every point you say because i think a lot of our students are highly motivated. many of them do graduate. not in the two or three year range because many students come to us having to take remedial education. when you start to look at the graduation rates after three or four years, a lot of our students are completing. more graduates, hiredgher degree completion, and i have to say we are seeing an uptick in the reports racing. at the end of the day, loretta i get the point you make. believe me, our students to put a lot of skin into the game when you look at the costs outside of the tuition. host: some stats our community colleges from your association. about 1132 community colleges in this country. the percentage of federal aid received by community college

students 33%. 21%, federal supplemental educational opportunity grants. the average cost of tuition that is 3200 and $60. enter the cost for a four-year college, averaging about $8,890. craig is up next, a graduate of community college from north carolina. gray, good morning. caller: good morning. thank you for c-span. thank you for all the hard work that all the staff members do. host: appreciate that, craig. what is your question? ccaller:, i don't have a question per se, but i'm against this free community college idea. when they say -- i believe they said 600 million pb.

it will be another dialogue. we are in serious, serious death right now. and it is hard for anybody -- it simply can't go on. we cannot continue to justify expenditures for just feel good ideas. host: and greg, that number, that is an estimated $60 billion -the cost- of this over 10 years. mr. bumphus. guest: that is correct. certainly, that is a sizable amount, but i believe that would be split between the government and our states. and our states are making heavy investment in many areas, and certainly in higher education. there is a challenge there, but i want to make sure that folks understand this is not a free

lunch. this is an investment in our american citizens. the one thing we don't want to do is continue to have as many of our students burdened with so much debt from attending college that by the time they graduate the -- there are a lot of examples out there. host: here is "the new york times" editorial board. they and their editorial this morning by saying that the skepticism has overtones of the skepticism that greater 19th-century educators when they begin to agitate for free you never public high schools. that is the editorial board of the "new york times" this morning. kennett, good morning.

caller: yes, i am actually in northern virginia community college. i'm excited to go back to school. pretty much at the later part of my life, and i am from the d.c. area, but i went to northern virginia and enrolled in there in this current semester. virginia has very good community colleges. it -- it is aligned, more or less, with careers different fields that you can get a two-year community college degree or certification, and just go into the workforce. host: kennett, what you want to do when you graduate? caller: right now, i just want to basically work as a driver in the specialized field of student driving. teaching people how to drive.

that's what i want to do. so i'm going to get a certificate to that. and also update my courses such as math and sciences, as well so that way if i want to go back to get a four-year degree, i can do that transfer of credits and get a four-year degree, as well. guest: first of all, want to go back to your point that you made about the "new york times" article. they reference the fact that in 1910, when they started free high schools, i believe the graduation rate out of high school in 1950 was up to 60%. i think that, at least in my opinion, this is the same kind of game changer opportunity. -virginia, or maybe go right into the- -- host: walter bumphus is the

president and ceo of the american association of community colleges. we are taking your calls for about the next half hour or so. we have lines for parents, educators, and and all others. $60 billion over 10 years to provide free community college. on next from a walkie wisconsin. good morning. caller: good morning. good morning, mr. bumphus. thank you for sharing your time with us. i sent my son to a community college, and i'm finding that when talking to the professors there, that these kids are coming in lacking the basic skills to take courses on a college level. and they are all in remedial. like, i'm from the walkie, and these kids are coming out of high school reading on a seventh

grade level. and it is a disturbance -- this service because the plumber is not worth the paper it is written on. will these kids be afforded the opportunity to take these remedial classes will they included in the two-year degree? -- guest: it is my understanding that it will. you are right, some 60% plus needing to take a remedial education course, most often in math. but we are finding that many students are accelerating their time through our developmental education programs, and that is thanks to the good work of many folks were investing heavily in working with our students. a lot of advising, counseling, lots of after class activities. but i'm seeing it increase in the performance of those student to come to us and where x-ray seeing some better prepared has go students. one of the changes we are seeing

is more and better, if you will, has go graduates coming to us. we are actually the first option for many students today. host: but of many students are coming in and having to take the remedial classes is two years of free college get you through the graduation? here is the chart with graduation rates from two-year degree institutions. among all institutions, the number of total individuals who graduate within a three-year timeframe is at 31%. guest: that is a great question, john. the answer to that question is no. most of our students will not graduate in two years, but as you know from my background -- i worked at one of the finest universities in the country and the world, and it is a four-year school -- and not many of those students graduated in four years, either. so what can we do to provide a pathway for success, success

defined as graduation and completion? host: archie, missouri. that morning, bobby, you're on with walter bumphus. caller: hi. for many years, people have been sharing an understanding with their children so they can, you know, take over and maintain, you know, maintenance of our society as they grow. well, i don't understand how today we lie to these children and ponder them into debt to they will never repay with the promise that they're going to end up with a good paying job. and they will never get out of debt. it is just ridiculous. it doesn't seem civilized to me at all. host: can you talk a little bit about debt upon graduation? guest: i can, and that is one of

the reasons we believe community colleges are great option an alternative -- we try to make our community colleges affordable john, and as you stated earlier, the average tuition costs at one of our community colleges runs around $3300. at the end of the day, that is more or less doable. if you have low income and you qualify for powell, or you have to make a loan, that is what we try to guard against, but for many students, again, tuition is just a portion of the total expenses. often about 20% of the toke cost of attendance, when you factor in transportation, you factor in housing, you factor in child care which is a reality for many of our students. -- and again, the book costs are very expensive. it can prevent a sizable - -present a sizable challenge.

host: and as you noted, a lot of students going to community colleges. the average age - 28. about 14% of those attending community colleges are over 40. just 30%, under the age of 21. you can check out the american association of community colleges website. we are talking with walter bumphus, the president and ceo there. on our line for educators jerry, good morning. caller: good morning. i have a question for dr. bumphus because so many of us are concerned about economic development and workforce training. i would just ask dr. bumphus. has he heard from legislatures, governors, etc. regarding their views on how this initiative could help with workforce training in america? host: for you go, where do you teach and what do you teach? caller: i finished teaching in the ohio area.

i was in community college education. guest: that is a great question. yes i have heard from legislatures, congressman, and others. there --they are very concerned about having a highly educated and well-trained workforce. at the end of the day, there is the thought that for those we have some thought about the question of this proposal that this would be a good thing, a win-win opportunity for any community to increase the skill set, if you will, of the workers and their community. so they are excited about this. host: tell has a, florida is next. good morning. caller:. i am against the federal government getting involved, it is still tax dollars come you know. basically, if you are poor, you qualify. if you are rich, you don't need it. frankly, you know, i went to a community college and i am

really old school. you know, i was at the point where we didn't have a hot water heater. and i went to school and i went to work. and i didn't go anybody a dime because i worked a full-time job and it would to school. i think part of the problem with doing this is not only can the middle class not afford it --- because nothing is free, everybody has to pay for something -- i think the main thing is that it keeps our young people much more immature for her whole lot longer because they never have to seem to work on to get to anything these days. that is what i think it is. i don't want to see government taking over the community colleges. they are working great, and we don't need any more messes. i mean, look at the education system. why don't you spend the money on high school and get these kids out and ready to go on their own

, instead of having to go through remedial colleges. it is redundant and a waste of money. host: tallahassee, florida. guest: good morning. i understand the point that you make. in many cases, i understand the challenge. but again, i think the edge -- opportunity to educate more of our people is a win-win. once they finish our schools research is that they have a much better chance of finishing a bachelor degree than those students who start at a four-year school. and as the caller from ohio reference there, there are less opportunities now for jobs. jobs that used to be able to get by with a high school education are now requiring higher education degrees and certificates. in many cases, they are the -- that is the entryway into that job.

and if we are not providing that can of educational opportunities to those citizens, they won't have them. caller: in her comments, she brings up a point. they said there is no good explanation as to why taxpayers should subsidize the children of millionaires through this free two years of community college be at can you speak to that? guest: i would be glad to. i agree with that, by the way. i will tell you the most --well the fastest growing population is those students who are not poor enough to get a powell grant -- pell grant, and their parents are making just enough money to get by, so they don't qualify for any financial aid. and you might say because of their background and so forth that they wouldn't need support they do. and that is where you have a higher percentage of students working. so those students who are coming to our committed the college's for access opportunities are not

just poor and low income student, we have a number of students from the middle-class who are opting for community colleges. in fact, when you start to look at the graduation background of many students with bachelor degrees, they often have three to five's transcripts. they attended a community college, they have taking courses online. just to get a pathway to that bachelor degree. host: let's head up to alaska. richard is waiting on that line for others. good morning, richard. caller: good morning. my question is. it is projected to cost $60 billion. who is going to be paying for that? or is that just added to are not national debt of $18 trillion? - guest: john, i appreciate you looking at it, but i don't know if i have an answer. that is up to our leaders and

policymakers. i have heard that reference come you know. host: this is based on a tennessee program modeled on that. the tennessee program, as i understand it, was funded through the state lottery. possibly a national lottery to fund this? guest: i'm not familiar with that and i don't offer any suggestions. i try not to get into the details until i see the details, but i will say this. the tennessee model i- had the opportunity tohear him at the white house summit a few weeks ago- . i had representatives from his state into meet with our board and talk about it. there are some debate as to whether it was the first dollar last dollar to the scholarships provided, but they look at the students other financial aid first, and then the state makes up that gap. in many ways, i think a number of other states are looking at doing something similar.

host: chris is a student at a community college. chris, good morning. caller: hi, how are you doing? i still receive my aid 20 years ago, and it hasn't hot -- helped me out. i recently went back to school and concluded my four-year degree at a private institution. i have one son graduating now from a two-year college, and i have another son who is about to start in another two-year college. and i have $30,000 of debt from mine. my graduating son has $10,000 in debt. so my question is, with this program, is there going to be any payback for the people who have put out all of this money? was this going to be a move forward bases for anybody who has gone as deeply into debt as i have to try and get these education?

with my son that has a prepaid college fund, is he going to be qualified for it because i prepaid for something, so therefore he is not going to need it? or is that something i would be reimbursed? host: chris, we will hold on. guest: chris, i'm not sure about another the -- a number of the questions you raised. nor would i think that the government would want to do that to you because you have done everything right. host: is there something that you are going to be advocating for as you talk to lawmakers in this process? guest: there are a number of things, but that would be one of them, for sure. for me, it is personal and professional. we have four kids and 13 grandkids, five in the college today. three in community colleges --

so i have seen my kids struggle personally, with trying to afford higher education. as grandparents, we try to help out into some of the things that this denim and just reference. it is a conundrum, if you will. how do make it work? how do you bullet together? so, yes, we will be advocating. host: chris, did you have a follow-up? caller: yes. about the sun that is just about to graduate. the money just spent, is that going to be too bad, so sad? or is there going to be anything for those who have been in the last two years say finding out that it is not going to be free for everybody on a moving forward basis? guest: i don't have an answer for that. sorry, chris. host: good morning, damien.

caller: good morning. thank you taking my call. i think we spent about 4500 dollars a semester for a full-time credit. it is good because he can transfer to a four-year -- he is taking nursing school, but it is a big option. but i'm afraid of the government getting involved because i think a lot of illegal aliens are going to take advantage of this freebie. if it is going to be free, i think it i should only be for americans. i don't want illegal aliens shooting up from the cracks. that is why i don't want the government involved. i think the state stood for good by themselves. thank you taking my call. guest: not a concern i share necessarily, but certainly, we will abide by the laws. i think many of the questions --

some inference within his question had to do more with the immigration issues in our country. i think those are the things that the government and congress are still working out. but as it relates as to who would be in the classroom, we do it the law suggests we do. host: we have about 10 minutes left with walter bumphus. we want to especially hear from community college students and graduates. talking about the president's proposal from last week to allow two years of free education for those who maintain a certain gpa did charles is in northbrook, connecticut. on our life educators. good morning, charles. caller: good morning. good morning, dr. bumphus. i taught at community colleges not only in connecticut, but in california. and i am very much in favor of community colleges. and in favor of this proposal for free tuition. certainly, it will be a political football. let me tell you what i have seen

. i have seen degree programs -two-year degree-programs in california with a certain average of guaranteed admission to the university system. of course, there are certificate programs training and many of the positions and jobs that we need. there is also a path to citizenship for the previous caller talking about undocumented people here well, they come in it is a good way to learn english. a good way to get into the educational system for people who are newly arrived in this country. in addition, in connecticut with the high schools, we have a program with the local community college where juniors and seniors at a certain academic level can take programs at the community college for free. and the colleges are within walking distance of the high school. so there are a variety of programs and needs that the community colleges service.

and i think there could be a means test for the free tuition. i don't think that it necessarily should go to someone who is going to spend very part-time and then drop out a not take full advantage of the offer. so, there you go. host: mr. bumphus. guest: well, those are all wonderful comments. and i don't is agree with anything that he said. you know, the interesting thing i think you referenced was --our community colleges today -- they are really full-blown education institutions that offer a variety of programs and services, as he described. i don't know if you had the opportunity to read the "new york times" article yesterday with tom hanks. he talked about that he owes everything to community colleges, i believe.

and he talks about when he graduated from high school that he wasn't the best student, and he sent his grades off and transcripts off to m.i.t., i believe. they may have been ucla or harvard, or something like that, and he opted to go to a community college in the bay area. and what a difference it made in his life. when you get a testimony like that, you see the difference it made, not just for tom hanks but a great piece yesterday by suzy orman talking about the value of community colleges. community colleges work for them. we are not going to be right for everybody. we are not going to graduate everyone. but if you truly want to have that on-ramp to the middle class, i think we represent the best opportunity. and again, i think higher education is a game changer. so in my opinion, it is a win-win when we start to talk

about educating more of our citizens with a higher education at an affordable cost. host: marietta, georgia is next. a graduate of community college. when did you go and what degree did you get? caller: i went to south georgia college, and i got a degree in business. and associates in business. i'm very much in favor of this policy because it has been very helpful. i went on to get my bs in georgia. i think -- [indiscernible] if we only think about cost, cost cost, we need an investment or something that is going to help for the future. but overall, community colleges

are very crucial to the country. and those who take remedial courses, it is not --sometimes they're coming from different high schools . so when they get to community college, everything, like, passes in front of them and they have to bring them up to that standard. it is not their fault that they are not up to their standard. but committee colleges are very helpful. thank you. guest: i totally agree with him. host: here's a tweet from michelle obama, talking about that article that you talked about. i poet all to community college, tongue hanks -- tom hanks writing in the you are times on the importance of free community college. on our line for parents. lydia, good morning. lydia, are you with us? i think lydia stepped away from her phone. dana is in california on our

life educators. dana, good morning. caller: yes, i prescient everything that is being said. and i agree with most everything. i'm an educator myself at a community college, and i really understands the issue of students that put in a financial contribution for themselves for tuition 10 to do better because they do have that financial investment in higher education. and there are students that can pay for full tuition but my big concern is i feel like-- on the one hand, it is a wonderful idea to give free tuition to everybody.

but on the other hand, i look at congress -- i watched c-span every morning and i know we have a republican, conservative congress -- and my concern is -- is there a way to offer a compromise between being free for everybody and -- or having students pay a lower cost for community college? or somehow in between where, if you qualify for financial aid then you can get free tuition. but if you don't qualify for financial aid, then you have to go ahead and pay the full tuition. host: thank you for the question.

mr. bumphus but question -- guest: i would hope that as this gentleman just stated, that the reasonable people could come up with some solutions that would be a compromise that we could have a win-win opportunity here. at the end of the day, again, as i stated earlier, we can provide more access to higher education for more of our citizens at free costs or reduce cost, whatever, i think it is a good thing. host: two point five gpa that you have to maintain. do you support that? guest: yes. i do not know where they came up with a 2.5, but i certainly support that because it takes at least that to make reasonable progress towards an associate degree, and then hopefully a bachelors degree, if that is

with the individual hopes to complete. host: on our line for parents, good morning, jeanne. caller: good morning. first of all, my daughter went to community college. what are they going to do for those question ? the other thing is, we have to make sure that the children who gets this are born in the united states because of the amnesty program that the president just gave. what upset me yesterday on the floor of the house -- nancy pelosi called the illegal immigrants american citizens. and they are not american citizens. they are illegal which means they have broken the law. therefore, they should get nothing free from us. they should have to pay if they go to college. but the children born here should go to the top of the list. but the ones that have artie gone and have all this death -- already gone and have all this

debt those students the to be taken care of, too. and so that is not fair to them. and their medial classes they have to take. when we have a year between high school and college with a goal and that is free? and let them pay when they go to technical school and to community colleges than because a lot of them do need extra reading or extra math. i didn't take algebra, so, you know, try to ease them into college. i know in kentucky, you can go into a four-year college at the same tuition rate. host: mr. bumphus, if you suggestions there appeared guest: yes. by the way, i am from kentucky. you bring up a great point. it is something i hear most often from parents, and many of our students, and that is about

the debt they have incurred as a result of their higher education experience. i have heard everything from the extreme of one student -- who own $400,000 to where you have the average student debt of around $30,000 by the time the student graduates. so the concern about indebtedness is a fair one. the immigration question, again, i don't have an answer on that. host: let's see if we can squeeze in shock, calling from michigan. chuck, where did you go and what degree did you get? caller: i got in associates in electrical engineering and electronics from wayne county community colleges. host: what you make of the president's proposal? caller: i think it is excellent. i cannot understand people who are calling and saying that if i paid 10 years ago or five years

ago, what do i get? and can i get my money back echo >> letter to figure templates for the addressed by sam at the weekend through kansas from your address by sam brownback -- we take you live to kansas for the state of the state address by sam brownback. [applause]

>> mr. speaker, madam president legislate doors, elected a legislators, elected officials leaders of the kansas sub native american nations that are you. -- are your. here. please welcome my wife, mary brownback. [applause]

thank you. my kansans -- a little kansans -- feloowlow kansans i want to recognize the new reader. -- leader. [applause] i saw him just before i was going down the waterslide. it is in your district or close. good evening and welcome back. before i begin, i would like to pay tribute to the men and women of our armed forces who see that

kansas is best represented by those who risk their lives to protect us. paul is leading the fight against isis. he is not here with us tonight he is in iraq, but i wanted to recognize the kansans who served through the presence ovi brigadier general from four 03 brigadier general from fort riley -- of the courage of your general from fort riley. would you please stand so you can be recognized? [applause] we are so proud of the military

in our state and what you do to keep us free and safe. i am informed that ogf 165 members of the legislature 1000 of them are new sims 2010. you have never had the opportunity to live from a donor other than me and for that, i do not apologize -- other than me, and for that i do that apnot qapologize. [laughter] i believe exists to serve the people and that we serve those best so that folks can live in freedom and dignity. that belief continues to guide by action today as it did four

years ago when i did my first state of the state message. at that time we gathered to talk about the challenges, the biggest of which were the economy and budget. more than 100,000 kansans were actively looking for work then and could not find it. we write to bottom in private sector job -- ranked near the bottom in private sector job growth. the number had dropped in our state general fund spending had grown by a third. in fiscal year 2010, for the first and only time in kansas history trauma the general fund ended in a negative status. it was time for change.

i announce that the time for expanding government was over and we went to work. we reform state government to better serve kansans by privatizing agencies and redundant functions and reducing the public-sector workforce by 3000 positions. we apologize budgetary course that saw general fund expenditure growth grow at a lower rate than the previous nine governors while continuing to supportc precore government functions. we overhauled established rule opportunity zones, and strengthened. i submit these facts for your review. genesis is created more than 59,000 kansas has created more

than 59,000 new jobs. [laughter] -- [applause] our unemployment rate is tied for 10th lowest in the nation. [applause] and best yet, more kansans are working than ever in the history of our state. [applause] personal income is rising, we'll addressing the causes of poverty that we are addressing the causes of poverty, and welfare rolls are cut in half. [applause] thanks to the efforts of our teachers and parents, or just student test scores -- kansas student test scores are among the best in the country with

record numbers enrolled in technical education and we are national leaders in the front against cancer. -- fight against cancer. [applause] so mr. speaker and madam president, it is for these reasons and more that i can report to you that kansas is on the rise and the state of the state is strong. [applause] now as we have always known as kansans, great achievements require work.

it requires the challenges that courage to face challenges head on and find solutions -- courage to face challenges head on and find solutions. one of our great successes has been the number of people left public assistance and found work. we have seen a 50% decline in the last four years. instead of welfare, we want kansas to enjoy the dignity of work and better lives and this is just exhilarated to be celebrated -- to be celebrated. valery is your correct, a single mother who was -- valarie is here to, a single mother who was on assistance. her son cortez wants to join the

marines. would you stand so we did recognize your courage and perseverance -- can recognize your courage and perseverance in moving forward? [applause] the army general to get him in the army instead of the marines so we have a competition for cortez. we will continue to move forward from dependence on the government to independence. programs -- we will put forward programs making able-bodied welfare recipients applied for work. to move forward we need

all caps is growing -- all of kansas growing. this includes the urban core. in the first implemented the rural opportunity zones and it has been a success. more than a quarter from out of state. people are coming to kansas for opportunity for growth. it is time to take the successful concept to the urban core and i am proposing would provide the same tools to high poverty areas in kansas city topeka, and wichita. this will help more kansans succeeded and will draw people to the state. even as we celebrate successes we must acknowledge that the most recent data regarding state

government revenue and expenditures presents a clear challenge that must be addressed . in the past several weeks, we have been in consultation with government business, and industry leaders regarding shared physical concerns. they have been generous with time and frank with advice. tomorrow i will present to the legislature a two-year budget that will be in budget with revenues exceeding expenditures each of those fiscal years. and we will continue our march 2 zero income taxes. [applause] -- to zero income taxes. [applause]

we will do this because the states with no income tax consistently grow faster than those with high income taxes. maybe somebody consider this course -- v the sudden consider this course -- there may be some who consider this course too bold. but i of the kind of guy said alex gordon from first base. [applause] this represents the best opportunity for long-term growth. now i propose this budget as a starting point in your deliberations. i understand and appreciate fully the power of the purse is yours and does not belong to any other branch of government. [applause]

did good with that one. that is in the constitution. [laughter] in my travels around kansas, i found what i expect most of you have during your visits with the people we serve. i will kansas and i love kansans -- i love kansans and i love kansans. kansans are thoughtful and prizes liberty and celebrate achievement and responsibility. they want government to focus on core functions to perform them well and provide quality services, good schools, good roads, and low taxes. kansans understand the importance of living within our means. kansans understand the importance of a promise to

friends or family or business. and recognizing that promise they pay debts on time and info. -- in full. the constitution should reflect that as well. i am proposing a constitutional amendment before the voters stating that the debt is a general obligation and we will pay didit first. we have to make tough choices. those who refused without lead. people will find things that they do not agree with or like. i hope that you will put forth what you would do to make it better. as we go about this work, i would ask you to keep two things in mind. first, the family budget is more powerful than the government budget. and second, -- [applause]

a growing economy that is adding private sector jobs and increasing personal income can fix it government budget -- a government budget. [applause] conversely, a growing government budget cannot bring lasting prosperity to its citizens by appropriating more of their earnings. if we could spend our way to paradise, we would already be there. [applause] i found this amazing. it took 40 governors of kansas to get your first -- to our first $1 billion level

government expenditure. 40 governors. the next four governors saw that number is $6 billion. that government spending growth was not reflective of the trajectory of our population or economy. it was the getting to be too fast -- government getting too big too fast. the era of expanding government is over because it has to be. [applause] now, the major drivers in state spending increases are what you think they are. k-12 education, public pensions, dedicated. -- medicaid.

in the past several years, the genetic donor call your -- lieutenant governor collier has led efforts to improve medicaid and the results are good. services are up and costs are down. on pensions, we have enacted reform and succeeded in devoted considerably more resources to what was a badly underfunded pension system. in 2010, according to the pew center, kansas at the second worst funded pension system in america among all the states. next to the reforms undertaken here, done with bipartisan support, rankings have improved and we are middle of the pack. understand though, that the unfunded liability vastly exceeds any issue with the your budget. it dwarfs -- year-to-year budget. it forced every other item on

the balance sheet -- dwarfs every other item on the balance sheet. we should put the retirement system on a sound long-term footing. [applause] now in the matter of k-12 spending, a majority of the projected shortfall we face is due to increases in k-12 spending since fiscal year 2014. let me repeat that. a majority of the projected shortfall we face is due to increases in k-12 spending since fiscal year 2014. for decades kansas has for decades kansas has struggled under a school finance formula designed not to be understood. to frustrate efforts of accountability. the formula designed to lock in

increases in spending not related to student populations or improved student achievements. a formula which calculated that we have added more than 100,000 new students to public schools while the actual census has grown by a fraction of that number. an accounting scheme that claims cuts to appear pupil spending as much increases dramatically outpace increases in student funding. a lawsuit was filed under the previous administration. in the words of that court ruling "one cannot classify the school financing structure as reliably constitutionally sound." i agree. friends, it is time for a new school finance formula.

[applause] now that formula should reflect real-world costs" dollars in the classroom -- and put dollars in the classroom met with bureaucracy or gimmicks. it should be about improving student achievement and school accountability and not bureaucratic games. [applause] now my suggestion to you was simple and i believe necessary. a timeout in the school finance

wars. in this budget, the legislature should appropriate money to school districts so it can be spent for it is needed most, and classrooms. the legislature should repeal the existing formula and allow itself sufficient time to write a new formula that meets our needs for great first century schools. as we go about the process, it should be accountable to local parents and voters because here, the people rule. [applause] accountability. you will hurt me say that we must be accountable with our budget and -- you have heard me say that we must accountable with our budget and educational system. with how our judiciary is selected.

currently most elected officials are chosen in elections when the fewest voters participate. in the general elections the ey see a fraction with 10% participating yet that is when most officials are selected. that does not honor our values of wanting higher voter participation. it is time to move local elections to the fall. [applause] it also was henri j the way we did our supreme court -- is time we changed the way we pick our supreme court. [applause] now recently the legislature introduced a greater element of public accountability to judicial selection by reforming

the process for selecting appellate court justices. it is time for similar reforms to apply to the kansas supreme court. currently we have the least democratic system in america to select supreme court justices. the legislature should put before kansas voters a proposed constitutional amendment for a more democratic selection process. one either based on the federal model providing for direct elections of supreme court justices like we did for the first 100 years of resistance as a state. -- of our existence as a state. with the court involved in so many public policy issues, it is time the selection process is more democratic. [applause] now we turn to a subject that directly affects every single kansan in our future, and that is water.

in my first term, i challenged my administration and the citizens of kansas to develop a long-term vision for the future of the water supply in the state and you answered the challenge. that was the time for us to act -- now is the time for us to act. water is a passionate issue. we have not accomplished a plan that ensures adequate water supplies for the next 50 years but this will happen before my second term is concluded. when i began my comments this evening, adobe that throughout my career i have been driven by a belief that we are here to serve others. it is a god-given responsibility and we as elected officials must accept that and act upon it. we are at our best when we stir within ourselves our better angels when our hearts are tender to what god is tender to,

the poor and voiceless and heartless. we should say human life is sacred and recognize its immeasurable worth in every human condition whether at the beginning of life for the end-of-life. kansas is the most pro-life state in america and we are not going back. [applause] so let us be life -- life--wise and loving at the time of people's greatest need. we need a budget that is adequate and not pernicious. we need social policies that are

helpful and lead people from dependent to independent. we need strong healthy marriages and families. as i said at the inauguration, big government can never be big enough to replace the family. we need vision to pass onto to our children and their children. the vision of kansas has extended the test of time because it is built on this truth. from this day forward, let us be wise and compassionate, and act in a way that the ancients told us to. that is that our interactions should be pure, peaceful, gentle, open to reason, so of mercy and good fruits, impartial , and sincere. thank you.

i wish you all godspeed in this legislative session and i look forward to working with you. may god continue to grant all of us the grace, mercy, and truth to carry out our duties. good night. [applause] >> thank you. [applause]

[applause] >> the kansas ended its state speech tonight. we will have more from nevada live from carson city, starting at 9:00. before that, house and senate republicans meet in hershey, pennsylvania for a joint retreat. they discuss legislative strategy for the next couple of years. we will hear from house speaker john mayer -- john boehner and mitch mcconnell. later, remarks from health and human services secretary sylvia burwell.

i left freshman senator joni e rnst will delete or -- deliver a speech ahead of president obama. >> good afternoon. republicans continue to make the american people's priorities our priority. we have had a great opportunity this year to make progress for families and small businesses, and we look forward to continuing to make progress. we have gotten off to a great start by passing a number of common sense jobs bills to help grow our economy. the president's focus is on the past on the old politics of getting one set of americans against the other, on the outdated ways of bureaucratic control.

all top-down washington solutions. what has that produced? record debt and a shaky economy. the country is ready to move on. we need to start growing american economy, not washington's. our challenge and our opportunity is to pass common-sense solutions that will help expand opportunities for middle-class families and businesses solutions that simplify our tax code, solutions that address the true drivers of our debt and begin to balance the budget, solutions that repeal obamacare and replace it patient-centered reform that will help constituents have better access to high-quality health care in america. our job is to push for conservative reforms, show the people we can make progress, and show the people our vision for the future that will help improve their lives. that is exactly what we plan to do, and i am particularly happy

that the light went out. [laughter] very happy today to have the senate majority leader mitch mcconnell, my friend, with us here. >> thank you. we are pleased to be here today. the announcement i want to make is senator ernst will be delivering the response to the state of the union for our side this year. she is a perfect choice. americans voted for change, and the senator will explain what the new congress plans to do and what it is already doing to return focus to the concerns of the middle class and away from demands the political class. ernst has dedicated her life to iowa and to her country, serving in the military, the national guard, for more than 20 years, and has deployed overseas. she is focused on growing an economy and expanding the middle class.

>> thank you. thank you so much. thank you, speaker, and leader also. i am truly humbled and honored to have this opportunity to deliver the republican address. and it is a long way from red oak to washington, d.c. and growing up on a southwest iowa farm years ago, i never never would have imagined that i would have this opportunity. so thank you. like so many of my colleagues, our folks back home sent us to washington, d.c., with a clear mission, and that mission is to get to work. that mission is to craft and implement good policies, good solutions which will enable us

to get america on a better path. and we are anxious to do that. we are very anxious to get to work and implement these good policies. so i look forward to that very much because we want to ensure that the america we are building leaves a stronger economy and more opportunity for our children and our grandchildren. again, i want to thank you very much, and i look forward to sharing more about our collective agenda this next tuesday evening. thank you, all, so much. >> we will take a couple of questions. >> you started the year saying tax reform was something you could work with the president to use that to boost the economy. what is the process, and what

kind of timeline are you looking at? >> there are things we need to find out if we agree on if we go forward. divided government is a perfect time to do tax reform. it was done in 1986 with tip o'neill and ronald reagan. they had an understanding that it was to be revenue neutral to the government. it was about making america more competitive and growing the economy, not making the government larger. the president at least that this point has said he is willing to do corporate tax reform only revenue neutral. the problem with that is you leave out most of american business, which pays taxes. if we can agree why we are doing this, than it would be the perfect time to tackle it, and those discussions are underway between the speaker and the president and myself to see if we can come to a common agreement about what we're doing

this. if we can do that, it is worth pursuing. >> on immigration reform, what does your senate intend to do with it, and are the 60 votes there? if not, do you have another plan? >> we are going to try to pass it, will be our first choice. and if we are unable to do it, we will see what happens. we will let you know what comes next. >> whoa, whoa. everybody knows what the rules are >> speaker boehner, the threat on your life -- by a bartender at your country club. how are you feeling about that number one, and in light of the foiled attack on the capitol how do you feel about your personal security and the security of the building itself? >> we live in a dangerous country and we get reminded of the dangers that are out there.

we saw what happened in paris a week ago. my personal situation, i will not get into it, but it is one thing to get a threat from far away. it is another when it is three doors away from where you live. obviously, this young man has some health issues, mental health issues, that need to be addressed, and i hope you get the help he needs, but i want to thank the fbi and capitol police and west chester police to -- who result --resolved this issue. with regard to the threat to the capitol, coming not far from where i live, the first thing that strikes me is we would have never known about this had it not been for the fisa program and our ability to collect information on people who pose an imminent threat. i'm going to see this one more

time because you will hear about it as we attempt to reauthorize the fisa program. our government does not spy on americans unless they are americans who are doing things that frankly tipped off our law enforcement officials to an imminent threat. it was our law enforcement officials and those programs that helped us stop this person before he committed a heinous crime in our nation's capitol. >> do you know something we do not, because he was on social media talking about this? is there more that we do not know? >> we will let us story roll out there, but it is far more than just that. >> back in 2011, in new york you told billionaire pete peterson that you do not think that americans should help

subsidize wealthy persons such as yourself. looking at the medicare premium structure, it came up in discussion in the reconciliation process. >> the process is underway. as you are well aware, senator mcconnell and i were in on conversations with the president about addressing our long-term spending problems which are centered around entitlement programs. clearly, when it comes to strengthening medicare, it was one of the issues that was discussed. but i think -- i will speak for myself -- the president was never serious about doing the kind of reforms that would put america's fiscal health in proper shape. i am a hopeful person, but i have my doubts about the president will be seriously give in to this.

>> can i just add -- >> do you have a candidate for reconciliation? >> can i just add , the only way to do entitlement eligibility changes is on a bipartisan basis. in terms of the senate, we do not intend to be offering unilateral one-party- only entitlement eligibility changes. we know the entitlement programs are in serious trouble, some sooner than others, but it is a perfect candidate for agreement when you have divided government. but once again, like on tax reform, there is only one of us of the 330 million can sign into law needs to be part of the discussion. and needs to agree to the outcome. >> will you point to one specific positive thing that has come out of your day and a half here in hershey? >> i think the most positive thing is you have a group of new republican members in the

senate, a group of new republican members in the house, and we have had an opportunity to get to know each other. we want house and senate republicans working together and democrat colleagues to advance good solutions, and is hard to do that when you do not have a good feel for who these people are. it has been the best part so far. >> thank you. senator mcconnell, early today you and the speaker were addressing members, reminding them to be realistic -- about the differences. have the two of you figured out how to address issues like of dhs funding bills where there is disagreement between the chambers and what can actually happen? how are you going to do that -- >> i will just go first. the house will work its will. the senate will work its will. then we will get in conference and we will find some way to

resolve the differences. that is what we call regular order. that is the legislative process. there are 535 of us on capitol hill, and to try to get all of us to agree is not an easy job. the founders never envisioned it to be easy, and it is certainly anything but. however each of the chambers has , to do what they are capable of doing and then we resolve the differences. >> the president has spent to veto much of what you have passed. what do you think could be the first piece of legislation you pass that the president will sign, and do you believe that climate change is real? >> well, on the areas of potential agreement, cyber security, trade promotion authority are two things that i think you are likely to end up in the same place. the president does not set the agenda in the senate, but we are

anxious to make progress for the american people in areas we can find agreement. we earlier discussed the potential for tax reform. there is a potential for infrastructure, and i think a high likelihood we will get there on trade promotion and cyber security. >> and climate change? >> clearly, we have had changes in our climate. i will let the scientists debate the sources in their opinion of that change. but i think the real question is that every proposal we see out of the administration's regard to climate change means killing american jobs. the american still asking the question, where are the jobs? the jobs and the economy are still the number one issue in the country, and i do not understand why every proposal that comes of the administration is just going to kill thousands and thousands of more american jobs.

>> do you feel like the president is more of a willing participant? does he show signs to you that things have changed? >> we had a nice conversation, very polite, clear, but i do not know if we learned a whole lot. >> you talked about the stalled negotiations over a big deal -- so is it your estimation that things have not changed? >> i think it is too early to tell. i only see the glass as half full, and i believe hope springs eternal. the american people want us to find a way to address their concerns. that was the big message out of the election. you hear from our members on both sides of the capitol. i hope the president heard the same message. thanks. >> [indiscernible] >> no.

[laughter] >> did you enjoy the chocolate? have you had any? >> house speaker john boehner and senate majority leader mitch mcconnell at that gop retreat in hershey, pennsylvania. they announced that the newly elected senator from ila will deliver the republican response will deliver the -- the response to the state of the union address. tuesday we will have the president's speech and the republican response from senator joni ernst.

you can get more on c-span, c-span.org and c-span radio. now we hear from congresswoman kathy mcmorris and senator john thune. this is 10 minutes. >> welcome to hershey, everyone. we are pleased that you made the trip and you are here and we hope you enjoy lots of the chocolate. it has been a great venue for us as we have come together as house and senate republicans. this is the first time in 10 years that we have held a joint retreat, and here at the beginning of the 114th congress, i think the members have responded positively to the opportunity to focus on the vision and goals as we head into the 21st century. we believe this is america's new congress where we can focus on

policies that will help renew america, applying conservative principles in unleashing america's entrepreneurial spirit. we want more opportunity for people. we are having a lot of policy discussions. the afternoon is focused on policy sessions focused on the budget and reconciliation, another one on health care, and the final one on immigration and border security or the chairman -- where the chairman and members will be presenting and he will have a discussion about what is the path forward. it is productive and importantly are starting out the new congress together. >> thank you. welcome to hershey. the last time we did this was my first year in the senate, back in 2005, and there are a lot of

new members, a lot of new senators, house members, so this is the first opportunity to get together at an event like this and interact in a way that is really good and productive builds relationships, creates a better understanding between the house and the senate of how the two institutions work. it has been really good. there has been terrific interaction, some great presentations, a lot of things to think about, but our goal is to set the stage to do some good things for the american people that will create jobs, grow the economy, and strengthen the middle class in this country. as i said, having done this about 10 years ago, thinking we would get 47 senators to an event like this, the high water mark in the past was about 32, so there is great interest of great level of participation and a really good, robust, frank discussion of the issues.

thank you for joining us here, and with that, we will try to answer a couple questions. >> based on what has happened so far, do you think tax reform is something that the conference will want, and it is of the things that your conference will push for? >> the answer depends on how willing the president is willing to extend capital on it. it will unleash a tremendous amount of growth and activity in this country, very good for jobs. we have a high level of interest in that subject. would really like to be able to mark bills up, but i think it is going to depend on whether the white house wants to engaged and lean into it and put their

shoulder to it, because so far what we have seen is the white house and the president have expressed an interest, rhetorically, in the issue of tax reform, but when push comes to shove, engaging with congress, we have not seen. i compare it to when i was a young staffer in 1985 and 1986 the last time we did this. the reagan administration was incredibly engaged. they had teams on capitol hill submitting proposals. it was a different time and different level of intensity, if you are really serious about getting an accomplishment. yes, we are interested in it our members are interested in it, but it is going to be very difficult to spend a lot of time and energy with all the things we have to do if the white house is not going to be willing to do their side of it. >> i would just add, people in america recognize that the tax code is too complicated, too costly.

republicans in the house are anxious to move forward on revising the tax code and agree that it would be one of the best things that we could do to get our economy really growing and create those jobs, those opportunities for people. we will look for that opportunity, hoping that working with the senate as well as the white house, that we can start taking some steps. >> i was wondering if you have any reaction or what is your reaction to the president's proposal today to expand -- for -- expand sick leave for american workers and gave child leave for up to six months for federal workers? >> we are going to look at what the president proposes. i am committed to policies that are going to empower families and women and give more opportunities, and we have been focusing on some solutions that

i think would really be up for consideration as well, and help with the white house, and the senate will look at it, like the flexibility act, rather than more mandates and requirements from washington, d.c., giving flexibility in the workforce to allow families to make those decisions as to how best to schedule their time and make those kinds of decisions. we are going to be working through all of these issues together. >> it's a mandate you would support? >> we want to work with the white house and the senate on empowering hose families and people that on and powering those families, and we will look at that. >> we welcome them to the debate. the state of nebraska, deb fischer, as a great workplace flexibility bill that we try to get considered in the last congress. >> you talked about forging relationships with the house and

senate. one issue that is coming up is how to fund the department of homeland security, expires february 28. there are a lot of statements, -- blue state republicans that might be leery of supporting the bill the house passed out yesterday. how has the discussions been going and what does the future of that bill look like, senator? >> well, the magic number in the senate is 60. and when we have these discussions, as we have today and yesterday with our colleagues in the house, obviously we share the same goals. we think that president overstepped his authority, acted in an unlawful way, a way which he said 22 times on his own he didn't have authority to act. notwithstanding that he went forward. we intend to challenge that. the house has done that with an appropriations bill in the rider that's attached to it. the outlook in the senate will depend on what we can get 60 votes for. this is the start of a process

and that discussion, conversation continues and will as we got now, i think, until february 27 when that legislation or funding expires. >> do you think it will go on the floor? >> i don't want to at this point say what leader mcconnell might ultimately decide to do, but that's a discussion we're having as a conference and, you know, obviously we want to give our members an opportunity to vote to express their opposition to the president's action, but we also realize at the end of the day in the senate it's going to take 60 votes. x can you speak to the gentleman who was arrested yesterday, who had the plot to go ahead -- use a pipe bomb as well as members of congress, he was arrested but also expressed sympathy to isis, how and when did you learn about this and is there any concern

about the safety of lawmakers in light of the fact that he did empathize with isis? >> it reminds me that we are grateful fought capitol police -- grateful to the capitol police and to those who protect us and the fact that they were able to expose this plot before anything happened is very important. i learned about it yesterday yesterday afternoon after we were already on the road here, but it also highlights and i think impresses upon all of us the threats that face america and going back to the importance of getting the homeland security bill funded. we take that very seriously. it is on all of our hearts and minds what we've seen around the world and what it means potentially to threats that face, not just members of congress here on capitol hill but all across this country, and we need to be very serious. we need to take the appropriate

steps and make sure that our agencies and officials have the resources they need to do the job to protect american people. that is the number one responsibility of the federal government. to keep the country safe. this is an area we will be working closely with the president. >> at tax service is expected to be the worst in a decade? full-time cuts? what do you make of that? let's i don't think that based on the irs record, there is a whole lot of sympathy for the complaints that they are now making about not having funding. obviously it is an important job , and we want to make sure they have the resources to collect taxes, but wasting resources is

something we take great issue with. i expect that when we go through the budget process this year and the appropriations process like every agency we will look very carefully to make sure they have resources to do the job we ask them to do on behalf of the american people. like i said, in the last couple of years, the irs in terms of the way they are perceived by the public, i'm not in the best ways. -- are not in the best place. that does not mean they don't have an important job. >> thank you. >> is there a clean department of homeland security bill? >> like i said earlier, the discussions about how to process that bill, the discussions continue. clearly we want to be able to give our members in the senate

an opportunity to vote, asked the house members did on that issue. ultimately, we recognize the important role that department of homeland security plays in this country. the fact that it needs to be resourced in order to do that. there may be different ways and approaches to this issue that we can get the point across. we will see. >> can the house get past the senate? [laughter] >> good question, david. >> the obama administration has approved 12 types of travel to cuba. the categories include these.

that changes go into effect friday. you can read about the changes at our website, c-span.org. on the next washington journal, the former head of the department of homeland security's visa waiver program. and how this may affect national security. then, two former congressman on good luck in washington dc. -- gridlock. and we will take your calls and you can join the conversation on facebook and twitter. all on washington journal, live every morning at 7:00 a.m. eastern on c-span. up next, health and human services secretary burwell.

she spoke at the new america foundation for about 35 minutes. >> good morning. we want to welcome everybody. before i introduce secretary burwell, who is here to make some remarks about the future of health care on a number of dimensions in the new congress in the year ahead, i just want to make a few quick comments about new america and why we are so honored that we are able to host her here today for these remarks. among the founding principles of new america, which is reflected in the book, "the radical center" by ted and michael, who are among the founders of this organization 15 years ago, was a commitment to get beyond traditional partisan alignment and specifically to

apply that idea to health care to treat it as a matter of both rights and responsibilities, and something that should be vested in in individuals and people not just some jobs and not others. and to improve care and not just coverage. over the following years, the middle of the last decade, new america's health program, which was led by lorie, lynn, and shannon worked to put that vision into place, particularly in the period 2006, 2008 this organization and lynn nicholls created a space for bipartisan and most importantly cross ideological conversation that ultimately -- it was wonderful to see it happen, ultimately resulted in legislation that by 2008 had 10 co-sponsors from each party. and a piece of legislation that in some ways went further that the affordable care act. but not in others. in my work on political reform one of the things that we have done is try to look at the kind of situations where government can get things done, even in the situation where people have deep disagreements about values. and in doing that, i still look

at that, the work new america did even 10 years ago as a fascinating example because it reaffirmed for me a very basic truth. when people share a commitment to getting something done, when they agree that the status quo isn't good enough, and they are willing to talk to each other, then even if there are very deep differences about what to do and how to do it, but if people are willing to talk to each other, anything's possible. and people can find solutions even without giving up their core beliefs. i think secretary burwell will tell us we are on the verge of an era where we'll have that conversation again. i'm also looking forward to hearing secretary burwell's thoughts about innovation and how the government can do better. last week two long-standing board members of new america published a wonderful article highlighting some of the ways in which the affordable care act was encouraging innovation reducing costs, and improving care. they concluded the article, 25 years from now we hope

historians look back on the affordable care act as the start of a new era of public-private collaboration to develop innovative solutions to complex social problems. and thus to restore trust in government itself. we share that confidence. now, i want to introduce secretary burwell when our staff said you need secretary burwell's biography, i really know her biography because, when i was in government she was a hot shot in government. when i worked in philanthropy later, she was a hot shot there. i'll do the full bio anyway. she was sworn in in june as the 22nd secretary of health and human services, a smaller club than i would have thought. before that she served as director of the office of management and budget where she worked closely with congress to restore order to the budget and appropriations processes. before coming back to the government and joining this administration, she was president of the wal-mart foundation in arkansas during a

period when that foundation surpassed $1 billion in total giving. for 10 years before that, she was president of the global development program at the bill and melinda gates foundation in seattle, washington. an extremely large foundation. and works on a huge range of issues from vaccinations children's health agricultural development, and she was the first chief operating officer. during the clinton administration she served as deputy director of o.m.b., chief of staff to the secretary of the treasury, and staff director of the national economic council. she was born and raised in west virginia. received her degree from harvard and degree from oxford. we are pleased to have her here. let me do a quick logistical thing. after remarks we'll have questions and answers. you have cards for questions. please put your question on it and your name. we'll go through it and i'll call on people and you'll say your question but we want to do it efficiently with the cards first. with all that, secretary

burwell, we are pleased to have you. [applause] >> thank you very much, mark. appreciate it. and it's great to be here at the new america foundation. mark twain once said that you can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. and i think the great thing about the new america foundation is that you work to refocus our collective imagination on the things we can do together to renew american prosperity. that's a very important thing and why i think this is the ideal place for me to be to reflect upon the values and interests and priorities that we have in common as americans and in the broader sense as citizens of a shrinking planet. i have long believed that across the globe regardless of your nationality or your financial status, that we all basically have the same desires for our children.

and that is, we want them to live healthy and productive lives. and as the mother of a 7 and 5-year-old, i share that dream as well. i'm a believer in the notion that people who share common interests and common dreams ought to be able to find common ground. and that's what i want to talk with you about today. i truly believe that there are a number of things where we have an opportunity and in fact a responsibility to get done together in this new year. working across aisle and working across different sectors. this is especially true in health care. where our system is on the threshold of both positive and i believe transformational change. there are also opportunities that flow from the innovations in science and medicine that are being advanced by american scientists. researchers and entrepreneurs. many of these innovations are

redefining the boundaries of progress. at the same time, they are opening the promise of a new innovation, economy. the opportunities before us are good for families, they are good for business, they are good for the economy, they are good for taxpayers. there are things we can get done if we work together. i believe there is a shared interest on both sides of the aisle and with business and civil society communities in moving them forward. at the same time, the new year did bring in a new round of efforts to repeal the affordable care act. these efforts are happening despite increasing evidence that the law is working. millions more americans have access to quality, affordable care, some for the first time. what's more, millions of americans who were already insured are benefiting from the law as well. as you can imagine, i will be vigorous in making the case this law is working and families,

businesses, and taxpayers are better off as a result. i believe this firmly and as i have traveled around the country i have been told by people that i have met that they are not concerned about the next headline. what they are concerned about is the next generation. they want us to stop the back and forth, to move forward, and to focus on the substance. and that's really what i want to talk about today. i count myself among those who do not believe that disagreements in some areas even significant disagreements should prevent us from moving forward on others. medicaid expansion is an example. governors from 27 states plus d.c., including those who disagree on elements of the affordable care act, have reached the same conclusion, expansion is good for the people and the economies of their states. and some who have not yet expanded have expressed interest in moving forward. states like wyoming, indiana and utah.

i want to see all 50 states expand in ways that work for their states. and we will work with governors from both parties to try to make that happen. there are other critical areas in health care where our common interests give us ample opportunities for common good. improving the quality of care we receive while spending our dollars more wisely. reducing substance abuse disorders and overdose deaths. strengthening global health security, reaffirming american leadership in research innovation, and science. and building an innovation economy. let's start with our health care system. for all the differences of opinion about how to move forward, there is one area which we have unanimous agreement and that's that the system that's been in place for 50 years has

underdelivered on access affordability, and quality. you can also sum it up with the prices we paid far outweighed the progress that we made. health costs grew significantly faster than things like g.d.p. and middle class family incomes, we see the effects of a system that did not spend our health care dollars as wisely as we could have. however, over the last several years we started making significant progress. thanks in large part to the affordable care act. it's now within our common interest to build a health care delivery system that's better smarter, and healthier. a system that delivers better care, a system that spends health care dollars more wisely. a system that keeps us healthy rather than waiting for care when we get sick. a system where medical information and medical bills are easy to understand. a system that puts information in the hands of patients and doctors and empowers them to make better choices.

if we do this, we will leave a legacy for our children and our grandchildren. as i met with members of congress from both parties, they have told me they want a better system, too. they want to tackle health care associated infections. so that we keep patients safer when they are in the hospital and healthier when they are out of it. we are already making progress as a country. we have achieved a 17% reduction in harms nationwide since 2010. and members of congress from both parties also share our interest in payment innovation. we all want to find better ways to reward quality and high value care in the system. there are opportunities to work together on putting better information in the hands of patients and their doctors and building a more transparent system. we have had fruitful discussions with congress about supporting and encouraging the interoperability of our information and health care system.

we also share members' interest in expanding access to medicare claims and clinical data to support innovation and empower consumers with information. medicare and medicaid are two of the largest health insurance plans in the world. together they cover one in three americans. so one of the things we are going to do is leverage the grant and rule making opportunities to improve the quality of care the beneficiaries receive while spending those dollars more wisely. we understand that's our role and it's our responsibility to lead, and we will. but what we won't do and can't do is go it alone. patients physicians government , business, we all have a stake and i believe that this shared purpose calls out for deeper partnerships. some of our most important results driven partners are actually state governments.

which are taking creative and innovative steps when it comes to improving the quality and achieving smarter spending on medicaid dollars. i believe we have an opportunity to strengthen our relationship when it comes to things like modernizing medicaid enrollment systems, improving models for care in payment, coordinating and improving the care that's delivered to beneficiaries in managed care. part of building a health care system that keeps us healthy is actually reducing substance use disorders and overdose deaths. for millions of americans who rely on prescription painkillers known as opioids, that are prescribed to them by their doctors, these drugs can be the difference between constant chronic pain or welcome relief. however, these drugs can be deadly. in 2009, drug overdoses overtook every other cause of injury death in the united states. outnumbering fatalities in car

crashes for the first time. meanwhile, in 2012 alone, 219 -- 259 million opioid prescriptions were written. that's enough for every american adult to have a bottle. rural america, including my home state of west virginia, knows the tragedy of this issue all too well. moving forward, we hope to work with members of congress from both parties on the goals we share for driving down opioid dependency and overdose deaths. this is a critical and complex public health challenge and requires a multifaceted approach. we have an opportunity to work together on improving opioid prescribing practices by enhancing prescription monitoring, data sharing, and clinical decisionmaking. we also want to incentivize the development of youth deterrent opioids and expand the

utilization of a drug used to reverse overdoses. there's more we can do together in the realm of medication assisted treatment to help those who are addicted break that cycle. last session, congress introduced more than a dozen pieces of bipartisan legislation to try and address this problem. many proposing ideas that would help fuel progress in some or even all three of these areas, and we think we should continue to work together. i want to turn for a moment to global health security. the tragic ebola outbreak is a solemn reminder of our common humanitarian and security interests. the most effective way to protect americans here at home from outbreaks and other public health threats abroad is to stop diseases and the threats of them at their source. microbes and diseases are moving faster and further than ever

before in human history. and they do not recognize national borders. i want to take this opportunity to thank the congress for choosing to act and invest in this critically important common ground priority of global health security. recently in a bipartisan fashion members of both parties made a $597 million investment with the c.d.c. to advance the global health security agenda, and its three pillars of prevention, detection, and response. we want to work with our global partners to enhance their prevention strategies and tools for both naturally occurring and man-made threats. with only about 30% of countries reporting that they actually adequately can detect, respond or prevent the health threats proposed by emerging diseases, there is an urgent need for this sort of investment and commitment.

and it's important to note that just as congress has stepped up to the plate, so have governments from other countries who are choosing to invest as well because they recognize that all of us have a stake in stopping outbreaks before they become pandemics. in september, president obama convened the 44 countries that have signed on to be a part of that agenda, covering 4.8 billion people across the world. these countries have the will and the desire to implement the global health security agenda, but many of them require assistance to achieve the full range of its goals. this is an important start from both a national security standpoint and a humanitarian one. our goal must continue to be for every nation on earth to have the ability to prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease threats. our ebola efforts overseas and

our preparedness efforts here at home have also shown us where we can improve our abilities to add capacity and flexibility and wisely deploy resources in times of public health emergencies. we hope to work with the congress -- we hope to work with the congress in the spirit of the emergency funding we received and that includes making sure that we share our approach for spending of this funding. i want to now turn to another area where we as americans both have an opportunity and responsibility to lead. innovation in science and medicine. the investments we have made through our federal government have reshaped our understanding of health and disease, advanced lifesaving vaccines, and helped millions of our fellow citizens live longer, healthier lives. but there's more we can do and should do together. and while we can always do better, our goals are bolstered by the f.d.a.'s regulatory

review process. in the united states our process is one of the most efficient in the world, but our drug review times are consistently faster than other advanced authorities around the world. while maintaining the highest safety standards. in the last year alone, f.d.a. approved the most new drugs in almost 20 years, including more drugs for rare diseases and more new therapeutic biological products than ever before. we want to work with the congress to secure the investments in science research, and innovation that will allow our nation's scientists and researchers to continue the progress they have been making on new and improved vaccines curious, -- cures therapies, and rapid diagnostics. a few months back when republican representative fred upton and democratic representative degette invited

me to attend a panel on 21st century cures, i said where and when? because i firmly believe that we have many common ground opportunities to work together and i look forward to working with chairman upton, ranking member pallone, and representative degette on this bipartisan effort. as we look to move forward, i have told members of congress from both parties that we agree with them on the need to improve innovation, collaboration, and data sharing among scientists. to respond to patients' needs and give them a meaningful voice in their own care. to bridge scientific gaps and bring products to market. to attract the best experts, to accelerate cures. to reduce the administrative-burdens and duplications and to do all this while maintaining and protecting the public's health safety. i want to give you an example of how by moving innovation forward we have the opportunity to deliver the sort of impact that can touch the lives of so many for the better. and that example is precision medicine.

the science of harnessing our understanding of the human genome, to customize our medical care to our own personal genetic makeup. for most of history, medical practitioners have been forced to make recommendations about prevention and treatment based largely on the expected response of an average patient. the ability to assess and use information about important -- >> you can find the last of the secretary's remarks online. we take you to nevada with governor brian sandoval in carson city. [applause] >> governor sandoval, we welcome you to the assembly chamber and

look forward to your message. >> please be seated. mr. president mr. speaker distinguished members of the legislature, honorable justices of the supreme court constitutional officers, my fellow nevadans, i am incredibly grateful and honored that i have the privilege of serving as your governor. tonight, i wish to speak with you, not just about the state of our state, but about a plan to modernize and transform nevada for its next 50 years of success. before i begin, let me take a moment to recognize nevada's first lady the most amazing

first lady in the united states of america. [applause] as well as my daughters, maddie and melissa. also it's me are my parents, ron and terry sandoval, and my sister lori,. tonight, we welcome 20 freshmen legislators. it brings back great memories for me because it was 20 years ago when i first was a member of this body.

will all the new legislators these stand up and be recognized. [applause] sadly, since we last met, a great many former legislators have departed. we lost a nevada giant in speaker giardini, a total of 19 legislators will long be remembered for their service. if you all join me in a moment of silence in their honor. thank you. one month ago today at the

nevada centennial, i helped seal a time capsule that is now. at the capital. the contents capture a snapshot of the nevada family today. to be presented to a 200-year-old nevada in 2064. i wrote a letter to nevada's bicentennial governor. as i wrote, i realized the success or failure of the governor and the people of nevada in 2064 will largely >> ladies and gentlemen, we stand at a unique moment in time. having just completed the centennial, with probably celebrated our state's history. tonight we begin writing the next chapter of that story. we must decide if that