>> thank you for your hard work. a home is where the most important investments a family ever makes. our programs are having a real impact but real challenges remain. these homeowners remain optimistic but continue to worry about what the future will bring for themselves and their neighbors. when you work hard, act responsibly, and play by the rules, you should not have to live in fear that you are going to lose your home. our initiatives have not been a silver bullet. judgedgrams cannot be directly on what they have done for programs, they have set a standard for the mortgage industry on how to restructure loans and help homeowners.

homeowners million have been helped by private lenders, who in many cases have used a similar framework to the one created by this program. our program has created norms like requiring a point of contact for the homeowner, leading unemployed homeowners delay their mortgage payment for at least six months. this kind of collective action has transformed the way the mortgage industry assists struggling homeowners, spurred new tools to aid communities, and helped reverse the worst housing downturn since the great depression. this has been one component of the administration's effort to kill the housing market. we have taken other steps, improve the to housing market. we have taken other steps, including making it easier to refinance mortgages. than 3s helped more

million people refinance homes. even as we focus on refinancing, we have made strides to give communities a boost by establishing the hardest hit fun. in april, i traveled to detroit and witnessed how the fund is making a difference. workers were tearing down abandoned buildings to revitalize the community. a foreclosed sign in front of a home can pull down the value of every home around it. an abandoned building can cause a once stable neighborhoods to slip into a downward spiral. in these neighborhoods, the is providingund families with a second chance. our work is not done. weeks ago, i highlighted the plight of the long-term unemployed. construction workers are disproportionately represented in the long-term unemployed, largely due to the struggling housing market. middle-class families continue to have a difficult time finding affordable housing. more than 6 million americans

still owe more on their homes than their homes are worth. that is why we remain focused on providing relief to responsible , rebuilding hard-hit communities, and reforming our housing finance system. to that end, i am announcing today that making home affordable will be extended for at least another year. [applause] we need to be there for homeowners facing foreclosure, struggling with interest rates on their modified mortgages, and those whose homes are underwater. we need to develop solutions for creditworthy families who want to buy a home but continue to get rejected by lenders. there are millions of americans with good credit who cannot get a mortgage. fa have recently announced steps to help improve lender confidence in making gse

and fha-backed loans. we have to do more to make sure we serve potential homeowners. this includes fostering the development of a safe and sustainable profit market for mortgage lending that can serve alongside government supported options. the private-label securities market has been dormant since the financial crisis. we need to attract more private capital to the housing market. that is why i have directed my team to bring investors and izers together. we're posting questions on our website today to help us better understand what we can do to encourage a well functioning, private determination market -- private securitization market stop as we make it easier for responsible homebuyers to get credit, we need to make sure families who do not want to buy a home or cannot afford to have access to affordable rental

housing. renting is the right choice for many americans and there is more we can do to support renters. i can announced today that we are taking a step to increase the availability of affordable rental housing. under a partnership between treasury and hud, we will help qualitynd preserve rental housing by reducing the interest rates for affordable multifamily apartment buildings. we will support the multifamily mortgage risk sharing program, which helps. construction and rehabilitation of rental housing. the administration is pushing to securitize risk sharing loans. until congress takes action, i am directing the federal financing bank to use its authority to finance these fha-insured mortgages. we are working with the new york city housing development corporation to close the first project under this initiative this fall. this will help rehabilitate

affordable rental housing in far rockaway queens that was damaged by superstorm sandy. while we remain committed to securing housing for all americans, we cannot act alone. congress needs to extend the mortgage forgiveness debt relief act for families who have lost their home in a foreclosure or have sold their home in a short sale, so they are not punished with a large tax bill to move into affordable housing. it is time for congress to pass housing reformer station. the work of the senate banking committee was an important milestone, lawmakers need to keep moving forward. we know it can create a better system that provides americans with mortgage credit while supporting affordable rentals for those who choose not to buy. we can create that system without putting taxpayers at undue risk. we need congress to act, passing legislation is the only way we can achieve meaningful and

sustainable housing finance reform. before i close, let me say that all of you are here today because the onset of the crisis found the financial industry unprepared to deal with millions of troubled homeowners. as many of you will recall, during the depths of the housing crisis, homeowners were calling lenders looking for help and lenders did not know what to do with those calls. but because we have worked together, we have been meeting the needs of distressed homeowners. as we look ahead, we must recognize that treasuries direct involvement in the mortgage industry will and and we must think about how we can continue to reach borrowers to reach assistance. mha communicated -- created withards for communicating delinquent buyers, they will extend. need to make sure our commitment to reaching families that are in trouble lives on. thank you for coming to the summit, we now begin the next chapter of our work together.

i look forward to continuing this conversation and achieving great thanks all of you. andive for being here today i think with my remarks i close the summit. thank you all very much for being here. [applause] >> on c-span this morning, house and senate democrats call for immigratione reform. then outgoing israeli president shimon peres is awarded the congressional gold medal. live at 7:00 a.m. eastern, "washington journal" looks at the legalization of marijuana in colorado. today, the center for strategic and international studies offers discussion on the 2014 quadrennial homeland security review. live coverage starts at 9:00 a.m. eastern on c-span2.

the alliance for health reform hosts a discussion on what insurance rates may look like in 2015. live at noon eastern on two. >> we believe that all men are created equal, yet many are denied equal treatment. that all men have certain unalienable rights, yet many americans do not enjoy those rights. that all men are entitled to the blessings of liberty. yet millions are being deprived of those blessings. not because of their own , but because of the color of their skin. the reasons are deeply embedded in history and tradition in the

nature of man. we can understand without rank or hatred how this all happened. but it cannot continue. constitution, the foundation of our republic, forbids it. the principles of our freedom forbidden it. morality prevents it. and the law will sign tonight forbids it. >> this week in, the 50th anniversary of the 1964 civil rights act with president johnson's address to the nation and the signing ceremony. later, hear from reporters who covered the debate in congress, .oger my end and the glass sunday night at 8:00 eastern on c-span3. >> democratic house and senate

leaders hold a news conference to call for copperheads of immigration reform. this of that comes on the one-year anniversary of the senate passing immigration legislation. this is a half-hour. >> sorry to be disorganized this morning, we have had a lot of things to do. we just finished the gold medal ceremony for president heperes. it is important to quote comedian leslie neale to portray what is going on in the republican dominated house of representatives better than anything i could ever think of.

-- "doing nothing is hard to do, you never know when you are finished. is what is going on and the house of representatives. they have nothing -- they have done nothing. it has been 300 65 days, 52 weeks since we passed the senate a bipartisan comprehensive reform bill. that commonsense immigration bill would create jobs, reduce our debt by $1 trillion, and keep families from being torn in a true bipartisan way, eight senators, for democrats and four republicans, sat down was ammer out what solution. they went to the committee, what to the floor, and we passed it. senator leahy managed that bill

for the entire senate. americans want their elected officials to work together. this is a problem that needs to be fixed. eight in 10 americans support immigration reform. that is about 80%. that even ahown majority of republicans support a bill with a pathway to citizenship. , tom donohue, head of the chamber of commerce, what i when i had to say republicans should not bother to run a candidate if they do not pass immigration reform. he said it more than once, he really believes it. this republican oriented organization led by tom donohue believes this. i think you're right. house has had a long time to act. they now have a month to act. leader -- now,

majority leader mccarthy has a -- a clear choice to make. he can get to work on immigration, it would pass by a wide majority. a majority of republicans would vote for it. of course, democrats would vote for overwhelmingly. by thething is not done republican dominated house of representatives during the month , the sole blame would be that the republicans are the reason we have been unable to do immigration reform. each day they do not act, each day they are killing it, each day that the house does not ask and we do not make progress towards closing a data set and creating jobs, other countries

become more competitive, we lose talent, and families suffer. instead of wasting time suing the president, the house should do the work of the nation and pass copperheads of -- pass rehensive immigration reform. >> thank you for your leadership. one year ago this week, the senate passed a strong bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform legislation. we have been waiting for the republicans in the house for one year to bring a bill to the floor. they did not want to bring the senate bill to the floor, we suggested a compromise bill, hr-15, many of the cosponsors are here now. that, we said do it anyway you want but bring a bill to the floor and give us a vote.

people across america, the religious community has traveled the country, fasted and all the rest to make the point how important this is. the law enforcement community. the badges are the law enforcement community, they have testified again and again. the business community, as id has said. you can make a business case for it. if you have agriculture, hospitality, the list goes on and on. why this is needed for the economy of our country. it will reduce the deficit by over the nextion 10 years, a couple hundred billion in the near-term. it is about our values that as a country that we want people who are here to have rights and have a path to legalization and citizenship.

about a sense of decency towards other human beings, as president george w. bush has spoken of, who was a leader of immigration. he said we should do so with areect to the people we talking about. whether it is constant reinvigoration of america, about our values of respecting people, not our economy and the need for us to have comprehensive reform, so many reasons why. today, on this one-year anniversary, we say to the speaker give us a vote. if we do not have some indication in the month of july that there will be a bill scheduled to the floor, it seems that there is little chance for us to pass such a bill. i am hopeful and i believe this figure is of good faith on this. the senate has said it is long overdue for the house.

we have many senators here, but because there are votes on the floor, i will go to dick durbin, champion on immigration reform and the leader of the fight for the dreamers and comprehensive reform. >> thank you very much. when i heard yesterday that speaker john banner was going to for using hisent executive authority, it recalled a moment in history and one of the darkest moments of the civil president fromr illinois named abraham lincoln sent a message to general george mcclellan, who was refusing to use his army to execute the war and win. his message was simple, as general mcclellan was not going to use his army, i would like to borrow it for a time, lincoln said. that is what we face when it comes to this issue of immigration. speaker john banner, who has refused to call this a bipartisan measure that came out of the senate for one solid year, is critical of the

president for using his authority to try to address the many challenges of immigration facing our nation. it recalled that moment in my mind. we passed a bill after a lot of long, hard effort and negotiations. it was a bill that had the support of business, of labor, of the faith community all across the united states. it is a bill that really appeals to all of america because it solves an american challenge. to thisll continues day, despite his majority in the house of representatives, refuses toehner call this measure because he knows it would pass. if it passes, it would begin to solve the problems of our broken immigration system. a year has gone by, i don't know how much more time he thinks he needs. i hope speaker boehner will speak up today. if he does not, the president will borrow the power that is the problems of immigration and he should not be

seated as a result of it. >> i am pleased to follow my friend to dick durbin. just told you that we came from a ceremony giving the gold medal to shimon peres. in many ways a founding father of his country. for atry, which millennium was peopled by the jewish people. in another sense, a nation of immigrants. as america is a nation of immigrants. courageous and entrepreneurial by its immigrants. we have a new majority leader st. i was once the majority leader that had the power to put a bill on the floor or keep it off the floor. mr. mccarthy and i talked yesterday and i asked him to continue bringing this bill to the floor. i eric speaker boehner -- i urge

speaker boehner to bring this bill to the floor. america deserves the right to have its representatives v ote on this critically important issue to our country. from an economic sense and from a moral sense, we demand, we , on behalf of the overwhelming majority of the american people -- bring this comprehensive immigration bill to the floor. and do it now. [applause] >> thank you. i would offend all my colleagues for their hard work. we are here today because a year ago, democrats and republicans came together in just the way people want us to act, and a bipartisan way on a major issue

where everyone compromise and we addressed our broken immigration system. the building road was not perfect and it is not -- the perfectwrote was not and not everything everybody wanted, but it is a good compromise that strengthens the border, offers a path to citizenship, reduces the deficit support our economy. it got support from the most liberal to the most conservative. and still the house cannot summon the courage to bring a bill to the floor. the house has yet to act. hope springs eternal because republicans know that if the house does not have immigration reform, they will be handing the house, the presidency, the to democrats in 2016. we will write our own bill in 2017, it will be a bill less to their liking. the leaders of the house know that they are coming up to the cliff,f a demographic

and immigration is the only thing i can keep them from falling off of it. a majority of their caucus knows it as well. an informal whip count before cantor was lost, indicated a majority said let's move a bill for even if they don't want to vote for it. they all know, but it is a small splinter of a minority of america that has disproportionate weight, the tea from, that prevents them moving forward. they are afraid of the tea party. they are afraid of the word amnesty, even though our bill is not amnesty at all. but rush limbaugh said in an off. they're afraid that their primary voters, who skew far right, believe it. the majority of the republicans in the house, therefore, are in the pray yes, vote no caucus. they want to deal with the issue for the good of their party, but they are afraid of the tea party hatefulalmost p

anti-immigrant forces led by stephen king. the tea party might be a sliver of the american public, but they make up a huge percentage of primary voters in dentistry. the question is this, will you let steve king be your spokesperson? dictate what your party does on immigration, which is nothing, for the next year and a half. that is what you are doing. that is exactly what the republicans are doing. or do you summon a little bit of courage and pass immigration reform that will be good for you, your country, and your party. friends inourage my the house to look around and realized that the tea party, while still very powerful, has peaked. in only one major election did they cause the demise of an incumbent. is eric cantor. if you look at the lindsey graham election, the mitch mcconnell election, the election

in oklahoma, renee ellmers campaigned on immigration reform conservative district. their fear is greater than the reality. they are quaking in their boots and america suffers. i am still hopeful. maybe they will come to their senses, because people usually at the end of a day do what is in their self-interest. it is clearly in the self-interest of the republican party to move forward, speaker boehner knows it. they have about a month. they have about a month to summon the courage to do what is right for their party and right for their country. to break the chains of bondage that the tea party has wrapped around them that will consign them to minority status for a generation. let's hope, for the good of the country, they summoned the courage. thank you, majority leader

si, andeader pelo all my colleagues and senators who have spoken before me. there is no question that my colleagues have laid out many reasons why we need the cir, comprehensive immigration reform. that comprehensive immigration reform will reunite families and strengthen our economy. that is of great importance to our country. that is why you heard the 80% of ollede who are p saying they wanted to be passed in this 100 13th congress. as chairman of the congressional hispanic congress, it has been gnature issue, we have been fighting to get it done this year. by the will of the american people, that 80%, they are telling us to ask. yet republicans continue to hold immigration reform hostage.

the u.s. senate has done their job, it is critical that we in the house of representatives do our job. the house has a bipartisan solution before them in house bill resolution number 15, which was introduced by my chc colleague, congressman joe garcia from florida. it has been said many times, but i will say it again. now is the time to pass comprehensive immigration reform by this 113th congress. thank you. click -- >> i am glad to join my colleagues on both sides of the capitol here. we are at the end of the line, it looks like republicans are up on our last

chance to bring 11 million people out of the shadows and make sure there are no second-class citizens in america. the last chance to do what is right for america, and economy, and the future of our country. the last chance for republicans to be on the right side of history. the political consequences of their inaction and instruction obstructionism are now forthcoming. one year later after hundreds of rallies, thousands of advocacy leaders, hundreds of thousands apart,lies being torn immigration reform sits languishing in the house of representatives and the country waits. 11 million people wait. hold for republican inaction compounds. families suffer, children suffer, deportations continue and injustice prevails. colleagues remember their immigrant heritage and understand what the cost of inaction is and what it will mean to stand on the wrong side scoretory just to

political points for a handful of the most conservative districts in the country. i hope they understand that we are not a blessing them by setting a legislative deadline for them to act. by killing immigration reform, they are turning their backs on their own immigrant heritage, on the and culture community, on the business community, law enforcement, the religious community, very broadly represented. on the high tech community in silicon valley. most importantly, on their own base, who have baked to fix the broken immigration system. they are on the wrong side of common sense and political realism. because of republican inaction, even those of us who are u.s. , sometimes are detained in raids because of the color of their skin. hundreds of thousands have been deported, despite having u.s.

citizen children. they are not criminals, their families trying to make ends meet. , say to speaker boehner history says act now, the clock is ticking. a follow-up for republican obstructionism will, at the end of the day, take years to recover at the ballot box. if we had a vote in the house of representatives, this bill would pass. i would remind us bigger and the new majority leader their first job is to govern. in the absence of governing, you see executive actions. if he believes the business of government is people, that responsibility of leadership is that he should move history to action and stand on the right will behistory, he rewarded. people are suffering, 11 million people are living in the shadows. families are being separated. the clock is ticking and history is not on your side. the lives of millions are in your hands.

[speaking spanish]

>> thank you. i am congress member judy chu, chair of the asian pacific american caucus. it has been almost one year since two thirds of the senate, democrats and republicans, voted for competence of -- voted for comprehensive immigration reform. the american people have waited long enough. day that house republicans stonewall progress on reform, millions within the asian-american and pacific islander community feel the impact. it affects people like the liang whole, -- the liang family, came from china but had to leave their 22-year-old son behind. mr. liang was to petition for his son to come, it would take 12 years. those from asian countries

account for 10% of all undocumented immigrants. up 40% of the 4.2 million individuals caught in the current family visa backlogs. some families have had to wait up to 24 years to reunite with their younloved ones. with the implying that backlog, 80% of those voting for employment visas are from asia. that is why it helps to introduce hr 15, our bipartisan immigration bill. it has the votes to pass. mr. speaker, the american people do not want any more excuses. it has been 364 days since the senate passed its bill. bring comprehensive immigration reform legislation up for a vote now. >> let me join with my colleagues from the senate and the members from the house to

say congratulations to the andte, democrats republicans alike, who passed the bipartisan bill to fix our broken immigration system a year ago. that means, 365 days. every day some 1000 individuals are being separated from this country, from their families, from their loved one ths.ere is -- from their loved ones. today, republicans who have been talking about giving us a chance to have a valid suet are now talking about the opposite. there is a letter that is going hethe president telling him should eliminate the deferred action program for many of these immigrant young americans who homeno other place as than america. more than point 5 million of

these young people, some of them olleges, opening businesses, being told they should be deported. inseems like the republicans the house have not listened to their colleagues in the senate. they are not listening to the american people. ofrwhelming numbers democrats and republicans throughout this country want us to fix this broken system. house republicans have a choice. they can do this the american way, passing a commonsense immigration reform, or they can do with the tea party way. we hope our house republicans the american way to do business and fix our broken system. i still have confidence we can get this done. everything proves that you can, our senate colleagues have shown that, the american public is behind it. the one place we place

too much faith is in the republican leadership. after months of saying they were going to do something, after months of putting out principles, we are beginning to see their true colors. let me conclude by saying something in spanish. spanish] it is time to go, we deserve a

vote, the american people deserve a vote. we can get this done if we get a vote in the house of representatives. mr. speaker, it is time to vote. >> today, constitutional law attorneys review the 20-2014 supreme court term and discuss major cases, including campaign and presidential recess powers. a.m.coverage at 9:30 eastern on c-span three. >> outgoing israeli president shimon peres is awarded the congressional gold medal. from the capitol rotunda, this ceremony is one hour 20 minutes.

>> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our honored guests. the president of israel, speakers of the house of representatives. the president and vice president of the united states. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the speaker of the u.s. house of representatives, the honorable john boehner. mr. vice president, members of congress, ambassadors, members of the diplomatic corps, ladies and gentlemen, welcome this morning, to the united states capitol. since the days of the american revolution, ever congress has had one humbling privilege. that of a warning a gold medal for extraordinary contributions. it is the highest honor weakened the stove. the first recipient in 1776 was george washington, the father of

our country. today, under his gaze, we will present a gold medal to another founding father, the ninth president of the state of israel, shimon peres. [applause] >> like general washington, shimon peres has spent his life serving his country. even before there was a country to serve. here's the great prototype of the israeli statesman. thenly need to glance at titles he has held to understand this. a record 48 years in the legislature. a minister in 12 cabinets. a two-time prime minister, author of at least 11 books, a nobel laureate. are onlytinctions

symbols of his service. they do not compare to the place ofident peres hold the heart freedom loving people around the world. that is what the medal of honor means above all else. we have a great program in store. mr. president, for your 90th birthday, you had barbra streisand serenade you and tony -- i have you do not mind, we are asking the president -- the vice president to do both. [laughter] this is the first time we are a gold medal to an israeli head of state. because of your generation, i have faith it will not be the last. this medal says to our young people and yours, never get

cynical, never give in to expediency, and know that america will always stand with with all men and and women of peace. thank you for being here this morning. [applause] >> please stand for the presentation of colors by the u.s. honor guard from the scene of the u.s. and israeli national anthems, and the retiring of the colors.

[israeli national anthem plays]

>> ♪ oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight, o'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? and the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪

>> ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing as the chaplain of the u.s. house of representatives, the reverend patrick conroy, gives the indication. >> let us pray. youof abraham, we give thanks for the gift of life and for the many blessings that life brings. today, we are gathered in this hot lead temple -- in this hallowed temple to representative government, dedicated to the blessing of life and citizens, to honor shimon peres, the ninth president of israel. we are honored by his presence and his long life of service to his own nation. and as a friend and ally to ours. ago as a nobels

laureate, shimon peres has been a man of peace in a region known for its lack thereof. in our own time now, and a perennial enemies around the world, be inspired by his recent meeting with my mood oahmoud abs and pope france's praying for peace in our world. grant that his efforts might issue into a future proclaimed by the prophet isaiah, michah, and joel. of judgmentme comes, might all our swords be beaten into plowshares, our spears into pruning hooks. to liftnation continue up sword against another and may we no longer learn war." bless our world with peace,

bless theel and god united states of america. amen. >> please be seated. ladies and gentlemen, the united states representative from the fourth sister of massachusetts, -- from the fourth district of massachusetts. the honorable joseph kennedy, the third. >> good morning, everyone. , members ofsident congressional leadership, it is an honor for me to join you this morning on stage. thank you all for the work that you did to make this moment possible. i would also like to thank the congressional gold medal committee, congress meant trent franks, cosponsor in house, bennettayotte, senator

for their partnership in shepherding the bipartisan legislation behind this award through the house of the senate. and to our guest of honor, president peres. you havers young, famously said that you are not ready yet to consider your legacy. at the future is much more interesting than your past. with all due respect, mr. president, i think it would be hard to find a person in this room that does not see the future of israel through the lens of your legacy. last year, i had the honor of meeting president peres on a trip to israel as some of my colleagues. it was an incredible visit, from jerusalem to ramallah to .alilee, tel aviv of all the memorable moments, there was one that shines through. , i met aer in tel aviv

young israeli woman who founded an organization that was bringing aid to parts of syria that other international assistance had and unable to reach. she had helped one community in particular for years. without disclosing much of who she was or where she came from. one day, she finally let the syrian commander know that she was an israeli. he was stunned, right then and there refused her help. calling her a sworn enemy despite the lies she had saved and the selflessness she had given his people. luckily, she was not one to be easily deterred. she took it to the community for a vote. if they said go, she would pack up. if they said state, she would continue to serve. they begged her to stay.

so she did. this is your, legacy. every bit as integral to israel's future as her past. the generations of israeli men and women who continue to put themselves on the frontlines of peace, no matter the risks or the roadblocks. labels liketo let enemy or a necessary syrian influence the direction of the moral compass. who believe that peace is possible and no small part because they have a leader by their side for over 70 years e, optimism,atienc and faith. mr. president, let the debt of gratitude not only for the history that you have carved but for theure -- future that you will shape, it is our honor to come together to

recognize you with a congressional gold medal. in a world still, as you say, aching for peace, for compassion in the face of great conflict. ,n the face of great suffering may your legacy light our way. thank you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the u.s. senator from new hampshire, the honorable kelly ayotte. [applause] >> good morning. i am so humbled to be here in the presence of president shimon peres, vice president biden, speaker boehner, leader

reid, so many distinguished leaders and citizens in this room. to congressman kennedy, congress and the franks, thank you so much for your leadership in the house of representatives to ensure we will award president shimon peres the congressional gold medal. your efforts helped make today's ceremony possible. to senator bennett, i want to express my gratitude to you for working alongside with me in the u.s. senate to introduce the bill to award president peres the congressional gold medal. i know today's ceremony is particularly moving for you and your family. we're so honored to have your mother here with us today, gmann-bennett is with us today. she was born in poland as nazi

forces gathered at the border. she and her parents endured the nazi occupation around warsaw. aunt, they were the only members of the family to survive. unfortunately, everyone else perished at the hands of the nasties. nazis.he hands of the i cannot think of a more deserving individual to receive the congressional gold medal then president shimon peres. i want to thank the people that came to me and all who have this has been, one of the highlights of the work i have been able to do in the senate. toeverything were as easy get cosponsors for as this, can you imagine what we could get done for the country? [applause]

as one of the founding fathers , shimonl, for 67 years perez has been a selfless servant of his beloved country during times of war and peace. providing a steady hand, he has been a constant and passionate voice for peace. most of all, not only is he a great statesman and leader, he heart.n who has a pure the depth of his love for all of has made him a drum major for justice. not just in israel, but throughout the world. america, we have never had a better friend who understands who we are and what

president peres said last night at the israeli embassy, we are an exceptional nation whose people give rather than take. president, it is our saying to you, thank you. and to recognize that you truly who hasxceptional man made israel and the world a better place. thank you, mr. president. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the united states army chorus.

hebrew] in

[applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the democratic leader of the united states house of representatives, nancy pelosi. [applause] >> good morning. mr. vice president, president peres, mr. speaker, mr. leader -- my colleagues in congress, our friends in the senate, madame secretary -- angress is the story congressional gold medal on a truly historic figure. every one of us in this room will always be able to boast that we were there when congress honored this iconic figure and friend of america.

the seedses planted in the jewish state of israel and helped that garden grow. whether litter really the blooming of the desert, or more significantly, and the blossoming of the society and a people. a soldier who became a peacemaker, and immigrant who became an institution, a public servant to became a statesman, a champion of nonviolence and messenger of hope, an idealist who understood pragmatism, and founder of a nation who became and remained a visionary for his and all people. shimon peres'story is the story of modern israel. dynamism and wisdom. he once said that what conceives regaining a new world by drawing the values of the past and innovations of the

future. few could claim to have done so much for the success of that idea. even at the age of 90, this winner,fighter, prize prime minister, and president continues to guide his nation into tomorrow. at the whiteen, house, we celebrated his 90th birthday last year. his speech talking about innovation technology of the future. his dream has long been and will forever be the dream of the nation of free to live in the peace and security of the homeland of the jewish people. he dreams of a dawn where every man and woman can wake up free to be free. us, ifhe would remind you will it, it is not a dream.

may god bless his dream to serve the state of israel and the path to peace. spirit and the spirit of the entire generation of israel live on in our actions today and in the future. recognized asg be the greatest political achievement of the 20th century. and a beacon of hope, democracy, and justice into the 21st century and beyond. may this gold medal always serve as a stirring symbol of our deep respect or shimon peres and admiration for israel's people and an breakable friendship between our country and the nation of israel. speaker said, in the congressional gold medal is our founding father, george washington.

today, we distill it upon another founding father. them, and excepting the reward, bring luster to the award. thank you very much for receiving this honor. as an honorpting it to the congress. shalom and thank you. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the majority leader of the united states house of representatives, the honorable eric cantor. >> thank you. you. good morning. mr. vice president, mr. speaker, president peres, my colleagues,

and other distinguished guests -- it is a true honor for me to be here today to pay tribute to one of the world's greatest statesman. you are always, a man who has stood for the advancement of humankind. you have been an inspiration to so many of us, young and old.. in your tireless advocacy for democracy. in your belief that it is that which is the best path to peace and security for all. peres,ple, president have dedicated their lives to the security of the state of israel and the continuity of the jewish people the way that you have. so many of us have been touched by president peres. on the many trips i have made to

israel, along with my colleague, kevin mccarthy -- just over one year ago, we were there and you welcomed us with open arms. delegation after delegation. so many of us found inspiration in your words. learn how us tried to it was that you talked about the /israelnce of the u.s. partnership. what it means to be tied together by mutual bonds and beliefs. you have said and continue to say that what makes us in america so unique is that we are a country that gives. we do not take. in fact, if you think about it, our country maintains its security for its citizens. and,se we give of treasure

yes, we give up blood. to go in search of helping others. those who cannot help themselves. that resounds to our benefit here at home. that is what makes america, at its core, a leader of the world. that is why it is so important that we maintain this strong partnership between our two countries. mr. president, you are were they of this honor. one of the highest honors that america can confer. religion, we pray daily for the restoration of justice. we ask god for his guidance. leaders,,ation to her that they may conduct themselves toward that end of the

restoration of days of old. and allow us to continue on our mission of preparing the world -- repairing the world. you are one of, those warriors. you are that leader. congratulations to you today. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the republican leader of the united states senate, the honorable mitch mcconnell. [applause] >> for thousands of years, the jewish people searched for a hom e. they have 70 years, defended one. has marveled at the

achievement of this once nomadic people. subjected so often throughout their history to the worst of human nature. a people who raised a nation out of the sands. with every odd stacked against them. it is an incredible tale. since the birth of modern israel, one man has been there every step of the way. standing at the very center of this remarkable draw. shimon peres. president of israel -- the man we honor today. he was there in prewar europe. he was there during the migration to israel. he was there for the war of independence.

held a virtually every major government post over the longof his nearly 70 year political career. he has served under others. he died with degaulle. he sparred with nassar. spans momentous event david.non and camp and the olympics in munich. tood at thesane and s center of so much. earliest years as a dream in the desert to its transformation to the modern, flourishing, diverse democracy of today.

he has been there. a figure of reconciliation, and of strength. s, he hasneighbor sought peace. and made extraordinary, nobel winning efforts, to advane nce it. his historic speech to the german people in 2010 and moved and inspired many of us. putnow that president peres aside long-standing mistrust in order to join hands with those interested in peace. the kind of piece that seemed impossible at the time. and that remains elusive today. but he has not given up. and that is not surprising, given that this man, who once said that for him, dreaming is simply being pragmatic

-- is his remarkable approach to life and work that has sustained him for decades in the political spotlight. in just a few weeks, president peres will leave the presidency behind. he will close the book on one storied political career. and he will hand the reins to his successor. but what a story it has been. what a story it is. peres,we honor shimon president of the state of israel, for his numerous contributions to public life. we thank him for being such a great friend of the united states over the years. thestrengthening unbreakable union between our two democracies. and we look forward to the next chapter in his extraordinary life.

maybe is remarkable as those that preceeded it. thank you. [applause] >> the majority leader of the united states senate, the honorable harry reid. red toay, we are gathe honor a man who has dedicated his entire life to making the world a better place. in the audience senator dick durbin. he was with the group that i led to the middle east. durbin and others at that time that they would happen opportunity to meet a man

that i have such deep respect and admiration for. no one has been more inspirational to me than the man that we honor today. dick and i still talk about that meeting that we had with shimon peres, and the visionary view he had of the world. wonder i think so highly of this man? seven decades of public service, should be an inspiration to us all, and it is. we have heard these -- his tenure of service. 50 years. prime minister twice and acting prime minister twice. minister of foreign affairs. occasions.te minister of defense twice. minister of finance. minister of transportation.

and eight other posts. and of course, president of the state of israel. this is a man who never grows old. he came into his first time of being prime minister, a lot of us, when the internet came -- that was for someone else to deal with. not this man. he wanted to know about the internet and he proceeded to teach himself and have others teach him about the internet. he was the first prime minister to go onto the internet and have the position as part of it. he has been educated in the united states on occasion. the new school -- new york university, harvard. he speaks hebrew, yiddish, polish, russian, english, french -- he has offered 11 books.

we have heard that he has been honored with the most prestigious awards that can be given to him worldwide, the nobel peace prize. the presidential medal of freedom. french legion of honor. today, the congressional gold medal. you can understand why i was so eager to take the other senators with me to meet this good man, this incredible man. my admiration for president peres stems more from just his positions and the compliments. winston churchill said that all of the great things are simple and can be expressed in a single word. well, i believe that. the greatness of shimon peres can be expressed in a single word, optimism. he said -- this man seated behind me, dieimists and pessimists

the same way, they just live differently. i prefer to live as an optimist." [applause] optimism has been his life. it is that optimism that hasn't fired so many of us around the inspired so many of us from the world. it has guided him in everything he has done. the challenges that he and his family faced in the holocaust to his work for lasting peace and a secure israel. it is his hope for the world and believe in peace that i so admire. has said, there are two approaches to leadership. one is built on force. the others built on good will. goodwill is winning. reliance on force is losing. through goodwill, you can

achieve more. isn't that true? thank you. [applause] he has achieved so very much. not only for himself, not only for the state of israel. not only for the middle east, but for the world. through his optimism and goodwill, he always placed peace within our grasp. i congratulate this good man. a statesman, a leader of the world, for everything he has a compass throughout his life. israel, theres, middle east, and the world are all better for your optimism and decency. it is an honor for me to participate in the ceremony today. the united states congress distills upon you its highest honor, the congressional gold medal. fatherr you today, the of your country. at least one of the fathers of

your country. in so many different ways, we congratulate you for being the man that you are. this metal epitomizes all you have meant to congress and people around the world. you have worked tirelessly to make the world a better place for all of god's children. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, the speaker of the united states house of representatives, the honorable john boehner. [applause] it is now time for the presentation of the gold medal. i would ask that my colleagues on stage join me for the presentation.

[applause]

>> ladies and gentlemen, the vice president of the united states, the honorable joseph r. biden, jr. [applause] >> mr. president, congratulations. i willur permission, forgo the barbra streisand serenade. [laughter] what i have to say is equally as much from the heart as her most melodic tunes. i heard a story. one israeli was speaking to another recently. the first one said, do you know has only three or four weeks left to go in his presidency? the response was, yes, but there are peres weeks. [laughter] those weeks have gone on for a long time. you are absolutely relentless.

you have been minister, prime minister, you have occupied every office there is to occupy. around the world come i have been to so many conferences and other parts of the world with you're a force, of nature, mr. president. every once in a while, people produce someone who is beyond their office. a force of nature. i have watched you in switzerland, in germany, and england. i have watched you in the middle east. in so many places where i have been present while you have spoken. there is never a place i have been -- i have known you since i was 30 years old. there has never been a place i have been where this man stands up -- everybody listens.

no matter what the atmosphere before he approached the podium. you are a national treasure to israel. i would also expect -- respectfully suggest that you have been a national treasure to the united states of america. you are a legendary friend. [applause] mr. president, i know you've heard all of this a thousand times and it is hard to say it with the emotion we all feel. many times,ture, when i have been with you -- david, when feet of you are essentially a kid at the time. his youngest protége. you served continuously, since 1948. absolutely remarkable. i have watched you have expressed your affection for

everyone who has ever touched you or your family. i have watched how you have even prays to greek monks who helped to save your father. i am told that you -- you can probably sing in greek songs too. it is just remarkable to me how your image and the way you live your life seems in private and public. although i do not know it in private, it has been totally consistent. you spent half of your year, the first cap, cementing the physical security of the state of israel. as you said, as a great concept. you almost single-handedly willed into existence a strong, proud israel defense establishment that we work with so closely today.

and ever since then, mr. president, you have been every bit as indefatigable in your search for peace. it is sort of the yin and yang of shimon peres. he has always done what had to be done for his country at the time and had to be done. he has always known what had to be done. and almost every instance i am aware of -- he has almost always been handed a curve. that was what was needed for his people. jewish state. a homeland for jewish people. ion where twoolut people with side-by-side. enjoyinians

self-determination and mutual recognition of peace. when you think about israel today, at least i do -- i have been traveling to israel since 1972. i was raised at a table by what -- shimon peres may not remember. him.ther got to meet what you call a righteous christian. we had conversations, incidentally, eight. my father was one of those he couldfter the war, not understand why there was disagreement about establishing the state of israel. why was this the case? why was there any problem? in hindsight, today, i think most of us look at my children are grown men and women -- they look back and say, this was all inevitable. there was an inevitability about israel becoming a nationstate. a strong, proud, successful come

economically vibrant nationstate. you do not have to look back and see that this is anything but inevitable. in fact, it was the opposite of inevitable. literally, all of the odds were against israel. israel was blessed with a founding generation that understood what it took to overcome those odds. thankfully, mr. president, israel was blessed with you. expression forn my siblings and i. we heard it repeated how many times? she would always say, you're defined by your courage. and you are redeemed by your loyalty. you are defined by your courage and your reedy and by your loyalty.

--you are retained by your loyalty. you are the definition of what my mother was talking about, mr. president. andhave had a great courage your loyalty has been unbending. not only to all of your people, but to our people as well. as my friends in the senate and house know. excuse me for a point of personal privilege. as i said, i have known you for a long time. and there is a -- forgive me for quoting an irish proverb. there is an old irish proverb that says, a good friend is like a four leaf clover. hard to find, but lucky to have. mr. president, you have been my friend. you have counseled me when i have asked to for counsel. you have been --

you have done for me what you have done for so many people here. it literally given us the benefit of your wisdom. i conclude, mr. president, by saying -- i think that the one distinguishing feature of u.s. a leader -- because i have hung around this place so long, i think i've met the vast majority of world leaders, personally, over the last 40 years. person --er met a i mean this sincerely. i have never met a person with greater eloquence nor possessed of more wisdom than you. if there's anything this world needs badly now, it is men with wisdom. mr. president, thank you for what you have done for your country. thank you for what you have done for our country.

and thank you for your friendship. mr. president, may god bless israel and may all of her children be brought home. and may god bless america and may god protect our troops. congratulations. [applause] i forgot my job. ladies and gentlemen, the president of the state of shimon peres, and recipient of the gold medal of honor. [applause]

>> this is a true story. thank you so much. vice president, joe biden, oehner, senator majority leader harry reid, leaders and members of the house of representatives and the senate -- i am humbled. to stand here today in this rotunda, and this great pantheon of democracy. the congress of the united states. here, you give expression -- two unbroken spirits of the american people.

expressed, 237 years ago, when you signed a document that still echoes all the time. life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness -- those words resonate with as much meaning today as they did patriotsica's first wrote them. they have inspired generations of americans to dream of a better america. they have inspired people all dream of aglobe to better world. many people call me a dreamer.

i suppose. always felti have that home in the united states of america. [applause] america was given the privilege to carry the dreams of humanity. my own dream was to be a shepherd. it came true, you know? [laughter] sheep, not to lose one. at night, i watched the sows, in order, not to miss one. sheperdms of a young were interrupted by david, s george washington,

who called me to serve when i was 24 years old. he entrusted me with heavy responsibilities. he made me general of the israeli minister. he charged me with securing our young nation's ability to defend itself. i worked hard. i had little time to study. i did not know a single word of english. after a war of independence, they suggested i go to the united states to learn english, that he the american dreams. he told me that is what i have to do. so i did. i learned that america is not a land forgotten. america is the home for the daring. hardmerican dream is about

work. pioneering spirit, can-do att itutde. de. the great bodies that steer under the marble dome, the senate and the house of representatives, offered tiny r andl, struggling for life, unbelievable and unbreakable friendship. you helped israel out of her lon eliness. you helped israel overcome tough surroundings. you helped us maintain a resilient democracy, to become strong enough to take risks for peace. whether through military resistance or security cooperation, or through diplomatic and moral support.

you sent us a clear message. we are not alone. on behalf of all of the people of israel, i want to thank you. my friend -- and israel's friend, president barack obama, or standing by her side with unshakable commitment to israel's security. [applause] i want to thank each and every one of you. the american congress -- for your unwavering, bipartisan, and generous support to my people. [applause] thank you for helping us whether

so many storms. confidence to us face the future rate -- future. friends, ladies and gentlemen, the challenges we face are considerable. together, we must fight terrorism and advance peace. prevent iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capacity. like president obama, israel hopes that the issue of iran will be resolved peacefully. and like president obama, we believe that iran should be jud ged by actions, not by words. east, the previous empire built -- at the same time, the rules governing the world are being

rewritten. security and ross parity are no longer mainly national issues. national economies are dependent on a global economy. national security is increasingly dependent on fighting global terrorism. chaos in the middle east, it is easy to sink into despair. but i have seen too much in my life to lose hope. i have seen israel defied the odds time and again. i have seen israel defeat superior enemies on the battlefield and to send the soldiers to rescue hostages, thousands of miles away from home.

israel has shown it can defend itself against those who sought to destroy us. israel did and will do to bringg in our power home three kidnapped boys. [applause] i met with their parents. with their mothers. -- to speaked me here before you on their behalf. to ask you, to make your voice heard all around the world. to help bring them, their voice, our voice home.

let's raise our voice together against terrorism, wherever it is. [applause] dear friends, i have seen the genius of israel, make our land bloom. and turn israel into a global center of technology. i learned that high tech can quench the world'd ts thirst for water, and heal the planet. increase yields without increasing land. as i rabbi -- as a rabbi in

1942, i know that even at the preventhour, it cannot a new dawn and the next day. it will arrive. together,, today and we must tackle to monumental challenges we face. terrorism and poverty. terror knows no borders and obeys no rules. thousandsundreds of and it turns millions into refugees. we see it in iran and iraq, in syria and lebanon, in sudan and gaza, and elsewhere. by sanctioning their suppliers,

--preventing the we know that terrorists are global. there, they should be fought globally. we must fight not only the act of terror, but the roots of terrorism. butjust by military means, by trying their financial supplies. leaving a net that can catch terrorists and protect the innocent people. religions can play a meaningful oringin destroying and rest terrorism and restoring tolerance and hope.

religion can never permit terrorists to hijack faith and perpetrate violence in the name of heaven. popeed voices, small, like francis. andeed rabbis, priests, imams to preach respect for god in heaven and life on earth. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, it is our duty to offer the young generation a vision more compelling, more promising, for the future. fight fortion will the last 50 years -- the economy did not.

poverty solved. and the year of science replaced the era of plan. we experience it almost daily. israel has very little land, even less water, almost no oil. we became a high-tech nation through hard work. the turmoil of today can provide a new hope fort tomorrow. -- for tomorrow. my dream today is that the middle east will become a startup region, as israel became a startup nation. [applause] to make that happen, leaders in the region must do their share societies.ir

without freethinking, there is no new thinking. es,hout openness, discoveri global companies should help the date andcome up to prepared for tomorrow. -thirds of the middle east population is under the age of 25. for some, this is a cause of concern. for me, it is a source of hope. for business, it is a great opportunity to invest, both economically and socially. global companies are aware that young people want a different future. they want to free expression, but also self expression. they want equal rights, including equal rights to be

different. our two countries, america and israel, have a unique contribution. we are not the same size. but we share the same values and the same dreams. our dreams keep us young. our values keep us true. what israel already learned from experience, we want to share with our neighbors. decades of having the privilege of serving my country, i saw her become a thriving democracy. a diverse society. a living defense force. a cutting-edge scientific community. you.a das done with and nobody else could be more

helpful than you. together, we can put the region on a more promising course. through initiatives in health, education, agriculture, water, and science. i hope to dedicate myself to this work in the years ahead. as for america, it remains indispensible. america is the greatest power in the world today. power innly great history that never tried to become an empire. [applause] you, my dear friends, the president of your nation, you

became great not by taking -- you became great by giving. god bless you. [applause] america -- [applause] america is the force for progress, a force for peace. the world is fortunate that america continues to lead it. ago, america looked to the moon to discover a distant land. today, the united states is leading a major scientific effort to rebuild the secrets of the mind. we are partners in that effort. that, in my judgment,

there may be more to discover in the brain than in the moon. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, america and israel should continue to work together to advance peace. wars can be waged alone. peace calls for a collective effort. wars awent through seven nd obtained two peace agreements with egypt, the largest arab c jordan, ourwith largest shared border. i hope that we will have new peace talks with the palestinians soon. [applause] israel does not intend to rule

over other people. it stands against our values and heritage. we sincerely want peace. [applause] israel is committed to bettering the world and making peace with all of our neighbors. abaz is clearly a partner for peace. [applause] there were people who thought otherwise. closerthat they are now to my judgment than their own. bravely, in saudi arabia, in arabic, against the kidnapping, against terror, and

for peace. but you cannot put fire and water in the same glass. he is a friend. hamas is clearly not a partner for peace. rockets at our civilians. they oppose peace. they support terror. peace isour way to hard. we must not lose hope. there is no better solution than the two states. arabish state, israel, an state, palestine. [applause] peace between israel and

palestine can forge a broader regional peace. built tohould be meet their peace initiative. my friends, i have lived long enough to see impossible becoming possible. to skeptics, i can say, believe me -- peace is the most possible and possibility. in one month, i will be leaving my term as the ninth president of israel. but i never gave up on the struggle to achieve peace. i am young enough to do so. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, i leave you today with one peaiece of

advice. it is the advice of a boy who dreamed. who never imagined where life would take him. if you live it, it is not a dream. he was right. looking back on the life of to be, our dreams are not too big. small.ams were too because israel achieved more than they could have ever imagined. so, i ask only one thing from you. the great united states of america -- this mighty nation of givers

and dreamers -- do not dream small. you are great. dream big. and make the world better. [applause] and your work will turn those dreams into a reality. for you and for all of community. god bless you. united statesthe of america. unbelievablethe , historic, meaningful operation between your great

country and our spallation. thank you, from the depths of my heart. [applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing as the chaplain of the united states senate, barry black, gives the benediction. >> let us pray. l, we praise and honor shimon using president

peres as an instrument of your peace. continue to bless this leader and patriot, who believes that security can be found through shalom. may his exemplary life of courage, optimism, patience, steadiness, and perseverance inspire us to maximize our possibilities for doing good in your world. bless and keep us. make your face shine upon us and be gracious to us. let the light of your countenance upon us and give us your shalom. amen. -- please beeated

seated. ladies and gentlemen, please remain seated for the departure of the official party and until your row is invited to depart by a visitor services representative. thank you. [applause] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2013]

>> today, the senator for strategic and international studies will hold a discussion on the 2014 quadrennial homeland security review. live coverage starts at 9:00 eastern on c-span2. today, constitutional law attorneys review the 20 and 2014 supreme court term and discuss includingcases, campaign finance, cell phone searches, and presidential recess appointment powers. live coverage at 9:30 eastern on c-span3. for over 35 years, c-span brings public affairs events from washington directly to you, putting you in the room at congressional hearings, white house events, briefings and conferences, and offering complete gavel to gavel coverage of the u.s. house. all of the public service of private

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relations that went into effect in january. a group that serves as a watchdog of the retail industry. host: on today's "washington hear fromwe will guests on all sides of the marijuana issue. we want to hear from you. would you approve of your state having marijuana use for recreational use? fo