public interest benefits fostered by jsa's in rockford an area i represent without these agreements the fox station produces actually hispanic newscast and they've said that they will not be able to produce that newscast, for instance. while i don't believe my local tv station should have to fight for a waiver -- and we can have a broader issue on the whole can that discussion. your role, are you going to make sure these stations can take advantage of the waivers? will there be clear and transparent standards for apply for waivers? >> you raised a really important point about waivers. why we had to deal with jsa's, there was becoming a cottage industry in this town on k street of lawyers figuring out ways to get around the ownership rules the commissions had in place forever. jsa's were a favorite way of

doing that. what we have said is that you have to have attributable ownership, as you indicated. waivert there is a process to address exactly what you are talking about in rockford. yes, it is an expedited process. it is a situation, unfortunately, where the process the over and perverted underlying rules and the basic concepts of ownership. >> we can have that discussion when i have more time. i have had a lot of concerns from local tv stations in my district. while we disagree with the rule, i hope you make it very clear how they can apply for these waivers. i yield back.

thank you. >> thank you very much. on behalf of mr. matheson and myself, thank you, chairman wheeler, for your testimony. we look forward to working with you. the hearing is now adjourned. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2014] >> part of a "washington journal " discussion on the middle east respiratory system, known as mers. see the whole program at c-span.org. here is part of the conversation.

host: dr. michael bell is joining us. associate director from the cdc infection control unit. he is joining us from the cdc this morning. we will talk about the mers virus. what is mers? virus.it is a new it is related to the sars virus that spread several years ago. it is normally an animal virus. it can spread to humans. when it does it can cause a , severe respiratory infection. host: what does it stand for? where did the name come from? guest: it stands for middle eastern respiratory syndrome. the arabian peninsula is significantly affected by the virus. we have seen cases throughout the region. there is information that it seems to be a link with camels. that is not completely pinned down at this point.

that is an early clue that that might be part of the animal pathway. host: why would that be the source? where else could the source come from? guest: it is interesting. when viruses get into the human world from an animal reservoir, the path can be mixed. we saw with sars that the meat animal in markets seemed to be the original source. with other infections who we have seen bats be a source. an original source but not necessarily the direct source. they transmit the infection to pigs or horses. with other viruses, animals in between the original source and humans can be part of the pathway. they can be very difficult to pin down. host: how is it spread? guest: what we know so far is based on early and limited information.

what we can say for sure is it does not seem to spread from person to person very efficiently. it does not spread across a group of people like chickenpox in a summer camp. it is not like that. it seems to be related to very close contact with someone who is actively sick. people who have taken care of a sick family member or somebody working in health care settings, they have had secondary cases. host: what are the symptoms? mers causes generic looking respiratory infection. coughs and fever are at the top of the list. some people will have a runny nose. there might be headaches. nothing that would distinguish it based on symptoms alone. host: is it fatal? guest: no. a few people have died. more than a few, actually. the people who have died tend to be older with other diseases like heart disease or diabetes.

these are people for whom any infection are at a greater risk of a bad outcome. the majority of people have a mild respiratory infection. they get over it. we are concerned about the fact that some people have died. those people are at risk. host: this is the headline in usa today. mysterious mers' third case brings more questions. where has it been found in the u.s. and why? guest: there are two cases that were imported directly from the middle east. those individuals arrived home in florida and indiana. the ferry case is someone who withace-to-face contact the indiana patient after they .rrived in the country that person had a mild cold.

because we have been careful about tracing everyone who might have been exposed, this is behind the scenes that nobody ever gets to hear about. when something like this happens, cdc mobilizes a tremendous amount of personnel resources and communications resources to make sure that every last person who was sharing a flight or in the case of the indiana person, a bus, gets tracked down and identified and alerted so that they know that if they start to feel ill they need to take it very seriously. if they will allow us, we do testing. in the case of the business colleague, we did an early test and it was negative. a follow-up test was positive. it looks like he was exposed to the indiana patient and became mildly ill. he is now doing fine. tracing him after he turned positive was another piece of that work. host: for the illinois man who had just a cold, is he a carrier now? is it in the system?

could other people contracted from him? guest: that is why we are so careful about tracking people down. we don't want multiple people to start new chains of transmission. while we are sick, it is possible to spread the infection to other people liked other respiratory viruses. like other respiratory viruses, once you are better, you're not a carrier anymore. host: talk about the cdc mobilizing resources. have you been able to track down everyone on the flight or on the bus? what reaction do you get from people when they hear from you? guest: the impressive thing is not only that we tracked down everyone, and we don't do this alone, we do this with airlines and other health authorities in other countries. there is a lot of cross communication takes place. it happens amazingly quickly. this is the investment that we make in our major airports, our system for tracking travelers

and so on. when it comes to outbreaks. these are things that we maintain because when push comes to shove you do need very quickly. over the course of a day or two, the vast majority of people received some outreach. the reaction is mixed. some people are ho-hum about it. others are quite concerned. part of the value of being able to speak with them directly is we can guide them to information. we can answer questions up front and we can connect them with their state and local public health resources. host: you have seen the headlines about mers. the outbreak and the cases in this country. if you have questions or comments about that, dr. michael bell is our guest. he is the associate director for infection control at the centers for disease control and prevention. he will take your questions and comments. you can start dialing and now. democrats, (202) 585-3881.

republicans, (202) 585-3881. independents, (202) 585-3882. is this preventable? guest: that is a broad and mixed question. yes. in a way it is. we are investing heavily in several ways to make sure that we can control this. part of that control is preventing the problem abroad before it gets imported. cdc has been working night and day since this began to devise tests so that we have a very effective way of testing for this infection. if you can't test for something, if you cannot detect it, there is no way to track it or control it. having that test and being able to distribute it through our state health departments and our international partners that is , one of the major activities it takes place. behind-the-scenes you never

think about it. but there is no off-the-shelf commercial test for a newly emerging virus. that is something cdc does very quickly because we have a base of capability. one thing we do is make sure that everyone can detect it. you can imagine that if a health department in a state is able to quickly identify a case, we can surround that case and make sure that it does not spread to other people very effectively. if it takes weeks and weeks to get a result, there is more possibility it will spread. in the middle east, working with the partners there, we can improve infection control practices where the disease is originating and make it less likely that individuals who are infected will carry that disease out of the country. host: what about vaccination? aest: right now, there is not vaccine.

is thinkinghat naih about the potential vaccine that might work for this. we don't have one to rely on. it would be wonderful if we had one. this is the most impactful public health item you can imagine. host: is this an issue for the whole world? the united states? guest: when you think about what happened with sars, a similar virus, respiratory pathogen, that caused very severe illness and killed a good number of people. spread very effectively through air travel. in several instances, in canada, it caused chaos at a major hospital. if you think about what that does to the business world in terms of travel and in terms of international location, the ability to do business is significantly compromised when there is a risk of that kind of severe illness. whether it means you can't have meetings or your in country staff is incapacitated or if

there is a logistical chaos, all of this affects the bottom-line and makes it difficult for american interests to do business. >> on the next "washington journal," the immigration issue in congress with louie gohmert of texas. we will be joined by hawaii democrat colleen hanabusa. she will take questions about veterans healthcare. will discuss the significance of breakthrough technologies from the past. is live on journal" c-span everyday at 7:00 a.m. eastern with your calls and tweets. >> the house tuesday debated a

bill condemning the abduction of nigerian schoolgirls by the group boko haram. this is a little more than 40 minutes. might consume. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. royce: thank you. members, members of the house, the world is now fully aware of the absolute terror of boko haram. over the last few months there have been over 500 schools burned to the ground by boko haram. struck by the brazen abduction of nearly 300 innocent school girls, people are now asking, what is boke harm? sadly -- boko haram? sadly for the communities in nigeria, they know the answer to that. they know what boko haram means to them. they know that the definition of boko haram is western education is a sin and they know that for this particular

organization of particularly great importance is that young women not be educated. sadly for the communities in northern nigeria, they know that boko haram believes that you can kidnap women, you can sell young girls, you can treat them as chattel, you can enslave them, but the one great sin is should you try to educate them. because should you try to educate them, you will meet the fate of over 100 teachers who have been slaughtered in northern nigeria for trying to educate young women. boko haram in total has killed some 4,000 individuals now. the communities in northern nigeria live in constant fear. losing any normalcy of life. most of the schools in whole regions have been shut down,

community centers, farms, businesses have been boarded up and closed. even with the recent focus on rescuing these young women, boko haram has been able to continue its reign of terror. its militants have relatively sophisticated weapons, they have ample funds, they have advanced training. this group is the van guard of a foreign-backed move to transform and radicalize nigerian society. as many nigerians have told me in the country. since the abduction of these 300 students, more girls have been kidnapped and more nigerian security units have been attacked. this group, my friends, is not going away. boko haram lives up to its name . they have killed, as i say,

over 100 teachers, but over 500 students. they've denied tens of thousands of young nigerians an education, but they have a very alternative framework for education or indoctrineation that they intend to supplant. and despite knowing the dangers, these young women were committed to their education, the ones that were abducted. this resolution importantly puts the house on record saying , we are committed to getting them freed. the resolution supports u.s. assistance to the nigerian government in trying to rescue these girls and calls for a more active u.s. role. tomorrow we will hear from a young woman who herself was idnapped by boko haram and escaped. but it is clear that the nigerian security forces are

facing an uphill battle in the fight against boko haram. some of these problems are internal, some unprofessional and corrupt units that are poorly equipped, poorly trained. and that's led some to say that we should not be involved. but, mr. speaker, it tells me that u.s. involvement is critical. without u.s. expertise, including intelligence sharing, it's clear that the threat from the u.s.-designated terrorist group will grow. and these girls will suffer, other girls will suffer. the region will be destabilized. u.s. forces are well positioned to advise and assist. they can advise and assist nigerian forces in the search and rescue of these girls. in this role, u.s. forces expertly trained to deal with hostage situations, trained in jungle environments, could help

nigerians with intelligence planning and logistics up until the point the operation is launched. and if some u.s. laws would hinder such assistance, the administration should use its waiver authority under these extraordinary circumstances. and -- an advise and assist operation would have the benefit of boosting morale and effectiveness of the nigerian forces. it would ensure expert planning, it would ensure the best chance of success of rescue. this isn't dissimilar to the operation against the lord's resistance army in eastern africa. where u.s. forces have been imbedded with local units, training and constraining joseph kony. and it has been used in the past to eliminate al qaeda -linked terrorists in north africa. and while these girls are foremost in our mind, there are

larger crucials, too. indeed, -- considerations, too. indeed, commanders at the pentagon have stated that boko haram is, quote, a threat to western interests. and one of the highest counterterrorism priorities in africa, they tell us. and that's especially the case given nigeria's position as the continent's most pop us will country and biggest -- populous country and biggest economy. this resolution is a show of solidarity with these young kidnapped girls, with their families and with the communities in northern nigeria who have lived under constant fear of boko haram for far too long. i reserve the balance of my time. . the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york is recognized. mr. engel: i rise in strong support of h.res. 573 and i yield myself such time as i may consume. i would like to begin by thanking our former committee

colleague and our colleague, ms. wilson of florida, for authoring this important resolution. i would like to thank our chairman of the foreign affairs committee, mr. royce, for working with us on this piece of legislation in a bipartisan manner. this legislation condemns the abduction of nearly 500 school girls by the nigeriaian terrorist group boko haram and sports u.s. and international efforts to assist in their referry. on april 14, these school girls were doing what young women and girls do every day, studying with tests, playing with friends, building a future for themselves. that day, boko haram, which translates to western education is forbidden, abducted these girls, tore them away from their families and communities. today, more than a month later, we don't know where they are.

our thoughts are with their families and we pray they are safely reunite wd their children snaps. this mass abduction is the latest atrocity. they have launched hundreds of attacks and murdered over 5,000 people. the group has burned schools and killed students, attacked churches and mosques, murdered christian and religious leaders and set off bombs in the capital city. the united states and other international partners have offered assistance to bring the school girls home and we hope these efforts will prove successful. but we must recognize that nigeria's approach to continuering boko haram has not been effective. the nigeriaian military has alienated the population that could provide information about boko haram's activities.

instead of fostering relationships, it has indiscriminate destruction, theft of personal property and indefinite attention and torture, all of this. this serves all of this to help boko haram to recruit new members. i hope the nigeriaian government ill see this kidnapping as a wake-up call to counter their terrorism strategy and have a strategy to combat boko haram that includes better society. meanwhile, we in the united states must do all we can to ensure that these girls are returned home to their families safely and soundly. mr. speaker, i urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important resolution. and i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the entleman reserves.

mr. royce: mr. speaker, i yield four minutes to the gentleman from new jersey, mr. smith, the affairs of the foreign subcommittee. mr. smith: i thank chairman royce for bringing this important resolution to the floor. i thank congresswoman wilson for her upon soreship and eliot engel for the bipartisanship that has been exhibited on this very important and timely resolution. nearly two months ago, a large group of uniformed men, boko haram terrorists kidnapped school girls from the girl's secondary school. this case has recently caught the attention of the international community and people worldwide are now and belatedly calling for swift action to recover these innocent young men. unfortunately, boko haram basks in the international attention

and continues to release videos to demonstrate the leverage they believe they have gained by this and other kidnappings. boys caught by these terrorists are not kidnapped but scuted. 59 were killed in one state alone just this past february. mr. speaker, the government of new jersey continues to be slow to react. even after accepting much needed international security assistance. the nigeriaian government has asked for assistance in addressing this situation. a team consisting of personnel from state, department, justice and the f.b.i. by team was led by and nder david rodriguez

sarah seawall who will testify tomorrow. this enhanced engagement is welcomed in light of weak efforts by the government of nigeria and police military security apparatus that have failed to operate in a very divided manner and make enemies among the nigeriaian public because of their clumsy response. it is worth noting that for years, many of us and this has been bipartisan have been calling on the obama administration to declare boko haram a foreign terrorist organization. i held a hearing back in 2012 assist ant en secretary of state johnny carson why boko haram was not designated particularly in light of the killings that occurred of the u.n. facility. no good answers. we tried again. i went on a fack-finding trip in

september of last year. my staff director and i and met with people who are the survivors of fire bombing attacks that occurred in their churches while they were at mass or church sunday and we heard tales. ak-47who came and said an was put to his jaw and was told, renounce your faith. he said i'm ready to see my savior. the brutality of this organization, which now has some 300 young innocent women that are probably being raped and abused in so many ways, just underscores the need for concerted action first and foremost by nigeria and secondly by the international community. earlier today, five enforcing bills to combat human

trafficking passed on this floor of the house of representatives. this is another viv i had, extraordinary, hard example of human trafficking of stealing young girls right from their school, putting them in trucks and taking them into the bush, where horrible things are being done to them. we need to leave no stone unturned and if that means lifting in the sense of only working with those troops that are human rights certified to assist the military of nigeria, parts of the leahy amendment may have to be waived, we need to find these young girls back to safety. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california reserves. mr. royce: well, mr. speaker, i'm going to ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from new jersey be yielded the remainder of my time and he be allowed to control that time.

the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. royce: thank you, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. the gentleman from new york is recognized. mr. engel: thank you, mr. speaker. it's now my pleasure to give one minute of time to our democratic leader, the gentlewoman from from california, ms. pelosi. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. ms. pelosi: i thank the gentleman for yielding and i thank him, mr. royce, chairman of the committee. mr. smith and others who have brought this resolution to the floor. i'm especially proud of the work of congresswoman wilson for her work on the resolution before the house to condemn the abduction of female students by armed militants. thank you, congresswoman wilson. we have been fortunate to have the leadership of our congressional black caucus led by congresswoman fudge.

congressman keith ellison and congresswoman barbara lee, among others, who have come and gone in the course of the debate. we have called the congressional black caucus the conscience of the congress helping to rally our nation to the cause of these abducted girls and address the broader threat to women and girls around the girl. associate myself with the comments that have been addressed on the floor, trafficking of children that passed earlier. congresswoman sheila jackson lee was part of that. i rise today in support of the resolution introduced by congresswoman wilson and to stand in solidarity with the young nigeriaian girls who are still being held in captivity by the boko haram. their kidnapping is outside the

circle of human behavior and it is a crime that cries out for justice. nor is the first time that boko haram have attacked young nigeriaian students. they have murdered dozens of young boys, shooting and burning them, more than 50 of them to death in their boarding school. this is an afront to the human rights of men, women and children everywhere. it is important to note, mr. speaker, that we have a moral responsibility to help, certainly to find and recent cue these girls. we will not rest until we bring back our girls. but when we bring them back, we have to bring them back without the taboo or stigma that they had been kidnapped and assumptions made about their treatment. whatever that has been, i know that their families want to

welcome them back with open arms. and we have to be a party to that. the worst thing, the most cruel form of torture for someone who has been kidnapped, as mr. smith knows as a champion of human rights throughout the world, is to tell those who were kidnapped, abducted or raped that nobody cares for them anymore. nobody knows that they are kidnapped and nobody cares about them. and to these young girls, to say, because you have been kidnapped and certain assumptions have been made about your treatment, you will no longer be welcomed home, even if you are free. that's vicious. that's vicious. and i know a view not shared by the family of these girls. that should not be shared by anyone. as the resolution states women and girls must be allowed to go to school without violence and unjust treatment so they can take their rightful place as

equal citizens and contributors to society. t is an outrage that they face intimidation simply for seeking an education. outrage that human trafficking continues to threaten communities anywhere and i thank my colleagues for the participation and the long debate about trafficking that preceded this debate now. today we join together to say those girls held in captivity, we will not abandon you and stand up for you until justice is done. the thoughts and prayers of the world are with them, their families and their community. as i have said, capture and captivity of these girls captures the world in a very specific and different way and perhaps that difference will make a difference in how we deal with it. i again thank our colleagues to bring this to the floor and congresswoman wilson for her leadership and i yield back.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. the gentleman from new york reserves. the gentleman from california. mr. smith: we reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york is recognized. mr. engel: it's my pleasure to give five minutes to the author of this resolution, the gentlewoman from florida, ms. wilson. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. wilson: thank you, congressman engel. i would like to thank the leadership of the foreign affairs committee and original co-sponsors of this bipartisan resolution, congressman engel, congressman royce, congresswoman ros-lehtinen, congressman smith, congresswoman bass and the support of leader pelosi. i stand here today on the house floor demanding that we bring

back our girls. i am outraged and heart broken over the kidnapping of hundreds of female students in nigeria by the terrorist group boko haram. these girls have now been away from their home for more than a month. i cannot even begin to imagine what this is like for these girls, for their mothers, their not thers, their brothers, their entire village. we must end this nightmare. the abduction of these girls was committed to keep them from getting an education. the girls knew the dangers they might encounter. the school had previously been closed due to terrorist attacks, but they went to school any way. they went because they were determined to get an education, determined to build a better life for themselves and for their families. women and girls have the right to go to school without fear of

violence and unjust treatment. i believe we must do everything in our power to ensure the safe return of these precious young girls. that is why i introduced house resolution 573, to send a clear message to nigeria and to the international community, women around the world have the right to be free and live without fear. women should not be forced to risk their lives to get an education they want and deserve. house resolution 573 puts the u.s. house of representatives firmly on record condemning the atrocious attack and boko haram's violent attacks on civilian targets in nigeria. house resolution 573 seeks to hold those who conduct violent attacks accountable.

house resolution 573 reaffirms our support for the assistance that the president and the administration is providing to help nigerians find the girls and calls for the development of a comprehensive strategy to counter the threat of radical terrorist groups like boko haram. house resolution 573 calls for the safe return of these girls to an environment that protects children seeking to obtain an education. in these girls i see our daughters, our sisters, our nieces. i see their hopes and their dreams. these girls are strong, determined, courageous and understand the value of an education. and as a past principal i understand and we must support them. we know that girls who are educated make higher wages,

lead healthier lives and have healthier families. education is truly a girl's best chance for a brighter future, not just for herself but for her family and her nation. i have a large constituency of nigerians in my district. on saturday i participated in a rally to encourage nigerian to do more nathan to find the girls. my constituents were calling than in their frustration because -- bad luck jonathan in their frustration. bad luck jonathan was not doing enough was the call and rallying cry at the rally. i walked away from the rally with this shout that reads --

shirt that reads nigeria. and i walked away with my heart still full of worry, still full of concerns and i am puzzled. are they hungry? are they sheltered? can they shower? can they take care of their womanly needs? have they been raped? have they been beaten? have they been sold? are they still even alive? god of our weary years, god of our silent tears, we are reliving the past. the past of the slave trade, the past of the torture and suffering that we endured. as slaves we should never, never relive the indignities of the past. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back the balance of her time. the chair would remind all members to make dane proper decorum in the chamber --

maintain proper decorum in the chamber. the gentleman from new york reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. the gentleman reserves. mr. engel: thank you, mr. speaker. it's now my pleasure to yield two minutes to the gentlewoman from florida, ms. frankel. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. frankel: thank you, mr. engel, and thank you, congresswoman wilson, for this resolution. mr. speaker, what we've seen take place in nigeria, the crimes perpetrated by boko haram are simply unthinkable and appalling and there are some crimes against humanity that should not be tolerated, regardless of where they occur in the world. and the violent kidnapping of over 250 girls for the sole reason that they were seeking an education is one such crime.

innocent girls who should be carefree, but instead are prisoners enduring the unimaginable. and in the 21st century, we cannot let this kind of horror against children go unanswered. so first i want to thank president obama for sending the multidisciplinary team to nigeria where they are working with the united kingdom, france and israel to help resolve this crisis. i am proud to support this resolution condemning boko haram and calling for continued united states support to return these girls safely to their families and bring these terrorists to justice. thank you, mr. speaker, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from new york reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. the gentleman reserves.

the gentleman is recognized. mr. engel: i now yield two minutes to the gentleman from new york -- the gentlewoman from new york, mrs. maloney. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. maloney: i thank the gentleman for yielding and for his extraordinary leadership on this issue and so many others. and a great appreciation to the sponsor of this, my good friend, frederica wilson, who spoke with great feeling on the floor. we appreciate so much her leadership in this area and other areas. these young girls in nigeria were kidnapped from their school in the middle of the night, terrorized and held captive. and may now be sold like so many objects into a lifetime of forcible rape. there is no kind of crime more appalling, no offense worse, no act of depravity more harmful to the community of nations than this kind of mr. barrow:ism.

but as horrible as this crime is -- of barbarism. but as horrible as this crime is, this is only a small fraction of the global trafficking in human beings. just today a report by the u.n. noted that trafficking forced labor -- trafficking, forced labor and modern slavery are big businesses, generating profits estimated at $150 billion a year. it is a global enterprise that we must put out of business. they committed this terrible act in part because they wanted to send a message. well, let's send one back to them today. a message that the nations of e west will spare no effort, no expense in helping to return these girls safely to their families. we will pursue the perpetrators of this atrocity by every legal and lawful means, to the ends of this earth or until the end

of their days. let us declare that the children of this world, here at home or in some far-flung corner of the world are not for sale. they're not to be used as slaves or as shields or as barter. and all those who attempt to profit off this ancient evil will be considered the common enemies of humanity. my time is up. we will not stop until these girls are returned to their homes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back the balance of her time. the gentleman from new york reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. >> reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman continues to reserve. the gentleman from new york is recognized. mr. engel: thank you. it's my pleasure now to yield two minutes to the gentleman from minnesota, mr. ellison. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from minnesota is recognized. mr. ellison: allow me to thank the gentleman for the time and thank my dear friend, frederica wilson from florida, for bringing forth this important

resolution. you know, mr. speaker, a number of people who across the country who are of the muslim faith contacted me and congressman carson who happened to be the two members of that faith in this body and expressed to us how outraged and offended they were by the actions of boko haram. so what we did is said, well, you guys write a letter and we'll draft it, we'll get a lot of signatures on it and we'll send it to nigeria and that is what we've done. it's written in english and in the arabic language and we're trying to get it translated right now. and it has well over 30 leaders in the community. it just reads a little bit this way, because i doubt i'll have the time to read the entire letter. but it reads, we urge you to immediately release the young children you have uncon szenably taken. your actions -- uncon szenably

taken. your action -- uncon szen -- stealing fication for these children, that education for girls goes against islam, has no basis whatsoever in our faith and the profit mohammed, peace and love be upon him, wisely emphasized that every muslim man and woman has a duty to seek education and you have truly strayed from the path when your actions betray its first command, to read. you do not represent islam or what muslims know to be the teachings of islam. your attempt to transform a central tenant of islam into a vial lie used to kill and maim innocent nigerians of all faiths is transparent. you treat children like cattle, it is abhorrent and sinful to pretend to be a profit to whom allah has spoken. and it goes on. i don't want to -- i'll just -- the last sentence reads such as this. you'd like -- if you would like to follow the teachings of islam, listen to the global

chorus that demands return. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for another 30 seconds. mr. ellison: if you would like to follow the teachings of islam, listen to the global chorus of voices that are wanting you to return these children to their families and replace the evil in your heart with peace and learning and it goes on to be signed by myself, congressman carson and many others. we join our colleagues, both sides of the aisle, in the demand for the return of these precious children immediately. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from new jersey continues to reserve. the gentleman from new york is once again recognized. mr. engel: thank you, mr. speaker. my pleasure to yield for two minutes the gentlewoman from california, ms. lee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from california is recognized. ms. lee: thank you very much. let me thank first of all our ranking member for yielding and for your leadership on so many issues, including this tragic issue that we're dealing with

today. and also to chairman royce for continuing to ensure that these issues and these resolutions and bills continue to be bipartisan. and also i just have to thank my colleague, congresswoman frederica wilson, for your steady and tremendous and clear and passionate leadership. this is such an important issue that yourself, congresswoman jackson lee and others continue to bring to the forefront and i just have to say once again thank you for this. this resolution puts the united states' congress on record expressing strong support for the people of nigeria, especially the parents and families of the girls abducted by boko haram. we join the international community in calling for the immediate and safe return of . ese innocent girls the world is shouting and we've seen this and heard this over and over again. bring back our girls.

these girls were pursuing their education. these are crimes against humanity and cannot be tolerated. nigeria in partnership with the international community must do everything it can to protect all children and men and women against such violent attacks. since 2013 more than 4,400 men, women and children have been slaughtered by boko haram. these are terrorists who have gotten away with murder. enough is enough. we must do everything we can to bring our girls home and to bring an end to boko haram's reign of terror. and i want to commend and thank our administration for once again being on the right side of history. i thank this -- i think this

resolution encourages and supports what's taking place now within our own executive branch, but we must do more. and i believe both sides of the aisle have come together to support your legislation, to say, let's do more, let's bring our girls back and let's bring this reign of terror by boko haram to an end. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back the balance of her time. the chair will receive a message. the secretary: mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: madam secretary. the secretary: i have been directed by the senate to inform the house that the senate has passed h.r. 2939, an act to award the congressional shimone peres. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york is recognized. mr. engel: thank you, mr. speaker. may i inquire how much time both sides have? the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york has three minutes. the gentleman from new jersey as 9 1/2 minutes.

mr. engel: i yield two minutes to the gentlewoman from texas, ms. jackson lee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. i thank the e: gentleman from new york for his leadership. the chairman of the committee from california and mr. smith from new jersey who is managing the bill, and i thank very much legislation,f this mrs. wilson, who has brought us together around a very important statement. members of the united states congress will have the ability very nd and to take a public view that the thugs of boko haram will no longer be

table run rampant out the attention of the united states and the people around the world. i have, mr. speaker, the geographic area in which nigeria is in. ghana, niger, o, cameroon. we wonder where these girls are now. it is important that we are condemning of this horrific act. we wonder where these children are. these are children who cannot consent to leaving home, to marrying, to changing their religion system of in one sweep we have sex trafficked girls, we have violated religious freedom, and we have taken children away from the bosom of their family. so as i hold up in my hand these

names, many, who we should call, these are real people. i would ask today as we stand to support this resolution that we push for a relief fund for these girls. we push for nigeria to establish its own special ops so that they can safely find these girls and we tell the islamic world, we tell al qaeda in particular, and we thank mr. ellison that to stop funding these groups. let me also indicate that it is important -- do you have an extra 10 seconds? mr. engel: i yield the gentlewoman 10 seconds. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. ms. jackson lee: it's important for united nations peace keepers, the african union and others to realize this is a much larger issue. today i stand on the noor of the house and condemn boe coe rah

ham -- ha ram and ask that these girls be brought -- boko haram and ask that these girls be brought back home. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. engel: i would like to thank congresswoman wilson and chairman royce for helping move this legislation forward in a timely manner. the senate passed a similar resolution last week and i'm pleased we'll follow suit. we must do all we can to hold boko haram accountable for the massdzive abduction of schoolgirls and the many other terrorist attacks it has committed. our thoughts and prayers remain th the family and friends of the girls, and we will d everything in our power to get them home safely. urge i urge my colleagues to support this resolution. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from -- the gentleman yields back. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. smith: thank you, mr. speaker. let me just say that we are speaking with one voice tonight

and that is on behalf of the young women, the young girl who was been abducted by boko haram. thankfully there's absolutely no divide between republicans or democrats and really the world. the world is speaking out. this is absolutely outrageous. but it is part of a trend and a surge that is happening in many parts of the world, including in africa. in somalia, we know the terrible killing spree they went nonkenya, nairobi not long ago. al qaeda in the peninsula. groups in mali. and selecca in the central african republic and boko haram. we need, and it's called for in this resolution, number nine of the whereases in be it resolved, i should say, calls on the president to provide congress a comprehensive strategy to counter this egrowing threat

posed by radical islamic terrorist groups. they are bad, mr. speaker, and they are getting worse. many of us have been calling in a bipartisan way for years that boe coe ha -- boko haram be designated a foreign terrorist organization and it was belated. it took years to designate this organization this cruel, insensitive, murder russing or -- murderous organization. thankfully, at least now everyone gets it. unfortunately there are many, many victim whors suffering. the war on terrorism, mr. speaker, remains largely unfinished. and my hope is that this resolution and the commitment of the u.s. government, french and european allies and frankly people around the world, thetch chinese know because they were recently hit as well, will understand that boko haram has to be stopped. all means necessary have to be employed to mitigate, no, not mitigate derek stroy this threat

to children, to women. let's not forget, here's a group that targets schools, literally abducted children, kills the men and boys and abducts young girls. just in may, in april, they conducted the worst attack on bus stations throughout the air dwhreasm worst hit. it barely made the papers. boko haram is a murderous organization. it's about time we all did ou >> kentucky was one of six states holding primary elections yesterday. we hear from mitch mcconnell, who won his primary. followed by comments by matt benson. after that, comments from alison lundergan grimes. >> on the next "washington we look at the

immigration issue in congress with louie gohmert of texas, a member of the judiciary committee. joined by colleen hanabusa, a member of the armed services committee. she will take questions about veterans health care, defense programs, and u.s. policy towards ukraine in syria. bergstein of the m.i.t. energy review discusses technology from the past. is live on journal" c-span every day at 7:00 a.m. eastern with your calls and tweets. >> the house foreign affairs committee holds a hearing on the effort to find more than 300 nigerian schoolgirls abducted by the terrorist organization boko haram. that is at 10:00 a.m. eastern on c-span3. also on c-span3, american deborahor to libya

jones will be speaking at the stimson center in washington about the growing violence in libya since the fall of more gaddafi. live coverage begins at 12:30 eastern. you can now take c-span wherever you go with our free c-span radio app for your smartphone or tablet. listen to all three c-span tv channels or c-span radio any time. a schedule of each of our networks so you can tune in when you want. play podcasts of recent shows from the grams like afterwards, the communicators, and q&a. wherever you go. download your free app online for your iphone, android, or blackberry. primary elections were held tuesday in oregon, idaho, arkansas, pennsylvania, georgia, and kentucky.

sue the latest results online at c-span.org. one of the most closely watched races was be senate primary in kentucky where a businessman challenged mitch mcconnell, who won by a significant margin. mitch mcconnell spoke to supporters in louisville for 20 minutes. ♪ [country music plays] ♪

>> thank you. [applause] thank you very much. something must have happened today. i'm not sure what it was. [laughter] my friends, tonight we begin the process of putting kentucky first again. [applause] for 5.5 years, the powers that be in washington have treated the people of the state with contempt. tonight, i have a simple message for them. those days are numbered. [applause] a little while ago, i spoke to my opponent and congratulated him on a hard-fought campaign. he brought tenacity to the race. he made me a stronger candidate.

the race is behind us. it is time to unite. for my opponent possible is, i hope you will join me and know that your fight is my fight. let's have a big hand for him. [applause] this race has always been much bigger than one candidate. it is about the kind of state we want. it is about the kind of country we want. it is about restoring america. it starts tonight. [applause] i am so happy to be joined by my wife. [applause]

many of you know the story, but it bears repeating. elaine came to this country and the whole of a cargo ship which was eight years old. when she injured a public grade school, she didn't speak a word of english. yet less than 40 years later, she was sitting at the cabinet table devising the president of the united states. the only kentucky woman in history to be a member of the president's cabinet. [applause] she is not just my wife, she is an inspiration. i am lucky to have her in my life. i can't help but think of another woman who helped to get me here.

that was my mother. my mom and dad were wonderful people. they were wonderful parents. when i was two years old, i contracted polio. it was a frightening diagnosis in those days. my mom responded with uncommon determination. through her patients, tenacity, she gave me what every child wants. the normal childhood. she gave me an example i would never forget. i have tried to bring that same determination and tenacity to every cause i have take up on behalf of the people of the state. whether fighting for people who had been exposed to radiation at the radiation enrichment plant or doing battle with those who want to destroy coal, i learned this from my mom. the only way to fail is to die or stop trying.

[applause] when it comes to fighting for the causes and principles i believe in, i never let up. ever. [applause] i fight for good kentucky jobs every single day. i fight for policies that will make us more competitive. that make our state better, safer, more beautiful place to live and work. and raise a family. every day, i fight against policies that make life harder for the people of kentucky. then, there is my opponent. my opponent is in this race because barack obama and harry reid want her to be in this race.

there is a reason, my friends. a reason every hollywood liberal is sending her a check. it is not because they care about kentucky, i assure you that. it is because they know as well as we do that there is a dime's worth of difference, not a dime's worth of difference between a candidate who puts harry reid in charge and harry reid himself. [applause] a vote for my opponent is a vote for a guy who says coal makes you sick. it is a vote for a guy who thinks nothing for the state if he thinks about it at all. a vote for my opponent is a vote for obama care and the president who sold it to us on a mountain of lies.

that is why this race is not about one party against another. it is about a government that thinks it can lie to its own citizens and get away with it. [applause] it is about holding the people who did this accountable. this race is about vindicating people like angela, a mother of five girls from from owensboro. she was at her wit ends when she wrote me this year. after being told up and down she did not have to worry about a result coming out of obamacare that she did not favor, she was told -- she found out she was going to lose her doctor and her plan.

her premiums had more than tripled. she was out of patience. obamacare agents told her she was out of luck. when she spoke up about it, harry reid told her she was a liar. another woman wrote me saying her deductible went up sevenfold. she said, she is a democrat and she is furious. i feel deceived, she wrote. another woman wrote saying that in order to pay her new premium under obamacare, she would have to either reduce payments or stop contributing to her 401(k). all these women have something in common. they got a raw deal and they've got nothing but a blind stare from the people that did these things to them and their families.

that is how this crowd operates. they think they can get away with it if they just push ahead. if they can just make it through the next news cycle or election. i've got news for them. the american people have had enough. they are running out of time. [applause] barack obama's allies have one goal this year. just one. to cling to their power. they have made an art form of handpicking candidates who pose no threat to the power whatsoever. this is how obamacare became law. every single candidate that barack obama and harry reid selected to send to the senate fell in line to pass a bill the american people do not want. if you look at my democratic opponent, it is clear she would be no different. she is a partisan's person who has been practicing party politics since she learns to talk.

i mean, let's be honest. anybody that learned politics at at the school of jerry lundergan will not be a model of bipartisanship. [applause] his candidates preach independence but they practice loyalty. i am confident that kentuckians are not going to be deceived. she is barack obama's candidate. they know it. they will issue the same verdict. they cannot afford to empower the people that have been waging a war on jobs for the last 5.5 years. [applause]

tonight, i ask every voter to help us win this race. put kentucky first. the people who hand-picked my opponent are not on your side. they don't care a whit about kentucky. let me tell you what i am talking about. he obama administration said we could not raise the water level down at lake cumberland because it might disrupt the natural habitat of a minnow. they wanted to keep the water low, throw people out of their jobs, and destroy one of the most popular tourist spots to help a two inch fish.

this is the only time anybody has tried to save a fish from too much water. [laughter] [applause] i fight back and we won. [applause] i will keep fighting this and every other attempt by the obama crowd to tell kentuckians how to live their lives. send me back to washington and kentucky will always have a champion in the capital. [applause] if the american people give republicans the majority of the senate, you will be proud of the united states senate once again. [applause] i will never say one thing and

do another. i will restore the senate as a place of high purpose. i will carry out my office with dignity and respect. these are my values and i intend to practice them. when i travel around, i can see it in people's eyes. the sense that washington does not care about them. they view people as an obstacle to overcome rather than someone to help. the government is working against them. the question before us how to we change that. how do we get america back on track?

we can take the reins of power away from harry reid and make this president accountable. [applause] make me the majority leader and kentucky will lead america. [applause] put this son of the commonwealth in the senate. [applause] i will do everything i can to repeal and replace obamacare.

[applause] i will keep the liberal judges from rewriting our courts. i will hold the bureaucrats who are waging war on our people and our way of life to account. [applause] kentucky my friends will lead america. [applause] i will put the concerns of working and middle-class americans ahead of the liberal interest groups. [applause] i will make the people of the state proud. kentucky will lead america. we have had a president and a party in control of the senate.

it doesn't care what you think. tonight, we begin the work of changing that. i have stood up to this president. i will make sure he is forced to think about what he's doing to the people of kentucky every day. [applause] i don't care what party you are in. it doesn't make a difference. i am asking you to join me in this effort. when the pundits and historians look back on the last two years of barack obama's presidency and try to explain how to in administration that started out

so to stream -- started out so extreme was finally made to listen, they will say it started right here in kentucky. [applause] they will say this very night the people of kentucky began to fight back. [applause] together my friends, we will renew this country. it starts this evening. thank you all for being here. [applause]

[country music plays] ♪ >> senator mcconnell's challenger spoke to his supporters in lexington.

♪ >> thank you. you need to stop now or i will start crying on you. that is not. thank you for being here. you have seen the numbers and the numbers are shaping up like they are. i cannot tell you how grateful i am to see you all here tonight. the energy here, the enthusiasm here, the fact that you are here is speaking to something that is so much bigger than any one race. so much bigger than any one person. so much bigger than anyone of you individually. give yourselves a round of applause for all you have done. [applause]

nine months ago, people thought we were crazy. some have thought we were crazy the whole time. here is the reality. we know why we are here. we don't significance of this. we know the significance of this. we know that when their founding fathers pledged their lives and sacred honor, their midnight runs to plant signs all over god's green earth. [applause] when they pledged the first three of those things, they meant it. every one of you has given some or all of the above. i am ambled the by that. i'm a guy that nine months ago, most of you would not have known from a hole in the ground. yet here i stand. this was closer than many people anticipated it would be.

even now, not 50% of the votes are in, but we are not going to win the race and that is ok to read we have conceded the fact that mitch mcconnell will have the votes to win. that's the conversation we wanted to have. this is not what drew us to this race. i want to start, first of all, by analogy my family. introduce, for those of you who have never met them in person. this is my beautiful wife. [applause]

i shouldn't have turned around like that. that was a big mistake. i was doing great, actually. until i turned around and looked at her. i am so blessed by an extraordinary wife. an extraordinary mother. somebody who has poured herself into this in ways that have truly been above and beyond. i am blessed by nine beautiful children. awesome children. attentive, well behaved. able to act as if i am still interesting when they have heard the same thing 400 times. they are extraordinary. [applause] this is jonah over here. raise your hand.

olivia. sophia. grace. madison. mckinsey. lydia. isaac on the end. dan the man. [applause] this is not a path that any of us sought out. it is amazing how things unfold and turn out to be ways you will never would have anticipated. we have been as best as we have been able obedient to what we were supposed to be doing. we find ourselves standing before you, nine months after starting an adventure we couldn't have imagined. the people we have seen and places we have gone -- it is starting to sound like a dr. seuss book.

the places we have been. old places you'll go. we have driven over 40,000 miles in the last nine months. we have seen every corner of kentucky. we are blessed to live in an extraordinary state, we really are. the people of kentucky -- [applause] -- the commonwealth of kentucky, the beauty of kentucky. it is exceptional. we have been blessed to interact with them to the degree we have. i will tell you this. this was never about winning a single seat. it was not. it was never about winning a single seat. this was never about becoming

some new version of the same old inca read that was never what this race was about. this was about the heartbeat of america. we have had a lot of discussion about how this is some sort of schism, a battle for the heart and soul of the republican party. some of you have heard me discuss how this is so much bigger than this. this is a battle for the heart and soul of the political process. this is a function of who was in charge. whether it will be of and by and for the people. we be people have exercised an extraordinary voice here. we have come out -- look at the energy in this room. some of you have been involved in the political process. you don't typically have this much fun, this big a crowd, this much excitement when you are in the wrong side of the equation in a campaign. you really don't.

[applause] it is not that fun. come on now. in seriousness, i am seeing some of the same people wearing the same hat that they were wearing at fancy farm many months ago. these are the kinds of things that give me -- the faces i am seeing in this room. the people i have met. the friendships i have developed, i am grateful for. this whole race has largely been about exercising our right to vote. exercising our right to have our voices he heard. it is about choices and competition. i'm asking you -- i know there's a lot of disappointment -- nobody more than myself. i poured my life into this for the last nine months. i have given it everything i have. i have been blessed by the fact that so many of you, including those behind me on the stage, have done the same. but i am asking you to take the

higher road. be the bigger person. return the scorn and enmity of others with dignity. [applause] if we as voters, as a party, as citizens of this great nation -- if we returned fire for fire, then we will burn our great nation to the ground. we deserve that are than that. don't return fire for fire. don't burn this great nation to the ground. thomas jefferson noted there is nothing that gives one man such advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under every circumstance.

my challenge to each of you, specific to this race and to every race, my challenge to you is to remain cool. to remain unruffled. we know when we will not forget that we have been lied about. we have been boxed out. we know we have been ridiculed. by us i mean every one of us in this room. and yet we have held up our heads high through this process. you could feel good about that. you have held your head high. we have fought on.

we fought on because we are fighting for a higher purpose than ourselves. we fought on because this is bigger than one race. this is bigger than one senate seat. this is bigger than just another political contest. this is bigger than anything we have been involved in perhaps for many of us on a number of fronts. this is about the future of the united states of america. this is what this has been about. [applause] the attacks we have received, been on the receiving end of, have made our opposition smaller people. it has cheap and there are compos mentis. it has weakened the foundation of their platform. it has eroded our faith in the

political process and our political leaders. this in fact has undermined the very pillars of our great nation. when threads are pulled from a tapestry, it distorts the beauty. it damages the integrity. it is difficult to restore. difficult but not impossible. we must not succumb to being defined by the pettiness of others. we must be better than that. we must be bigger than that. week, and i mean every single one of us in this room started with me, we must model for our fellow citizens and the generations to come what dignity and respect look like. we must demand a better than that. we are better than that. we must do this because america is worth it. america is worth it. [applause] there is something powerful about one nation under god, indivisible.

we must ensure our actions and reactions do not weaken that power. do not sully the beauty of that power. do not cheapen the value of that unique influence in the world. we have long been a beacon of light in the dark world. we continue to be. may that beacon not flicker because of our response to the smallness of others. may that beacon burn brighter than ever. this is my challenge to you tonight. do not let history show that the torch when the dark on our watch because we chose to repay lies with lies. to repay featured with heady it

-- to repay hatred with hatred or pettiness with pettiness. go up with your heads high. with your faith in our great nation renewed, restored, encouraged. with a stronger appreciation for the exceptionalism of america and a commitment to fight for its preservation. may we be bigger than this. may god continue to shine his favor on our great land and continue to bless the united states of america. [applause]

>> we love you. >> thank you. the love is mutual. i see the distance people have come. the effort they have poured in. so many of you have put so much of yourself into this. it will never be forgotten. i will ask you to understand that what is at stake for our nation is significant. this race is not done for the state of kentucky. i want to make very clear to each of you assembled that i have no intention whatsoever in this race or any other race i am aware of at this time in the state of supporting the democrat platform over that of the republican platform. i have no intention of doing that.

[applause] there is much that ails us as a nation. as a state. as communities. as individuals. in our homes, our schools, our churches. the fabric of the station is being stretched and we know that. it is not going to help if we find ourselves contributing to the shredding of the fabric. my challenge is, rise up. go out of here boldly. be part of the solution for this great nation. we need solutions and it saddens me to say there is no chance the solutions will come from the democratic party. there is zero chance, certainly at the national level. that means the only chance for our nation as it currently exists and given the current structure is that the solutions must come from within the republican ranks.

that is the nature of things. to that end, be part of the solution. but this be an inspiration for those of you younger than me. those of you from my same generation. let us be the ones who rise up. who stand up. somebody needs to. the somebody is always somebody. sometimes the somebody is you during just as the somebody was me in this instance. take this challenge and run with it. walk out of here, run out of here, keep your heads up. stay engaged. support the solutions this party needs and the state needs and this party needs. don't feel you have to disburse. this is a good look of -- good-looking group of people. stay here. share stories. i know some of you do have tight time frames, but before you do, introduce yourself to at least one person you do not know. take a moment to introduce yourself to one person you have not met.

ask them why they are here. ask them what drew their attention to this. take that away. we are the tapestry. we are the fabric of america. we are the future of america. i thank you for being here and i thank you for your support. thank you very much. [applause]

[applause] >> senator mcconnell will face the democratic nominee. the louisville paper says that several hours before the polls closed, a political action group announced it would begin airing ads prickle of ms. grimes. spending nearly $600,000 over the next two weeks. she spoke with her supporters in lexington. [applause]

>> thank you. thank you. good evening, kentuckians. [applause] my fellow kentuckians, it is an honor to stand before you as your nominee. [applause] thank you for the overwhelming confidence that you have in the campaign we together are running. and the race we will win in november. [applause] together, we will take this fight to mitch mcconnell and hold him accountable for his 30 years of failed leadership. [applause] together, we will make history and kentucky will finally get a senator who puts people above

partisanship. one that will work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to improve the lives of kentuckians. help them find jobs. make it a better place to live. [applause] tonight, we celebrate the support, the overwhelming support we have received all across the commonwealth of kentucky. senator mcconnell thinks he is above all of us here. literally flying around the state the night before the election while we have been and will continue to be on the ground in every corner of the commonwealth of kentucky.

[applause] most recently in a 10 day, 50 county bus tour where the energy and enthusiasm was contagious. democrats, republicans, it and independents coming together and embracing our vision. which is about ending the gridlock, the obstruction, the extreme partisanship in washington dc that mitch mcconnell championed. putting a u.s. senator on behalf of the commonwealth of kentucky that will work to grow the middle class, create jobs, and help create a better commonwealth of kentucky. [applause] as we stand here tonight, i have to thank each of my family members.

my husband, andrew. my parents. my sisters. ashley, who celebrate a birthday tonight. [applause] and amy. dr. and mrs. grimes. my grandmother, who could not be with us tonight but is one of the fiercest kentucky woman i know. she taught me anything i can set my mind to, i can accomplish. each and every one of you. my aunts and uncles, cousins throughout the commonwealth. you have been with me as i have sought to be the change i believe we need. i am forever grateful. i want to thank the governor. former governors brown and collins and carol and patton. they have been a part of this campaign. governor collins has traveled everywhere on the bus tour with me. [applause] to my fellow constitutional

officers, members of the house and senate who have been with us every step of the way. to my hard-working talented staff who has led, under the direction of campaign manager jonathan hirsch. you have an unwavering commitment to help us move this state and nation forward. most importantly, to each and every one of you here tonight and joining us across the television screen. it is because of you, your prayers and persistence. you are getting out to work each and every day. is why we stand here tonight with a brighter future of touch

with the possibility of a brighter future that awaits us in november. [applause] i want to thank my three opponents in today's primary election. and to matt bevin who led a spirited campaign against senator gridlock. [laughter] i thank you for stepping forward. i know it is not easy being a candidate. trust me, i know. but i believe our great democracy is at its best when people step forward to have an exchange of ideas. i want to invite kentuckians to join us in our common cause. to have a fresh, independent voice in washington that finally put kentucky, not washington partisanship first. [applause] united we will make a change. we celebrate here tonight, but

make no mistake. our work continues tomorrow. let us have no illusions about what is ahead of us and what lies ahead. millions of d.c. lobbyist insider dollars and out-of-state political action committees. mitch mcconnell is going to try to buy his way back to washington dc with deceitful, untruthful, negative nasty ads that will try to distort and distract from his failed record. he wants this campaign to be about anything but his record. what does it say about a man who has been in washington dc now 30 years in the senate? he has no record to run on? it can only be on attacks and

misleading information that he runs a campaign. [applause] indeed, mitch mcconnell would have you believe that president obama is on kentucky's ballot. we all know that senator mcconnell has been in washington a little bit too long. [applause] so out of touch that he can't tell the difference between a soup jersey and the university of kentucky. let me set the record straight for our senior senator. president obama is not on the 2014 election ballot. nothing about this election will change who was in the white house, but we can change who is

in washington dc and put somebody for the commonwealth of kentucky. senator mcconnell, this race is between you and me. that is the name that appears on the ballot. [applause] as you said so many years ago, it is my number one priority to make sure senator mcconnell does not see another term. [applause] mitch mcconnell, he wants to tell you who i am. he has said -- he claims kentucky will be lost if we

trade in his seat for a kentucky woman he believes will sit on the back bench. i am here to tell you tonight, my fellow kentuckians, i am not an empty dress or a rubber stamp. i am not a cheerleader. i am a strong kentucky woman who is an independent thinker. the decisions i make will be what are best for the people of kentucky. as kentucky's next senator, i will answer to the people of the state. i will not answer to the president no matter who he or she might be. [applause] as a proud kentucky woman, i will speak for myself and in no kentucky woman, mitch mcconnell, will sit on the back bench.

[applause] we all know washington is broken. it is not working for kentucky. after 30 years, it is mitch mcconnell at the center of the gridlock. kentucky is tired of a senator who proudly calls himself the dr. of no. the guardian of gridlock. we deserve a senator for the people of this state. [applause] the selection, it is not about party control. it is about two very different visions for the commonwealth of

kentucky. one that wants to take us forward where we deserve to be. yet there that wants to hold us back as he has for the past three decades. mitch mcconnell stands on the wrong side of every issue out there for kentuckians. when it comes to increasing the minimum wage, he has voted against it 15 times. never gone without a pay raise for himself. quadrupled his net worth on the backs of hard-working kentuckians that cannot afford it. he says it is the last thing he will put his name to. when i am in the senate, it is the first thing we put our names to. it is not a minimum wage, it is a living wage. each and every kentucky and deserve to live the american dream. when it comes to the women, he is on the wrong side of every issue, voting against the violence against women act.

the lilly ledbetter act. if you can't stand up to protect kentucky past women against violence, you don't deserve to be a united states senator. as your next united states senator i will work to make sure that kentucky women it equal pay for equal work, $.79 on every dollar is not acceptable. and let's get the record straight, it is on mitch mcconnell's watch, not mine, that we have lost thousands of -- coal jobs.

mitch mcconnell's watch that we have gone without the necessary funding to implement clean coal technology. it is on mitch mcconnell's watch, not minds that overburdened some epa regulations have been imposed upon the commonwealth of kentucky. this election will be about holding you accountable for all that has happened on your watch. the three words that scare senator mcconnell the most, besides seeing alison munter send grimes on the ballot, it is pro-coal kentucky and. i do not agree with the president, a war on coal. i think it is wrong for kentucky. we cannot afford to have six more years of mitch mcconnell and washington, d.c. as kentucky's next united states senator i will fight to make

sure coal has a long-term place in our national energy policy. that we have the funding to implement clean coal technology and restore coal to its rightful place as a prime american exports. anything you hear to the contrary from mitch mcconnell, it is a lie, kentuckians. when it comes to the veterans of 300 50,000 veterans that we have in the commonwealth, the fourth-largest in the nation, mitch mcconnell vote against them as he both against the higher for heroes advocates act. i will continue to champion and work to make that act permanent. [applause] american menorking

and women, mitch mcconnell does not want you to have a voice. i believe collect the bargaining is a fundamental right. i will have none of the right to legislation, another unionbusting. together we will grow the middle class. when it comes to the jobs that you know we so desperately need in the commonwealth of kentucky. we know where senator mcconnell has been. admission ast the we went to the eastern part of the state a month ago. in response to what will you do

to help bring jobs back to this state he said, and i quote, it is not his job to bring jobs to the commonwealth of kentucky. we cannot afford to have a senator who does not believe as i do. it is a number one priority to help put hard-working kentuckians back to work. this race is about someone who for 30 years has never put forward a jobs plan, does not believe it is responsibility. of mike mitch mcconnell i will rise every morning and go to bed every night with the burden on my back of helping to put

kentuckians back to work. that is the job of the united states senator. sure theing boilermaker in eastern kentucky who cannot put their suitcase and a yard sale because they've might nine -- they might need it to go find work has a way forward. the mother of a six-month-old who does not know how she is going to be able to provide for her young daughter because of a 16 day government shutdown that mitch mcconnell caused who are at the forefront of the selection. make no mistake, there is no silver bullet that will solve all of our economic woes, but it is about two things. one i'm having a senator that believes it is their job to help grow the middle class and put kentuckians back to work. and two, a senator that has a plan to get out there. it is about doing the right thing over a sufficient amount

of time with the proper investment. kentuckians, together we will get there. let me tell you, this election comes down to one thing. if you think that washington is working for you, that they are in touch with you and your ,amily, that the last six years you would like to have been rude theicate it, then you keep senior senator in washington until 2020. but if you are like the majority of kentuckians and you think washington is not working for that mitch mcconnell is out of touch and gone washington and we want to have a better six years, then i invite kentuckians all across the commonwealth to join the campaign.

we can do better and together we will do better. thank you. god bless each of you and the commonwealth of kentucky. [applause]

♪ >> this morning, the house foreign affairs committee holds a hearing on the effort to find more than 300 nigerian buy agirls of the did terrorist organization. that is at 10:00 eastern on c-span three. also, american ambassador to will on the deborah jones speak at the stimson center in washington about the rowing violence in libya and the fall of muammar qaddafi. live coverage at 12:30 eastern.

moments, a look at today's headlines, plus your calls live on " washington journal." the house of representatives back in the 10 :00 eastern with speeches and legislative business at noon. today's agenda, authorizing the defense department and another that would get the secretary of veterans affairs the ability to fire people. and in about 45 minutes, a look at the immigration issue in congress with republican representative lou gilbert of texas, a member of the judiciary committee. a democratjoined by from hawaii and member of the armed services committee. she will take your questions about veterans health care, defense programs and u.s. policy toward ukraine and syria.

brian bergstein, deputy editor of the technology review will discuss the significance of past richter technologies. " washington journal" is next. you can join the conversation on facebook and twitter. ♪ host: good morning. the house is in at 10:00 today. 2014 set to consider the national defense authorization act. there will be several confirmation votes this afternoon. president obama is set to meet secretary,n affairs ericsson seki. i. eric shinsek house speaker