hashtag that says hands up, go vote. >> yes, that also. >> hands up, go vote. >> we can do that. >> there is a connection between what you do and the consequences that we are feeling on the ground. so when the president supports providing body cameras for police officers as a way of helping to protect all of us by giving us film of what happened, that's a positive. or when holder, who has responsibility for writing guidance from the department of justice, that determines how race can be used in law enforcement purposes, that is something that only he is capable of organizing and doing. so i'm saying, yes, we do have to educate ourselves but, look, i want to go back to something the congresswoman beatty said. there is a judge in this country, damon keith, now a

92-year-old retired judge, out of michigan. he is an incredible guy. he told me once, look, wade, you walk across floors you never scrubbed. you walk through doors you never opened. you have an obligation to do that for those who come behind you. that's why at 92 he is raising hell and encouraging people to do what is necessary. so, yes, you did walk across floors you never scrubbed. yes, you do walk through doors you never opened. the key is using the power that we already have in our hands to determine the outcome of change of the we want to see. >> thank you so much. >> what was your question, jeff? >> my question was -- please, round of applause is all right. [applause] >> yes. >> how do we begin to play a more sophisticated financial game in electoral politics? >> you know, i just go back to the principle all politics is local.

>> right. >> it is local. it is not national because coming from our organization and our community levels we can go national. that is easy enough to do. and we're already organized to do that but, we used to have and we have to get back to it, in our communities, they used to be called voting crusades, or crusade for voters or the voter league, and what this committee did was, one, for something like your home, what they would do is, in terms of the police department, who hires these people? who is the official? or the officials that hire the police? >> yes. >> the department of public safety? you know, you look, what role does the governor play. what role does the mayor play. what role who the public policy people that bring them on the force.

so that when the local election comes, we can have a direct connection between the person who is running and the composition of the police department. and what their power is. in other words, it is an ongoing education process about what goes on at home. you get your voter leagues and, keep informed locally. and then you come together and you can, even collect your money locally. well, we like what so-and-so is saying and what so-and-so is saying about this. so we're going to give this $500 to that campaign. we're going to -- jeff, you could, and it's, it is where your power lies. and so, so, that is how you do it.

and also builds awareness. it builds awareness. we're not, we're not, we are engaged spas mod i cannily. one of my colleagues said, 365 days a year being engaged. >> yes. >> knowing the power. we don't know our power. knowing the power of the vote. when somebody tells you they're registered and you doubt it, get with them. or let's go check your registration to make sure the address is right. it is all in the details. so when they show up they don't have a problem when it is time to vote. that is your power. it starts, you need this organization, locally. you need your research group. you need your focus on money. you need your community meetings. >> yes. >> you don't have to have them every week, once a month there ought to be a community meeting what is going on here at home. and you build it. that is how, it is organization and it is structure. >> thank you so much. i want to make sure we get to as

many questions as we can. there are three rules. those of you been with me when i moderated before know those rules. the first rule is, ask a question. >> please. >> the second rule, ask a question. >> the third rule, we have confirmation on this? we have a breaking announcement that congresswoman pelosi need to make that is important. >> here, here. [applause] >> thank you. i do, i, this has been spectacular and i want to thank congresswoman joyce beatty, a freshman member of congress, for her leadership in putting all of this together. [applause] and sanford bishop, a senior member of congress, champion for veterans, for putting this together. thank you, sanford, again. and i also want to acknowledge that while we're here, this week the president has been at the u.n. and i was proud to appoint and

the president made the official appointment of barbara lee to be the house democrat representative at the united nations general assembly. [applause] i find this to be so fabulous and around they all wonderful. and i do associate myself with the comments that wade made about the excellence of our great attorney general eric holder. >> yeah. >> i do want to though say that the congressional black caucus was instrumental in many everyone of the initiatives, whether it was crack cocaine disparity, congresswoman, chairwoman marcia fudge knows that the leadership of that caucus made so much what you talked about here possible. i didn't want to let that go missing. when you talk about the medicaid and the rest, charlie wrangle and members of the congressional black caucus insisted it ways strong part of affordable care act.

i want to salute the congressional black caucus and just to say, donald, we talked about your dad and donna edwards who joined us since earlier, the word is now that the attorney general will resign today. and that he has served our country very, very well. >> what? >> wow. >> the message is that the attorney general will be submitting his resignation to the president. so let us salute him once again for all of his great, great work. [applause] >> that is so bad. that is terrible. why? wow. >> that is devastating. >> that is so sad. >> thank you so much, speaker pelosi. and that is a shock. >> that is -- >> i did not. >> almost like we need to have another panel about attorney general holder but i do want to make sure we honor those in line. so i said the first two rules which were ask a question.

the third rule is, ask a question. you have 30 seconds to ask that question, to set that question up, at which time i will ask you to ask a question. if you can direct it to one member of panel, that would be helpful. if not we'll direct one member of the panel to answer it so we get to as many questions as possible. yes, sir. if we can do one then, allow her to hold the mic, statistically proven you talk 30% longer when the mic is in your hand. >> yes, sir, thank you very much. prior to the march on washington there was a coalition of civil rights and social justice organizations, the naacp, the urban league. rainbow/p.u.s.h. how do we inculcate in our young people's mind the value that voting is not just a right, it is a responsibility, it is responsibility to ourselves, a responsibility to the ones who

we love, live in community with, it is responsibility to the word. >> thank you so much. >> how do we organize -- >> i got your question, yes, sir. how do we organize coalitions, some of which already exist. so barbara if you wouldn't mind talking about many solve those coalitions that already exist but i think the crux of his question how do we get young people indoctrinated in that? you also know some people doing that as well. >> exactly. the reality is, is that the coalition around ferguson that we put together, i did that from my sick bed. i was at home with a bad infection when, it was just, god moving in his own way. i was due to be out of the country with wade and some others to argue before the u.n. about, our voting rights and other rights, criminal justice issues. and, when i saw what happened to mike brown, i started seeing

twitter blowing up, and i start getting calls, i knew we wouldn't just do nothing. and as a result, i called tonya clay house who is here in the audience, our brilliant public policy director who was able to help me convene as many civil rights organizations as we could get on the phone. and we talked, we had all the experts. that is how we came up with the statement, the unified statement. we decided not just to go do our own organizational thing. but that we need a coalition. if you're talking about moving, you can't do it with just one organization. movement requires everybody. that is why i'm here seeking and soliciting your individual and organizational signature on that statement because coalition

building. what i love about what darnell, charlene, phil and all of the young people involved in hands up, don't shoot, the ferguson battle, the police reform battle, is that they also are coalescing. and i love the that they have been able to figure it out. that this group will take the lead on having a march on this weekend, this saturday. the next group will do it the next one. if they come and support each other, that is what we have to do. so coalition is absolutely in our bones but we got to make it happen. egos are a problem. organizational credit is a problem. you know there are some problems, you have to overcome when you deal with coalitions. but i will tell you that they can be overcome. that i fight with it every day

and i push people forward. and we get it done. we had a meeting with the white house, a meeting with the department of homeland security. we've done all of this work through coalition. so, jeff, i want to tell you, that we get it. that the young people get it. and the final word, i just want to say, there has never been a successful movement in america, never been a successful movement of african-americans that wasn't inter-generational. that it takes the elders and young and in between. >> thank you very much. >> thank you. >> to your question, there are young people who want to be listened to. a lot of people we're trying to get them to do something with a methodology they're not interested in. you show me a city, you i will show you a young people that will care. we're so busy telling them how to do it. they know how they want to do it. we need to listen. [applause] secondly we need to support them as advisors, not as directors.

they have already got coalitions of their own. >> right. >> sometimes it is about creating a bridge. many know in the last 48 hours td jakes sued kendrick lamar. he used a line of td jake's message in his song. t.d. jakes' folks are suing him. i felt it was opportunity, jakes to say, brother, talk about this copyright infringement, let's have a conversation. because kendrick using that line was a honor. it was a positive song. it was a positive message. they heard something in jake's voice and they admired and they used it. there was the opportunity to build a bridge even though jake may have not liked the language or approach. too often we got old people that don't want to build the bridge and elders we can't find to help build it. thank you so much. yes, ma'am? [applause] >> hi, my name is brittany clay brooks. i was a dream defender at florida a&m university where we

stayed in the capitol 31 days and 31 nights trying to get a special hearing for stand your ground. this can go to miss barbara because you guys are touching on it, what are things we can do as young people to get attention from prominent or national figures? we're still going to hearings. we're still he being briefed on policy issues. we're still registering people to vote. what happens, because the cameras are no longer around or cnn is no longer on our tracks, how do we continue to engage and garner the support from prominent figures who showed up? the naacp, who showed up for us when all the cameras were around us. >> restate the question for me? >> how do we as young people continue to garner the support from you all, no longer a young people's movement at that time and that so cute versus that long-term movement material that we need.

>> thank you so much. congressman? >> let me just give you one, just one example. most people didn't hear about selma until 1965 but members of the student non-violent coordinating committee, went to selma in 1962. >> that's right. >> and started building. and build a movement. and so when dr. king, martin luther king, jr. came to selma, in january 1965, it brought more press attention. but, young people, the students, look, we created a coalition. the march on washington was a coalition. it was randolph, young john lewis, 23 years old was there in the meeting, at the table. so, when people tell you to be quiet, speak up. speak out. and find a way to get in the way

and make some noise. >> thank you, congressman. >> i can't do that right now. got to get to the next question. yes, ma'am. >> yes, thank you. my name is anish jenkins. i'm with stand up for democracy and d.c. coalition. i represent 650,000 people who live in the nation's capitol and have no say so over these life and death issues. we have no representation. no vote in the house. no vote in the senate. federalhe highest taxes. i want to thank the black caucus. because he testified at our first hearing -- >> i appreciate your

appreciation but i need you to ask a question. >> how can the black caucus reach out to the other members of the house and of the senate to get them on board without the legislation to become the 51st state? >> thank you so much. great question. thank you for asking. i would only say that d.c. deserves the vote. we struggle to bring democracy to baghdad. we bring it to afghanistan and we do not right here at home on the potomac. it's really outrageous when you think about that. but it is going to be up to d.c. residents itself, ourselves, to raise our voices to make this a national issue. the black caucus has been incredible. they have signed of their own members. they have advanced this agenda. but if we are going to make progress in getting other members of congress, support this bill, we're going to have to as congressman lewis said, make some noise, get in the way,

make this an issue that people are forced to address. because it is democracy, plain and simple. we have the power here in d.c. to make it happen. >> we also strengthen the black caucus. when we vote for all of those people that they have to deal with, that congress. if they know they've got a group of black folk out there who are voting, i'm sitting there listening. >> thank you so much. >> i'm going to leave that answer right there. i'm going to come back to you on the next one. yes, sir. >> good morning. my name is arnold and i'm from prince george's county, maryland. my question is what can we do to get more african-americans to get involved? in other words, what can we do to get our people in the neighborhood get involved?

>> i appreciated the question. it's really about how do we do this grassroots and get people engaged at the local level and not just in politics but i'm sure across the board. anyone who wants to take that. >> i'll just say, people are moved by stories, by what our folks have done. i mean, birmingham 1966. didn't have to be black. looked white. hattiesburg, mississippi, went on the radio don't like people i will pay your poll tax. you just come on and vote. the next night they firebombed his house. he got his 8 kids out the back door and his wife, and he died three days later of smoke inhalation. and on his tombstone right now in hattiesburg, if you don't

vote, you don't count -- he is one of many who gave their lives. we have to have our young folk come in and see our martyrs. i'm talking about the 1970's, and 1960's and up into the present. michael brown is laying in his grave now because we didn't get to the polls until we have to do. people know how to medicaid because -- >> okay. >> tell the story. >> thank you so much. thank you for your question. yes, sir. >> i come from central america. i wanted to just basically make a statement. thank you all very much. i am honored to be here amongst all of these phenomenal legacy owners of the african-american struggle. in central america we actually imitate you, and we imitate what african-americans have done

throughout, actually every african-american, every african descendent around the world actually looks to you and your parents. you are -- when it was said that we don't really know that power that we have in our hands through the vote. it's such a true statement. and i commit, i commit that my influence of influence to get out and vote, get out, not only register but to actually get involved in every one of those local areas. because another point -- >> no, i gave you, i give you room, brother. i gave you room. [laughter] you say honduras, i'm like i've got to give him a minute but you can't have two.

but the point was a great one, and i think, i appreciate that because it does say how many people are watching us. and with all of the resources we have at our disposal, we have an unbelievable opportunity to be an example to those who often have less than we do. to show what can happen to thank you very much for the comment. yes, sir. >> congressman lewis, my name is general parker. i'm from peoria, illinois. i'm a well-known activist back there and i have a case strongly for education. three years ago i ran for school board, and my election would've made a black majority on the board. two days before the election state's attorney had my name removed from the ballot and i found out that was done illegally. i found out that my voting rights were violated, of the people who chose to vote for me and sign all those petitions to get the on about -- the ballot. >> i need you to ask a question, brother. thank you. >> i found out that you're going to speak at the king day

celebration in january, and i know 50 years ago -- >> i need your question, brother, please. just honor the people that are behind as i am honoring you. >> to fight against stuff like that. what do i go back and tell my people who support me that you are condoning what the people who violated my rights are doing to them? >> i don't quite understand the question. how am i condoning -- >> you were chosen to speak at the king day celebration this january. >> next year. i'm not so sure that i will be speaking in peoria, or any other place in january. i get a lot of invitations from all around america, but i'm not sure that i will be speaking there. but you ought to run again. don't give up. don't give in. don't become bitter. don't become hostile.

go out and continue to fight. stand up. [applause] >> thank you. yes, sir. >> i'm from the foundation which is an african-american owned and operated community foundation in the pittsburgh area. my question is around the military and overseas voter empowerment act of 2009 which allows uniform military officers to now vote online. and so when you talk about getting young people engage in the voter process we've got to speak their language. their language is online. so do you see us moving forward into the future, if the pilot program is successful to move towards an online voter system? >> yes. >> it's a great question, brother. it is a great question and yes, the new military act you refer to is an important contribution to democracy. but we also have to make sure that we safeguard and protect the integrity of the vote. we have to make sure that the machinery that we use is not

used to subvert the very vote that we are trying to lift our. [applause] so, i gotcha. there are places like oregon that are experimented that i've got you. but i'm going to say this, brother. i'm on twitter. bottom line, and the bottom line is we're going to have to use those social media tools. but we also have to engage with people. there are people who are not plugged in and the need to cast a basic ballot. there some who are and they can have alternatives. but our job is to organize that community in the broader sense and link issues of importance to what they do. you talked about economics, jeff, my last point. payday lending is a scourge, a scourge in our communities. [applause] scourge. there are potential regulations that are going to be issued soon determined by the obama administration and in part created by the consumer

financial protection bureau. that's why we're doing this progress. so i'm saying don't disconnect what is happening on the ground with the importance of the vote, you cast, and that is how i think we use it. we use that anger to motivate people to come out and to make a difference in their own lives. >> and we should point out the people that one of the best voting reforms that's been happening in the country is online voter registration. if your state doesn't have it, you've got to push for it. because it has been radically getting people to sign up and to register to vote, especially young people. so that's where we are seeing the promise of online, you know, online technology encoding and don't forget that when sandy happened, all of a sudden new jersey figure out a way to do online voting.

so we need to understand that there is potential but we got to make sure that the technology is available to everyone. thank you. >> and immediately following this panel, for those of you from maryland, virginia and d.c., there is a voter registration right outside. >> all right. [applause] >> yes, sir. >> my name is derrick morgan and my question is, how can we really not only take this time to change this movement, i mean take this opportunity to turn this movement into a moment but what can we do, why are we afraid to speak to the real issue which i feel is racism white supremacy? what would we do if we really realize that we could boycott? i mean, we have -- >> so re-state your question for me. >> i guess we tip toe and dance

around the real issue, the root of the issue which i feel is racism white supremacy which handcuffs us all. >> let me do this because we all know that within a week of being in office, eric holder said that we as a nation, we were a nation of cowards as relates to the issue of race. and so any of you who would like to take that on, but i would love for congressman lewis to lead that off. >> let me just say to the young brother, i don't think any of us, not one of us want to deny that the scar of racism is still deeply embedded in every corner of american society. they are not going to run from that. we are going to deal with it. we cannot deal with it alone. you've got to use the vote. you've got to organize and mobilize. just cannot talk about it. we've got to do something about it. that's what another generation

did. >> let me just add to that speech congresswoman, as you answer, i want to push back because i think a special as we do with younger and younger generations, there's this notion we kept having to fight this notion of postracial america. we kept having to fight fat narrative being pushed out over the public space. >> we are not there yet. >> i agree but the problem is you have a younger generation that is so happy with where we are, doesn't have a struggle context of where we've been. to his point, so i have a son who and i started having to indoctrinate a little harder, anytime we brought up stuff about black people he got nervous because he's in a school where everybody is tiptoed through the tulips and holding hands and singing kumbaya, riding unicorns under a rainbow. but we know that he as a young kid in a school that is dealing with that racism needs to be able to see if or it is, what it is without it weighing him down. how do we begin to do that so

when we have rough conversations we don't run from the racism conversation? at the same time, we don't want everything for it. >> yes, let me just say that this town hall meeting and the 70 some workshops are because of your question. so the congressional black caucus is very sensitive to that because diversity has created a new problem for us with the younger folks who don't understand the history of what a mr. lewis or elane or others went through. so let me say to the young people. congresswoman marsha fudge is having a town hall forum tomorrow morning and she's bringing the dreams with philip agew, so young folks can be engaged in that. we have 70 some workshops, and with african-american members, black folks in the congressional black caucus who have planned this because they want you to understand that behind the

scenes -- this didn't just happen. getting the contractor making sure we have black folk who are engaged. the hotel that we're in because we understand racism exist. so we move members. we have insisted on things because we no racism prevails and i also think it's other counterparts who want to put the postracial out there so we, too, will get comfortable. so to the young folks in the audience, don't think that you don't have members of congress that belong to our tri-caucus is who aren't fighting for us every day that congresswoman marcia fudge walks in that house of representatives, i assure you there is an issue or someone just taking to task and is usually for the least of us. there is a reason they call us the conscience of the congress. it's because we are black and we no racism still prevails. >> thank you and thank you for your question.

we are nearing the end. i cannot get everyone in the line, but what i'd like to do is get the last three of you do one right after the other concisely state your question, and will get the panelists to answer that before we go to closing remarks. so the next three to give others of you have questions, tweet them and if we are able to get to we will put the last three if you're concisely state your questions. >> i work with cbm national, nonprofit and i'm also a volunteer local government committee person. and i'd like to know how we can engage individuals to be part of local government and other areas where your leaders actually do come from. how can we actually engage people who are the most affected who may not have access to technology? >> thank you so much. yes, sir. >> i'm a student from clinton

ohio and wanted to know what we could do to possibly gain the proper respect from our country? >> that's all, okay. yes, sir. >> i am a washington, d.c. native. you talk on a panel about the militarization of the police force. i wanted to know why in june to the congressional black caucus vote 80% against the grayson amendment that would've prevented the pentagon from transferring military arms and couldn't to local and state police? >> thank you. we have those three questions. we have the congressional black caucus support bill that militarized police. we have a question on the simple task of how do we get the country to respect black people. and then we have the first question on -- i think it's a great question. i think there are ministries

that are in cages on an everyday basis. but the last was how do we get people on the ground who are most affected? i think similar to the candidate incubator process. how do we get people most affected and local policy to be involved in the local electoral process. anyone wants to take, clearly a member of the congressional black caucus can address the question about the militarization of police and the bill that you'll supposedly supported 80%. >> i will just for that reason. >> i figured so. >> do you want me to go first is because i don't want to go anywhere else. >> i've heard about the congressional black caucus voting against the grayson

amendment because it was a dumb amendment. anytime you say that you cannot get any police department any equipment, goes to the extreme. i represent the city of cleveland, one of the poorest cities in the country. do you think i'm going to say my police department should get bulletproof vests or helmets or guns or radios? but the grayson amendment would not have allowed that to happen. everything is not ferguson. so why would you go for something that is so extreme that you hurt yourself? it just doesn't make any sense of plot back spent and so yes, we were against it and yes, i am glad that we did because it was the right thing to do. [applause] >> thank you so much. how do we get -- representative becerra, how to get those folks that are most affected by local policy to be engaged in the local process? andand in a robust way, not just superficial event kind of way. >> you've got institution that every day gives an opportunity to do that, and that's our public schools. because everyday our kids are going to be indoctrinated and what we can do is make sure that they're coming out ready to run

for that senior class president, that treasurer, to be part of the school council for that particular school to get the training. we've got to teach our kids every time an election is coming they got to be excited as if it were christmas. they say mommy, daddy, are you take me to the polls because it's time to go vote. we've got to fill the church that always takes people to the polls on election day, you need a new bus? we're going to raise the money to buy you a new bus or another bus. that's what we wanted to find that are institutions that want us to do this. if we give the incentives to our young folks to be leaders as was said earlier, not just to follow but to actually lead with our guidance, then they become the leaders real quick. >> i'm excited about this one, and all of you have the chance to address some of these in your closing remarks but i'm excited,

elaine, about you answering a question about how do we get america to respect black people? >> it's a great question but it's a great question because you know, you don't really have to like me. [laughter] but as long as i know that i live in this constitutional democracy and i have a vote and i have a people and we have common interests and we're working together and we will be counted in this process, you want to respect me. now you don't have to respect me as much because you can just me the way you do with ferguson and different places. you can devalue the life of my black sons and brothers. and you do it, reaganomics. what would get us respect engagement is our local folk who

are disengaged and don't have all the education that we have out here and all those who are affected every day, you start talking about criminal justice. they are all affected. you start talking about criminal justice at home. and what we can do as a teen nearly to change this system, you will go to an issue that speaks to them. and i bet you if we really work on it, and they will, and tell us what their issues are and how they think we can help. but we have to show some solidarity and some community with our own. and we will get respect when we give it to each other. >> congresswoman, what would like to do before go to close remarks is recognize the other members of the congressional black caucus who are here with us.

>> thank you very, very much. donald payne, jr. from new jersey. [applause] >> all right. robin kelly from illinois. [applause] of course, you have met our co-chair, joyce beatty from columbus, ohio. [applause] barbara lee from california. [applause] donna edwards from maryland. [applause] are there any other members here? thank you. of course, and again i want to thank our leader for being here, nancy pelosi. thank you very much. >> here, here. [applause] >> they do so much. and before you all did that, just a point of personal privilege. there are two others in the room that need to be acknowledged for the unbelievable service, and those are my children who are out of school today and are angry with me for pointing all this attention to them. miles and madison, i love you both so much.

everything i do -- [applause] >> it is for you all. so will you stand up for just for a minute and just let everybody to see what i'm so proud of on a daily basis. [applause] my 15 year-old is taller than me and it's a problem. [laughter] i might have to become a member of the nra. just for the ride, not for the politics. [laughter] >> clean it up. clean it up. >> i need you all to be able to give closing remarks in two minutes. i will be respectfully ridiculously interruptive after the two minutes. and so if we could start with wade and end with the congresswoman. >> thank you, jeff. thanks to the audience, a great and important program.

let me say, guys. again, this is all about the vote in our power and i think we've underscored that. but i just want to talk to the brother who raised this issue about bias and by closing remark. we have a study out from the department of education, four year old kids, black kids are 16 -- 18% of the pre-school enrollment. yet they are 46% of those who are expelled from preschool. now, i'm telling you guys, lives -- bias is out there. it is real. but if you're going to do with it you're going to need a multiracial coalition. you're going to need a coalition because only a coalition is their strength. beyond will become produce ourselves. we have it but we've got to be in coalitions. we also have to recognize that every issue has an interest that we serve. the brother here from honduras, immigration is a black american issue. [applause] just as it is an issue for other communities have and we need to be a part of these debates. so i would say we have the

power. hands up, go vote. and i'm looking to see us make a difference in november. because if we don't, then this effort would have been for not. and an interesting conversation but if we don't turn it into a real show of power and force, then we are not anywhere. and thank you for the opportunity to be here. [applause] >> thank you so much. >> we have had the right to vote for 144 years, since 1870. women have had it for 94 years, since 1920. voter suppression is nothing new, nothing new. we've had the right to vote on paper for that amount of time. there have been three periods that you have had severe voting repression. one started in the 1890s after

the brothers elected those 24 blacks. they started lynching them and changing the poll tax, state constitution. that was the first period, and they drove us out of congress in 1901 to next black in the south come back in 1972. next, the second period was the voting rights act of 1965. all the folks dying to the '50s and '60s trying to get it is a voting rights act to enforce our constitutional rights. the third voter suppression. is when? right now. we in it. so we know our power. we have to know it. we have to protect it, and despite what they do, we've got to find a way to get to these polls and make our vote count. that's all. >> thank you so much. [applause] >> congressman lewis. >> jeff, thank you very much for moderating this group.

i don't want to say that much about the vote. i don't want to take two minutes, but i think it's important for us, and especially young people, to understand our history, to understand the distance we've come, the progress we've made as a people and as a nation. we are not there yet. we have not yet created a beloved community but in the process of moving, we must learn to be kind to each other. and respect the dignity and the worth of every human being, and this country, on this little piece of real estate. we've got to learn to live together as brothers and sisters. it doesn't matter whether we are black or white, latino, asian american or native american. we are not going anyplace. we are going to be here. that country is changing.

and there are so many of our brothers and sisters are living in fear. they fear the unknown, but they must not be afraid, and understand that our struggle is not a struggle that last one day, one week or one month or one year or one lifetime. but you must do what you must do and pay your dues, like our forefathers and our ancestors. thank you. [applause] >> thank you, congressman. >> resources. i want to just give a few resources for people to use and helping people to become voting rights champions all over this country. i mentioned the toolkit that is on a website at lawyers committee.org. we also just put out a mobile app for your smartphone where you can call anybody in the country and say, are you registered vote? if they said, i don't know, think so, whatever, i don't

think so, what ever. you can actually look it up for them and tell them if they are registered. you can tell them where to go register, what the rules are in their state, and you can also use the app to tell doctor to register online, to use the national voter registration form. they have all that information. get that at right now by texting 90975. that's 90975. once again if you go to the lawyerscommittee.org you will find that information.

the other resource we have for you right now is you can call our hotline. we have legal volunteers available to answer your question but if you don't know if it's possible for somebody who is an excellent to in your state, if you don't know what the rules are about voting in your state and you're curious about voter id if it applies, et cetera, call one (866) our vote. 1-866-687-8683. we have people to give you the information because ultimately as somebody said it's about resources. and these are resources that help you to be a great voting rights champions. i hope that you will sign the statement. i hope that you will be there. i am thrilled at the moment. i'm not negative at all because speed but you are out of time last night. >> changes coming, jeff. and as marcus garvey said, look for me in the whirlwind. >> yes, ma'am, thank you so much.

text epa app 90975. i just want to make sure for those who can't spell. 90975. thank you so much. congressman becerra speed and let me begin by first checking chairwoman fudge and all the members of the black caucus for inviting me to be here as well. we've heard the word of them for a long time. that's always trouble but when they use the word them, we know what comes. but hasn't ever been different? have you ever heard a different word? and today we had a great conversation about all the things we need to do. they're still using the word them out of there. about a month ago a lot of us into latino committee place on the great what happened because the present was going to do something congress would not because republicans kept blocking reform of the broken immigration system but it didn't come. there is a deep disappointment. as wade said, this is not an issue just for the latino

community. deep disappointment. but there is now a movement to tell people you should not go vote because people did not come through the way you wanted them to. let me to you, it is a dangerous thing. every month for the next 20 years, 50,000 latinos a month will turn 18. if we are smart we see the power that is right there in our hands. and so some of us are beginning to do something a little differently in congress. we no longer talk so much about the congressional black caucus, the congressional spanish caucus, the congressional asia-pacific caucus. we talk about the tri-caucus and how we are working together. [applause] and so my message is, we can't be on the defensive. we can't just react when ferguson comes along. it has to be the offense. nancy pelosi who has stayed with

us for the entire session, there's not often you get a leader who sticks around for two hours, can tell you best that we can all the willpower we want but if you don't put skin in the game, if you don't put money on the table, it's going to take a lot longer. so my final message is this. we need to own voter registration but we need to own voter registration. no one else will do it for us. we need to own voter registration and we've got to put money on the table for it and then we decide how it gets done for us. don't let them do it. let us do it. we need to own voter registration. thank you. [applause] >> i want to thank everyone for coming, especially this panel and jeff. i was listening to elaine and i've been thinking 50 years after the civil rights act we are still begging people to

vote. i do not understand it. let me just say to you there are two things i want you to think about that one is i hope you will spend this much time with your local elected officials. i guarantee you most people in this room have not done that. with your school board, with your city council. then you won't be calling me to talk to somebody to pick up your trash. you need to call your city council person for that. i say it that way because i need you to understand we all have a role to play. the congressional black caucus cannot do that all by ourselves but everybody has to do their part. we are a very resilient people. we have come through more than any race of people on this earth. and if you mean to tell me we can't me we can't stand up and fight for ourselves x. i don't know what to say to you. but i will say these words to you. the black caucus fights for you every day. even when you won't fight for yourself. we fight for you. whether it's immigration or education, whether it's food stamps, housing, we fight for you every day. so my message to you is to contain your complaining.

[applause] contain your complaining. you need to take, we all talk about we christians and all that. you need to take your eyes off of your circumstance and look to the future. because today is not where we are going. today may be a bad day. maybe they don't respect us today, but take your eyes off of your circumstance and look to god if you're a christian. and if you're not a christian, just look for the future but stop complaining about the day and make tomorrow better. >> amen. >> lovely, amen. >> thank you. if we could do this very quickly, anybody in the audience who is under the age of 21, will you please stand. it's all right, it's all right. and stay standing.

if you're under 20 and please stay standing, if you're under 25, please stand. >> all right. [applause] >> if you are 30 or under, please stand. [applause] >> now let's be very clear. it was said earlier that there's never been a movement without young people. and i have to give a caveat. there's never been a movement that has not been led by young people. and so it is essential that all of us in the room who are not standing up, look at these young leaders because this is theirs. if we fail to support them, if we fail failed to open be trained, if we fail to lift up their issues, if we fail to listen to their voice, if we fail to listen to their voice, then it is -- we will kill our own legacy. because whether we agree with how these young people do it or not is not the issue. it's that we support them even in the face of that disagreement when they're operating in the

call that god has for them before any of us were here to lead our community to the next level. so for all those standing, i salute you. i salute the work you're doing. isolate the methodology that you're using. i applaud your intellect and your willingness to do it different even in the face of haters. [applause] bless you all, and we're here for you. god bless you. let's give this panel an unbelievable round of applause. [applause] >> congresswoman marcia fudge, congressman becerra. [applause] barbara arnwine, congressman lewis, elaine, can i get some of that energy? and wade henderson. thank you all so much, and have a great conference. [applause] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2014] [captioning performed by national captioning institute]

>> some of the speakers from the family research council value summit and then a town hall on veteran health care. >> on the next "washington journal," the endowment for international peas will discuss the military campaign of these ice is and they'll role of coalition partners and defeating extremist. and bloomberg review sportswriter reviews the latest a massive violence controversies involving nfl players and the league's response to them as well as potential action by congress. we will take your calls and you can join the conversation on facebook and twitter. live atton journal" 7:00 a.m. on c-span.

>> the family research council voter summit in washington, d.c. yesterday. remarks fromluded tony perkins and jim jordan and a panel of former members of the military who were critical of president obama's foreign-policy. this is just over one hour. >> good morning. thank you very much. good morning. of the familyf research council and all of our sponsors and partners, we will mute to be values voter summit. we welcome folks all across the

country. one might be tempted to say is a going away party for eric holder. it is not. [applause] the next three days are designed to challenge you, encourage you, and equip you to return home and redouble your efforts to take our country back. [applause] i am happy to announce of this morning that we have a strategy. [laughter] [applause] continue building a coalition, a winning team that does spikes are occasional setbacks, like the last 60 years, we will never -- and six years, we will never surrender to political correctness. [applause]

we hear almost every day that conservative is are on the wrong side of history. we want to turn back the clock. i see it differently. we stand for what the clock cannot measure. for that which is timeless and eternal. a genius for division masquerading as unity. they have heralded the age of diversity while championing a stark uniformity of opinion and politics. they and thee strategy in order to stifle their opponents in a the political arena, they are even ready to rewrite and limit the first amendment of our constitution. to do inhey propose this area of campaign finance goes hand-in-hand and what they have been willing to do and have succeeded in doing in the civic

sector. they have attacked a gifted individuals and communities industry and universities and silicon valley. everywhere from chick-fil-a to dozens of others tiring and feathering them just for daring to disagree with them. the fact there was a smattering a left his groomsmen of the funded by george soros who took out an ad in the "washington -- these are on not the same groups that's up port harry reid and his efforts to rewrite of the amendment. it's real sip. -- simple. the truth stands in their way as they seek to transform america. silence eu and millions of americans live in you. here's the difference between the left and the right. we welcome the debate. we support their right to speak.

we believe in the first amendment. in fact, many and this room have put on the uniform of our nation's military to defend their right to speak. it is not time to rethink our principles or shrink back from the conflicts, now is the time to reaffirm our believes and redouble our efforts to stand for the values that made america an exceptional nation. yes, mr. president, america has been an exceptional nation. in so doing, we must bring new our mutual respect and reaffirm the necessity of each component of true conservatism. economy androwing traditional values that is usispensable and what unites is that we understand the meaning of liberty and the price

of the generations after generation has pay for it. we understand the irreplaceable role of cap are in a human drama. we understand the danger of government that grows ever larger while becoming ever hungrier and even more jealous that rivals or diminishes influence. we will defend the american dream and defined the future. thank you for being here and for being a part of the values voters summit and for being a part of taking america is worth fighting for. we will stand for that truths. [applause] i'm so excited to introduce our 2014 votersr of the

value summit. this guy key is maker to c-span every time -- this guy keeps me glued to c-span every time he is on. he knows a few minutes. as a member of a committee, you probably saw him several times and grill on the disappearance of lois lerner's e-mails. what will it take for the state department to put in place of practices that are going to save american lives? [applause] i'm so glad we have men and women like him working hard to get answers and to get justice for the american people. please welcome my good friend

from ohio. [cheers and applause] ♪ thank you. good to be with you this morning. you have listened to me a few times. thank you for what you do. i learned a long time ago that good things do not just happen if you want to accomplish of any takes work and effort and sacrifice. it takes a willingness to get off the sidelines and get in the game. thank you for doing that. defer excepting the risk that are associated with getting the game, you will always be criticized, get called all kinds of things by the elite national press. it is part of the deal.

how they talk about the way normal people see things and the way the new york times see things. i get up and read my bible and the new york times. [laughter] to that. lot of truth thank you for supporting an organization -- when you think of institutions that the good the verytogether, first institution was at the church or the state, it was moms and dads and kids. the strength of the institution strengthy -- the determines the strength of your entire culture and society and our great country. it is a special organization near and dear in my heart. --t is why you support speaking of family, when i get done with this speech, and getting on a plane and flying to ohio. we start the drive to georgia to

see our second grandchild. [applause] today.eks old we are looking for to spending the weekend with them down there yet i have got good news and bad news. bad news and then the good news and we will move along with the program. tell me if i'm wrong -- i'm convinced that the average family, the average middle-class family thinks this town is rigged against them. they see handouts for people who are able, but unwilling to work and they are stuck in the bill. they are fed up with it. they see companies goes up to governments and get special deals at the bank. it companies goes into government and get special tax treatment and all kinds of waivers. energy industry gets all kinds alone guarantees and special rates from the government. a seven of the 10 wealthiest counties are that here in the

washington, d.c. area. the average family thinks that they are stuck paying the tab. i agree with them. they're looking for folks to represent their values. [applause] lines is fromrite a baseball player. says great things can happen to ordinary people who are willing to work hard and never give up. i like that statement mostly because of one word -- the word ordinary. you stop and think about it. we are just regular, ordinary people. what bugs me is when someone things they are special and better than the rest of us. the amazing thing about this nation is ordinary people have been able to do extraordinary things if they're willing to work hard and never quit.

today for the first time in american history, lots of middle-class emmys are doubting the accuracy of that statement. they're looking for people to stand up and fight for them. there are faux that are doing that. hopefully we will have a few more folks in the senate when this election is over. [applause] take back're going to six seats. that will help us frame things. it is not just that your money gets used for things you do not like. it is also your fundamental values and the liberties that you cherish, your freedoms are under attack. think about your first amendment liberties. religious freedom. thank goodness the decision was 5-4. but it was 5-4. the hobby lobby decision. he spec for human life and

institution of marriage and family -- all of those things -- respect for human life and institution of marriage and family, all of those inks. -- things. no but example of your freedoms been attacked and what the irs did wear a target of people like us for exercising your most fundamental rights -- your right to free speech. inc. about the first amendment. this is why i have been so -- think about the first amendment. the freedom of the press and the freedom of assembly. your most fundamental rights is your right to speak and to speak in a political nature against your government. that is what this administration time toout to do over target an arrest people for. it is as long as it gets. i want to walk you through how serious this was. remember 2010 when the president

at the state of the unit address called on the supreme court and called out judge alito in the court? that is when it began. week after week the president would say things about shadowy tea party groups. this strange group that are doing all kinds of dangerous things. it was not just the president. all kinds of democrat leaders. all of these folks were saying things like irs, do something. -- we saidn we were to heck with nancy pelosi and we change it was running the house of representatives. gives a speech at duke university in october of 2010 weeks before the election. in that speech she says everybody is after us to do something now.

quote from hert speed. who is "everybody"? her political heroes are calling on the irs to do something. everyone is asking them to do something. it happened before the election. in an e-mail and says, "we cannot fix it now, but next year we will launch a project. we have to be careful make sure it does not look political." it is a fancy way of saying it is political, but we will hide that fact. that is what they did. they denied it all along. we started hearing from conservative groups that were being targeted. we sat down with her in 2012. it had been going on for a while, but hadn't become public hearing she said, no, this is normal for doing business. we did not believe her.

we called for an investigation. and that then commissioner said he could give assurances there is no targeting going on. but the investigation found that wasn't the case. there is a draft report before it went public. that, theybefore gave a speech to the bar association meeting in town. they asked about this situation. and didn't take responsibility. remember this? cincinnati.ts in the fact is they got caught red-handed in the cookie jar. where china hold them accountable. they have tried to blame other people and then going after the inspector general saying his report was not accurate. the truth is they did it.

it is so egregious what took place. lerner even this week was willing to talk to the press. about this. she could talk to the press and the justice department, but she cannot answer the congress questions and the american people's questions? she is doing an exclusive with politico. she knows what the justice department -- the investigation department is a sham. the fbi leaks to the wall street journal. no one will be prosecuted. the president said super bowl sunday -- think about it. ahead of the executive branch, pre-judges the case. said there's no corruption and not even a smidgen. the lead attorney, thousands of lawyers, one is a maxed out contributor to the president's campaign. and this is supposedly a real investigation?

[applause] here is some good news. we did pass a resolution that called for a special prosecutor. i don't think eric holder will do it. the good news is every single republican in the house of representatives voted for 26 democrats that went against their administration and said this is egregious. this is wrong. [applause] i think things are starting to move in the right direction. i think we will see than the next few weeks. then we set the context for what will happen in 2016. let me finish with this. i think all over the district and all over the country, one of the things is the left wants you to think you are in the minority. there are millions just like you

all over the country for doing what i said earlier -- getting into the game because they care. our nation has risen to that investigate -- occasion. i had some friends in chicago. we were driving over easter weekend. i'm kind of half-asleep in the passenger seat. we are driving along. she sees a sign that says dixon, illinois, hometown of ronald reagan. she whips the car off the road. what are we doing? .e pull into this little town kind of like where we live. one street off the main drag is reagan street. you saw what made this guy such a great leader. to articulate what

made our country special. little ladies and give them five dollars and they take you on a tour of the sites. it takes you back to what made it special. i may have shared this with you before. a story stuck with me. they're capturing the leadership that reagan had and what this country is about the makeup of the people. we want to go to dinner. free. the evening will go down. before we go to dinner, we will tour a help. sure, we would like that. we like that kind of stuff. we would love to do that. you go down and it is the same

kind of thing. they take you to, one of the brothers bedrooms, they show you two pictures. the first one is that first flight of kitty hawk in this contraption they call an airplane. flight.e first ok. i remember that. you learn those kinds of things. they put that down. the next picture they hold up 40 years later chuck yeager breaking down the sound barrier. think about that. , these guyslike you and chucktraption eger breaking the sound barrier. it is an amazing place.

down.ut that picture it literally hit me. we are in ohio. -- why did they stop there? later, 1969, another .merican stepped on the moon you think about this country in 66 years, two guys flying and then they put a man on the moon, it is a greatest nation ever. there is no policy, no crazy, goofy thing this administration can do that we cannot overcome if we are willing to remember what was done in the first place. up --k it is best summed paul is writing timothy appeared in older guy speaking to the

younger guy. fight the good fight, finish the course, keep the faith. it is a first associated with america. we have always been a nation of action. we rise to the occasion because we fight. we finish with you fighting for the values that made this country special. what you are doing is critical to our great country remain of the greatest nation in history. god bless you. have a good way. [cheers and applause] ♪ 9 >> -- >> great job. he is right on the cutting edge of the battle. he is doing a fantastic job for us. ladies and gentlemen, if you don't think this crisis with isis another terrorist groups is

a threat to the u.s., let me remind you that the twin towers and the pentagon was attacked .nd write down by 19 terrorists are to talk more about that some of the issues making headlines, including benghazi and ices terrorism. isis terrorism. this includes three generals with stars between them. [applause] one of the original members of the u.s. army delta force and commended all of the army -- we are proud to announce he served as executive vice president of the family research council. let them come to this stage. would you welcome them and also inked them for their service

thank them for their service to the united states of america? [cheers and applause] ♪ >> thank you. thank you very much. please be seated. .y name is jerry tony perkins is a marine. i normally start my presentations with a marine joke. having said that, we have a retired, don it i will skip that commandan -- retired t, so i will skip that part of it for fear of my life. [laughter] we are concerned about what we see today unfolding. there is chaos that we see.

i have asked the three panelists to make brief opening statements and as time permits we will ask some specific questions. today is panelists really a man who has been a supporter of the research council for a long time. he is a representative from the 11th district of north carolina. we have got at least one target out there. [laughter] thank you very much. grew up in a military family. was an army officer. was born in france and move back. he has run a small business for 27 years and has an extensive resume. what you need to know is he is a freshman in congress. he will be back or his second

term in congress -- he will be back and is in his second term in congress. we want to bring this woman that will come tomorrow night. he was right there. bringing her back. [applause] here who usedrine to be my neighbor in fort myers, know, i'mjust so you certaing to use any words because you're on the panel today. i will be careful. this is a soldier soldier so to speak. an extraordinary man. missouriom southeast and into the marine corps. and the tree office served in the marine corps. ultimately -- an infantry

officer in the marine corps. this is the guy that commanded the u.s. marine troops. the first expeditionary element there. [applause] and then finally, an old and who is a minister in his own right and also a .rolific author he has written three books. -- it is aed trilogy p at he is a west point graduate. hewitt on to command the second infantry division and ultimately for those who have a great passion for israel as i do, he commanded a task force there come a combined task force for fromle defense in israel

2000-2002. he has been a great friend. he and cathy have resettled in texas. in your case, i do not know what you have been smelling down there in the plains of texas. i will give you a break today. use some words we will not understand. [laughter] one of our guest has to leave early for another van he is doing here. i will asking to make and rightgs date men from there. -- i will ask him to make an opening statement from right there. my mother-in-law would still be skeptical, but that is another story. it is great to be with you. i apologize for having to leave early. i ink it will be a great session. the chinese have an old expression. think -- mays -- i you always live in interesting

times. i think we are there. we have that turmoil in the middle east times three. there's a fight that is taking place there. islamiclways been the extremist ground strategy. iraq. a situation in hopefully it will get better in the near term. it starts to show take shape as a revitalize the army. includes the kurds who are pretty tough guys in this fight. isis will attempt to consolidate and come into conflict with the dogma but do not by their . we need to get involved in that. time isn't an issue.

-- time is an issue. the sooner, the better. it is a real problem for us in many ways. it is a nuclear issue. we shouldn't lose sight of that. and i was still advising the president, i would have two elements of a device for him on iran. we do not need them with what we're going to do in the middle east. andould do it without them to involve them only makes us look weaker and them look stronger. please don't do that. the second thing is do not lose sight of the long-term object is . make sure iran doesn't one day possess nuclear weapons. it would cause tremendous instability in that region of the world. they are seen as a major power already. it could cause weapons to pull her for rate in countries like

egypt and turkey and perhaps even egypt and we do not need that. in my mind, vladimir putin is a dangerous man. we are all products of our experiences. when the wall came down, he was a lieutenant colonel in the kgb. for the most of the rest of us, it was the new world order. for him it was abject defeat. he is in a position he believes. he is very narcissistic. it makes him in some ways unpredictable. he also has the advantage of location. there is one nation on the face of the earth that could destroy us tonight. that is mother russia. they poke us in the eye every time they have long as the have the opportunity to do that. me.a concerns there is little history of major

trading partners actually coming into conflict. yet in the case of china, it concerns me. part of that is because the most bombastic people in china with their newfound military and power production capability are the admirals and generals. the last time we saw that was pre-world war ii in japan. challenges outof there that require u.s. leadership. i thinkthese issues exists now because of a vacuum that our absence of leadership has caused in the past. i would offer that we need to stay involved and be in a leading role in virtually with all our partners and allies.

we need a strong department of defense that is able to respond to our commander-in-chief. thank you. >> thank you. [applause] congressmen meadows? keep it brief. we need to be a country that means what we say and says what we mean. it is time that we stop apologizing for america's greatness and start celebrating. [cheers and applause] have a national security risk . the general said it well. right now we have taken our high off the ball because of what is and theg withm isil things that have been reported. a nuclear iran is the greatest national security threat that we a not only for us, but for israel and we must stand up to that. theremorning --

were reports that so we need to me and ran halfway. that is a major missed take and something we mustn't stand for. policy thatreign truly makes a clear that the what we stand for and what we will tolerate and what we will not tolerate. -- thisosevelt president walk softly and gives a good speech. we need to make sure that we stand with the men and women who fight to protect our country and honor them in their service. thank you. >> thank you. general? >> thank you. i think that is a good strategic overview. thank you for the call to action and your clarity. that is what i'm hearing from

you. that would be my first comment. walk softly and carry a big stick. prevention and secondly, the importance of strategy, we have an extraction -- expression -- the point is what we are doing in syria and a few other pinpoint places is tactical reflex responses rather than a strategic broad --spective that goes towards discernible. i will make a few points quickly . if you aim at nothing, you will surely hit it. we must be clear about the threats here and we have talked about a number of different threats. i will identify three additional .hreats with laser vocus before the obama administration, it was called global war on

terror. it is global. our military is in 100 nations plus. they're not twiddling their thumbs. they are resisting people. it is rooted in this islamic fundamental terrorism. it is a war. it is terrorism. let's call it what it is. let's be sure we know what we are aiming at. [applause] we have a lot of external threats. that is a primary one. it is like a cancer. death by 1000 cuts. i want to look at our internal apathy. it is a national security issue. more people need to stand up. and then the third one is that we have been infiltrated. the enemy is within. i came back after 9/11 a few days later to check out the

intelligence. in about 30 seconds, i saw home. displays up on this it showed cell phone calls coming from afghanistan. it is going to places like new york and north carolina and nashville, tennessee. michigan. these are all islamic sanctuaries in the u.s. within which there are fundamentalist sleeper cells. all of those calls lit up. within 30 seconds, i saw we had been infiltrated badly. we could talk about that. we need to figure how to observe nationals here to inside our borders. a secondly, international affairs and domestic affairs are inseparable. you heard talk of tree of liberty that is fed by the blood of patriots. the tree of liberty is not just on the international side or on the domestics died.

it is both. within our country we have a pervasive culture of appeasement. it looksmestic side, like entitlements. looks like catering to special interest groups. looks like catering to our illegal immigrants coming across the border and not securing our border. that is what it looks like. we know all about it and iran and redase lines that we make and break. threats. the three i think it is critical that we recognize this enemy and we deal with they and with our domestic situation, our moral erosion and internal apathy and own infiltration are part and parcel to our national security. american exceptionalism -- we are an exceptional nation. you driver ron washington, d.c.

-- you drive around washington, d.c. grandeur.e same in another country. what makes america different is not the grand door. eur.s -- grand --is that america has nation.n exceptional we are asking the question, so what? how then shall we live? if the foundations are destroyed, what should the righteous do? you men and women of america or the righteous. we have got to stand up. it is a great time to be alive. it is a great time to be alive.

let's get to business. [cheers and applause] >> thank you very much. thank you. thank you. thank you all. all right. i will go to general conway. really conway now dedicates his life to this whole issue of national security. he speaks about it. an organization called securing america's future energy . general conway, i want to give you an opportunity to speak about the criticality in terms of national security of our energy resources. >> i would argue it is not just national security. it is international security when you look at what is

happening with russia and ukraine. it is not as bad as it was. of the 60%, a large portion goes to transportation. our transportation industry, the , it requiresdrive 92% petroleum products. the concern is that the diversification is not bear. -- ill import about 30% of the countries that are controlling this global market which is by no means a free market ise global very much contrived. it is controlled largely by nations in opec who then in many ways control our destiny.

enemy says extremist they will destroy our economies through control warming relation of this oil supply. we consider a national security issue. our production in recent years is better. it gives us more of a buffer. it there is something else that happens, we do not see prices jerk up like they used to. we cannot achieve oil independence simply for our production. it is too small. .ull supply and demand we have got to do more drilling and open up federally mandated areas. we need alternative energy sources that will reduce that requirement to 90% and not by investing in companies.

that has been tried and failed obviously. they need to come up with products that will make us stronger and safer in the long term. [applause] meadows, would you talk to us about the southern border and high you see that being an issue of national security. is there anything else? what is your assessment and what should we do about it. some 9000 young people came across the border and made national headlines.

all of us saw that. we were somehow shocked and surprised that it was happening. yet it made national news here that we were taking those kids and busting them all over -- busing themover -- all over. there is a national security problem. if we had terrorist groups in which hezbollah is all overlap and america -- all over latin , to have that open border just allows the terrorist to be among us. for many of you, i'm from north carolina. that is notthink happening because you do not see the threat in your neighborhood. it is not just in greenville, north her line, but we have convicted in charlotte north

carolina a hezbollah cell. they were convicted. that wasn't enough. they came back and said they courthouse. the it you can google it and find out about it. for us to think that an open southern border is a secure border is the tragedy will be when the headlines he come one of the terrorist groups takes advantage of us in the united eights. we have got to address it. >> thank you. [applause] general, let me ask you a question that i didn't prep you for backstage. i like messing with you. we are old friends. good you please talk to us about the current state of our military? that is a serious national security issue.

good we rise to the situation? are we prepared to do than the nation against the threats we see on the horizon that our intelligence community says we should be focused on? what is your assessment? >> the military has been at war for over a decade. when you think of his time in the military, we have been in this global war on terror and everything else going on in the world since 1979, 1980. i was yesterday at fort meade. i was at -- with folks who have been deployed. they are digging the -- deep into their well of current. what depletes their well of courage the most is that they feel perhaps a lack of support, a lack of coherence from their commander in chief and natural strategies. our military people have committed themselves to serve and to die.

that is the contract they have signed. the thing that takes the wind out of their sales is that they inc. name may not be utilized in the proper way -- think they may not be utilized in the proper way. that is a problem. another issue i would mention is that for the troops in the foxhole, they makes a difference . when they're getting ready to go in a dangerous patrol, they will hold hold hands and say, god, in whomthe strong tower we can run. they are not worried about political correctness when they are getting ready. when you get inside the beltway washington, d.c. there's a lot of politically correct games that are being played to simply mirror the culture. many of your cultural warriors day in and out. those same games, wars afflict

the military appeared it reduces our readiness. if our military is committed to clear and noble causes will perform admirably. still the best military in the world. i will make a comment. when we were outsourcing very rather than a precise andery surgical ways, we aren't doing the right things. thank you. [cheers and applause] >> thank you very much. youressman, let me turn to and ask you for your personal assessment of the concept of theng and a quick thing free syrian army syrian army. what are your thoughts on that?

at putting a look men and women in harm's way, it is probably the toughest vote that you will never take. recently we need a vote in the house to do just that. i was one of the ones that will no. [applause] to ask yourself a few questions. iraqind billions training troops only to see them turn tail and run when isil came in. we had in benghazi libyans that were supposed to be helping with the security of the consulate and yet what happened we know deadoo well -- four americans. we are in the process of training thousands of syrians that are supposed to go up and take on a battle tested army of

over 31000 and may be close to 40,000 by the time they are trained and ready. somehow we think these 5000 syrians are going to be able to do the job. the general set it best. -- said it best. we have the best fighters and .ecurity team in the world yet what we are doing is putting it out for bid with syrian somewhere else. for me that was troubling. it is not something that i believe will have a clear strategy for success. something i know we will have to address again. >> thank you. general, same question. >> i totally subscribe to what the congressman just said. the reality is we do not know what we do not know.

intelligence is a critical commodity. i found that you could get a lot of troops and soldiers hurt badly if you do not have the right intelligence. we need to develop this framework that will serve us well in syria. there are surgical forces and not massive troops. as we employ surgical techniques with boots on the ground as well as from the air, i think that is the way we can quickly make their day and that is the way to avoid casualties and not produce casualties with this long slog. segway.a bit of the concerned that the united states continues to sound on theertain trumpet state of israel. [applause]

vignette -- i was in israel as part of my duties. i was pulled out of that one night. they have taken down a ship trying to infiltrate in the gaza strip. they would drop the shipping containers that would float about 10 feet under the water. a fisherman would come out. they were taken into underground caves and they would shoot them at israel. the reason they woke me up is because israel has called the u.s. state department and said, we have got this issue. basically the state department says, you guys are hyping again. go back to sleep. that illustrates the culture that permeates our state department present and at that time. we need to be very clear about the support of israel. if israel goes down, we all go down. israel is god's people.

it is a moral issue as well as a practical people. [cheers and applause] let me break protocol here and make a statement. i want to thank you for voting. there are people in here who believe the right way to go is to arm and equip this thing called the free syrian army. there were some things that you need to inc. about and understand. you need to understand there are no redeeming features. he is an evil despot. he has never been a threat to christians. we look at the realities of what is happening to the christian communities in egypt and syria and iraq and libya and all of

these islamic countries. the reality is he has never been a threat to christians. when we start talking about arming and equipping 5000 people we did thiset -- and iraq. many of those people that had been vetted turned on us and killed our troops in their own bases. we're trying to stop isis. we left american equipment in the hands of iraqi army.

if you could get beyond the motion of this, we have got to do something to stop isis. either way, i do not call them isil. what you're really doing is you're really doing is you are failing to recognize the existence of israel. it is a concept that doesn't include -- most people do not know that. what is the tactical side of arming and equipping these people that we do not know what they will do and we know that there has been a fact made with isis? a nonaggression pact with isis? my sources and many other sources are saying it is absolutely true. we have yet for an

accountability. what is your assessment of what the long-term impact is of never having to the answers? how does that affect us as a nation, as a society? >> if we do not get to the bottom of it -- --pal [applause] he is a true patriot. regardless of what you may read, he is not political. what he wants to do is make sure the american people get the truth and that we hold those that are responsible, responsible. we could be very thankful that they are over that. , when the truth does not -- does come out, we repeat the mistakes of the past. we're starting to see that in

the strategy that we have. the other part of that is when we start to look at a false from the, it comes government. he undermines the very trust that we have in those that are elected and overall government operations. all the american people want the truth. we know that the truth always prevails. it will ultimately come out. if we suppress whether it is that for the irs or anything else, what ultimately happens is we continue to undermine the credibility. we create a more unstable situation.

i have great hope that justice will prevail and that the chairman will get to the bottom of it. >> thank you very much. general, same question. >> thank you. aboutk i have written spiritual infrastructure as an element of national power. when of the elements of that structure is the proper retention of natural history instead of historical revisionism to can -- fit a convenient narrated. [applause] the historical revisionism we see in benghazi is symptomatic of the historical vision is him that we see across our country and across the world of politics. even in the common core curriculum or instance of the

obama administration. let's change the truth to fit our liberal agenda objectives and narrated's. we see it happening left and right. andave got to resist that tell what happened the way it happened. >> thank you. we are down to about three minutes. i will ask you for a brief assessment of the strategy that has been laid out by the president to deal with this threat of isis. >> well, there is not a strategy. i think even he admitted that he didn't have one. as we see that, there is a are real desire on the part of almost all americans to make sure we deal with the. of the threat israel. it is a threat against american

interest and american people. we need to understand that. what we need to do is to make sure we have a clear and decisive object of, one that is strategical and focused. , whatdon't have that happens is we have a lot of dollars that are spent. billions of dollars that will be spent. the camouflage or doing something to protect the national interest and yet it doesn't. we have people with the state department as of the greatest national security threat is climate change -- [laughter] you have got an issue. how ridiculous is that when you have the fighting men and women. maybe today is the day we have got to worry about climate change? it is ridiculous. >> same question. what strategy would be that

question? we are in a complex environment. complexity -- we are playing chess and not checkers. demonstration needs to recognize that. thank you. [cheers and applause] >> i'm going to close this out. some of you -- i was asked last judge's program. i went to a studio in atlanta. the question came up of how we can put 3000 troops on the ground so quickly to fight ebola when we cannot come up with a strategy to deal with isis? here is my answer -- we got what we asked for. likepresident is thinking

a community organizer and not a commander-in-chief that takes the lives of our men and women seriously. we have got a community organizer that is surrounded himself with people that know everything about climate change, marxism, the lgbt agenda, but virtually nothing about national security and he is unwilling to listen to his real profession professionalsry because he doesn't trust that you they represent some and he has never been able to understand. that is a love for america. may god bless you. [cheers and applause] ♪ [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2014] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] great job. thank you. tomorrow are a campaign 2014

coverage continues with a live debate between the i was u.s. wa u.s. senate candidates. that is live tomorrow at 6 p.m. eastern on c-span. the phoenix be a medical center held a town hall meeting for veterans and their families to asked questions and share comments about their medical care and experiences. the site with a focus of veteran affairs department and inspector general strip for all long wait times -- general inspectors report for a long wait times. this involves language some viewers might find offensive. >> these are forms will we'll be holding. the secretary announced he will want to do these on a quarterly basis. is that better?

we will duties on a quarterly basis. i will not be here i am recommending we host these out in the community and will be moving around the city of phoenix and then also they will be going to some of our outpatient cities where we have outpatient clinics in those areas. why do we start off if i can ask everyone to stand please and we will just have a moment of silence to send our thoughts to those that are fighting in the war on terror. all right, thank you. why don't we remain standing and join me in the pledge of