it's david young. s want a meal and good government. we get the good meal but our government over spends, over taxes and under regulated. it underperforms. i get it and you get it. why can't they? offering a dose of iowa reality to washington. then maybe we can have a good meal and good government. i am david young and i approved this message. and tea partyican brokers went into the back room, , 20 years david young on the payroll of a broken congress. i standing uproom for cutting social security and ending medicare as we know it, even raising the minimum retirement age. what washington really needs is a healthy dose of iowa common

sense. stacy apple work as a financial consultant who knows small business is key to job growth. as state senator, she got results, helping make equal pay for equal work the law in iowa. she will fight to protect social security and medicare. end the backroom deals and put iowa families first. >> just some of the ads running ahead of iowa's third district race as candidates run to replace tom latham who announced his retirement after 10 terms. 8:00ht's debate for my p.m. eastern on c-span 2. tomorrow morning, michael peron joins us from the washington examiner to talk about his column on the republican party. former 9/11 commission or vice chair lee hamilton reacts to last night's speech by president

obama. and the president of the university of iowa looks at issues affecting higher ed. lost your phone calls, facebook comments and tweets on washington journal live tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m. eastern on c-span. >> this weekend, american history tv is live from baltimore for the two hundredth anniversary of the star-spangled banner sunday morning at 8:30. later, on american history tv, we will tour fort mchenry and hear how war came to baltimore in 1814. 8:00, theight at presidential leadership scholars program with former presidents george w. bush and bill clinton. sunday afternoon, live coverage of the harkin steak fry. sunday evening at 8:00, q&a with rick perlstein. on c-span 2 saturday night at

10:00, author ken silverstein on the secret world of oil. sunday night on book tv, democratic senator from new york christin gillibrand on her life in politics and the call for women to rise up. find our television schedule at c-span.org and let us know what you think about the programs you are watching. call us, e-mail us or send us a tweet. join the c-span conversation. like us on facebook, follow us on twitter. >> earlier today, ohio senator rob portman spoke at the christian science monitor about the isis threat, the tension between ukraine and russia and the possibility of republicans gaining control of the senate. this is about an hour.

>> ok, here we go, folks. thanks for coming. i am dave cook from the monitor. our guest this morning is senator rob portman of ohio, vice chairman for finance of the national republican senatorial committee. our is his first visit with group. our guest was born and raised in cincinnati. he earned his degree at dartmouth. he earned a law degree from the university of michigan. he worked in the elder president bush's white house as head of the office of legislative affairs. for a3, he ran congressional seat and served in the house from 1994 to 2004. in 2005, president george w. bush named him as trade representative and appointed him as director of the office of management and budget. in 2010, he was elected to the senate. he and his wife have three grown children. hicalends the biograp

portion of the program. we are on the record. please, no live blogging or tweeting. give us time to actually listen to what our guest says. relentless curb that selfie urge, we will e-mail pictures of the session as soon as the breakfast ends. if you would like to ask a question, please do the traditional thing and send me a subtle nonthreatening signal. raised eyebrow, finger wave, what have you. we are going to start off by offering our guest the opportunity to make some opening comments. thanks again for doing this, sir. >> thank you, dave. this is a great turnout. i see you all have your reading material in front of you. thank you for memorizing this. i will talk about this plan for , not just a way to

explain to people why it is important to elect republicans but it is a blueprint for governing. i would like to start by saying, here we are, 13 years after 9/11 . although some of us may not remember what we were doing yesterday, i think everybody remembers exactly where they were 13 years ago. by theion was riveted attacks on the world trade center. the fight against terror began in earnest and here we are 13 years later with the president giving a speech about fighting terrorism. this is a determined and obstinate enemy that continues to threaten our country. i believe there is a national security threat in my basis is doing in iraq and syria -- in what isis is doing in iraq and syria.

i think we can learn a number of lessons from it. one is that we are blessed to have the greatest military on the face of the earth. although we have made many sacrifices in the last 13 years, our military and intelligence is second to none. i thank god. dave and i were talking coming in. dave is a veteran and has two sons who currently serve. i appreciate them and him. i think we have to count our blessings that we have the ability to respond as the president talked about last night. keep in mind the need for us to continue to have the strongest military on earth to not just protect us but to ensure we have peace and stability around the world. speechve the president's

last night laid out a strategy for dealing with the isis threat in a general way and that was good. i think it was tardy, but i believe what the president laid sut in terms of his four point military continued activity in the region, aerosols, is appropriate. aults isss appropriate. the president made it clear that we have not had the kind of leadership that is necessary by saying on the onset of his credit foring leaving iraq in total, saying that we had no more combat troops in iraq and taking credit for that. i think the vacuum that was left by the way in which we chose to

leave iraq is much of the problem we currently see. i think by not leaving a residual force, specifically trainers to keep the maliki government in check and have some leverage on them, not to have intelligence on the ground to monitor what was going on including the movement of isis fighters, and have some special operators to work with the iraqi forces to deal with that kind of we are in the reason the situation we are in. second, the president made it clear in his speech before he started talking about terrorism that he is proud of the fact that we are ending the combat mission in afghanistan this year. again, i think we are not learning the lessons of iraq by an arbitrary timeline for afghanistan.

contesting to not just our enemies but our allies that the united states is not in this for the long haul. whether it is in iraq where we have seen chaos, or potentially in afghanistan where this could happen as well, i think we need to let those around the world know -- both our enemies, the terrorist groups that are listening carefully, but also our allies -- that the united states is in this for the long haul. it has been 13 years since the 9/11 attacks. many of us would like to think we solved the problem. i think the president has succumbed to the political temptation to do that repeatedly. last night in his speech, which i support what he laid out, i think congress ought to respond appropriately and provide him the funding that he has asked for with regard to training forces in syria to help us carry out the necessary

counterterrorism activity against isis there, but what i don't support is discontinued reluctance on behalf of our commander-in-chief to let the world know that the united states can be depended on and we will be there for the long haul and will not allow 13 years after 9/11 for those kinds of horrific attacks to happen again. i think we need to learn from our mistakes and apply those to afghanistan and around the world. isthe home front, america only strong globally when we are strong at home. even if that weren't the case, one reason i brought this plan with us is that i am -- >> i hear you take it with you everywhere. >> i apparently do. i do think we are in a situation now where we have a leadership

deficit abroad and at home. there are certain things we can and should be doing to deal with the weakest economic recovery since the great depression. another disappointing month. yes, the unemployment numbers ticked down because more people left the workforce altogether. we had the so-called labor force participation rate go down to the point that among men and women combined, we are probably at the level we were during the incredibly weak economic period of the carter administration in the 1970's. among men, it probably goes back to the 1940's. we have the lowest per dissipation rate we have had since the 1940's when we started keeping track of these statistics. income is down. health care costs are up.

as is the price at the pump. people's net worth is down considerably. if you look at the period from ronald reagan until 2007, we had a steady increase in income, even taking into account an inflation rate that is not accurate. about an 18% increase in income, now we have had an actual loss of income and net worth. ohio, what ik in find is that what the president said last night, basically we are out of the woods, things are getting better, he talked about this unparalleled period of job creation, that is not what i hear and that is not what i see. i see a lot of people who are hurting. i see people who are very worried, uncertain about the future. that i lookededge at the polls in august.

senators and i talked about that in terms of states where we have senate races. the poll i found most troubling and interesting was the wall street journal poll about how people feel about the future. it asked the american people, do you think the next generation is going to be better off? the answer was a resounding no. 77% of americans said no. that is unprecedented. these numbers have never been seen before. >> this is the point in the program where i earn my salary by saying, if you could bring your opening to a close, then we will go to questions. if they don't questions, they will march on me with torches. >> i would hate to see that. let me conclude by saying i think we are suffering from a leadership deficit abroad and at home. in terms of leadership at home, i think there is a way forward here. our future can be very bright

and it requires republicans and democrats alike to find common ground on issues where there is a consensus. we know we need to deal with the debt which is at record levels. we know we need to give our economy a shot in the arm by doing the tax reform the president talked about. we have to deal with our regulatory system and provide relief which we can and should do. we know our energy opportunities are great. the numbers would be far worse if not for the growth in the private sector. there is so much more we can do. that includes the keystone pipeline, but also energy efficiency. expanding trade is another area. i would tell you not to have the ability to negotiate has hobbled our economy. it has not enabled us to send

exports. we have the opportunity by doing some of these simple things to get the economy moving again and do what john f. kennedy talked about, rising the tide. a rising tide lifts all boats, he said. that is the necessary, not sufficient but necessary action we should be taking as a country. optimistic and i think having a republican majority helps make that happen, for the simple reason that this town is dysfunctional. we are not doing things we should be doing. by getting a republican majority, i believe it would get the president to the table on these issues. i think that can happen. we will talk more about the specifics if you like. if it does happen, the next few years can be productive. i may sound naïve. i look at what has happened over the years when we have divided

government. that is when we have done tax reform, entitlement reform, move the economy forward. we have a desperate need for that right now. i need for leadership. that requires both sides to come together and do what is best for the american people. paul andine, alex, burgess to start. story yesterday noted that republicans in a number of races including kentucky and iowa are seizing on what they call the obama administration's feckless response to islamic state militants. their argument is that obama is disengaged. how did last night's speech in your view change the effectiveness of that line of attack?

>> first, i think the speech last night laid out a general strategy that i hope most republicans will support. i think it is right. we need to be more aggressive. we were in a much more difficult this vacuumcause of of leadership that we talked about. but we are where we are. i think it is appropriate that the president laid out a the threat deal with in iraq and syria. i don't think this is a political issue. witherstand the connection the senate campaign and people have different takes on it in terms of the political implications of last night's speech. this is about our national security.

someone once said famously, partnership ends up the waters edge. i think america is in trouble abroad. with ukraine and russia, i think the same is true in the south china sea. i think the same is true in other parts of the middle east, including gaza and israel. and with regard to iran and their march toward a nuclear weapon. we need to show more leadership. i hope last night's speech begins the process of getting america back on track. the president based on remarks last night, continues to hope it will go away. hope is not a strategy. we need to in grades -- to engage more aggressively. roadrlier this week, sue that they were expecting a sizable republican wing. charlie cook offers a different

view. he says there doesn't appear to be an overwhelming republican side. the democrats could well lose the senate even without such a wave. which senate race keeps you up most at night? is it our friend in kansas where you recently dispatched two top aides to work on it? first, none of the races keep me up at night. i am kept up at night by other the lack ofding leadership abroad and my worry about what that means. i was in ukraine a few months ago with the elections there. what keeps me up at night is the fact that the united states is toowing the ukrainian people

have to engage in a fight with a much stronger military, russia, without priding the weapons they need. i am kept up by the fact that this economy continues to be incredibly weak despite there are things we can do to get it moving again. thinkwer your question, i 50 days is a lifetime in politics, so things could change. charlie cook said the bad news is that republicans could win without a wave. i don't know if that is bad news. but i think it is too close to call. i believe there are three states where both republicans are seemingly doing very well. double-digit leads in the polls. that would be west virginia, south dakota and montana. there are probably seven states where it is too close to call. need gains inuld order to get the majority.

i don't think any republican seats are in great danger. i think mitch mcconnell is doing well in kentucky. i live in northern kentucky. i get a lot of those ads at home. i think mitch is going to be fine. i think in georgia, we are doing well. it is trending in the right direction. it comes down to those handful of states. is simply going to depend on what happens in the next 50 days or so. >> catherine. >> will the nrfc contribute money to state senator jim over vice's campaign against dick durbin? know what the decision will be there. i have been told that that race is closed somewhat. it is a single-digit race.

i don't know enough about it. >> [indiscernible] >> i don't know. frankly, the playing field is already very broad. i don't think people would expect that we would be talking about minnesota, new hampshire, virginia and oregon but we are. the playing field is already quite broad. >> alex? >> you guys take over the majority, one of the first things you have to do is draft the budget. you are on the budget committee. what will the budget look like? you have to get ted cruz demoed for it, possibly. will it be like the ryan budget? if not, what are the key differences going to be? >> that is a great question. if we get 55 or 57 republicans, we won't need ted and susan. you have to assume it is going

to be a narrow majority and we need to pull together to make sure we do pass a budget. it is unbelievable to me that we do not have a budget in the house and senate for the last several years. i have been back in congress now for three years. i was vice chair of the house budget committee. i put together my own budget for an administration. it is amazing to me that we continue to move forward without even having the blueprint on spending. i think it is our responsibility to provide that blueprint for the american people. they need to know what direction our country is heading in. how much you tax and spend is critical to that. i think some folks around this table have not given enough attention to that issue. there would be some key differences? >> there would be some differences but in general where republicans want to head is

toward a balanced budget over time. budget, you can have what is called reconciliation instructions. if you can pass a budget in the house and senate, which i am confident that we will be able , although it is a challenge, you can have these reconciliation instructions that provide for something on the revenue side, which could lead to tax reform, something on the spending side, which could lead to necessary changes to our incredibly important programs, and also deal with the debt. those can be done not with 60 votes in the senate that with 51 votes as we saw with president obama pushing obamacare through the senate with 51 votes. of, is a significant part should we get the majority, what we ought to be doing. it is included in here. i do think this is part of leadership.

i am amazed again at the substantial five-vote majority that the democrats didn't even try to do a budget this year. when they did do one, it was a strictly partisan exercise that had no opportunity to be reconciled with the house budget. i think this will be one of our challenges, one that we should embrace. we should move forward with a budget that provides that blueprint. .> holsinger -- paul singer senator, over the next week or so, what votes do you expect the senate and congress to take on the isis threat and what votes do you feel will be difficult to take? we are asking people going into election to vote essentially for a new war. >> i don't consider it a new war.

i consider it a continuation of something that began 13 years ago. that is part of the point i tried to make earlier. the president may wish it away but this threat continues. to compare what is going on with isis in iraq and syria to what is going on in somalia or yemen also misses the point. the president also continues to take great pains to describe what he is not going to do, anduding telling our allies telegraphing to our enemies that there will not be u.s. troops on the ground, even though he authorized an additional 475 troops in iraq last night. i don't think it is about a new effort. as i have said to others around this table, i believe the president has the authority to sis.in iraq against iu

when he begins to execute the plan in syria, he should come to congress. congress will have a debate on this that enables the american people to have more buy-in into what the president is proposing. that would be helpful. >> [indiscernible] >> i think it would be smart for the president to ask. last night he said he didn't believe he needed the authority. passed a resolution, it would make sense. the other thing that makes me concerned about the president's speech last night is that by comparing what is going on in yemen or somalia to iraq and that hend by suggesting is very proud of the fact that we have pulled out of iraq altogether, he may be underestimating the threat. i think this is, as i said earlier, a very real national security threat to the united

states of america. it is a humanitarian crisis as well. i also hope this won't be the last speech the president gives on it. one thing i think is apparent to a lot of you around the table is that during the obama administration, there was very little talk about what was going on even as our troops were engaged in iraq and afghanistan. i think that is a problem. i think what people around the world are looking for are allies who are looking to ensure we have the tenacity and the resolve to finish this task, and our enemies who are looking for weakness want to know that we have a focus here. this won't be just another speech. a speech is not a strategy. >> moving on something that is not a speech in a few days? >> i don't think we will vote in a few days. it seems as though harry reid wants to focus on political

growth that has no chance of passage in the senate. on all be voting constitutional amendment on campaign finance and the so-called paycheck fairness act without offering any amendment. this is the first time i have been told there is a proposal to amend the constitution without offering any amendments on the floor of the senate. i've some point, i hope -- at bringoint, i hope we will up this issue and have a resolution with regard to the use of force and i hope we will be able to have this debate so that the american people can be more engaged and we have an honest discussion about the difficulties, the need for commitment, and the need for additional funding for our military to accomplish this, specifically with regard to the

military getting more training in syria. read had a pretty good august fundraising month. you said that kansas, georgia and kentucky, you're not worried about the races there. [indiscernible] >> i hope we won't have to. we did have a good august. we exceeded our goals. overall, we are raising record amounts as compared to previous cycles. the democrats are doing fundraising too. the president is a terrific fundraiser. he has done 19 advance for the senate campaign committee. that has helped them to have resources they wouldn't otherwise have. i am hopeful we won't have to on thosecc resources red states i talked about. all stage that romney won

handily and we have good candidates so i believe we will be fine. our focus will be more on these states, north carolina, arkansas, louisiana, iowa, michigan, colorado, new hampshire, alaska, i think those are the states where we will look for a majority. >> you said you hoped that a republican majority in the senate could bring the president to the table and also work to find some common ground. i would like to ask you to play out what issues you think you would be able to find common ground on. that would be a great novelty in the past era. secondly, senator mcconnell has been quoted as saying things that make it sound as if he would take a much more confrontational tact and turn a udgetaround lotion -- buz

resolution -- it sounds a little less like finding common ground. are you an senator mcconnell insync on that strategy? i don't know precisely what he laid out, but i have talked to him and other members of our leadership team about the need to pass a budget, to move forward with legislation that we can find a consensus among republican colleagues and democrats. with the exception of these reconciliation ideas, 50 votes would be required in the senate to pass anything. i don't think anybody is suggesting we will have 60 votes on the republican side. i just need to check to see if the polls have changed this morning. i think we are going to need to work with democrats on many of these issues. i will lay out a simple agenda for the first 50 days. this is not something that is

impossible to accomplish. we have already votes on these issues. one would be keystone pipeline. this is one where i believe if we can get the majority, we can get close to a veto-proof majority on that issue. i think it makes sense. it should be coupled with other things including the energy efficiency bill that has come to the floor twice in the senate. parts have already passed the house. it is one we could pass with overwhelming republican and democrat majority. i think this shows we have a balanced all of the above energy approach. it won't cover everything. but it will help to move forward this strategy. two would be to give the president what he has asked for with regard to know she gain -- with regard to negotiating authority on trade agreements.

there will not be a new trade agreement negotiated whether it is the transpacific partnership or bilateral agreements if the president doesn't have the authority to negotiate. we haven't had this for seven years. we suffered as a result. we are losing market share. it hurts american workers. issuesit is one of those that does keep me up at night. i worry that we are falling behind. that is what we can do. the president in my view would sign it. third, this is a broader area but there are some specific measures we passed in the house and the senate has looked at, that is on the regulatory front. one is a permitting bill that would enable us to move forward in a more logical way with permitting. the house has already passed several of these bills.

the commonsense bills like ensuring that independent agencies have to go through a cost-benefit analysis which is not required now. tightening up the cost-benefit analysis on executive branch agencies. this is something the economy would react to very favorably. i think you would see much more certainty. one thing that has been evident in the polling i talked about is the sense of anxiety and uncertainty. the fourth thing is dealing with tax reform. i don't think the president's approach to this will help. he is talking about putting a band-aid on the issue of so-called inversions. that doesn't deal with corporate takeovers, which is going to accelerate in my view. the obvious answer is to fix the code. if we don't do that, we will continue to have american companies taking jobs and investment abroad.

again, it is outrageous to me that washington sits back and criticizes wildly refused to act on what is such an obvious disadvantage for american workers, a tax code that is inefficient. one of the only developed countries in the world that hasn't reformed our tax code since the 1980's. we owe it to american workers to do this. i think we can. there is a consensus about lowering the rate and broadening the base. it won't be easy but there is a consensus. the president has said that itly, including can be done on a neutral basis. republicans would like to see some tasks cuts. i think we understand that revenue neutrality is something

we can live with on the business side. we have an urgent need to address this to avoid more companies leaving our shores and being taken over by foreign companies. those are four things that could happen that i believe would be great for the economy and enable us to move forward on a bipartisan basis. >> you said earlier that you don't think this is a political issue, referring to the isis debate and the syrian debate. do you believe republicans should stop using this issue in campaign ads? issue aboutnk the leadership is absolutely appropriate to talk about. i think because of that vacuum that has been created, chaos has ensued. that is an issue that is

appropriate to talk about. what i am referring to is when the president lays out an theoach to attack terrorists that are providing an increased threat to our country, we ought to rally behind the president and provide the means to execute what he talked about last night in terms of the military side of this. >> would you -- do you think this should be a separate vote on authorizing the title x or are you ok if it is ruled into the cr? >> that might be the more practical way to deal with it. with regard to title 10, i do believe having the military involved in training in an overt way is the more effective way to proceed. i was over there a year and a so, i got the

opportunity to speak to folks in jordan and the region. my sense was that there was an opportunity with the free syrian army to engage in the kind of training that was necessary to ensure that whatever weapons we provided was going to be properly used. we didn't do it. i think we made a mistake. we are in worse shape because of it. i think we need to act on that now. >> senator, looking at the home stretch of the senatorial elections, what are the known unknowns that we should be keeping an eye on? things that could affect the election? sense would have a better of that than i would, probably. you sound like a good republican. i like that. i think the most important

things in elections is good candidates. i have always believed that. that is why for the first six months i have this job as the national chairman on the fundraising side, i focused more on recruiting and training candidates. i think we have done a good job with that. that the lack of any big mistakes on the campaign trail was partly due to the fact that people have been focused on ensuring that we stay on the issues that people care about. this plan that you have before you is when i provide to every candidate, not that they all use it, but i think the focus on economic and fiscal issues and how to get this economy moving has been through the isis attacks, through the back and forth on obamacare, the top issue has been and will be how

to create more opportunity and get at this sense of anxiety and uncertainty that american people feel about their kids. that is why i suspect we are going to do well in the next 50 days. >> [indiscernible] >> what happens in terms of the economy is always an x factor, but i think it is very unlikely you will see the significant improvements to our economy that all of us would love to see over the short-term. i would say that the jobs numbers we just got, 142,000 jobs and an unemployment rate 0.1% justd down because people have left the workforce, the fact that there have been since the recession 3 million full-time jobs created -- 3 million full-time jobs lost and 3 million part-time jobs

created, more part-time work is a huge concern. numbers look at these of people who have left the workforce altogether, it is creating more and more dependency. these are the issues that people are worried about. campaigns in the every one of these states is going to be affected by what happens in the broader economy because i think much of it is locked in. said that the president would be smart to ask for additional authorizations but he has said he is not going to ask and there doesn't seem to be a huge appetite among your colleagues to proceed on their own. is anything going to happen in

terms of additional authorization? if nothing happens, what do you think the consequences of that are for the way our system handles these issues? >> it is a good question. i think authorization to use military force on this issue is appropriate and necessary. i don't think the president needs additional authority to do what he has done, will continue to do in iraq but i think it would be smart for him to come to congress with regard to the expanded efforts in syria. know, this is always a controversial and gray area in terms of the war powers act and what it requires and what the constitutional responsibilities are. i am one who believes the commander-in-chief role and enables the president to react to imminent threats.

i think the issues you need to look at our how immediate the threat is, and i think the isis threat was something he needed to respond to without seeking authorization in iraq, and second is the scope. there is already in place enough authorization from previous actions in iraq that the scope was not significantly expanded. i am fine with what he has done so far. i think it would be smart for him to come to congress. >> what would happen? >> congress should act on its own. >> do you see that happening? >> i think it is possible that could happen next week. i think next week it is possible. the house has put off continuing resolutions until next week to consider this as a possibility. authorizing our

military to engage in training -- >> how troubled would you be if there is not authorization? is going to do what he is going to do in syria, if he doesn't ask and congress doesn't act to authorize it, how big of a problem is that? >> i think it would be better if he did. i understand this is a gray area. certainident has inherent powers that we should respect. he is asking for a specific military involvement and training. under the law, that is something congress should authorize. >> senator, you said it was unbelievable the president hasn't done something to help ukraine with arms. what would you do? can you see a republican senate acting on that? and gillespie seems dead in the water, has only gained one point in virginia since january and is losing by 22 points.

why do you even throw that in? ukraine, i am to in disbelief that we are not doing more to help. i don't get it. can be thenk america world's policeman, but i think america has to play the leadership role, more like a sheriff where you get a posse with you and the posse is there. it is the nato allies. the countries of europe who are not part of nato and our allies. observetion i went to was all about that. it was about looking to the west rather than russia, both economically and in terms of military alliance. they have stood with us and it seems to me we are not standing with them. they have asked for the ability

to defend themselves. they are looking for antiaircraft weaponry, antitank weaponry. they are looking for more heavy weapons and communications equipment, things as simple as bullet-proof vest. we have promised some of that. we haven't provided the weapons that they need. reagan's famous peace through strength principle continues to hold true. it is more likely that putin will not continue this aggression on the border of ukraine as he did in crimea already if he knows there is going to be some reaction. airt of speeches and hot from conferences in europe and presidential speeches means nothing to him. what would mean something is if we acted. i think we should be more

aggressive in ukraine. i think we should move nato troops to these positions in poland, romania and elsewhere. i think we need to move these forces closer to the border. that shouldn't be viewed as a threat. it should be viewed as a safeguard. i like the idea of nato coming up with a rapid response force. they are talking about 4000 troops. i think that is too small. the russians have amassed on the border at certain times up to 40,000 troops. to stand up and be counted. otherwise you will continue to on unbelievable encroachment a sovereign country's territory by russia. this is the third time since world war ii we have seen this. they take crimea and no one talks about it. to get thempted senate on record on this.

we have to push the administration to be more aggressive. it is not about a bitter conflict. it is about reducing the possibility of a regional conflict that could spread into a global conflict by showing the russians that the west will respond. i mentioned a vacuum of leadership earlier. this is a great example of it. in terms of these races around acknowledging that there are plenty of these races where republicans are ahead, i said earlier -- not in virginia, but my point is some of the other races, i think they are all going to be determined in the next 50 days. i don't think there is other thing -- anything set yet. it is still in flux. these numbers will go up and

think -- howtill much time is left? 51? i said 50 earlier. i was off. i am hoping it is as few days as possible. 50, 51, 5 hours 13 minutes and 10 seconds, that is a lifetime in politics. things can change. republican rune say to you about obamacare? is full repeal still an option at this stage? uss your homew do state -- you assess your home state's decision on medicare? >> i don't know what is going to happen on obamacare. on recordwe will put the fact that we republicans think it was a bad policy. we think health care costs should be going down, not up and

people should be able to keep the insurance they had. we are worried about the fact that the next drop is going to the employer coverage. president has put that off until after the election. are not going to be affected. i would support that. i would support repeal. spendk we ought to also more time on the replacement side of that. the republican approach has never been just repeal. it has been, let's get rid of this but replace it with something that does deal with the problem in our health care system. that is the increased cost and the lack of coverage. , in this plan, the first thing we talk about is what to do on health care. it lays out some specific ideas.

>> are you saying a senate republican majority would develop their own health care reform? >> i think we should. it is something that ought to go along with the repeal. we think this is the wrong way to go, but we also think that health care system must be improved. now that you see costs escalating higher than anyone projected, including republicans , it has been worse than expected in terms of the cost increases. ohio, it istate of double-digit increases. this is a killer for families and small businesses. we are looking at the possibility, as you brought in this mandate to include employer-based coverage -- i am hopeful, as i said earlier, that we can find common ground. one is some aspect of health care. yes we are for repeal. there are also some specific

things where i think the senate and house could act. i think getting rid of the medical device tax, the tax on revenues, is one where i think you could see a 60-vote majority in the senate and may be close to a two thirds majority. it makes no sense. it is driving jobs offshore. i hear about it a lot. fact is, when you take it requiresvenues, it changing the expense side. that is happening right now. i think that is an area where you could see some consensus. messedt i also think was in the whole debate over obamacare. frivolous lawsuits. there is some issue with regard to the federal versus state role. there is a clear opportunity to reduce cost.

the budget office has laid it out for us repeatedly. is over $50 billion over 10 years. here whereme areas you can find some common ground. >> what about medicaid expansion in your state? >> this is a decision that our state made. the governor and legislature. we will see what happens. my concern has been that i think these important programs, unsustainable programs on the entitlement side, need to be addressed. a vital program, but we need a way to pay for it. right now, these programs, medicaid, medicare and social security, are not sustainable. that some in the other party are talking about expanding these programs at a

time when they are already looking at, for those retiring today, the very real possibility that most of these people would see their benefits sharply reduced. security, in a 2024 timeframe, there would be a benefits4% cut in without the law being changed. this is within the lifetime of people who are retiring today and we seem incapable of dealing with the issue. we need to figure out a way to come up with entitlement reforms that make sense. small changes now to ensure these programs will be there. >> we have about 40 seconds left. we have six people who want to ask questions. >> lightning round. >> i am going to ask one. you told the washington post, i am not eager to run for president. you added, if nobody is running

who is able to win and willing to address these issues, i might have a change of heart. you made a trip to new am sure -- new hampshire? >> my daughter goes to school up there. part of my heart is in new hampshire. i do feel the same way. i am focused on 2014 and on doing my job as a senator. right now. after the election, as i said in that story that somehow the washington post got out of may, i am going to take a look at it after the election. >> thanks for doing this. you will be mobbed on the layout by the people who didn't get their questions. >> thank you all. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2014] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] weekend, american history tv is live from baltimore for the 200th

anniversary of the star-spangled banner sunday morning at 8:30. later, on american history tv, we will tour fort mchenry and see how war came baltimore and why francis scott key was there. 8:00, theight at presidential leadership scholars program with former presidents george w. bush and bill clinton. sunday afternoon, live coverage of the harkin steak fry. sunday evening, q&a with author rick perlstein. on c-span 2 saturday night at teen onuthor ken silver the secret world of oil. sunday night, democratic senator from new york, kristin gillibrand -- kirsten gillibrand on her life and politics. find our television schedule at c-span.org. us, or send us a

tweet. join the c-span conversation. like us on facebook, follow us on twitter. >> coming up tonight, we mark the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks with the ceremonies from the white house and the pentagon. then house speaker john boehner talks about the president's isis strategy. later, senate democrats call for approving plans to train syrian rebels to fight isis. president obama led a moment of silence this morning on the white house south lawn to commemorate the 13th anniversary of the september 11 attacks.

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>> following the moment of silence of the white house, president obama spoke at a ceremony at the pentagon to ther those who died in september 11 attacks. other speakers included secretary chuck hagel and general dempsey. this is 30 minutes. >> ladies and gentlemen, please direct your attention on the flag on the pentagon building. the flag hangs from sunrise to sunset in honor of patriot day and in honor of the 184 lives lost at the pentagon. the national anthem of the united states performed by the united states navy brass quintet. ["star spangled banner" plays]

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>> ladies and gentlemen, the united states army chief of chaplain's, major general, donald rutherford. >> let us pray together. lord of hope, we have endured over a decade of conflict. we have raised a generation that's never seen a sunrise without war on our national horizon. we look back on the events that brought us to the present, it would be easy to despair. let us not forget we've yet to write the ending on our national story.

it would take a moment to look at the day it began, we witnessed the flames of hatred extinguished by acts of valor. cries of the lost match with the prayers of the grateful. we live every day with those memories, those whose dreams the darkness left unfulfilled. the concluding hand shake, the last good-bye, and the final kiss. remember those that we lost and we grieve for them, grieve for our families and for ourselves and we come to remember them as well as those who continue to fight in our frontiers and those who stand watch within our borders at home. we come to remember that those who expected weakness have instead seen strength. those who want a division have instead seen unity. those who sowed seeds of violence and hatred have watched us harvest the fruits of grape and of hope. -- of grace and hope.

13 years ago, the lights of darkness hoped to extinguish still shine today. our hope and resolve and the darkness cannot enter our lives. and we pray this day, amen. amen. >> ladies and gentlemen, 13 years ago today, at 9:37 a.m., the pentagon was attacked. please join us in observing a moment of silence to remember those who perished.

>> ladies and gentlemen, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, general martin dempsey. >> mr. president, mrs. obama, mr. secretary, distinguished guests, thank you for being here this morning. i want to offer a special welcome to the families and friends of those we lost on these grounds 13 years ago. we know the memorial ceremonies and we know you've been through many are especially tough, emotion-filled moments for you. it takes a great deal of courage to keep coming back here. so thanks for being here. not long ago, i received a note from a mom whose daughter is buried just across the way at arlington cemetery. she said the pain of losing someone you love, even years later, never really goes away. at any instant, a smell or a color or a song or a date on the calendar like today can bring into stark relief the first raw moment when everything changeled.

-- everything changed. she said if there's any secret to grieving it's that there can be room for sorrow and joy, sadness and pride, to exist in the same space at the same time. and she learned that grief is not a lack of faith or sign of weakness, it's a price of love. today is foremost about reflecting and about remembering and about the love for the 184 lives that ended here at the pentagon and those that perished in new york and in summer seth county. today is about strength and resolve. we found strength in the children who lost parents on 9/11 and who have blossomed into fine young adults and are now making their own mark on their world. we find resolve in the men and women that 9/11 roused to step forward to defend our country, a generation that has served in iraq and afghanistan. and today offers us, all of us, the opportunity to rededicate our own lives to the causes of

our great nation. and its great future. for as one of our nation's leaders said, we could easily allow our time and energy to be consumed by the crisis of the moment of the day. but we must also lay the groundwork to help define our future. it's now my privilege to introduce the man who spoke those words and who strives to live them every day, our nation's secretary of defense, chuck hagel. [applause] >> general dempsey, thank you. mr. president, mrs. obama, distinguished guests, family members, survivors. we will never forget what happened on this day in this hour in this place, an act of terror that shook the world and took the lives of 184 americans. today we remember those we lost on that day, this day as we are surrounded by those who love

them. we celebrate our nation's strength and resilience, surrounded by those who embody it. and we draw inspiration from the ways in which survivors and victims' families continue to honor their legacy. my thoughts also turn to others whose lives were forever changed that day. the first responders and survivors whose heroism and resilience we celebrate. the pentagon personnel who came to work the next day with a greater sense of determination than ever before. and the men and women in uniform who have stepped forward to defend our country over 13 long years of war, bearing incredible sacrifices along with their families. we live in a time of many complicated challenges. but america has always faced challenges. and we have always responded as a nation united in purpose, woven together in a fabric of

strong character and resounding commitment to each other, and to our country. to lead our nation in such a defining time requires not only the courage and the vision to lead, but the humility that recognizes this unique privilege. these traits are embodied in our commander in chief. ladies and gentlemen, the president of the united states. [applause] >> good morning. >> good morning. >> scripture tells us we count as blessed those who have persevered. secretary hagel, general dempsey, members of our armed forces, and most of all, the survivors of that september day and the families of those we lost -- michelle and i are humbled to be with you once again.

it's now been 13 years. 13 years since the peace on an american morning was broken. 13 years since nearly 3,000 beautiful lives were taken from us, including 125 men and women serving here at the pentagon. 13 years of moments they would have shared with us. 13 years of memories they would have made. here once more, we pray for the souls of those we remember. for you, their families, who love them forever. and for a nation that has been inspired by your example. your determination to carry on, your resolve to live lives worthy of their memories. as americans, we draw strength from you. for your love is the ultimate

rebuke to the hatred of those who attacked us that bright blue morning. they sought to do more than bring down buildings or murder our people. they sought to break our spirit. and to prove to the world that their power to destroy was greater than our power to persevere and to build. but you and america proved them wrong. america endures in the strength of your families who through your anguish kept living. you kept alive love that no act of terror could extinguish. you, your sons, your daughters, are growing into extraordinary young men and women they knew you could be. your families have turned this day into something that those who attacked us could never abide. that's a tribute of hope over fear and love over hate.

america endures in the tenacity of our survivors after grievous wounds you learn to walk again, stand again, after terrible burns, you smiled once more. for you for our nation. these are difficult years. by your presence here today in the lives of service that you led, you know no matter what comes our way, america will always come out stronger. america endures in the dedication of those who keep us safe -- the firefighter, the officer, the emt who carries the memory of a fallen partner as they report to work each and every day, prepared to make the same sacrifice for us all.

because of these men and women, americans now work in a gleaming freedom tower. we visit our great cities. we fill our stadiums and cheer for our teams. we carry on because as americans, we do not give in to fear. ever. america endures in the courage of the men and the women who serve under our flag. over more than a decade of war, this 9/11 generation has answered our country's call and three months from now, our combat mission in afghanistan will come to an end. today we honor all who have made the ultimate sacrifice these 13 years, more than 6800 american patriots. and we give thanks to those who served in harm's way to keep our country safe and meet the threats of our time.

america endures in the perennial optimism that defines us as a people. yet tomorrow there will be teenagers, young adults, who were born after 9/11. it's remarkable. and while these young americans did not know the horrors of that day, the lives had been shaped by all the days since. the time that brought pain but also taught us endurance and strength. the time of rebuilding, of resilience, and of renewal. what gives us hope, what gives me hope, is that these young americans who will shape all of the days to come. 13 years after a small and hateful minds conspiring to break us, america stands tall and america stands proud.

and guided by the values that sustain us, we will only grow stronger. generations from now, americans will still fill our parks, our cities, generations from now, americans will build towers that reach for the heavens, still stand for freedom around the world, still wear the uniform and give meaning to those words written two centuries ago. land of the free, home of the brave. generations from now, no matter the trial, no matter the challenge, america will always be america. we count as blessed those who have persevered. may god bless your families who continue to inspire us all. may god bless our armed forces and all who keep us safe, and may god continue to bless the

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♪ [band playing "this is my country"] ♪ >> coming up tonight on c-span, john boehner talks about the president's isis strategy. after that, senate democrats call for approving plans to train syria rebels to gfight isis.

later, remarks by buck mckeon. coming up, on the next "washington journal," michael barone discusses the development of the republican party over the past 100 years. and how the split between the tea party and mainstream republicans will impact 2016. then former congressman and 9/11 commission cochair lee hamilton talks about national security since 9/11. and the president strategy for dealing with isis. later, a look at public policies that impact higher education and the role of the big 10. our guest is the president of the university of iowa. "washington journal" is live every morning at 7:00 a.m. on c-span. join the conversation on facebook and twitter. theere are just a few of comments we have received from our viewers. pontiac vibe owner,

and i got a recall on the cable wheel. to my sterrinering it can affect the air bag to come out and hit me. i am nervous about it. they even put my vin number on the letter. about it at the dealership. i just watched the television questioning on this -- mary barrwo and it was very but no one is mentioning my problem. help on looking for

this. been watching gm. it is pretty sad that gm keeps making these products. the question, how the parts are not meeting their specs? it is amazing how the ceo cannot answer a question. they dance around the question. are doing ay'all great job. >> i was switching the channels around, and i noticed the gm ignition switch recall. and first of all, they had that miss barrow on. when they were done with that, i thought it was over with and i came out that that i found out they were there talking to david -- national highway tracy safety administrator. to me, sitting at an watching

this, i am seeing two people that were basically set up. and as far as the representatives go asking these sorry for i feel so them because they are not getting the answers they need and it's simply because there is a cover-up. gm should be fined. they have proven that they are liars. they have proven that money was more important than people's lives. and the same with the highway traffic. it is unbelievable that these people are in charge of watching over us and making sure that we are safe. >> and continue to let us know what you think about the programs you are watching. call us at 202-626-3400. cspan.org.@comments@ conversation,n like us on facebook, follow us

on twitter. >> the morning after the president's beach on his isis strategy, john boehner talked about the president's request for authorization to train and arm syrian rebels. it is 10 minutes. [camera shutters clicking] >> good afternoon, everyone. last night, the president finally begin to make the case that the nation has needed him to make for quite some time. that we must destroy and defeat this terrorist threat. isil is a sophisticated and determined enemy. in order to be successful we will have a comprehensive strategy designed to destroy and to defeat it. i think last night the president made a compelling case for action, but as i said in my statement last night, there were still questions and concerns

that remain. for example, i support the president's plan to train and equip iraqi security forces in the syrian opposition, but i remain concerned that those measures could take years to fully implement at a time when isil's momentum and territorial gains must be halted and reversed immediately. we stand ready to work with the president to put in place a plan that would destroy and defeat isil. members are getting briefed as we speak on a range of options that the president is contemplating. those briefings and consultations will continue. we delayed action on the continuing resolution yesterday to consider the president's request for authorization to train and equip the syrian rebels that are fighting isil. we're doing our due diligence here and discussing all of this with our members and frankly it's the right thing to do.

yesterday we came together to honor the fallen heroes of 9/11 with a congressional gold medal. the highest honor we can bestow. today we pay our respects to those -- their families. we never forgot them. we'll never forget our responsibility to confront evil and to defeat it. >> mr. speaker, you said multiple times from that podium that the president goes alone too much, he doesn't respect the constitutional power of congress. so given that, why not be much more active and have a vote to give the president authority, to have a congressional marker on this if this is such an incredible threat? i do believe it would be in the nation's interest. i believe it's in the institution of the congress' interest to speak on this question. now, normally in such a case -- i've been through this a few times in the 24 years i've been here -- the president of the

united states would request that support and would supply the wording of a resolution to authorize this force. and at this point in time we have not gotten that request. we have not seen that language. >> but if the congress is such an equal partner, as it is, why not write a resolution on your own? >> typically in my time here in congress, that's not how this has happened. the president would make that request, and the president would supply the language for the resolution. >> do you believe support is there? do you believe a resolution will pass? >> i think we're at the beginning stages of building the kind of support that's necessary from the nation to carry out this plan and to carry it out successfully. we are at the beginning stages. >> will this be done this work period that the president requested? >> you're talking about two

different things. the president's request was for title 10 authorization to train and equip syrian rebels. that's the only request that has come from the white house at this point. as i said, i support the president's request. >> mr. speaker, in your remarks last night, you alluded to this a moment ago, you said that a speech is not a strategy. that implies that maybe you don't think he has fully laid out a strategy and that you think he is all in, is that the case? >> well, the briefings are continuing with the members. but i can tell you in our conversations this morning, a lot of our members don't feel like the campaign that was outlined last night will accomplish the mission that the president says and that is to destroy isil. and so frankly a lot of our members think a lot more needs to be done than what was laid out last night. but, again, the members -- they have been in a briefing since 11:00 a.m.

this morning with the president's top people to outline more of the specifics of what this plan consists of. >> what was that skepticism that was reflected in your statement last night? >> pardon me? i'm not sure we're doing all we can do to defeat this terrorist threat. if our goal is to eliminate isil, there's a lot of doubt whether the plan was outlined by the president last night is enough to accomplish that mission. >> mr. speaker, there seems to be a sense here on capitol hill this is being pushed through, that there's just about a week left before people go back to their mid term campaign, is this being rushed through too quickly? do you think there needs to be more debate? do you think this is something the congress will regret? >> the president on tuesday while at the white house made

this request, the specific request to have the ability to train syrian rebels. i wanted to make sure that members have ample time to have the conversation about, started today and it will continue and we'll make a decision sometime next week on how we will proceed. >> chairman mckeon just told a group of reporters that the decision has been made for two votes, a vote on the authorization and then a vote on the c.r., is that true? >> that's not true. >> the chairman has it wrong? >> look me in the eye. there is no decision to be made on how we're going to proceed. >> could you tell us what your preference is? do you believe it would be best to have a separate vote on the title 10 authorization apart from the c.r. or are you ok embedding title 10 authorization within a much larger piece? >> no decision has been made. while we had a conversation with members today, these are serious discussions. this is a very serious issue and

ought to be handled that way. and that's why these conversations are going to continue over the weekend so that -- so that the congress has ample time to consider the president's decision and act on it. >> mr. speaker, do you think based on all the information that's been given that the syrian fighters will be a trustworthy and competent approach? many americans are concerned about u.s. arms going to a force we don't know everything about. do you think they can be effective? >> based on all the information that i've looked at, the free syrian army has by and large been very well vetted by our intelligence officials. today they are in a fight against assad. they're in a fight against isil, and they are in a fight against another al qaeda affiliate in eastern syria. and they're about to get run over.

an f-16 is not a strategy. and air strikes alone will not accomplish what we're trying to accomplish. and the president's made clear that he doesn't want u.s. boots on the ground. well, somebody's boots has to be on the ground. i believe what the president has asked for, as the commander in chief, has the authority to train these syrian rebels. frankly, we ought to give the president what he's asking for. >> so if i'm hearing you correctly, it sounds like there will be at a minimum be a vote to give the authority -- narrow authority he's requesting. and the question of whether you go beyond that, the timing and if so the timing of that action . >> that would be correct. >> mr. speaker -- [inaudible] with the understanding that maybe you split that into that

but at some point you have to decide to move the c.r. one way or another next week to make sure it would get done? >> i would hope so. there's no reason for it to last that much longer. >> do you think the president is wrong, then, to take u.s. combat troops on the ground in syria off the table right now? >> listen, we only have one commander in chief. he laid out his plan. i would never tell the enemy what i was willing to do or unwilling to do. but he is the commander in chief. he made that decision. at this point in time, it's important we give the president what he's asking for. and we've got to keep our eye on the ball. the issue here is about defeating a terrorist threat that is real and imminent. >> thank you. [captions copyright national

cable satellite corp. 2014] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] >> on friday, the center of american progress host a discussion on u.s. strategy for combating isis. you can watch the event starting at noon eastern on c-span 2. in response to president obama's speech, senate democratic leaders called on congress to give the president additional authorization to arm and train syrian moderate rebels. they spoke to reporters for 15 minutes. >> last night, president obama laid out his strategy for remicade in crisis. made it clear that we will not rush into another ground war on the middle east and we will not do it alone. instead, america will lead a coalition that includes european

arab nations and the targeted strategic mission to destroy isis. berican air strikes will supported by local forces fighting on the ground to protect their own countries, their own families, their own homes, their own communities. up to congress to rally behind president obama and slice of strategy. i am confident we will put our political differences aside and work together to give this administration the tools it needs to meet isis head-on. consultedstration has with congress. i expect cooperation to continue. senators will be briefed on the situation today. next week.ll proceed i expect a continued consultation with congress and the administration as events which including the c.r., we expect to get from the house next week. the proposal the president has

given to the american people requires immediate congressional action in granting the administration the authority to equip syrian rebels under title x to gfight isis. congressional support to train and equip rebels is critical for building this international necessary.hat is so i expect this proposal to pass congress before the end of next week. our colleagues in the house are currently discussing exactly how they are going to proceed. i expect this proposal to pass bipartisanth broad support. this is the time, really a time for americans to close ranks and engage our adversaries as one united nation. matters like this are no place for political posturing. now is the time for us to come together, to speak with one voice and tell terrorists you cannot hide, you have committed horrific acts that threaten the security of united states and our allies, and we will find you and destroy them. senator durbin?

night, president obama spelled out a clear strategy dealing with this extraordinary terrorist threat. and it is extraordinary. we have faced and we remember this day more than any other day of the year. we have faced terrorist threats in the past. this one is exceptional. exceptional in its organization, in its structure, in its financing and in its depravity. i believe the president was right to speak out and single them out as a special threat to the stability of the middle east, the stability of our allies and to the interests of the united states. what i heard from the president was encouraging. encouraging that this would be an international effort, that the troops on the ground be coming from other countries, and that he, the president, is going before the un security council to discuss this matter. he's engaging those who are freedom loving around the world

to join us in stopping this terrorist threat. there will be an opportunity to ask questions. and perhaps hearings that will follow through the course of the next few days. this is our chance to ask specific questions but i will have to join in at this point and say that the majority leader is 100% right. make no mistake. when we commit american service women and men in harm's way, it is time to put partisanship aside and stand together as a congress and as a nation. we need to be on their side. >> ms.r. schumer. >> thank you. last night, the president laid out a clear strategy to keep the homeland safe from the emerging terrorist threat posed by isis. useade clear he will aggressive airstrikes to attack isis wherever they are found. on the not put troops ground and will not engage in the type of nation building that

weakened america at home during the last decade. this is exactly what the american people want and exactly what the president intends to do. while the president made clear and we agree that he has the authorization of military force to conduct the strikes, -- he asked for contra support in passing title x authorization. if democrats and republicans cannot come together to keep us safe from terrorism, i do not know what will bring us together. for far too many months, washington and commerce have been marred by gridlock. when it comes to combating terrorism overseas, this function must stop at the water's edge. that is how it used to be. democrats and republicans would work together to keep us safe. we should go back to those old ways. democrats and republicans ought not fight with one another but

join together in the fight against isis. a starkeptember 11, is reminder of the threat of terrorism, and for the need for america to be ever vigilant and strong against those who seek to do us harm. we can achieve these goals with our boots on the ground, without nationbuilding, with out being pulled into a regional struggle. the president has set us on the right course to keep us safe from isis, we strongly support that idea. we are eager to work with our republican colleagues to support the president in his effort and ensure he has the tools to keep the country safe. on september 11, every american spends a little bit more time than usual thinking about the threat of terrorist to our homeland. we think a little bit about day and lost on that

those of selfless heroes in our armed forces who have sacrificed so much and done everything they have been asked to do to protect our country in the 13 years since. i know i spend a little more time thinking about how we came together as a nation on september 12, and how we were united in our belief that america should fight terrorists who intend to harm us and to everything we can to prevent future attacks. i thought about that last night after the president finished his speech. it has become clearer and clearer that i so is a brutally dangerous terrorist group that wants to hurt americans. they are murdering civilians, stealing, destroying, and raping as they expanded have no signs that they plan to stop. while i continue to ask the administration tough questions as the strategy is incremented, i was glad to hear president obama layout and aggressive, comprehensive plan to fight isil. now i appreciate the president forming afocus on

robust international coalition to take on the threat that will be absolutely critical. i know it is something the american people are expecting. and i was very glad the president made it clear he is not sending large numbers of combat troops back into the region and that the primary focus will be on strengthening our partners over there to fight isil themselves. schedulede a briefing on the plans later this afternoon. anytime the administration talks about using force, we in congress over to our constituents to press hard for clarity of mission and goals, to make sure these operations will make our country truly safer over the long-term. that this is not a time for partisanship or political posturing. so i joined my leadership here today in calling for bipartisan unity, as we work on this in the coming days to make sure congress is giving the president the tools he needs to keep our country safe. >> we will take a few questions

before our caucas. >> i have a question on the cost side of this. your committee -- have marked up the spending bill. we are talking about the c.r. in terms of long-term look at throughout the year because we do not have an end date, do you expect the administration to request more funding for the wars or do you believe throughout the fiscal year -- >> i will take a run at this. >> sure. request is $500 area senator durbin has a lot more information than most of us have.