states have always agreed that israel be able to defend itself no matter what blooms from the shifting sands of the

arab spring. one year later i look at the deeplyand i am concerned. the spread of radical islamic fundamentalism from the hindu shia crescent, ae ark of unrest has become long winter of discontent that threatens an entire region and threatens the worst players in the region, and it makes the outcome less predictable and increasingly dangerous for israel and the united states. in an increasingly dangerous, unstable, and unpredictable neighborhood, making a strategic order ship with the united states even more imperative. together we are a pillar of regional stability. together we are shining examples of democratic values and the benefits a strategically deep partnership can bring.

together, israel and the united states have much more than military allies. we have collaborated on science and technology, economic issues as well as on our security, that when it comes to military cooperation between our nations, i am proud to continue to take our security relationship with israel to unprecedented levels, from that production of rocket attacks to ensuring israel's military adage, all of us are safer and more secure because of the strategic relationship. [applause] i have led the senate foreign relations committee and finding the best way forward in the region. on syria my committee's authorization for the use of military force last september was the reason assad agreed to dismantle and destroy his regime's arsenal of chemical weapons. theecided to comply with

will of the international community only when he perceived u.s. military action should be imminent, clearly demonstrating our willingness to use our military power can be a force for positive change. [applause] sometimes hindsight is 2020, and we may look back on that resolution as a missed opportunity to end the violence catastrophe vices. i think thed, united states must reassure its not takethat we will the military option off the table when that force can be used to achieve clearly defined outlooks.ecurity at the end of the day i have led the committee in an effort to promote economic reform across

the region and globally with the willingness to project the strength of our military when wherever and whenever democracy takes hold and people embrace the rule of law. can assure you i will continue to lead the foreign relations committee on the dual tracks and the power embedded in the strategic partnership. both are needed if we are to protect our national security and should -- interests at home and the security of our friends around the world. excuse me for one moment. that includes the security of the ukraine. let me say russia's actions ofstitute a violation international law and the quick .esponse to support ukraine

the senate foreign relations committee is developing a to ukrainesupport and also to pursue a menu of .anctions you must say what you mean and mean what you say, and that is what we intend to do. i think most of you know what i stand for. you know what i believe in. i have stood with so many. ladies and gentlemen, i have .orked on iran

[applause] ladies and gentlemen. i have worked on iran's nuclear issues for 21 years, starting when i was a member of the house, when i found out the united states was sending voluntary contributions to the international atomic energy administration, whose voluntary contributions above membership dues were going to create capacity of the nuclear facility, not in the national interest of the united states, not in the national interest of the state of israel. for a decade i was told my concerns had no legitimate basis , that iran would never be able online ande plant that iran's nuclear activities were not a major concern.

history has shown us those assessments about iran's abilities and intentions were man,ly wrong man -- wrong and i believe they are wrong today. i am skeptical of iran keeping .ts promises and what we should expect before we moved to an agreement that we would hope permanently dismantles iran's to clear weapon program. support a diplomatic row gram to get us to a deal. this must be reinforced by international commitment to international regime -- to

sanctions against iran. we must keep the pressure on. skatenot let them opt you obfuscate tote -- make sure they never have the ability to create one nuclear bomb. will continue to do all i can to make sure we do not dismantle the sanctions regime until and unless iran dismantles their ability to create even one bomb. the international community seems to want any deal more than it wants a good deal. [applause]

let's understand we need to ensure iran cannot delay sanctions while they retain the ability to resume their weapons program at any time. the longer we let them delay, the swifter the research and development brings new, more powerful centrifuges and the closer they get to breakout capability. it's that capability that must he dismantle. then we would have a good deal. we cannot let the international sanctions regime unravel before we have that better deal but dismantles iran's ability to produce highly enriched uranium, a deal that fully addresses the weaponization of iran's milk -- nuclear program. the mereem is possibility sanctions might be broughtas already

russian business delegations to tehran. let me be clear. i support diplomatic efforts. i have always supported diplomacy and sanctions, but at the same time, i am convinced we should only relieve pressure on iran in exchange for verifiable concessions that will dismantle program.clear and that we do that in a way that sends along bells from vienna to tel aviv to washington should iran restart its program anytime in the next 20 or 30 years. i am here to say my intention as chair of the senate foreign relations committee, to make absolutely certain any deal we may reach with iran is verifiable, is affect of, and prevents them -- is defective --

and prevents them from developing one nuclear weapon. based on the parameters described in the joint plan of inion and all i have heard briefings and recent actions, i'm very concerned. is not a nothing ventured, nothing gained enterprise. we have placed our proven effective international sanctions online without clearly defining the parameters of what we expected a final agreement that's what we expect in a final agreement, and that's why the letters we have joined together is incredibly important, because it outlines the essence of what the final agreement that would be acceptable is. to those who believe if do not result in a deal or if iran breaks the deal, we can always impose new sanctions. let me be clear.

if negotiations fail, or if iran breaks the deal, we may not have to pass new sanctions. even if iran to -- were to pass or they do not reach an agreement that is acceptable, there will be six months to bring that online and at least a year for the real this willbe felt. bring us be on the short time iran would need to build a nuclear bomb, especially since the interim agreement does not require them to dismantle anything. it basically freezes their capability as it stands today. let everybody understand if

there is no deal i do not believe we will have sufficient time to effectively impose new sanctions before a ron could produce a nuclear weapons, leaving the west with only two options -- a nuclear armed iran or a military action. i believe we can prevent those being the only two options by the legislation we have proposed in a bipartisan effort to create sanctions so the iranians will put that as part of very creation. -- of their equal asian. -- of their equation. [applause] in my view, iran's strategy is to use these negotiations to overhaul its nuclear program just long enough to undo the international sanctions regime. iran is insisting on keeping

core elements of its program, and richmond, the water reactor, the underground facility, and why they may be subject to safeguards so they can satisfy the international community in the short run, if they are allowed to retain their infrastructure, they could revive their program in the future. bottom line, if they get their way, they dismantle virtually nothing. the sanctions are one reason the arabians are at the table. the fact is iran is looking to lock the door on its nuclear weapons program, and should they walk away later from the deal as they have in the past, they can simply unlock the door and continue their nuclear weapons program from where they are today. if that sounds familiar, it should. it sounds a lot like north korea. let's not forget despite the

somatic and treaties to the arabians in recent years were hands were extended and secret talks were pursued, iran has grown support of terror. a history of terror against u.s. citizens is lengthy, robust, and grounded in the view the united states. groups that of attacks against the united states continue. died in the bombing in lebanon, 19 in saudi arabia. in recent years we have traced responsibility for illegal actions against american troops in iraq and afghanistan as well as an attack on the saudi ambassador in 2011 all to a ron. ran -- to iran. is spending on

fighters every day. it is sponsoring attacks against sunnis in iraq and promoting terrorism in a broader conflict. with all of this in mind, i ofieve in the wisdom sanctions i have proposed. i believe in the lessons of history that tell us a ron -- a cannot be trusted to live up to its word without external pressure. nuclear is iran's aspirations did not materialize overnight. make no mistake. iran is developing nuclear capability fundamental to its

existence. it sees nuclear weapons as part of the strategy to make tehran the center of power or out the region. that is why our allies and are sos in the region skeptical, so concerned. while i welcome diplomatic , i am deeply skeptical based upon these 21 years of experience. at a minimum, we need to send a that ouro iran patience is not unlimited and the message that sanctions thise has not weekend and is not an opportunity to reengage with iran. tois time to put rhetoric the test. if we are to take the n doesent's words that ira

not seek nuclear weapons, if that is true, the iranian government should not have problems with the obvious follow-up to that claim, starting with the dismantling of its nuclear infrastructure. that is all the sanctions legislation seeks. i did not think we should settle for anything less. we should settle for anything less? let me close by saying at the end of the day we cannot know what the future will hold. we do not know what will bloom from the shifting sands of the middle east, but what we do know , what we must understand is that the united states must be the one to step up to help andect the israeli people counter the threat that would be .oised by a nuclear iran i have said many times the

holocaust was the most sinister reminder the jewish population in exile was in constant jeopardy. it was a definitive argument and i cynicism could appear anywhere, and its horrors garnered international support for the state of israel, but have a central role in israel's identity, it is not the reason behind its founding, and it's not the main reason for its existence. the modern establishment of the has long andel deep roots going back to the times of abraham and sarah. there is no denying the jewish people a legitimate right to it -- legitimate right to live in a homeland for which they have a connection for thousands of changedd that has not his.

changed.as not [applause] often, the past is truly prolonged. prologue. next is the start of the holiday that marks the delivery of the jewish people in persia. as the story goes, a plot was hatched to destroy all jews in the persian empire, but mordecai and his adopted daughter foiled the plot, and a day of deliverance became a day of celebration. obviousllel is all too when it comes to the situation today in the middle east and the protection of the israeli people from the threat posed i nuclear iran.. let's pray if the time should come, together we will be like mordechai and esther, and we

shall foil iran's nuclear threat and deliver the jewish people to protect thes world from a nuclear threat. that's our prayer, and that's what we're going to work to achieve. [applause] >> coming up next president obama introduces his 2015 budget. that mitch mcconnell response to the president budget. after that a look at the situation in ukraine, first with vladimir putin, followed by remarks on the senate floor from chris christie, john mccain. treasury secretary jack lew heads to capitol hill to testify on the president's $3.9 trillion

2015 budget request. 10:30ary lou appears that a.m. eastern, and you can join on twitter and facebook. house budget director testifies wednesday on the president's 2015 budget request before the budget committee. you can join the conversation on facebook and twitter. >> the three items are first exceptionality, and you can get it from a lot of different sources, but you feel like you are special and destined for special things. the second element is almost seemingly the opposite, and that is a -- of insecurity, the

feeling you are not quite good enough. the third element is impulse control or self doesn't earn that self-discipline and the ability to avoid temptation. >> of individuals that have these qualities grow up in have a they tend to destruction relationship between their culture and american culture such that the second generation of immigrant star looking back on their parents and grandparents generations and saying, we don't want to be successful in the way you told us to. we don't want those jobs. instead, they make their own decisions, whether it's to be a standup comic or artist, and yet what we found is aspirational he, the same qualities can help them achieve very different kinds of goals. and impulsety control, the triple package.

part of book tv this weekend on , and we will discuss the book on carmichael. >> the new c-span.org website gives you access to an incredible library of elliptical event with more added each day through nonstop coverage of national politics, history, and books. find daily coverage of official washington, or access more than 200,000 hours of archived c-span video, everything c-span has 1987, and our video is all searchable and viewable on your desktop computer, tablet, or smart phone. just look for the search bar on the top of your page. the new c-span.org makes it easy to watch what is happening today

in washington and find people and events from the past 25 years. it the most comprehensive video library in politics. >> president obama released his 2015 budget request tuesday morning. it increases tax credits for the working poor and expand early childhood education. the president also commented on russia's intervention in ukraine. this is about 15 minutes. 2>> good morning, everybody. i am here at powell elementary school and just had a chance to see some of the outstanding students here. i thought it was an appropriate setting for me to say a few words about the budget i sent to congress this morning because obviously the budget is not just about numbers. it's about our values. and it's about our future. and how well we are laying the groundwork for those young children that i was with a few moments ago to be able to succeed here in america. these kids may not be the most

excited people in town on budget day, but it is designed with their generation and future generations in mind. in my state of the union address, i laid out an agenda to restore opportunity for all people, to uphold the principle that no matter who you are, no matter where you started, you can make it if you try, here in america. this opportunity agenda is built on four parts. more good jobs and good wages, taking sure we are training workers with the skills they need to get those good jobs. guaranteeing every child access to a world-class education. and making sure that our economy is one in which hard work is rewarded. the budget i sent congress this morning lays out how we will implement this agenda in a balanced and responsible way. it is a roadmap for creating jobs, good wages, and expanding opportunity for americans. at a time when our deficit has been cut in half, it enables us to meet our obligations to future generations without a mountain of debt. this adheres to the spending

principles members of both houses and both parties agreed to. it also builds on that progress with what we are calling an opportunity, growth, and security initiative, that invests in our economic priorities in a smart way that is fully paid for by making smart spending cuts and closing tax loopholes that right now only benefit the well-off and well-connected. i will give you an example. right now our tax system provides benefits to wealthy individuals who save, even after they have amassed multimillion dollar retirement accounts. by closing that loophole, we can help create jobs and grow the economy, and expand opportunity without adding a dime to the deficit. we know the country that wins the race for new technology will win the race for new jobs, so this budget creates 45 high-tech manufacturing hubs where businesses and universities will

partner to turn groundbreaking research into new industries and new jobs made in america. we know, and this is part of the reason we are here today, that education has to start at the earliest possible ages. so this budget expands access to the kind of high-quality preschool and other learning programs to give all our children the same opportunities the most wonderful children we just saw are getting right here at powell. we know that while not all of today's good jobs will require four-year college degree, more and more of them are going to require some form of higher education or specialized training, so this budget expands apprenticeships to connect more ready to work americans with ready to be filled jobs. and we know that future generations will continue to deal with the effects of the warming planet, so this budget proposes a smarter way to

address the costs of wildfires. it includes over $1 billion in funding to help communities prepare for a changing climate today, and set up incentives to build smarter and more resilient infrastructure. we also know that the most effective and historically bipartisan ways to reduce poverty and help hardworking families pull themselves up is the earned income tax credit. right now, it helps about half of all parents in america at some point in their lives. this budget gives millions more workers the opportunity to take advantage of the tax credit. and it pays for it by closing loopholes like the ones that let wealthy individuals classify themselves as a small business to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. this budget will also continue to put our fiscal house in order over the long term, not by putting the burden on folks who can least afford it, but by

reforming our tax code and our immigration system and building on the progress that we made to reduce health care costs under the affordable care act. it puts our debt on a downward path as a share of our total economy, which independent experts have said is a critical target for fiscal responsibility. as i said at the outset, our budget is about choices. it is about our values. as a country, we have to make a decision, if we are going to protect tax breaks for the wealthiest americans or if we're going to make smart investments necessary to create jobs, grow our economy and expand opportunity for every american. at a time when our deficits are falling at the fastest rate in 60 years, we have to decide if we are going to keep squeezing the middle class or if we're going to continue to reduce the deficits responsibly, while

taking steps to grow and strengthen the middle class. the american people have made clear time and again which approach they prefer. that is the approach my budget offers. that is why i am going to fight for it this year and in the years to come as president. thank you very much, everybody. michael? >> do you have any response to president putin's press conference this morning? is chancellor merkel right that he has lost touch with reality? have you spoken to him personally? >> i have not spoken to him since i spoke to him this past weekend. but obviously, me and my national security team have been watching events unfolding in ukraine very closely. i met with them again today. as many of you know, john kerry is in kiev as we speak, at my direction. he's expressing our full support for the ukrainian people. over the past several weeks, we've been working with our partners and with the i.m.f. to build international support for a package that helps to stabilize ukraine's economy. and today we announced a significant package of our own to support the ukraine's economy and to also provide them with the technical assistance they need. it includes a plan loan

guarantee package of $1 billion. it provides immediate technical expertise to ukraine to repair its economy. importantly, it provides for assistance to help ukraine plan for elections that are going to be coming up very soon. as i said yesterday, it is important that congress stand with us. i don't doubt the bipartisan concern that's been expressed about the situation in the ukraine. there is something immediate congress can do to help us. that is to help finance the economic package that could stabilize the economy in ukraine, help to make sure that fair and free elections take place very soon, and as a consequence helps to de-escalate the crisis. in the meantime, we are consulting with our international allies across the board. together, the international

community has condemned russia's violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of ukraine. he have condemned their intervention in crimea. and we are calling for a de-escalation of the situation, and international monitors that can go into the country right away. and above all, we believe that the ukrainian people should be able to decide their own future, which is why the world should be focused on helping them stabilize the situation economically and move towards the fair and free elections that are currently scheduled to take place in may. there have been some reports that president putin is pausing for a moment, reflecting on what's happened. i think we've all seen that, from the perspective of the european union, the united states, allies like canada and japan and allies and friends and partners around the world, there is a strong belief that russia's action is violating international law.

i know president putin seems to have a different set of lawyers, maybe a different set of interpretations. but i do not think that is fooling anybody. i think everybody recognizes that, although russia has legitimate interests in what happens in a neighboring state, that does not give it the right to use force as a means of exerting influence inside of that state. we have said that if, in fact, there is any evidence out there that russian speakers, russian natives, russian nationals are in any way being threatened, there are ways of dealing with that through international mechanisms. and we are prepared to make sure

that the rights of all ukrainians are upheld. and in fact, in conversations we have had with the government in kiev, they have been more than willing to work with the international community and with russia to provide such assurances. the fact that we are still seeing soldiers out of their barracks in crimea is an indication to which what is happening there is not based on actual concern for russian nationals or russian speakers inside of ukraine, but is based on russia seeking, through force, to exert influence on a neighboring country. that is not how international law is supposed to operate. i would also note just the way that some of this has been reported -- there is a suggestion somehow that the russian actions have been clever strategically. i actually think this has not been a sign of strength, but

rather is a reflection that countries near russia have deep concerns and suspicions about this kind of meddling. if anything, it will push many countries further away from russia. there is the ability for ukraine to be a friend of the west and a friend of russia's, as long as none of us are in ukraine, trying to meddle and intervene, certainly not militarily, with decisions that properly belong to the ukrainian people. that is the principle that john kerry is going to be speaking to during his visit. i will be making additional calls today to some of our key foreign partners, and i suspect i will be doing that all week and through the weekend. as i indicated yesterday, the course of history is for people to want to be free to make their own decisions about their own futures. the international community, i think, is unified in believing

that it is not the role of an outside force, where there has been no evidence of serious violence. where there's been no rationale under international law to intervene and people trying to determine their own destiny. so we stand on the side of history that i think more and more people around the world deeply believe in the principle that a sovereign people, independent people, are able to make their own decisions about their own lives. mr. putin can throw a lot of words out there, but the facts on the ground indicate that right now he is not abiding by that principle. there is still the opportunity for russia to do so, working with the international community to help stabilize the situation. we have sent a clear message that we are prepared to work with anybody, if they're genuine interest is making sure that

ukraine is able to govern itself. as i indicated before, something i think is not an -- has not been emphasized enough, they are currently scheduled to have elections in may. everybody in the international community should be invested in making sure that the economic deterioration that's happened in the ukraine stops, but also that these elections are perceived in a fair and free way, in which all ukrainians, including russian speakers, inside of ukraine, are able to express their choice of who should lead them. if we have a strong, robust, legitimate election, there should not be any question as to whether the ukrainian people govern themselves without the kinds of outside interference we see russia exert. all right?

thank you very much, everybody. \[captioning performed by national captioning institute] \[captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2014] >> minority leader mitch mcconnell spoke on the senate ther tuesday criticizing president's budget. here is a look at his remarks. advocates. madam president, on another matter, the release of a >> the release of a president's budget is usually a pretty big deal, but president obama's latest budget, released this hadn't gotten much excitement. folks just aren't taking it seriously because it's not a very serious document. cument. first of all, it could probably never even pass the democratic-led senate. and in some sense, really that's the point. rather than put together a

constructive blueprint the two parties could use as a jumping off point to get our economy moving and our fiscal house in order, the president has once again opted for the political stunt for a budget that's more about firing up the base in an election year than about solving the nation's biggest and most persistent long-term challenges. it would increase taxes by well over $1 trillion in the worst economic slowdown nearly anyone can remember. it would explode spending by $790 billion, forcing us to borrow more money from places like china. as i indicated, it would do almost nothing to address the most serious threats facing our children's few taourbgs and it doesn't even -- futures, and it doesn't even come close to balancing this year. now no wonder the president thought the left would love it, but here's my question for the president: what about the middle

class? what's in it for them? it seems to me like the president has just about given up on helping folks who are in the middle action folks who feel like washington doesn't take their concerns and anxieties into consideration anymore. what hope is he giving them that their medical bills won't be as high, that their wages will start going up instead of down? what's in this budget for them except a nagging feeling that they'll just keep getting squeezed? look, the president is well into his sixth year of trying to fix this economy, his sixth year of trying to tax and spend and regulate our way to prosperity, just as his ideology demands. but this much has to be clear by now: this doesn't work. since 2009, the government has spent almost $18 trillion. yet millions, millions of middle-class americans continue to suffer whether in the

unemployment line or in jobs that barely allow them to get by. it's time the president realize that doubling down on the same failed policies is simply not going to work. yet, that's just what this budget proposes to do. we don't need anymore election-year gimmicks. what's needed is a new approach, a positive strategy that focuses on helping the middle class instead of appeasing the far left. president obama still got two years left in his presidency. it's not too late for him to try to make a positive difference for folks struggling to pay their bills, but he's got to let go of the left and reach out to the middle. he has to decide that bipartisan solutions are worth fighting for. if he does, he's going to find significant support on this side of the aisle. we want to work with him to get important things done for our country. we always have. we're eager to expand opportunity for the middle class and to build more ladders of

opportunity for those who aspire into it. we're eager to enact policies that can create american jobs, approving things like the keystone pipeline and medical device tax repeal and important new trade legislation, just to name a few things that we could do together. we're eager to find ways to control spending and put the debt on a path to elimination. we're eager to reform the regulatory state so that the rules coming out of washington actually work for people other than the bureaucrat class that rights them. there are bipartisan solutions to be had on these types of issues if only the president can put politics aside for a few minutes and actually work with us, really work with us, because the kind of unserious budget he put out today, that's just the type of silly politicking we need to get past. after all, why would we want a budget that grows the federal

budget while the middle class continues to shrink? washington is doing just fine in the obama economy. but real americans deserve a lot better, and we can give it to them if we work together. what i'm saying is this, mr. president. you've got two years left in office. work with us >> senator harry reid. his remarks are followed by who said reedl, left out john stier. this is 15 minutes. leader. mr. reid: charles and david koch are shrewd businessmen. their wealth is nearly unparalleled. not only in america but in the

world. the brothers inherited a small oil company. they inherited this company from their dad. they built it into a multinational corporation. it refines oil, makes carpets, manufacturers fertilize,chemicals, makes paper products, extracts minerals, produces glass, they own a cattle ranch, lots of stuff. like most shrewd businessmen, the oil baron koch brothers are very good at protecting and growing their prodigious future and fortune. there's nothing un-american about that. but what is un-american is when shadowy billionaires pour unlimited money into our democracy to rig the system to benefit themselves and the wealthiest 1%. i believe in an america where economic opportunity is open to all. and based on their actions and

policies they promote, the koch brothers seem to believe in an america where the system is rigged to benefit the very wealthy. based on senate republicans' ardent defense of the koch brothers and the fact that they advocate for many of the same policies as the koch brothers, it seems my republican colleagues also believe in a system that benefits billionaires at the expense of the middle class. the koch brothers are willing to invest billions to tbhi buy that america. they're investing billions to buy that america. in 2010, the supreme court opened the floodgates of corporate money into locktorial politics -- into electoral politics. that was with the citizens united decision. since they can launder their huge contributions use being shadowy shell groups and so-called nonprofits, it is difficult to tell exactly how

much they've invested so far. investigative reporting by some of the most respected news outlets in the country has revealed that the koch brothers funnel money flew a web of industry groups -- through a web of industry groups that are immune from disclosure rules such as the club for growth, heritage, a n.r.a., and the the united states chamber of commerce. we may never, never know how much money the koch brothers are spending to rig the system, to rig the system for themselves. but we do know their investments have paid off already. in november 2010, the petroleum industry walked right through the door the supreme court had opened and spent hundreds of millions of dollars to elect a republican majority in the house of representatives. that majority has effectively shut down any hope of passing legislation to limit the pollution that has caused climate change. and that republican majority is in fact working to gut the most important safeguards to keep cancer-causing toxins and

pollutions that cause sickness and death out of the air we breathe and the water we drink. without those safeguards, the koch brothers would pass on the higher health care costs to middle-class americans while padding their own pocketbooks. so the koch brothers are already seeing a return on their 2010 investment, and a republican house of representatives will do it what they want done. but they certainly haven't stopped there, madam president. the kochs backed americans for process experprosperity alone s0 million last election cycle. if you have seen an ad recently maligning the affordable care act or obamacare, chances are significantly that these ads are one of the shadow groups paid for by the koch brothers. koch-backed groups have spent a vast sum electing -- trying to elect republican senate cans --

senate candidates this year, some that back the senatorial campaign spending. the koch brothers and other moneyed interests are influencing the politica politia way not seen for generations. republican senators have come to the floor to defend the koch brothers' attempt to buy our democracy. once again, republicans are all in to protect their billionaire friends. not only have senate republicans come to the the floor to defend the koch brothers personally, they have again and again defended the koch brothers' radical agenda -- and it is radical, at least from the middle-class perspective. senate republicans have opened so many different avenues to oppose closing a single tax loophole. they've -- senate republicans oppose closing even a loophole for these oil companies or corporationcorporations that shs

overseas. and this benefits the koch brothers. senate republicans have proposed asking billionaires to pay the same higher tax rate as middle-class tax families, as so illustrated by wa warren buffet. they have proposed workplace standards that might cost the koch brothers a few extra dimes, a few extra dollars, maybe. and the koch brothers are returning the favor with huge donations to republican senate candidates, either directly or indirectly. senate republicans, madam president, are addicted to koch. in fact, senate republicans hardly need the nrsc anymore, which for decade after decade was their main funding tool for the republican senate. not any longer. the koch brothers take care of that. besides, the nrsc can't hide its donors' identities, like the

koch brothers' funding groups can. senate republicans call this freewheeling spending by anonymous donors nothing more than free speech -- free speech. senate republicans say, whoever has the most money gets the most free speech. but that's not what america's founding fathers said. they didn't mean that by "free speech." the founders believed in a democracy where every american had a voice and a vote. this discussion, this fight, isn't just about health care or even about a few hundred million dollars in disingenuous ads. ads this is about two very wealthy brothers who intend to buy their own congress, a congress beholden to their money and bound to enact their radical philosophy. witness this, madam president. senators beholden to wealthy special interests -- republican senators -- rushed to the floor

to defend the kochs whifer say something nextgen -- whenever i say something negative about the brothers or their radical agenda. by the way, the words "radical agenda" aren't my words. charles koch proudly told brian doherty, editor of the magazine "reason" about his self-described "radical philosophy" in 2007. these are the same brothers whose koch industries rank near the top of the list of america's worst objectio toxic air pollut. these are the same brothers whose company, according to a bloomberg investigation, paid bribes and kickbacks to win contracts in africa, india, and the middle east. these are the same brothers who, according to the same report, used foreign subsidies -- subsidiaries to sell millions of dollars of equipment to iran, a

state sponsor of terrorism. let's make sure we understand that madam president. i may not have said it quite right. these are the same brothers who, according to the same report, use foreign subsidies -- i said it wrong again. foreign entities is the word, better than my trying to say the other word, which didn't come out quite right. these same brothers, according to the same report, use foreign entities to sell millions of dollars of equipment to iran, a state sponsor of terrorism. we all know that. the koch brothers already believe they can play by a different set of rules. think about how an america rigged by the koch brothers would look. they don't care about creating a strong public education system in america. the koch brothers don't care about