pan 2014 coverage. moments.ps of key .nstantly share your reactions the battle for control of congress. follow us on twitter, like us on facebook. >> and now, our campaign 2014 coverage continues with the second debate for the iowa senate seat. bruce braley is facing state senator joni ernst. current senator tom harkin is retiring after five terms. the race is listed as a tossup.

>> joni ernst is with us. >> hoping to win one of the most hotly contested races in the nation. >> i go to washington as a mom and a soldier. >> i will work with anybody who will help solve the tough albums we face. >> the campaign is getting national headlines. >> let's make them squeal. >> all to win a key seat long held by a democrat. joni ernst taking on bruce braley. still too close to call. tonight, head to head as the country watches. decision 2014. debate for iowa's next senator.

>> those of you watching are waiting to hear from candidates in the hottest, closest senate races in the u.s. history. one that experts say may determine control of the senate. they are locked in a dead heat for the seat of tom harkin. the winner will be the first new senator and 30 years for iowa. there will be questions from our panel of journalists, each with decades of experience in iowa, in a format aimed at giving candidates the chance to answer in-depth. i am the moderator of this debate. a coin flip determined who got the first question. that will be bruce braley. we begin with a question from social media. i am sick and tired of politicians skirting the issues and not providing plans about

how to attack issues rather than their opponent. i want results, not the ideology of blaming and dividing the other side. the problems will require the best ideas from all sides. how will you work across the aisle and how will we measure your progress? >> i want to thank the station for hosting us tonight. and everyone watching and watching on television. great question. i am sick and tired of politicians who will not work across the aisle. i am here to talk about my record.

eight years of working with anyone with an idea that is good for iowa. i created a job-training program for renewable energy. i worked with a republican to make that happen. i worked to get benefits for the iowa national guard. i worked with a republican senator from utah so government agencies can indicate more clearly and effectively with you. i worked to make sure that an iowa manufacturer continued to make a product here in the u.s. instead of sending it overseas. i will continue to work with anybody with a good idea. that is my track record and my commitment. >> thank you to our host tonight. thank you, congressman braley.

as the president has stated, this november, this fall, his policies are on the ballot. we see that now that congressman braley has voted 95% of the time supporting nancy pelosi and the president. we have seen those failed policies nationwide. what we have seen an iowa, reforms utilizing great ideas, we have come up with the transformational mental health reform. education reform. the largest tax cut in iowa history. this was done by bipartisan support, working together. great successes here in the state of iowa. we need to take this to washington dc. that is what i will do.

>> let's delve into the issues. we begin with environmental issues. please consider the concerns of a science teacher who wants to know your plan to reduce and eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels. >> i would like to say i am glad you agreed to this debate. it is important to voters be allowed to choose their candidates based on direct information rather than advertising. thank you again. i want to start with environmental issues for discussion. i'm beginning with congressman braley. you have changed your stance on the xl pipeline. it would carry oil from canada to the u.s.. supporters say it would promote

energy independence and create jobs. what is your position on this form of infrastructure? >> my position is clear. i oppose the keystone pipeline. when the pipeline was first proposed, and we were asked to vote on it, a lot of promises were made about what would happen. the more i looked into it and talked to iowans, the more was clear the oil was not going to stay in the u.s. and benefit consumers. or that jobs would be created for iowans. my priorities are to make sure it produces our dependence on foreign -- it reduces our dependence on foreign oil and creates jobs. senator ernst stands with them. that is the big difference in this debate. >> state senator ernst, you were quoted saying you would shut

down the epa. the environmental protection agency, created in 1970 and signed by a republican president. do you really want to shut down the epa? if so, why? >> i am a young woman who grew up on an iowa farm drinking well water. my father is a farmer. we are some of the best conservationists out there. i believe our state knows best how to protect their natural resources. i believe this can be done at the state level rather than the federal level. there are great acts, like the clean water act. over the course of time, the epa

has overreached. a great example is when they proposed a rule that would allow the epa to come onto farmers' land and dictate how they manage the water. bruce braley supported that overreach with the epa. he is being backed by california environmentalists. he stood with the epa over iowa farmers. >> that is not true. i voted to prohibit the epa from regulating and she knows that. she says she supports the environment but soundbites have consequences. when you say you are voting to -- you would vote to repeal the clean water act, you are saying that you don't want iowans to

have clean water. you are saying you don't want anyone making sure the air is clean or water is pure. those words have consequences that are harmful to iowans. she knows that and that is why she is supported by the koch brothers. >> would you like 30 seconds to rebut? >> i would love to rebut. i believe in a clean environment. i drive a hybrid car. my family recycles. i encourage recycling at every opportunity. i believe the federal government should not be overreaching with rules and regulations that are killing our industry in iowa and a nationwide. we need to make sure every rule

and regulation is reasonable and still protects our environment. we can do that but not with a significant overreach. >> thank you. did you have a follow-up? >> if you are suggesting that the states regulate as opposed to a federal agency, how does the state have the wherewithal, the power to regulate a company that may not be based within the state? or another state has the jurisdiction? have you do that without doing it on the federal level -- how do you do that without doing it on the federal level? >> states can do that by working together. we can eliminate or reduce the size of the federal government's involvement. there are other regulatory agencies that can step in. states need to have control of what is going on within the state. so much of the power has been

taken away from the states and is focused on the federal level. we have our own environmental protection commission that best knows how to preserve our natural resources within the state. >> the reason a republican president created the epa is because states could not prevent big polluters from destroying our planet. that is why when president nixon created it, there were rivers on fire. cities were clouded with pollution. that is why richard nixon created the epa. the father of conservation was a conservative republican from iowa named john lacey. this is not a partisan issue. it is an issue important to iowans. >> charles collins has heard joni ernst say she would work to repeal obamacare. have you given any thought to how situations in my situation

will not lose coverage? another person says, his employer dropped coverage because obamacare. >> every iowan and american has the right to quality, affordable health care. obamacare is not the answer. he said he read every single page of the bill. what we have seen in iowa is it is a tax to iowans and americans of $1.2 trillion. it is taking personal health care decisions out of our hands and placing them with bureaucrats in washington dc. the insurance commissioner

announced that plans through the exchange will go up 19%. i don't see how this is affordable for anybody. when the president and congressman braley promised us we would see an average reduction of $2600 per family. families are paying more and have lost coverage. >> senator ernst knows that is not true. before the affordable care act, premiums went up 25%. 47 million americans did not have health insurance coverage before the affordable care act. i worked with the governor to make sure 100,000 iowans who did not have access to health care have it now. we can go back to the time when

people were getting kicked off for no reason. when children, like my nephew tucker who had liver cancer, would get kicked off because of pre-existing conditions. when seniors paid $800 a year more for prescription drugs. that is why there is a big difference in where we stand. >> social security. >> may i rebut? we will have 31 million americans without health insurance. even under obamacare. a farm family in north-central iowa had their policy canceled. the policy they had to purchase cost $500 more a month.

with the increase, it will be $600 extra a month. that is unaffordable for those families. >> 15 seconds? >> 130,000 people like you now have affordable, quality health coverage they did not have before. people used to have to go to des moines or iowa city under the plan the state offered. now they can go to physicians anywhere they live. >> let's move onto social security. we began for a one or minute response. >> you have said you will keep the promises to seniors on social security. but you look at transitioning younger workers to private accounts. how would this help with the long-term financial challenges, and why should workers were younger, say in their 30's, be faced with going into a new

system? >> i will always fight to protect social security and medicare for our seniors like my parents. this is a very important issue. over 600,000 iowans rely on social security. we have to face the fact that social security is running out of funds. within the next 20 years, our retirees will see a 25% decrease in monthly payments. we have to look long term and preserve it for our children and grandchildren. we have to look at many different options. i'm willing to look at all of them to find a solution. >> thank you. >> congressman braley, currently payroll tax is capped at 100 and $17,000 -- $117,000.

you have proposed raising it. wouldn't that be a drag on the economy? >> i don't know if the score has changed. i know the orioles are holding on. soundbites have consequences. senator ernst has said she would keep her promises to seniors. but when you consider turning social security to wall street bankers, that is not protecting social security. there is a big difference

between us on this issue. if you are a millionaire or billionaire, you should be paying the same percentage of income into social security as a working-class iowan. you need to look at ways you can put more revenue into social security through other means by expending the economy. rebuilding manufacturing. and yes, increasing the minimum wage which i support. that would put billions into the trust fund. i think that is a good thing. >> senator ernst, you said you would keep all options on the table. would you consider lifting the cap on the payroll tax? >> that is an option. we need to sit down and discuss it. in a bipartisan manner. raising the minimum wage is not an answer. we are looking at job losses, 500,000 potential losses across

the u.s. what you would bring in from revenue would be less than 1% of the spending for social security. it doesn't shore up the system very much. it is an option. we just have to make sure our retirees are receiving the benefits that were promised to them. >> we will talk more about minimum wage. let's get to another viewer question. from a registered nurse and a mother of three girls. would you support a background checks for all gun sales? >> i don't know who the registered nurse is, but absolutely. we should have background checks so criminals cannot buy guns. people who are battling severe mental illness are not able to

buy guns without a background check. senator ernst disagrees. she doesn't think we need greater background checks that will protect people from being the victims of gun violence. people need to know where we stand on these issues. the second amendment is like the others in the bill of rights. it is a balance between individual liberty and public good. that is why it starts out with, in order to have a well-regulated militia. she doesn't think we should have to go through a permit process to carry a concealed weapon. you should be able to take it into a bar or church. i think that is wrong. >> i am a mother of three daughters. anytime we hear of violence, it is a tragedy.

i am a strong supporter of the second amendment. i think we need to enforce the gun control laws we have on the books right now. there is an underlying issue that goes along with much of the gun violence. that is of mental health. i am a huge supporter of finding ways to improve our mental health system. i have done that here in the state of iowa with mental health reform. which allows individuals, no matter where they live, easy access to mental health care. we have one in 17 adults that suffer from a serious mental illness. making sure that they have the test care possible will solve a number of issues. >> we can prepare for the next topic. super pac support.

as mentioned, prior to the debate. we saw a couple of commercials. specific questions on claims made against supporters and candidates. we will begin the questioning for congressman braley. >> they queue very much. welcome, congressman braley. much has been said about the advertising. i have been given the assignment to give you a chance to refute some of the ads, the super pac ads particularly. millions of dollars of money coming from forces outside of iowa. they are driven by fear and scare tactics. are going to begin with this one.

i heard an ad today. the nra political victory fund insinuating you are buddies with michael bloomberg. you are going to take away my second amendment rights. >> i have never met michael bloomberg. i don't know what the ads are based on other than i will bring common sense to bring reasonable solutions to reduce gun violence. working with a republican, i have held lots of hearings about the failure to address mental illness. through those bipartisan hearings, we learned that the largest mental health treatment facility is the l.a. county jail. we know we have to do more. yet when senator ernst was asked about this question, she was asked about her ad she ran in

the primary where she was shooting a pistol into the camera and saying, let me take aim at obamacare. it came right before the tragic shooting and santa barbara. she called it an unfortunate accident. i don't think it was a event the victims and their families. >> that is a horrible tragedy. i have stated that already. you stated you will work for mental health reform. we have actually done that here in the state of iowa, working toward a better system. easier access for the most vulnerable in our population to receive care. they can walk into many places and discover where they can go for treatment. whether you are in a rural area, living in a populated area, we

want to make sure there is easy access for those that suffer from mental illness. and receive the care they need. i will always be a strong supporter of the second amendment. the state motto is, our liberties we prize and rights we will maintain. >> there is a new ad airing on our station. it says you support tax breaks for companies shipping jobs overseas. i want to ask you, what is the truth and what would you do to make sure american companies are keeping jobs in america and not outsourcing them. >> we need tax reform, period. so there are not special loopholes. americans should be keeping more of their heart earned paychecks in their pockets. over the long term, working to scrap the existing tax code and replace it with something fair

or, flatter, and similar. if we do that, we will be keeping american jobs here. just as we have done in iowa, we have implemented a great economic plan which includes the largest tax cut in iowa history. we have balanced the budget the last four years. we have created up to 150,000 new jobs in the state of iowa. that is what we need to do at the federal level. >> did you have an additional question? >> soundbites have consequences. she was at the state fair when she was asked about this issue. whether she would support changing the tax laws so those

companies who should jobs overseas would not get the benefits. she said no. that is why words matter and have consequences that are harmful to iowans. that is why issues matter. talking about the consequences matters. senator ernst is fond of saying things that sound good, but when you look at what they mean to iowans, they don't make iowans better off. you can't say you stand with farmers and say you will vote against the farm bill. that you are not a strong supporter of the renewable fuel standards. these are things that have consequences. >> i would like to respond. when it comes to words and actions, actions speak louder than words. i have a 100% rating when it comes to renewable fuels.

that is from the renewable fuels association. i will continue to stand up for farmers. i think it is important to have farmers in the state senate. when you talk about your words, behind closed doors, you poked fun at senator grassley for being a farmer. [applause] and you said you would fight against tort reform. >> there has been a direct attack. i should have an opportunity to respond. >> 30 seconds. [applause] >> i'm going to remind, when we

>> i'm going to remind, when we applaud, it takes away time from the candidates. please be respectful. >> you know i apologized to senator grassley right away. you also know, i have supported farmers in the congress by voting twice to pass a farm bill. i have been an outspoken champion for the renewable fuel standard. my support is strong, clear, and unequivocal. that is why the national farmers union supports me. >> you can integrate that if you can into this question. viewers asking this question. did you, joni ernst, sign a pledge with the koch brothers? >> no, i have not signed a pledge with the koch brothers.

this is misinformation from harry reid. extreme environmentalists. and from the congressman's own campaign. i have not signed a pledge with the koch brothers. i have been outspent from outside money coming into the state of iowa by about $2 million. i take issue with that. that is misinformation. >> the same sort of question for you. is this part of the democratic strategy to align republicans with a multibillion-dollar corporation? >> you have signed pledges with a group called club for growth. the truth is you attended two secret donor meetings hosted by

the koch brothers. you called them wonderful at that meeting. you credit them with launching your senate campaign. the same koch brothers who have seven different organizations attacking me right now. seven. they are big oil interests working to try to kill the wind energy tax credit that senator grassley and i championed. repeal the renewable fuel standard that will devastate iowa farmers. these are the biggest supporters you have right now. it is a fair criticism to ask how they are supporting you in the election. >> yes, again, this is from someone supported by a california billionaire extreme environmentalist who opposes the keystone pipeline.

the congressman flip flopped on that issue. yes, i signed a taxpayer protection pledge so anyone paying taxes can keep more of those dollars. i support those hard-working iowa families out there who wish to make the decisions what to do with their own money. >> 15 seconds. >> i stand with iowans who want secret donor money out of politics forever. [applause] it is the worst thing that happened to democracy. that is why i supported the disclose act that would require transparency and accountability. i call on you to join me in committing to telling the outside groups to take the ads down and let iowans decide. >> there are reforms that could be made. i am being outspent by $2 million.

here he is calling for a reform. yet, we are being outspent by the outside organizations. [applause] >> i believe we have more to talk about. we will take a short break. the debate will continue after this. [applause] >> this question will be for joni ernst. one minute to respond to this facebook question. do you recognize the desperation and concern the american people have? >> this is the reason i am

running for u.s. senate. i do believe our country is going in the wrong direction. this is washington dc. records of failure coming from this administration and followers like congressman braley versus our iowa values. with my supporter, we have implemented strong economic policy here in iowa. lower taxes. reduced job killing regulation. putting hard-working iowans back to work. iowa has the fourth fastest growing personal income in the u.s. nationally, the real wage has decreased by 2.7%. yes, we are going in the wrong

direction. that is why i am running. >> one minute. >> senator ernst is forgetting we came through the greatest economic crisis since the great depression, handed over to the president when he took office. we have seen one of the largest continued segments of private sector job growth in the history of the country. the question is, how is our country doing? if you're one of the koch brothers, it is doing pretty well. for too many iowans, that recovery has not impacted their lives in a meaningful way. that is why i stand with 300,000 iowans who deserve a pay raise. 60% of them are women. 50% are over the age of 30. we have to make sure the economy is working for them. that is why we also need to start reinvesting in rebuilding

our aging infrastructure. we need to revitalize our manufacturing base. that is why i spoke to the association of business and industry. sharing my ideas on what we can do to improve iowa's economy. >> we have a lot going on in the world from the ebola crisis to isis. first question will be for senator ernst. >> the situation in the middle east, the rise of the islamic state holding large areas in iraq and syria, terrorizing and killing people. president obama has formed a coalition to fight isis and told the nation he is not willing to commit ground troops to the fight. senator ernst, you recently wrote airstrikes might not be enough. you have had boots in the ground in the mideast. under what conditions would you

vote to send iowa soldiers to the mideast? >> i have served in the mideast and had my boots on the ground. isis must be stopped. they are an extreme organization killing innocent civilians including americans. because i have had my boots on the ground and led iowa sons and daughters, i take this issue seriously. i would have a number of criteria i would look at before committing additional action. the first, is there actionable intelligence? does it pose a threat to us? will our actions wipe out the threat? second, is there a clearly defined mission? are we willing to put the resources toward the mission? are we going to care for our servicemen and women with a

withdrawal plan, making sure they are cared for when they get home? and also taking care of their families? >> you have opposed open-ended commitment of troops. >> i think congress should go back into session and have a broader conversation. i agree with senator ernst on the conditions that should be considered as part of the decision. i think there are two important things missing. these are from general powell's analysis. you have to convince the people it is worth the investment of blood and treasure.

we have been informed there is no military solution that does not involve a political solution in iraq and syria. i think we should go back into session. isis is a threat that has to be eliminated. people who attack america have to be brought to justice or the grave. >> i know the american public is confused on this issue when it comes to his response. earlier this year in june, after the second largest city in iraq was taken by isis, he voted against funding any combat actions in iraq. now he is asking congress come back to reconsider that. i'm not sure where to go with that. i know he twice voted to defund combat troops.

>> 15 seconds. >> senator ernst knows that is not true. i voted to end decade-long commitment of troops. i made it clear i supported the increases for them and was not going to defund them. the vote she is talking about is a bipartisan vote where republicans and democrats had concerns. >> follow-up question? >> you have said you would not have voted for the same authorization to arm, train, and equip the syrian opposition. i wonder how confident you are those will not be turned against us. >> i was not as confident a year ago.

but we have had a year to carefully vet those moderate rebels. that is part of this. making sure the arms are not turned against us. i believe we have to work with a coalition, and bring others into the fight until we commit ground troops. >> congressman braley, how confident are you about who we are arming? is this a case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend? >> one of the concerns that republicans and democrats shared when were talking about this and voting on it is the fact that we spent over $30 billion to arm, train, and equip 950,000 members of the iraqi army and border patrol. and yet they were rolled back by

isis terrorists. that is why we are concerned about the vetting process. that is why i think we should go back to session, get an updated classified briefing, because one of the things we were insistent upon is the vetting process be thorough. we are only supporting groups that are going to be supportive of balancing those airstrikes and making the kind of gains we need to eliminate the terrorist threat. >> we knew the threat was there months and months ago. this decision could have been made earlier this year. there is no sense in calling congress back now when this decision could have been made several months ago. if in 2011, the president had listened to senior military advisers and secretary panetta and pursued the status of forces

agreement, we may not be in this circumstance now. >> let's move onto immigration. there is a question with regards to potential amnesty as an executive order. for congressman braley, one minute. >> border agents said at least 10 isis fighters have been arrested crossing the border of mexico and texas. terrorists like isis are taken advantage of this lapse, crossing into the u.s. with the real intent to attack us on our own soil.

>> if we had passed the comprehensive immigration reform bill that the senate passed with a bipartisan vote, 68 senators including john mccain who lives in arizona, we would have added 20,000 border patrol agents. it was a bipartisan vote that would have beefed up our border. but she says she would not support that bill. if we had brought that to the floor of the house right now, we could pass it and we would be safer. the problem is too many people try to turn this into a political debate rather than protecting the american people. they continue to resist efforts at comprehensive immigration reform, which i have been working for eight years to pass. the use the word amnesty to drive a wedge between people. they mislead iowans about what

amnesty is. that is when you break the law and there are no consequences. you would have to admit you broke the law and go to the back of the line. we have to pass immigration reform now. >> this is an easy issue that should have been resolved a number of years ago. we have a porous border with people crossing as they wish. we should have secured it long ago. we need to enforce the laws that exist on the books right now. work long-term to address legal -- excuse me, legal immigration. we have to do that. the congressman says he has been there for eight years working on comprehensive reform. and yet there were two years when the democrats controlled the house and senate and presidency. nothing was done.

we need to focus on the issue. i don't believe in amnesty. that is what this bill would do. there are 5 million people out there applying for the legal immigration process. we should not be putting others ahead of them. >> a follow-up? >> waiting for a long-term solution to immigration reform will not make u.s. citizens safer. putting 20,000 more border patrol agents in the field by passing the senate bipartisan immigration bill and bringing it to the floor of the house for a vote will make us safer. >> let me ask you this. if you are elected to the senate, would you try to repeal the president's deferred action on childhood arrivals? >> could you state that again? >> would you try to repeal the

president's deferred action on childhood arrivals? >> no, i would not. >> is that working? >> yes. i have talked to young iowans who are using it and becoming contributing members. that is what the american dream is about. that is why my ancestors came from ireland during the potato famine, settled to start a better life. then they moved to iowa to begin a better life. that is what we want to do. provide hope and opportunity to the next generation of iowans.

>> there are a number of children who have been brought here not of their own accord. i do support allowing them some of the freedoms here in the u.s. we are a nation of immigrants. we are also a nation of laws. that is why i do not support amnesty for adults who knowingly come here when it is illegal. >> we come to the end of the debate. the final question from another viewer. after many elections, i have found the people running for office keep telling how they are going to help the middle class. what is the middle class? >> i am the middle class. my husband was laid off of his

second shift job at a factory a number of years ago. we were very fortunate. he did find another job. i live in a middle-class neighborhood. we bought our house for $80,000 in red oak, iowa. we still live there today. it is in average neighborhood. it is perfect iowa. that is the middle class. we work hard for what we earn. we want to protect the economy. that is what the middle class is. >> the middle class is the heart and soul of america. it used to be policies were designed to strengthen and expand the middle class. that is why i started a caucus when i was first elected to congress to focus on economic policies that will strengthen and expand access to the middle class. there are too many people trying to take away opportunity from people in the middle class.

people that i grew up with in iowa. when my dad had an accident at the grain elevator, the friends and neighbors came and helped us out. but for too many iowans, that is a distant dream. i have fought to expand pell grants. make sure that students have the chance to live a middle-class existence. that is what you middle class is about. >> we have time for about one more. is either candidate willing to tackle the police state, or is it just me that is disgusted by the militarization of the police?

>> i believe government infringes on people's rights. we have a police force that is more military. it is an issue in some communities. i do believe government needs to back out of our lives. as long as we are lawful, legal citizens, the government should keep its hands off. >> i share some of those concerns with senator ernst. we also know that laws are set up for people who break the rules, not for people who follow them. i am concerned that we are moving away from what we know is historically the most effective form of policing. that is being engaged in the community, knowing the people

you're trying to help. following the rule of law. that is what we need to get back to. community policing where you connect with the people in your community. >> and now your closing statements. each of you will have 90 seconds for closing arguments. >> thank you. i have talked about the fact that my ancestors from ireland are buried across the river in coal valley. my dad enlisted in the marine corps, served in iwo jima, and came back and met my mother. they settled in a small town called brooklyn. that is where i learned iowa values.

i met my wife. i have been married for 30 years. we have three wonderful children. i believe you have to be able to work with anyone with a good idea for iowa. i am a bridge builder. senator ernst and i have different visions about the future of iowa. i stand with 220,000 iowa college students who would see their interest rates skyrocket under senator ernst's plan to get the government out of student loans. i stand with iowans who pay into social security every day and would see their bennefits jeopardized by senator ernst. i am here to ask for your vote and tell you i will not forget

my job. >> thank you. good evening. thank you for allowing us to be here this evening. you have seen clear differences tonight. i am not a washington politician. i grew up on a family farm. i am a mother, i am a soldier, and i am an independent leader who cares about the nation we are leaving our children. i disagree almost completely with congressman braley and president obama on just about everything. spending, taxes, obamacare, amnesty, and the list goes on. congressmen braley has a failed record in d.c. and he is running a negative campaign. i believe iowans know what is best for iowa more than

politicians. if you trust me with your vote on november 4th, i will fight so our middle-class families have good paying jobs. i will fight so iowans who are facing higher health care costs because of obamacare, we can get them good health care. i will fight so seniors are receiving their benefits. their generation has sacrificed so much so we can achieve the american dream. as your next united states senator, i will make sure more americans can achieve that dream. [applause] >> now you can really applaud if

you would like to. [applause] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2014] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] c-span's campaign 2014 is bringing a more than 100 debate for the control of congress. stay in touch. in gauge follow us on twitter. like us at facebo ok.com/cspan. >> live coverage of the debate for the michigan governor's race. live tomorrow on c-span.

cam-span's 2015 student competition is underway. it will award 150 prizes totaling $100,000. create a 5-7 minute documentary on the topic, the three branches and you. includeeed to programming from c-span. more student cam.org for information. grab a camera and get started today. >> next, former secretary of state colin powell discusses foreign policy and the u.s. approach to handling the situation in iraq and syria. after that, a panel reviews sexual assault.

>> now former secretary of state colin powell discusses foreign policy and the u.s. approach to handling the situation in iraq and syria. he also commented on the use of the military in western africa to help contain the ebola virus. former secretary powell was interviewed by former undersecretary of state marc this event is about 40 minutes. >> how about that? good. i have never heard this phrase -- the voice of god before -- but i was glad it turned out to a woman. excellent. [laughter] i want to welcome you all here and say thank you for helping us with this event is sponsoring this event and thank you for his

personal words that you gave. if you would allow me one in turn, might turn in the service, a young officer -- i can remember being given a job at one point to take a piece of paper up to the undersecretary. it was urgent. i was told to get this piece of paper to them. i ran down the corridor and in front of the secretary's office. ice. andlly summoned step out got me by the arm and said, don't ever run in this core door -- corridor again. when i was given that opportunity to be the undersecretary, i ran down that corridor all the time. [laughter] i went to join in thanking