>> thank you for the imitation to be here today. i refer to this as a little wellspring of wisdom in the desert of washington, d.c. heritage, thank you for what you do, and to genevieve, for allowing us to come and be a part of this today. and jan, thank you for the program. you do, a fact, look eternally young. some of you may not know this. rich has been ahead of national review for as long as i've been governor of texas. it's a pretty lengthy. of time.

-- a pretty lengthy timeframe. you don't get to stay around that long unless you are really good at what you do, or just really lucky. i suggest those of those are good things. it doesn't hurt to be both. as he shared with you, and some thatu might have heard there are some interesting things going on back in my home state. right now, there are a few public officials in travis withy who have taken issue an exercise of my constitutional veto authority. ,hese are fundamentally principles that are very important. namely, a governor's power to veto legislation and funding, and the right of free speech. i am very confident in my case, will can assure you that i

fight this attack of our system of government, and with my fellow citizens, both i amlicans and democrats, to defend our constitution and stand up for the rule of law in the state of texas. [applause] to all of you who work here at ,eritage or at national review you are for republican leaders across the way. you have for 5.5 years been among the leading voices of the opposition. every bit as much as william f buckley and ed fuller and the whole conservative movement of another era, you have carried the flag when it wasn't easy. for conservatives across america, you have kept the supplies coming.

you have been there with recent arguments, principled -- reasoned arguments, principled criticisms, in a spirited debate. you have been there to show , andism and camaraderie that is the mark of every good cause from my perspective. you have been holding the ground more thanu can, and that, pointing away back for a new conservative majority. we have 29 months left in the presidency of barack obama. that is the bad news. the good news is, he's got exactly 136 days left until the next congress convenes with a republican house and a republican senate. [applause] he will get a little taste.

you will get a little taste of checks and balances. he has an appointment, if you will, come january 3, with constitutional limits. the election of 2014 is america's last chance to pass judgment on the obama presidency. and something tells me he's not going to like it. you know, how different it is, as we look back now, when you think about how his presidency .egan he came in the crying the smallness, the pettiness of washington and washington politics. ying thee in decr pettiness, the smallness of washington and washington politics. he was the constitutional lawyer that was going to govern a different way, uniting the country and the lien respect across party lines.

the part you remember about improving america's standing in the world. there were all kinds of offenses for us to atone for. our reputation, we were told, needed some polishing, and he was the right guy for the job. the constitutional law in around is worked out rather interesting way, when you think about it. , unanimously, the supreme court has had to set him straight on the limits of executive power. presidentn american is constantly exceeding his it doesn'tority, exactly do much for bipartisan goodwill either. he has taken to saying, if congress won't act, i will. up a certainly serves certain element of our society out there.

is, we've still got two elected branches of .overnment in this country and yet, for all of those inconveniences, we still like to do things democratically. we are seeing this misuse of presidential power right now. and one of the issues that brings us here today, and that is, the integrity of our nations security -- our nation's security, our nations border -- nation's border. we have a crisis on our nation's border that is entirely under the president's authority to deal with under the law, but he will not fully and consistently enforce the laws as they are written. that is, requiring the protection of our borders against unlawful entry. and he wants to establish new laws, such as the amnesty of 2012 without the consent of

congress. on the one hand, we are seeing a of clear,glect presidential response ability. on the other hand, we are seeing an aggressive overreach into the powers that do not belong to the president at all. way,laws are treated this what usually follows our chaos chaos and-- are grief, and that is exactly what we've got right now. there is no briefing from far away that can capture the scenes along our border. not long ago, i invited the president to come with me and have a look for himself. he happened to be in dallas anyway on a very vital presidential trip to help the , so why notats chopper down to the border and

take a look for yourself to see what is going on? he turned me down. and to this day, the president has yet to see the faqs on the ground on our southern border. ground onts on the our southern border. even though they are the direct consequences of his foreign policies. children, 1000 miles from their parents, vulnerable and afraid. they are drawn here by rumors of amnesty. these coyotes, these smugglers, these gang members wholowlifes and other forms are exploiting these children. and mind you, the unaccompanied children you are reading about are just 20% of those illegally crossing the border. many are adults. some are working for the cartels , or involved in other serious criminal activity. over the years, many thousands

of violent crimes in the united states trace directly back to our porous border. thoughte thefts and the -- and assaults and murders that should never have happened, because the thieves and the assailant and the murderers should never have been in the country to begin with. on our side, we have some very fine, dedicated people on the border patrol. they are doing their level best under difficult circumstances. began deploying up to 1000 of our national .uard's -- national guard men they are doing all they can come along with all of the public safety officers that i have directed to deal with criminal aliens. the entire nation is benefiting ,rom that, but the resources the initiative, and the will all

come from the people of the state of texas, the people that serve sworn to defend, to . if the federal government showed half that kind of resolve, the border of the united states of america would be secure. here's what it comes down to. is not a the border political option. it is a constitutional obligation. and until the federal government needs that duty and secures that border -- meets that duty and secures that border, all talk of immigration reform is pointless, because washington has no credibility on the matter. credibility when you enforce the law, and you lose it when you don't. chaos is not the right condition for discussing long-term immigration policy.

onthose who wait comprehensive immigration reform here is my answer. how about we start with conference of border enforcement? [applause] -- comprehensive border enforcement? [applause] border security, after all, is the nearest front of national security. and i'm sorry to relate that this front is today, largely undefended. so many people come across the border without us ever -- without us and ever knowing about us. and the cartel, as vicious and brutal as they are, they might be the least of our worries. what other bad actors are coming here? or for that matter, have arrived already? where have they come from?

what have they brought with them? behind all of the political opportunism that has marked this debate is a profound sense of false security. after all, we are watching this crisis and our border at the very moment that other crises far away demand our concentrated attention. just consider the events in syria and iraq, and other places in the middle east, they should have us thinking about the possibility of another terrorist attack in this country. we have been put on notice thaty by the jihadist army is right now charging across the wastry, we were told, secure and stable. and the astonishing seizure of territory these past few months,

if that is any indication, then we have every reason to take these individuals at their word. everything. here, too, presidential leadership requires the most candid assessment of the facts on the ground, because the most fundamental interests of our nation ride in the balance. and here, too, we have to understand the consequences of doing nothing. all of us, republicans and democrats, have a duty to put no concern of politics before the security of america. we have to take things are in the world today, not as we wish things were. wet, certainly, is the way approach things -- you approach things here at heritage. things ilow just a few

would share with you on this unfolding crisis. rack -- of iraq is under the control of islamist terrorism. nearly as much of serious dominated by the same -- of syria is dominated by the same jihadists. the group in iraq and syria is isis. when this year started, most of us had never even heard of that group. they had been advancing and captured american vehicles, captured americans, taking weapons and a musician -- ammunition, and all of this and more has happened just since june. and that the terrorists see it, they have had a triumphant islamiccomplete with

law and caliphate, complete with recruits to join in the offensive. we are talking about a movement that is bigger and better financed than al qaeda ever was. and it's got nothing to learn from al qaeda about ruthless butchery either. isis has been butchering nonbelievers, otherwise known as innocent the him's -- innocent victims. the poor schools -- the poor souls that did not get away have met the worst of fate, beheadings, rape, enslavement, crucifixions. that is the character of this enemy. and in case we missed the point, they actually take pictures of their atrocities and post them online, calling it a preview of what we can expect in america.

we have all seen the sorrowful images of the innocent photojournalist, james foley, --ced to kneel and wait await a savage execution. the merciless killer was apparently british. in this case, we were seeing a radicalized british subject behead an american citizen in iraq. among other questions that come to mind, how many other jihadists out there are carrying western passports? what mission might isis have for them? the danger of isis for the united states and other western nations may still strike some .eople as a little remote but for many americans, of course, just about the last thing we want to think about is more conflict in iraq and what that might involve.

but we better get on top of this necessary,very means because event are moving fast and the price is only going to go up from here. we have come to one of those moments when american action will be decisive, and inaction will because the rental -- will be consequential. there used to be a bipartisan tradition in american foreign policy, a basic willingness to unite in fundamental matters of security. if anything is left of that old spirit, we need to draw on it in a big way and right now. sure, it is attempting to revisit and reargue the old decisions that have already been made. many on the left will say that a fatal mistake was made when we went into iraq in the first

place. many republicans would argue that the 2011 withdrawal from gains at some hard-won risk. the pullout seemed to be driven by political cap collations and not strategic ones. -- political calculations and not strategic ones. still, others take the view that what happened in iraq is no concern of ours. gave ittitude is, we our best effort, but now we are done. and then there is the sense of regret and tragedy that still hangs over the failure to help syrian rebels at a crucial point when he could have made all the difference. they could well have gained the upper hand against the assad regime. syria could have been spared a lot of violence and other trouble, instead of becoming the

isis stronghold that it is today. we heard from the white house that assad must go. that was an opinion, not a policy. so it all came to nothing. these andhowever other questions also just they need to wait for another day. we can talk about all of causes and the contribute in factors all day long -- contributing factors all day long and it will get us nowhere. what matters in the here and now are the outcomes that are still within our power to influence. we know what the jihadist objectives are in iraq and syria. let's be clear and unequivocal about our own. a strategically crucial city in the north of iraq must not be allowed to fall. a momentum in the fight must be reversed, so the cities overrun

by isis can be taken back by iraqi troops. and serious, as well as a rock, -- and interior, as well as iraq, this army must be confronted. obamaent weeks, president , his response has included limited airstrikes in hopes of finally slowing the isis offensive in the kurdish north. ourlso sent 1000 or so of american military advisers and special operators. he provided humanitarian relief and aid. the people there were able to escape and get into the mountains. the administration wishes -- and -- that matter, who doesn't that this was just a humanitarian crisis. and when they talk about limited

airstrikes, the plates a great emphasis on -- they place a great emphasis on the word limited. yet clearly, more airstrikes are necessary. nothing less than a sustained campaign to destroy isis forces are required. the iraqi people are up against a terrorist blitzkrieg and it went practically unhindered for many weeks. and even though they have seen glimpses of our superior power and technology, they need to see a lot more of it. iraqis whothe many are trying to defend themselves and their country, they need to see more help from us. air power is a major part of it. but it is also going to take more special operations, intelligence, and advisory support than we have offered so far. one more potent force for the good. hmega in the kurdish

region. they are a well-trained and disciplined militia. by every account, they have the ability and the will to fight back against the terrorists. what are missing are the heavy weapons -- what is missing are the heavy weapons they need. the united states and allies, if they are willing, should launch an immediate airlift and deliver those assets to the kurdish forces. peshmerga fighters, aided by american airstrikes in mid-august have already pushed back isis in cities that looked to be lost just a few weeks ago. is a fierce and ready force on the ground, and right now, they are in the best position to confront, overpower, and in time, defeat this enemy. this, our allies are essential to the effort.

and i might add, to the credit of the british and the french and the germans, they have begun to act already. people in those countries, as in america, have insert to action -- have been stirred to action in these last weeks by these chilling news reviews of the stafford three -- of the savagery of the islamic state. great nations, if they do nothing else, they are in the business of preventing the worst from happening. and we know the worst when we see it. wouldrocities of isis command our attention even if we had no security interest, although we clearly do. and the list of countries with a big stake in defeating isis doesn't end with just western powers. extreme,t is so very even by local standards. the islamic state has clarified

some very common interests in the region. isis has designs on jordan, for example. threat to the stability of that country would not be a welcome development for other powers in the region. is in this complicated position. for years, they saw to undermine our efforts in iraq, and yet today, they oppose isis. we shouldn't assume that the people today terrorizing iraq and syria have powerful support across the region. a do not. -- they do not. and where they are operating now, they are, of course, universally feared and despised. chronic problems and divisions within the iraqi government itself. and these have hindered the country's ability to act when united action is needed.

but the basic situation is this. iraq is a democratic nation of 32 million people who are that isd by the danger around them. and everything on the line, if we helped them, a rock can -- and defendrotect themselves. in the weeks and months to come, we need for these and other military measures in iraq to become more obvious and urgent. president obama is going to hear warnings from his party. you going to hear the word mission creep -- he is going to hear the word mission creep. and that is also a very valid concern. how can we not be mindful of that after what we have seen occur? and yet, in this case, it seems to me that we would be very wise version of the isis

mission creep. that is when they start following through on the threats they have been making by sending their recruits into this country . it may be a team of terrorists arriving with their passports and papers all in order, just , or it may be when one or more of them slips across our unsecured border. observerrational doubts that such an attack is not part of their plan? and who thinks it is a good idea to wait and to give them more time, instead of eliminating this menace right now? ,e have a viable stake here reluctant as we might be to face .2 years of war in iraq

and three years after we are it is no war was over, one's idea of where this nation hoped we would be in the summer of 2014. it's a long way from what we .xpect, but it's where we are and our strength and our resolve today can steer us clear of our greater problems that are ahead. securityd of national always require dealing with the .hreats as they come better still, we deal with them in the faithful and vigilant protection of the united states. thank you. [applause] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2014] [captioning performed by national captioning institute]

>> you are in charge. but o, i love hearing that. -- >> o, i love hearing that. governor perry put me in charge. [laughter] ladies and yemen, we have time for just one question. i saw your hand go up first. please state your name and we will take your question. >> i am with u.s. border security committee. listening to your question, or your statements, is there a concern that isis may be coming to the border of the united states? -- the southern border of the united states? certainly, there is great concern that the border between the united states and mexico is unsecured. and we don't know who is using that. that will share with you we have seen historic high levels of individuals from countries with terrorist ties

over the course of the last months. i will give you one anecdotal picture of what is happening. three ukrainian individuals were a ranch in far west texas within the last 60 days. i think there is the obvious great concern that the cause of the condition of the border from the standpoint of it not being secure and us not knowing who is , thatating across individuals from isis or other -- andst states could be i think there is a very real possibility that they may have already used that. we have no clear evidence of that. ,ut your common sense tells you

what we have seen the number of criminal activities that have occurred -- and i'm talking about the assaults, the rapes, the murders by individuals who have come into this country illegally over the last five years, the idea that they would not be looking at and managing any of those types of attacks from that region is not a good place to be. we need to have clear and forces, both law enforcement and otherwise, on that southern border to send the message that it is secured. the border can be secured. it requires boots on the ground. it requires the aviation assets. it's one of the reasons we have the fna -- faa for the use of , in allo look down 24-7 weather was up we have yet to

have that approval. policy is helpful there as well. we have a serious issue facing this country in the security of our citizens. to be very vigilant. we need to be using every authority that we have. the president needs to be engaged and using his presidential authority. and congress needs to engage in securing this country. i will suggest -- as i have suggested in my remarks, until the border is secure the ruby no con that conversation in this country about any immigration reform. -- until the border is secure, there will be no conversation in this country about any immigration reform. [applause] >> they said we actually have time for one more question. this person.

>> i have one clinical and one policy question for you. >> introduce yourself. >> sorry, casey hunt will stop -- ac hunt with a bc news. the judge that was --used in this case, on policy was, you stopped short of saying traditional combat troops should be used on the ground. i'm wondering if you think we should send traditional combat iraq. -- troops back to >> when david axelrod, lanny davis, allender shorts, jonathan chad all say that this is sketchy, outrageous, totalitarian, and mccarthyite, i agree with them. and that's just on the democrat side of the aisle. [applause]

i think all of your options have to be open from the standpoint of dealing with this terror and this force in that country. enemyk signaling to your what you are not going to put on , andable is very, very bad both strategical and tactical errors by this administration. we need all options on the table. it is too important to jordan, too important to israel, two ofortant to the interests the west in that part of the world to stop isis. in thatl not stop region of the world. they need to be eliminated. they need to be eliminated now. thank you all. [applause] and gentlemen, let's thank again the governor of texas, rick perry. [applause]

to my colleague is going give a few directions about what we have right outside. john will be coming up on the stage here to the left. like the instructions are fairly simple. just don't let the camera crews run over you as they try to get to their bags. -- >> the instructions are fairly simple. don't let the camera crews run over you as they try to get to their bags. >> governor perry wrapping up here. you can watch his remarks again if you missed any of it.

and the preceding panel took place just before governor perry on immigration. you can watch that anytime on our website. go to [indiscernible] www.c-span.org. at homeland look security. the coverage is set to start at 12:55 p.m. eastern. we will have that for you on c-span. will it go this morning, the pentagon is considering sending -- politico this morning, the pentagon is considering sending 300 more troops to baghdad. that would bring the total number of uniformed americans there to about 1000. the decision is not imminent. they are waiting for a formal request for the additional forces. you can read more about that story in politico. you may hear more about that this afternoon. defense secretary chuck hagel and chief -- joint chiefs

secretary general dancy will take questions from reporters at 3:30 p.m. eastern here on c-span. and coming up tonight, opposing views on the issue of climate change. from the heartland institute. the question of science behind him and change. and the former epa administrators who served during republican administration called for action during an environmental subcommittee hearing. here are the comments from mr. moore. notven the ipp c does subscribe to the idea that extreme interest -- extreme weather events are tied to call -- to global warming. they say there is no connection to the warming that has occurred and its extreme weather events. and yet the whole bunch of them for graduate he added that every extreme weather event is because of us. -- perpetuate the idea that every extreme weather event is he cut the bus.

this is why we'll never be able to predict the climate other than about three days out. .t is because of clouds water, the most important greenhouse gas, is the only one that occurs in both liquid and gaseous phases in the atmosphere. in the liquid phase of water and the gaseous phase of water, which we call water vapor, behave in completely different ways with regard to solar energy. clouds can reflect the fun back. they can hold -- can reflect the sun back. they can hold the heat in. and no commuter motter can predict -- no computer model can predict the pattern of clouds in the world. that is why we will never be able to predict the future of climate. clouds are the wildcard. and many people believe that as the earth warms and more water evaporates off the sea, it will be cloudier and wetter, and that will reflect more semi-back and there will be a negative co2, and thatst

is just as plausible a hypothesis as a fry in hell i bought this is that we keep getting from the alarmists. keep getting we from the alarmists. >> you can see the full program tonight at 8 p.m. eastern on c-span. we are hearing about some activities of congress members during the break. earlier today, attorney general eric holder hold a news settlementover the of the bank of america mortgage

fraud. he also talked about his visit to ferguson, missouri. >> small crowd today. thank you all for being here. i'm joined today by the associate attorney general tony west, united states attorney for the district of new jersey paul fishman, united states attorney for the eastern district of new york loretta lynch, the united states attorney for the western district of north carolina ann thompkins, acting united states attorney for the central district of california, kentucky anukura, kentucky attorney general jeff conway, maryland attorney general, acting inspector general the federal housing finance aid michael stevens, an associate regional director enforcement

william hicks of the united states secured is an exchange commission. we are here today to announce a historic step forward in our ongoing effort to protect the american people from financial fraud and to hold accountable those whose actions threaten the integrity of our financial markets and undermined the stability of our economy. the department of justice has reached an agreement with bank of america totaling over $16.6 billion in penalties and consumer leave. -- consumer relief. this constitutes the largest civil settlement with the siegel entity in history. addressing conduct uncovered in more than a dozen cases and investigations. and it addresses allegations that egg of america, merrill lynch, and countrywide each engaged in progressive schemes to fraud. -- to defraud institutions and other investors in structured financial market products known as mortgage-backed securities.

as a part of the settlement, bank of america has acknowledged in the years leading up to the financial crisis that it was, merrill lynch, and countrywide sold billions of dollars of the toxic loans whose quality level of risk they knowingly misrepresented to investors and to the united states government. these loans contained material underwriting to fax. defects.writing the se there were secured by properties with inflated appraisals. they failed to comply with the federal state and local laws and they were insufficiently collateralized. yet these financial institutions knowingly and fraudulently marked and sold these loans as sound and reliable investments. we are still on multiple occasions when confronted with concerns about their reckless practices, bankers at these institutions continued to mislead investors about their own standards and to securitize loans with funnel credit, -- fundamental credit, compliance, and legal defects. under the terms of the settlement, the bank has agreed

to pay $7 billion in relief to struggling homeowners, borrowers, and communities affected by the bank conduct. this is appropriate given the size and scope of the wrongdoing at issue. unfortunately, because congress has failed to extend the law ensuring that most of this relief would not be taxable income, this debt relief will create tax liability for many consumers. that is why the department secured a commitment from bank of america to pay a portion of a settlement over $490 million to defray some of this tax liability. and our settlement requires the bank to notify all consumers of this potential tax liability. that is not enough. i also call upon congress to extend the tax relief coverage of the mortgage forgiveness debt relief act of 2007. until congress acts, the hundreds of thousands of consumers we have sought to help through our settlements of j.p. morgan chase, citigroup, and now

bank of america, macy a -- may see a significant tax bill just as they're beginning to see the light at the end of a dark financial tunnel. i want to be clear. the size and scope of this multibillion-dollar agreement goes far beyond the cost of doing business. this outcome does not preclude any criminal charges against the bank or its employees. nor was it inevitable over these last few weeks this case would be resolved out of court. i want to thank associate attorney general west, especially, for his leadership in helping to obtain resolution we announced today which is both historic and commences with the -- and commence rent -- commence or it with conduct at issue. i want to recognize each have come together to make this landmark settlement a reality. this is merely the latest example of the important work the president's financial fraud enforcement task force is making possible. this agreement, limited the

-- this agreement complemented the actions of the task force is working groups including the residential mortgage-backed security's fraud working group, members of which played key roles in advancing this case. i have in order to chair this -- i have been honored to chair this task force since its inception in 2009 in a with like to thank each of the members who contributed to this outcome and are continuing to advance a range of open matters both civil and criminal across the country. at this time i would like to turn the podium over to the associate attorney general who will provide additional details. >> thank you, mr. attorney general. thank you all for being here today. this morning, we demonstrate once again that no institution is either too big or too powerful to escape appropriate enforcement action by the department of justice. at nearly $17 billion as the attorney general noted, this resolution with the bank of america is the largest that the

department has ever reached with a single institution in american history. but the significance of this settlement lies not just in its size. this agreement is notable because it achieves real account ability for the mac and people. -- american people. in addition to the billions of dollars the bank will pay, bank of america has agreed to sign a statement of facts in which it admits publicly its repeated failure and repeated failures of its affiliates merrill lynch and countrywide, to disclose to investors key facts about the actual quality of the loans they packaged up into residential mortgage-backed investment securities. rmbs.

the statement of facts details evidence we uncovered in three separate investigations conducted by u.s. attorney and thompkins of the western district of north carolina, the central district of california represented here by acting u.s. attorney and the district of new jersey, led by u.s. attorney paul fishman, whose case largely drove the discussions that led to the resolution we are announcing today. his investigation found that merrill lynch new based on its knew,at merrill lynch ne based on its own due diligence that substantial numbers of the loans was packaging in the rmds and selling to investors failed to meet underwriting guidelines, did not comply with applicable law or were inadequately collateralized. all contrary to representations merrill lynch was making to investors. the cases in california, north carolina, involving countrywide and the bank of america respectively to those also involved in similar conduct with

varying degrees of egregious ness. at all involved bank of america or its affiliates saying one thing to investors about the quality of the loans they were packaging into rmds, yet in reality, knowing the facts indicated something quite different. it is like going to your neighborhood grocery store to buy milk that is advertised as fresh, only to discover that store employees knew the milk you are buying have been left out on the loading dock and not refrigerated the entire day before, yet never told you but the condition of the milk. -- about the condition of the milk you were buying. and you got home to pour yourself that glass of milk, investors such as public pension

fund and federally insured financial institutions, they were unpleasantly met with lanes of dollars in losses -- millions of dollars of losses when the securities they had invested in soured. the statement of facts doesn't end with the bank's admissions about its securitization of risky mortgage loans. the statement also achieves accountability by requiring bank of america to accept responsibility for faulty loan origination practices that in many cases, resulted in misrepresentations about the quality of those phones -- loans to fannie mae, freddie mac, and to the federal housing the administration. and also which concluded to the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds. as uncovered in the investigations conducted by u.s. attorney general loretto lynch in new york and u.s. attorney and his office in the southern district of new york. taken together, these cases have

construed it to a civil penalty of $5 billion as reflected in the settlement. the largest civil penalty in history. in addition to accountability, this historic resolution is also significant for what it achieves in terms of restoration. it requires that those we're holding a couple today, they have to show -- shoulder some of the responsibility for repairing the harm caused by their conduct. and in this case, that is achieved by the $7 billion in consumer relief the attorney general mentioned a moment ago. this is one of the largest consumer relief packages we have ever assembled with a single financial institution. and its impact could benefit hundreds of thousands of americans who are still struggling to pull themselves

out from under the weight of the financial crisis. and some of the key consumer relief measures include affordable rental housing, where bank of america will provide millions of dollars in financing for affordable rental housing with a focus on family housing opportunity areas, what of the -- one of the most critical needs in housing today. community reinvestment and it put civilization, where the bank -- and stabilization, where the bank will invest at least $100 million in committed he development funds. legal aid organizations, and housing counseling agencies. and in some areas, bank of america will donate profits -- donate that will allow nonprofits to make productive use of those properties come something that can help bring back the vibrancy of neighborhoods that have been challenged by dormant, abandoned buildings. perhaps most important, this consumer relief will allow for

significant loan modification, where the bank will provide certain homeowners with mortgage principal reductions that will bring their loan to value ratio down to 75% come along with a permanent interest rate of 2%. in plain english, was something like this can mean. imagine a just rest homeowner who has -- distressed homeowner has a mortgage of 250 thousand dollars, but is under because -- but is underwater, because the fair market value of her home is only $150,000. under the consumer relief plan, this type of consumer relief, over one of a $37,000 of her -- over $137,000 of her mortgage debt will be wiped out. her mortgage will come down to about $112,000. so instead of $250,000 mortgage, she got a mortgage of 112,000 dollars. she has a house that used to be a liability, now it is an asset

with equity. that is real consumer relief and is made possible by this settlement. one other form of relief the attorney general mentioned, which really merits emphasis, is this. before congress allowed the mortgage forgiveness debt relief act to lapse at the end of last year, consumers who received the type of relief i just described, they were not liable for any federal taxes that they might go -- that they might owe on the consumer relief the received. but now you see the act is no longer enforced. until it is extended, consumers will be on the hook repaying the taxes -- for paying taxes on any consumer relief they make it from the settlement. -- that they may get from this settlement. so to help consumers to fray that federal tax liability, we negotiated as part of the settlement a 2525 tax relief fund. here is how it works. once a consumer receives relief

such as a principal write-down or mortgage forgiveness, 25% of the value of that relief will be made available to help offset the tax liability that may be incurred by the consumer up to $25,000. now this type of relief, this was going to help tens of thousands of consumers to offset at least, in part, any taxes that may result from the consumer relief they receive as a result of the settlement, but as the attorney general noted, this is only a temporary fix. the fund isn't large enough to cover every potential he affected consumer, which is why the best solution to this problem is for congress to heed the attorney general's call to extend the tax relief coverage of the mortgage forgiveness debt relief act. as i have said before at these

press conferences with announcing these types of resolutions, the consumer relief that we are offering here as a result of the settlement, it won't solve every problem and won't cure every ill created by the financial crisis, but it will do something that is very important. it will offer hope to thousands of americans, hundreds of thousands of americans who are still laboring under upside down mortgages were struggling and neighborhoods that are beset by vacant properties or fighting to avoid foreclosure for themselves and their families. and i think that alone makes efforts like these worth trying, which is why we're not letting up and we're not going away. it is why we will continue to pursue these cases either in litigation through the courts or to a significant resolution,

whichever is in the best interest of the american people. let me say today's resolution would not be possible were it not for the extraordinary partnership that really defines the collaboration with and among this justice department, our sister federal agencies, and the committee of estates attorney -- community of state attorneys general. my thanks to the fdic,, fha, sec trusted attorneys general beau biden of delaware, jack conway of kentucky, maryland to california, and lisa madigan of illinois and eric schneiderman of new york was also one of the cochairs of the working group. one final note, there are so many people who deserve recognition for the hard work that they did to make today's announcement a reality. but allow me to name just a special few. assistant u.s. attorney who was the driving force behind the maryland investigation in the district of new jersey. the director of the group,

jeff graber. deputy associate attorney general. and counsel, stacy grigsby. and my deputy chief of staff cindy chang. thank you to all of them for their dedication and repeated all nighters of the last several weeks. it has made a real difference. now i will turn it over to the attorney general. >> before we go to any questions, let me add a few words about the situation in ferguson. yesterday, i visited ferguson in order to be briefed on the ongoing federal civil rights investigation into the august 9 shooting death of michael brown. the investigation i launched with in a week ago. -- more than a week ago. during the course of my visit, i met with law enforcement as well as community leaders. we had constructive discussions about the importance of

maintaining peace, diverting future acts of violence or vandalism and ensuring public safety as well as the need for outreach and engagement to rebuild a fractured trust between community and the law enforcement community that it serves. i will continue to get regular updates and closely monitor the situation as it unfolds. although our investigation will take time, and i cannot discuss the specifics of this case in greater details since it remains open and reactive, the people of -- and very active, the people of ferguson can have confidence in the federal agents investigators and prosecutors who are leading this process. our investigation will be fair. it will be thorough. it will be independent. on a personal note i've seen a , lot in my times as attorney general but a few things have affected me as greatly as my visit to ferguson. i had the chance to meet with the family of michael brown. i spoke to them not just as attorney general, but as a father of a teenage son myself.

they, like so many of ferguson, what answers. -- want answers. in my conversations with dozens of people in ferguson yesterday, it was clear that this shooting incident has brought to the surface underlying tensions that have existed for many years. there is a history to these tensions and that history simmers in more communities than just ferguson. law enforcement has a role to play in reducing tensions as well as to as the brother of a retired law enforcement officer, i know firsthand that our men and women in uniform perform their duties in the face of tremendous threat and significant personal risk. they put their lives on the line every day and often have to make split-second decisions. the national outcry we have seen speaks to a sense of mistrust and mutual suspicion that can take cold and the relationship in the can take hold relationship between law enforcement and certain communities. i wanted the people of ferguson

to know i personally understood that mistrust. i wanted them to know while so much else may be uncertain, this attorney general and mr. -- and this department of justice stands with the people of ferguson. i hope the relative calm we list -- we this last night can be enduring. people take great pride in their town. despite the mistrust that exists, they reject the violence we have seen over the past couple of weeks. in that sense, while i went to ferguson to provide reassurance, in fact, they gave me hope. my commitment to them is that long after this tragic story the -- no longer receives this level of attention, the justice department will continue to stand with ferguson. we will continue the conversation this incident has sparked about the need for trust building between law enforcement officers and the communities they serve, about the appropriate use of force, and the need to ensure fair and equal treatment for everyone who comes into contact with the police. >> good morning.

jennifer shaw. mr. attorney general, does the $17 million settlement exonerates bank of america from any future legislation -- any future penalty? why shouldn't instead go to the government instead of pension funds? >> this certainly does bring to a close certainly a part of the chapter or bank of america. there are things that are very specifically carved out. we have made public the settlement agreement and are very clear areas. liability ofo

individuals, criminal or civil that were carved out from the agreement, but in terms of the breakdown of the money, much of going back to public pension funds. for instance, when you look at the past resolutions we have reached with jpmorgan or citigroup where states have been involved in those resolutions, we have seen those state return fundsral they get out of the settlements back to public pension funds that have suffered losses. i think one of the benefits of like this is we can begin to compensate public pension funds that were big rums of this, as well as help to bring relief to struggling homeowners and other homeowners

who were victims of the financial crisis. actually, 5 billion of it will go to the united states as a fine but the rest of the cash >> many ofed about them believe the officer. >> you promised an end to end the fax or believe the prosecution and or conviction. how much patience do you think we can and should have? >> i was heartened by the response that i got yesterday when i talked about doing a thoreau and fair investigation.

fair process. i think that seem to satisfy a great number of people. it will take time to the bella facts and evidence to see where the case will ultimately go. as i shared that, i think people were concerned that there was not going to be the kind of investigation that i have promised and that impact will occur. we have been working very diligently out there. i got a briefing from the fbi agents and the prosecutors who were involved in this case. i think significant progress has been made. but it will take some time. i think patients is in abundance in ferguson. it doesn't mean this thing should drag on. we will try to do this as expeditiously as we can. on the other hand, at the end of the day, it is most important we get it right and that means thoroughness, completeness is what we will emphasize. >> each of the settlements comes with an assurance that they do not preclude future criminal

charges against the banks or their employees. so why haven't there been more criminal prosecutions and what to expect going forward? >> we are many tools in the toolbox when it comes to financial fraud. i think what you have seen the one of the reasons they're so effective, the lower burden of proof a lot of times, more effective because we can move on them quickly. but that does not preclude us being able to use any of the other tools in our toolbox. so i won't comment on any particular criminal investigation, whether one exists or not. but i will say it is very intentional we carve out criminal liability and the liability of individuals under the settlements.

mr. attorney general, you spoke of the mistrust in ferguson. people in ferguson referred to other incidences, many of them reported in the news in which they feel that were mistreated in which they feel that were mistreated by police. there was a tasting death. i know you spoke to the victim's sister yesterday. you have been for leaning on the pattern and practice investigations. is that something that can be done and where is your team on that? >> there's nothing i want to announce at this time with regard to that possibility, but there are number of tools the justice department has with regard to examining police misconduct cases. >> have you looked into those past incidences? >> i will say we're keeping our options open. >> what was the greatest thing you learned yesterday visiting with the families? what did they give you personally that you can bring to this case?

>> the real desire on the part of the people of ferguson to be treated fairly and have a good relationship with people in law enforcement. a desire to be seen as equals, a real desire to have healing. there is a real fracture out there now. people are trying to work their way through. as i indicated to them, out of this tragedy comes a great opportunity for reforming that committee. it i think that is something we can do nationwide. this has engendered conversation i think we are to have. but he can't stop at the conversation. it is time to take a concrete step -- but he can't stop at that conversation. it is time to take concrete steps. the justice department is hopefully going to be a leader in that effort. citizens and state and local officials have to be a part of that effort as well.

>> do you have concerns the local cop the tears will be impartial in their inability to our independent -- our investigation will be independent and bureau. we have worked with the county prosecutor in developing evidence and sharing. i am confident at the end of the day the investigation will be thorough and fair. mike with cnn. i would like to ask you about the murder of james foley. i was interested in what the justice department plays in the arestigation of that if you trying to identify the specific individual, if there are any suspects, looking at the leadership that might be involved in this and also, what

role the justice department may have played, if any, in the negotiations for mr. foley's release and the rescue efforts. >> let me say that i am as brutal murder of jim foley as the rest of us are. it was heartbreaking to see his parents yesterday, who showed composure that from our perspective was almost incomprehensible. the justice department is actively pursuing justice in this case. would perpetrate such acts need to understand something. this justice department, the department of defense, this nation, we have long memories and our reach is very white. we will not forget what happened

and people will be held accountable one way or the other. note of theto take fact that jim was a journalist. choices to do the kinds of things that make our society great. information. . think in part that is what led to his death. he was a journalist. -- he understood what was right about the united states. the matter is an open investigation and one we will pursue very vigorously. was the justice department familiar with the efforts to free him through negotiation? >> i did not want to thomas on what i would consider a national security matter. >> did you watch the video and what was your reaction? lex i

did not want to comment on that. >> thank you. >> a live picture from the washington convention center this afternoon as the american bar association is hosting a wide range discussion on homeland security. this is just getting underway. >> we hope people in the hallway quietjoin us and be as about entering as you can. i think we need to get back underway, so let me reconvene the program. we are very fortunate today to have our next speaker to discuss emerging recurrent threats to the homeland to meet the challenge, and one only has to

read the newspaper or watch television for a few minutes to understand how important a subject has become again. america's memory is short but hopefully people will work with the director of homeland security and policy institute memories at the george washington university where the homeland security institute is located. he is our speaker in a few moments. the associate vice president at the george washington university. i am sure he is a leader there and many other regards. routinely called upon but i think all the time called upon probably to advise senior executivein the branch, u.s. armed services on the friday of national and homeland security issues. air is probably no one who has a broader vision of homeland security. he is published extensively in academic law, business and

policy journals. i remember frank from the early days of homeland security, because i think tom ridge did not leave home without frank solo file -- franks lupo with him. served in the office of the white house called the office of homeland security. it was really a small shop. frank grew into $40 billion enterprise, the department of homeland security today. before the white house, frank was involved with the center for strategic and international studies. laterally i could go on and on about his background and resume, introduce him. frank. >> thank you for that overly kind introduction.

if i were to introduce myself it would be a bumper sticker, frank varyingwho degrees of ignorance in the various subjects. fortunately the environment we are facing today plays to one of my strengths, may add. if you were to close your eyes, have a map in front of you and point to any place on the map, in all likelihood you will fall into a bull's-eye of a crisis that we are facing right now. obligatorye the lawyer joke. i normally like lawyers behind me. greatest respect and appreciation for what the american bar association does, my colleague jim colonel and what all of you do to advance

the national security and improve homeland security. that you continue to do the great work as our country needs it. what i thought i would do very quickly is if you were to close her eyes and point to anywhere on the map, whether it is ukraine, crimea, north korea, whether it is what is unfolding so tragically in syria and iraq, whether it is where you see vast territory under the control of islamists and foreign terrorist organizations, whether it is the ebola outbreak in africa or cyber threats, the reality is a lot has unfolded and feels like it is unfolding quicker, faster

and more dangerously than ever before. i do not know if you have had the opportunity to re-general flynn's outgoing interview but well worth taking 5-10 minutes to read some of his views. he was head of the senate intelligence committee. the take away is this is certainly the most dangerous time in his lifetime in terms of an era of threats and compared it perhaps to world war ii where you have some of the most evil manifestations of what humanity has seen. it is worth looking at. celebrating all of this is this bead and connection of technology, whether it is social media. you start seeing just how effective social media has been for our at the series to radicalize and recruit individuals, just look in syria and iraq.

search, 13,000 foreign fighters joining the of jihadist organizations. these are not small numbers but big numbers. obviously when you talk about foreign fighters, at least 3000 of which are westerners. that adds all whole new level of concern to her homeland and to the changing threat environment. these individuals are familiar with the country, speak the language, know the culture, and know everything about us. at some point any of these people return. that is something perhaps we do not feel the full effect of what it means right now but two or three years from now i think you will see it manifest in very new and dangerous sorts of ways. if you were to look at the threat environment right now and try to understand the terrorist environment, it does come in

various shapes, sizes and forms, ranging from al qaeda senior leadership is still in business. iw affect them are they? think that is the wrong set of questions, because i think what you are starting to see is of theion is many organizations that are sort of going in an outsourced model. open source model whether working with, between and among one another. conflation of conflict zones. you cannot fully separate al qaeda in the arabian peninsula from whatand al qaeda you see unfold in. and iraq. more individuals are being challenged by the adversary who can be turned around and sent back home, back to their homelands. sent back because of the recognition of the region. we did a major study in 2007 i

want to set. . looking at the foreign fighter trends and trajectories. at that time we started looking at a largely because of one particular case. does anyone remember is that case? this was a naturalized torican who went afghanistan. his intent was to fight alongside the taliban. he was intercepted by al qaeda, turned around and said you are a much greater value to target the united states. he was behind the plot, a very sinister plot to basically homicide bombings on the new york psalmist -- new york subway. this is the time i think our country was linking -- blinking really read. unfortunately he got further along than any of us would feel

comfortable with. in part because we did not have the synchronization and innovation we strive toward for law enforcement and what have you. plot materialized in denver, new york and in overseas component. so we went out and started doing analysis on this. take away is foreign fighters are nothing new. if you go back to afghanistan, the first fight against the soviets, you will see a number of westerners fighting alongside and threats in the region as well. the difference is the numbers are falling in terms of scale. the demographic is changing and many of them are coming back to the west. when you look at even the al qaeda threat, i think everyone

would have liked to have said dingdong, the witch is dead. worrying about all of the challenges facing the economic situation and everything else we struggle with on a daily basis. the reality is the threat is not that. part of that is getting to the recognition and understanding that it is not about networks or organizations alone but the ideology. it isa phrase, he said it the economy stupid but in this case the ideology stupid. it is fueling the organizations and is quicker and faster and resonates with the percentage of people around the world that i think should war and a lot of concern. so we need to continue to push the envelope met -- militarily and tactically but also recognize until we address the underpinnings of the threat, we masqueradingtics

the strategy so we will have to get to the point collectively to be able to undermine, expose the hypocrisy of the narrative and quite probably, attacking it. frankly,, attacking it. when you start looking and theica, why africa tribal areas and afghanistan and pakistan? why? these are undercover and spaces, vacuums that are being filled by our at the series. abilitye the time and -- ability to maneuver and plan attacks. i think one of the challenging issues we have all tried to address in recent years is take drones. at the end of the day, i would look over enemies

their soldiers -- shoulders then giving them more time to plot or in terroristngage activity. is it a panacea? absolutely not. an important instrument? yes, it is. it has to be combined with other instruments that quite honestly we're not that comfortable as a country or world addressing. i think that is something we need to worry about. isis. tragic newsat the in terms of the beheading of an american, this is part of the narrative. the narrative is to demonstrate we are vulnerable, we should be afraid and will continue to engage in this activity. i would advise no one to watch that video because in a way we are giving them the oxygen they look for, that they seek to be able to fulfill the objectives.

that said, we cannot aid nor these particular issues. i hate to say it, but i think you will see more incidents along these lines. it is very reflective in recent history. if you all remember is our car zarkarwi he was terrorist number one in iraq and he actually crossed the line someone say by bombing a jordanian wedding where he killed a number of wedding go wailers -- wedding goers and family members. what you ended up seeing was basically a pushback that he crossed the line and was behind a lot of beheadings and gruesome video and ultimately did not resonate and sell in the way he was looking for.

it was basically sending notes to him suggesting that this is to buy links, we will never be able to win the so-called hearts and minds that they were trying to in their obscure in twisted little way trying to do. i am not sure it has staying power but i think it is almost irrelevant. they are basically looking for small members to engage in activity very quickly. if you are to believed what you see out of recent reporting out of the u.k., you have 500 rates britsng along isis -- 500 fighting alongside isis. 900 french according to security services. to approximately 100 and americans fighting alongside the individuals. these arm not small numbers. terrorism is by definition a

small numbers business. you cannot afford small incidents. it has catastrophic potential impact. i think that is something we need to be thinking about, especially in terms of threats to the homeland. if you look at isis, arguably the most well-funded terrorist organization in history. if rob thanks -- oil fields, someone is buying this. i hope that is where we start squeezing -- squeezing some of that. have a sense of momentum and safe haven. at some point they will turn the canons away in terms of the threat here, looking here, unless we can ramp up activity. that is why i support airstrikes do not seebecause i

better alternatives. frightening thing for me is i do think there was a where threat level had dropped. i think we got into a false sense of complacency. i think now if you were to look at the threat level, in many ways it does mirror the pre-9-11 environment. there are many things to bear in terms of intent and numbers. in terms of the actual counterterrorism tools we need to bring to bear, to me, it is addressing narratives. there are great programs people are not aware of at the state department and some of the other entities. they are forward leaning in terms of computer.

in terms of other safe havens, ali is one of concern. i think the french deserve in terms of terrorism, yes and wind may be. they were able to preemptively get in front of what was going to be a much greater threat in terms of immediacy but that, too, does not last forever. the question is how do we start addressing these issues? -- boa and boca raton rom caharam.

you want to turn off the tv. you want to stop reading your twitter feeds, stop reading the newspapers because it really is gruesome organization. au have people killed on regular basis. are seeing swaths of girls and now boys. what? beingped for humans, studying, trying to be part of society. i am not sure how we best get our arms around that but we need to build up capacity because we cannot do it all. it would be the last option of any of these places. this plays to the enemies honestly asd quite much as we can deal with counterterrorism, we know -- we will never kill and capture of her way to victory alone.

there but id news think some of that is already beginning to fade. here you also have a very vicious terrorist organizations that can easily make inroads. from a u.s. perspective, perhaps a community least integrated. that is why hughes also many americans traveling. so many found their way to yemen. we are not out of the woods there yet either. -- they have had the u.s. and its crosshairs for a very long time. inuntil what we saw unfold iraq it would've been a very dared -- dangerous situation. so i hate to say it, but we have got a lot to worry about

overseas. is what is oldee is new in new is old. russia is back. dust off all your cold war papers. hate to say it but we need to start thinking about what all of that means and their use of roxy. if you start seeing in the 80's when i first started working these counterterrorism issues in the 1990's, we were worried about state-sponsored terrorism. whether it is in terms of russia providing near or plausible deniability using their proxy be -- proxy, which is not new. that is how they attacked estonia,

and now starting to see it through physical means. why russia is perhaps greater a lotn is they have nukes of them. those can be a game changer types of incidents. we have to be careful how we address the issues. as fertile and gruesome as terrorism is, when you are dealing with a nuclear threat, that can be a game changer quickly. obviously you have bio defense issues. if you look at it from an instrumentality perspective am a bit area we have done the least , whether it is -- foreign nations engaging in biowarfare and appointment. these are the things that can be

game changers, tipping points kinds of hats. you need to be cognizant of them. then of course we still have a homegrown threat. this comes in various stripes and forms. goingk that here we are to be so focused on many of the folks traveling overseas that you will have some that don't travel overseas and will stay off the radar seem that can be significant and real threats. the long-winded way of saying you ain't out of the woods, but i think there is some potential for optimism here. a lot of this coming at a time when i think americans trust in the government at an all-time lows. i think we have to figure out andwe can engage in the use maintain the right balance because we do not ever want to tip it too far in one direction but at the same time need to acknowledge and not simply wish threats away. in terms of cyber, which is

gobbling up most of my time these days, i think we are at a in recognizinge the threat and what it means. not going to defeat cyber. we're going to have to get to the point where we understand how our adversaries use ciber to achieve objectives. whether it is what we see on the counter radicalization side or whether it is more computer network exploit or computer ciberk attack, i.e. using as a weapon to be able to attack our systems but when i see and read the media here, i am less depressed because i did not think they understand it yet. now i collect kids soccer everyone chasing the shiny toy or ball. if you were to read the newspaper, you could not delineate the term wet pack and

more sophisticated computer networking attack. so i think we have to get to the point where we can get more clarity in terms of what we mean with respect to ciber. you cannot mirror image that adversaries. if you were to look at the very top it would be russians, china's, united states, some of our allies. , their intent, unless escalating in a military situation is not to take down attack systems unless they are a threat. by and large it is exploit,

which means they are in the business.stealing those are jobs. innovation, that is what keeps america going forward and vulnerable and susceptible which means it is being stolen at huge amounts like that. if you are in the chinese mines, what would deter you from not that is basically the way they're looking at it. postif you look at the normal discussion the post equivalent discussion. of course we engage in intelligence collection but not engaging in that to support apple or ibm or ford or any american company. the difference is there you have national assets and resources being engaged and he used to benefit companies.

that is an unfair playing field and not the playing field anyone should want to play on. that gets to the very core of who we are as a society. who america is as a country. to me, that is a marketplace issue that needs to be addressed. i am somewhat optimistic we can get to those solutions. take russia and china, are they engaging commuter -- computer thesery attack for of purposive? absolutely. i cannot separate what is physical and cyber anymore. they're all the same. who are the countries we need to be most worried about from a national security immediate perspective? that is iran, north korea. engage through cyber. quite honestly they are. they are attempting.

doing the equivalent of intelligence perforation on the battlefield. even a company like citigroup or bank of america or goldman sachs , they were not built to defend against nationstates or national capabilities. that is the battlefield we are in today. cannot separate what is in the government and private sector. if i were to tell you who is most concerned from an attack standpoint, probably the throughnt of iran, proxy or some of these other proxies they are using. the russians are doing this every day. it does provide plausible deniability. smoking keyboards are hard to find. i do not know who is behind the clickety clack of the keyboard. finally you are starting to see criminal enterprises. that usednterprises

to be in the hands of government alone. these are largely russian speaking, eurasian criminal enterprises. just look at the target tax. that is what you are seeing and reading. if you think that is the only thing going on right now -- i am glad it opens up people's eyes, puts ownership and executives to address the issue, but they are the ones who got caught. think they are alone, think again. the reality is those who have been hacked, those to be hacked and those who have not are not aware. me, when you start to look at some of the corporate priorities and some of the business challenges and executives, ciber is at the top of the list going forward. looking at it from a national security standpoint, yes.

you also need to be concerned about those that will engage in computer network attacks. bottom line, we need more clarity and position when we talk about ciber. were to pick up the newspaper, you would not be able to do that. will there be drive-by shootings, yes, but not the same as a foreign nation engaging in an attack. well for her and terrorist organizations turn to ciber? they are trying. i am still more worried about connecticut tax because that fills recruiting and has visuals. are they going to engage in cyber? absolutely. if i were to have to take worst-case scenarios, it is the convergence of physical and cyber. it is a multiplier. that is what we need to worry about going forward.

done -- it said and was yogi berra who said the future ain't what it used to be. my version is since the end of the cold war, threat forecasting has made a stronger to look first the -- respectable. i do not have a crystal ball. the best way to predict anything is to shape it. i feel like we are in react mode. tired and reacting to crises everywhere. we need to be in the business of shaping the environment. to, i am a proud american our national interests and then do so in a way that is collectively beneficial for society. i will leave it at that. i want to engage in any sorts of questions. thank you. [applause]

ask any questions? >> when you were talking about france having citizens and britain's along with us fighting and isis, i would like your opinion on can we account on my big allies at all? concern is the land grab going on because now there is a home base. makes great bastion. i will tell you when it comes to the community there is no sunlight. yes, we can count on it. the capacity and capability is another question. i do think they have a lot of capability and are one of the closest allies, and if they have

something, they will provide it. quite honestly the brits are because it has stymied their capabilities. , that isof the french complex. as happy as i was in terms of what we saw and molly, and by went against all indigenous polls. less than 20% support at the time of french engagement. he went against the polls of his own country. that said, still selling stuff for the russians. is that state-sponsored terrorism? i don't know. i am not very happy with what we're seeing. that is theg soil? sorts of questions we need to ask because once you dry up the funding well, obviously you

minimize the ability to project power in diploid forces in the same way we are seeing right now. so when you start looking at allies on counterterrorism issues, i think france has been a strong ally. but thejacob no, politics does not affect it. does not affect the relationships on the ground where it matters. we both have great interest to address these issues. it was also the french that came back. that was the first indicator you have foreign fighters engaging .n terrorist acts i am concerned when you look at the number brits fighting overseas. saw aefore isis you number of breaths in southeast asia joining up with al qaeda

and the arabian peninsula, which confused me. folksy the brits security would explain it was they knew authorities were onto them if they kept traveling to pakistan. they go there, come back and have the state -- same street credits. stuff not make this cool. it is gruesome and awful and people die. so bottom line is that with the , i have every bit of confidence what they can do. russia, i would like to see them stronger with the russian investment in their own country. in terms of counterterrorism, i am optimistic our relationship

with branches -- france is strong. the belgians per capital, more ingians fighting right now the region than any other country, western country. friend?belgians a absolutely but do they have the capacity to get their arms around this? let's be serious, us. do we know everyone gone overseas? did we know the numbers until we started seeing some of them on the battlefield? probably not. >> thank you. frank for an excellent presentation. two questions. the first has to do with the efficacy of counterterrorism measures, whether it is squeezing the rich donors of the gulf states or the preeminence of the lack of adequate measures against that. that is one question.

what is your take on the efficacy in terms of the effective implementation and the impact. secondly, afghanistan. >> those are great questions. i apologize they did not bring up afghanistan. let's not make the same mistake iraq ask -- in afghanistan. i am not making a political decision for whether or not we should have a huge booth on the ground but there are measures that can be taken and must be taken and we cannot take our eye off the ball. that vacuum can be filled really fast. i also neglect to to discuss when i mentioned the fatwah region and many others, the bats of the bad.

is one sense of optimism, it is that they are looking a little bit over their shoulder. if they stop looking over their shoulder, they will use the time unfortunately not to our best interests. question was on the financial side. you know this better than i did because i think you teach a course looking at the finance related issues. when we can get the precision to address those matters him if they are effective. you do have individuals that are fueling some of this. so i am concerned about some of that.

on the isis situation, they do not need that. they do not have to appeal to anyone because they robbed the banks, they have the oil. that is very different then what we have seen in the recent past and the past decade of so-called long war. wealthy,ot had a very open ability to maneuver in daylight organizations. you have that there. well financed on their own. they took the technology and weaponry. heavily armed. unfortunately a whole lot of training experience based on activity experience. they are adaptive. we tend to think they do not learn. the reality is they do learn and they become more resilient and adaptive based on recent history. that is something we need to

always try to stay ahead of the curve. >> thanks a lot. [applause] going to have a little bit of a longer break than anticipated. frank had a hard stop and needed to get to another meeting. thank you for being with us. i am sure those questions can be posed at the george washington to find what answers they may have on their website. me ask for your indulgence and patience and we will get started back after 2:00 with the next reg out session. what i would like for you to do is look at both of these and

make a choice about what one you want to be in. we have a law enforcement panel then we have an infrastructure protection panel and the adjacent room and 201. make a choice and stay with us. enjoy a little bit of a break and we will be back in both rooms. thank you very much. >> taking a short break. we will return to the convention center for more from the american bar association for a discussion about the intersection of law enforcement and homeland security.

look take at, we look at remarks from fox news contributor juan williams about continuing efforts on the war on poverty. this is from the community action partnership that get ann. >> i now want to give you a little bit of a glimpse into his background. office, a journalist and political analyst with a broad background and experience. to contribution concludes npr and several fox news shows including fox news sunday, the five and special report with bret bair and also shares post duties with his favorite

substitute host bill o'reilly. booksthor of six including the bestseller eyes on the prize. to 1965. [applause] we will have some copies of afterwards. , hope i am not imposing, an opportunity to sign some of those. a biographywritten of thurgood marshall and has received an emmy award and critical praise for his tv documentary work and several awards for his investigative journalism columns. he writes for " the washington "st" " new york times" and washington journal" and has been published many times. he was a senior at national correspondent and news until 2010.

at the post he was an editorial writer, in the white house and national correspondent. he covered every major political campaign from 1980 until 2000 as a political columnist. truly a man of the times in which we live. he is familiar with community action and is an honorary sea captain. [applause] so on this important occasion of the 50th anniversary i believe we have no better person to challengeds and also us. as iron sharpens iron, so one good person sharpens another. please join me in welcoming juan williams. -- ron williams. >> thank you very much.

thank you. i appreciate that. thank you. that was quite an introduction. a little bit subdued. you could have mentioned i was a top graduate from my high school. so what if i was homeschooled? that does not matter. this is terrific. they will have a day for tomorrow and day for the future but they invite me for yesterday. me to see soor --y people i know,'s people people i know, people i have met over the years. it brings back memories. in fact, i feel like i have been on a magical mystery to her of

memories. just last night i went to a concert downtown, rod stewart and santana. then a couple of weeks ago i went to see billy joel. about the concerts is i tend to be the youngest person in the crowd. well, this is just a treat to be here on this day. you think about president signing that. such an amazing moment. the memories i think serve such an important purpose. they do inspire us. they tell us really about the root from which we have all i thinkut we have to remember. even as i say it is nice, i was

walking through the lobby in so many people stopped to say hello. for me, it is difficult. i remember faces better than names. with mealling that is being on media, often times people think -- see me and think he sees back, well, he does not. people would say i recognized your voice from the radio. they would say it is good to put a face with a voice. i would think, i did not know what you look like either. do so much tv that people say to me, i recognize your face. the other day a lady said it is finally good to put a body with the face. wow, i thought i hope she likes

the body. know what i mean? you, so manyl of friends and faces, it is to put the heart in community action. to put the brains he had the hands that do the helping every day, the work you have just thosereferenced through 50 years to make community action, live. the memories of people i hope you have in a way that i cannot see, people you have help. people who have helped you, things that all of you had done, cherished memories, things in that maybe honshu. so many memories today. i saw a sign outside a church recently and it said the best way to measure your wealth is to take a look at what you have when the money is gone.

i think about that in relation to community action, because the wealth in this room is overwhelming. [applause] i think about all the memories, the relationships, the pride in work, the integrity, the smile on the face of the child, standards of excellence you set. people you have lifted up. people you have inspired. people you have mentored. your ability to make a , that ise in the life what matters. that is the greatest memory of all. also a matter of how we want to be remembered, not simply forgotten 50 years after the for how we want to be remembered.

we all want to be remembered in a certain way. ted kennedy, iran member when he was dying he did not want to be remembered for all the money his family had been -- had put together, the scandals that was for sure. did not want to be remembered for the fact that two of his brothers had been assassinated. tent -- tedng kennedy when he was dying wrote a letter to the pope and said, i want you to know your holiness in my 50 years of elected office , i have been a champion for the s of the poor. i have tried to open doors of economic opportunity. that is a quote. that sounds like something else. it resonates with memory and with the purpose all of you reflect here today.

he is speaking up for the elderly, poor children, immigrants, people afflicted with drug addiction, alcoholism, people who do not have opportunity. there is ted kennedy as he is dying talking about that as the way he wanted to be remembered. now, the question is, tent kennedy is dying -- ted kennedy is dying and his legacy is all he has on his mind. he is focused. but for day to day for all of overwhelmed with the meetings, her, barack christie, emergency situations, budgets, lawyers, politics. so much of that preoccupies your every moment. you are not concerned with how you will be remembered. today i would ask