t. if you look a copy of today's program or to learn more about the national press club, go to our website, press.org. thank you, we're adjourned. >> as we leave this event with

the tax commissioner, a quick reminder that we have about two weeks to file your federal return, it is due on april 15. more live coverage this afternoon. deputy secretary of state and tonytony blinken will be speaking. president obama has vetoed a congressional measure today that would block the national reliever -- national labor relations board.

the rule is set to take effect on april 14. the white house saying that thereir talks with iran could extend past today. a short time ago the white house spokesperson josh earnest updated us on the negotiations. josh: overlong negotiations over the course of the day today they are going to continue these conversations tomorrow, as long as -- if necessary, and as long as the conversations continue to be productive. we president has been very clear that we have been having this conversation for over a year now

and the international community onset of united states is seeking very specific commitments from the iranians to shut down every path with a have two and to agree to intrusive inspections to verify their compliance with the agreement. we have been very clear that if after a year of negotiations they are not prepared to accept that agreement, we will look at other alternatives. but conversations continue to be productive as possible talks could continue into tomorrow. right now it is still march 31. our negotiators are engaged in negotiations that have been going on for not just the last year, which is relevant, but also the last day. they have been engaged in very serious negotiations. if it is necessary and if it is midnight, and a deal has not

been reached, but the conversations continue to be productive, they would be continued into tomorrow. >> indiana governor mike pence sense he wants to -- says he wants to update the legislation on the religious freedom restoration act. here is that is conference. governor pence: thank you all for coming. it has been a tough week here in the hoosier state. but we are going to move forward. as governor i have the great privilege of serving the greatest people on earth. the people of indiana. let me say first and foremost, i

find the religious freedom restoration act last week. i believe religious liberty, as president clinton did, it is our first freedom. it is vital to millions of americans who cherish faith as my family does. it is vital to the framework of our nation. and this legislation was designed to ensure the vitality of religious liberty in the hoosier state. i believe hoosiers are entitled to the same protections that are in place for our federal courts in the last 20 years and are the law in other states. clearly there has been confusi on, misunderstanding and

misrepresentation of the law. we've been working around the clock, talking to people around the state of indiana. women joined the people around indiana's hospitality and we have been listening. the religious freedom restoration act was about religious liberty. not about discrimination. as i said last week, had this long been about legalizing discrimination, i would have vetoed it. it does not give anyone a license to discriminate. it does not give anyone the right to deny services.

it is simply a balancing test given by our courts and jurisdictions across the united states. i do not believe for a minute it was intended for discrimination.

i have poor discrimination. i believe in my heart of hearts that no one should be harassed because of who they are, who the law -- who they love and with the belief. i believe it with all my heart. this issue of discrimination has been an anthem throughout my life.

i think it would be helpful, and i would like to see on my desk before the end of this week legislation that is adding to this law that makes it clear that we are not discriminating from anyone. hoosiers on the kindest, most generous, most decent people in the world. let me say that i believe this is a clarification, it is also a fix. it is a fix of a bill that through mischaracterization and confusion has come to be greatly misunderstood.

and i'm determined to address this this week. to move forward as a state. i know we well. indiana has come under the harsh glare of criticism from around the country. and some of us get paid to be under the harsh glare of criticism, so we do not complain about it and let the things that have been set about our state have been at times deeply offensive to me. i will continue to use every effort to defend good at the decent people of indiana. i think it is important that we take this action this week. i've spoken to legislative leaders all the way through the last hour and we will be working to make that happen.

i will be happy to take questions. [inaudible] governor pence: this law is not give anyone the right to deny services to gay and lesbian couples. i could handle that better this weekend. going into the interview this weekend, i was just are determined to set the record straight on with this long really is. i'm very pleased that the reporting about the religious freedom restoration act has significantly improved over the last several days. i think there is a growing public understanding that

indiana has passed a law that mirrors the federal law that president clinton signs, and that mirrors the laws and statutes of the other states. but i want to be clear on that point. thank you for the opportunity. >> [inaudible] governor pence: absolutely not. religious liberty is vitally important in our nation. to ensure that hoosiers have the same level of scrutiny that they believe our religious liberty has in the state courts, that we arty have in our federal court to my was simply the right thing to do. it is that important. i was pleased to sign it, and i stand by the law. >> [inaudible]

governor pence: jim, i never supported that. i want to be clear. it is not on my agenda. i think it is a completely separate question. we talking about the religious freedom restoration act. it is about restoring the highest level of scrutiny when matters intrude upon liberty. >> what would be appropriate? governor pence: that is still under consideration.

>> [inaudible] governor pence: was i expecting this kind of backlash? heavens, no. to be candid with you, when i first heard about the legislation, when i heard it was already federal law for more than 20 years, when i heard that it was the law through statute and court decisions, in the wake of last year's support case -- supreme court case i thought it was an appropriate addition to our statute. it moved through our legislative process with good debate but not a lot of controversy. so when this arrested last week, even though i made my position

clear weeks ago that i would sign the bill without much discussion, i was taken aback. i have to tell you though gross mischaracterizations about this bill early on, and some of the relentless -- reckless reporting the media what this was all about was deeply disappointing to me and millions of hoosiers. we are making progress on that. we are turning back. i am grateful for expressions of support from around the country, particularly those in the media for reporting what this is all about. >> [inaudible]

governor pence: the smear here is that it created a license to discriminate or a license to deny services. that is completely false. and baseless. the professor who i quoted this morning in my op-ed said this is not a licensed to discriminate. i think the proper legislative remedy is to focus on the perception that has been created by the mischaracterization, and to make it clear that this law

does not give businesses a right to deny services to anyone. >> [inaudible] governor pence: i would leave it -- the public reaction? i think it is explained by the fact that this was grossly mischaracterized by some frankly sloppy reporting the first couple of days. i really do believe that. look, if i read some of the stuff about this bill, i would have the same concern that

millions of hoosiers have had and people across the country of hat. it just isn't so. when president clinton signed this bill in 1993, the american civil liberties union said than that the religious freedom restoration act was the most important legislation considered by congress since the first amendment was approved. ok? when state senator barack obama voted for this bill in illinois, it was with broad bipartisan support. one of the great pieces of legislative history of the religious freedom restoration act it is a has a way of bringing people together. consensus. this has been broadly supported on a bipartisan basis. i would suggest to you that what explains the concerns that have been expressed across our state

and our nation is the mischaracterization. we need to focus specifically on this perception that this creates some license to discriminate. that is what i am calling on the legislature to do. >> [inaudible] governor pence: i think that the language is still being worked out. when i want to make sure is that it is clear to hoosiers and to the people that i serve, and frankly clear to anyone who would come to visit our state. there is in this legislation no license to discriminate, no right to deny services.

i think we can develop that language. >> [inaudible] governor pence: this law does not give anyone a license to discriminate. this law does not give anyone the right to deny services. the language that i'm talking about adding i believe we be consistent with what the general assembly intended. >> [inaudible] governor pence: i am calling on the general assembly to send me a bill that focuses on the issue here. that focuses on -- frankly the

smear that has been leveled against this law and the people of indiana. but somehow, through our legislative process, we enacted legislation that created a license to discriminate. that is so offensive to me as a hoosier. i know it is offensive to people across the state of indiana that we have to correct that arrest because -- correct that because it is not true. first it has to do with the perception of our state and our businesses. >> [inaudible]

governor pence: we need to make it very clear. irrespective of where those ordinances are in community are not, that this law does not give businesses the right to deny service to anyone. >> [inaudible] governor pence: the intent of the law, when president clinton signed it, when i signed it, was to give the courts in our state the highest level of scrutiny in

cases where they feel their religious liberty is being infringed upon by government accident -- action. >> how does the state of indiana [inaudible] governor pence: it has a good name. this law has been smeared. we are going to mark our 200th anniversary next year. the name and reputation of the people of indiana is strong and secure. the repetition of this law and the intention of our legislature have been called into question. we need to deal with it, we need

to deal with it this week, and we will. we will fix this and we will move forward. that is what hoosiers do. >> [inaudible] governor pence: no comments. >> what exactly do you want to see? governor pence: i want to make it clear in the law that the religious freedom restoration act does not give businesses the right to deny service to anyone. i have said before to people, and i want to stipulate the coverage on this has gone better and more fair. but early on there was some really reckless and

irresponsible reporting about this. i would just submit to you that it is important that we address the principal allegation here. with legislation in this law that makes it clear that it does like you businesses the right to deny service to anyone. >> [inaudible] governor pence: i wasn't talking about you. frankly can i say this, i don't want to let the indiana press off the hook here.

i think the indiana press has had this right from early on. some of the national reporting has been ridiculous. i would encourage you to do a quick google search. you will find all of it. >> [inaudible] governor pence: i have been on the phone. talking to business leaders i have been reaching out to the leaders of associations and corporations around the country setting the record straight about what this actually does, and what our intention is in passing it, and our intention to correct the perception that has taken hold. >> [inaudible]

governor pence: i think the more relevant event with the hobby lobby case by the supreme court. it was a case in point of the value of the religious freedom restoration act. it really is. obamacare was passed into law. it included mandates on health care coverage for businesses, and hobby lobby and the university of notre dame, among others filed federal lawsuits to challenge obama care the religious freedom restoration act. the supreme court in the majority opinion last year upheld the right of private business owners, under the religious freedom restoration act. citing the act. here is the background.

in 1993, the federal law was signed by president clinton. in 1997, the supreme court of the united states ruled that the act did not apply to states that did not have their own statute. and that is why you have 19 states that have adopted statute. 11 other states that have adopted it in their case law. indiana never did. and so in the wake of the hobby lobby decision, to ensure that hoosiers in our state courts have the same level of scrutiny when their religious liberty they believe, is infringed upon the general assembly room to this legislation. that was the precipitating event. >> [inaudible] governor pence: people are

entitled to their opinions. but this law does not create a license to discriminate and it does not give businesses a right to deny services to anyone. i think it would be helpful if the general assembly were to get legislation to my desk that made that clear and made that clear , in the statute. >> court cases where the government is not a party? the purpose of the religious freedom restoration act is to give people in this country the opportunity to go into our courts, state and

federal for more than 20 years where they believed that government action has imposed and impinged upon their religious liberty. that is the foundation of this idea. this is about -- this is about restraining government overreach. i want to say again, the reason why this is such a broad and bipartisan measure over much of the last two decades is because every american cherishes religious liberty. we all understand the importance of the freedom ofit is enshrined in our constitution. it is enshrined in the constitution of the state of indiana. that is what this is about. look, i understand that the perception of this has gone far

afield from what the law really is. we have been doing our level best to correct that perception, however imperfectly. we will continue to do that. i want to say i am extremely grateful for voices around the country who stepped up. but that being said as governor of the state of indiana i believe it would be the right thing to do to move legislation that would make it clear that this law does not -- yes? >> [inaudible] governor pence: those conversations are ongoing. i remain hopeful that if we focus on the principal misperception that we will garner support and restore confidence and will be able to

move forward. >> [inaudible] governor pence: well, i think that a number of the 30 states that have this standard in their courts are in the same position as indiana and the federal government in terms of protected status. let me say with great respect, i think that that is a separate issue. ok? it's not my position. i'm not advocating for it. i understand that some people are. that's a separate question that ought to be considered separate from the idea of religious liberty. we will give our courts in indiana and have given our courts in indiana the ability to discern with the highest level of scrutiny what the people of our state believe, in terms of

government action intruding on religious liberty. right here. >> [inaudible] governor pence: i'm sorry, say again? >> [inaudible] governor pence: why is it contained? you would have to speak to the indiana general assembly and those who crafted the legislation. i believe that it would be appropriate to make it clear that this law does not give businesses a right to deny services to anyone. >> [inaudible] governor pence: go ahead. >> [inaudible]

governor pence: i don't support its formation against gays, lesbians, or anyone else. no, i don't support discrimination against gays, let -- lesbians, or anyone else. i am poor discrimination. -- i abhor dissemination. i want to say this, no one should be harassed or mistreated because of who they are, who they love, or what they believe. i believe with all my heart this issue of discrimination has been an anthem throughout my life. i started out in politics as a democrat when i was in high school. i was the youth democrat party coordinator in my hometown. not exactly a community organizer, but we worked door to door.

the reverend dr. martin luther king jr. was one of the heroes of my youth and heroes to this day. five years ago, john lewis approached me on the floor and asked me if i would cochair or cohost the annual pilgrimage to soma with him. it was one of the greatest honors that i had during my 12 years in congress. we felt so strongly about it that not only did my wife go with me, but our three to -- three teenage kids went with us. this 45th anniversary of bloody sunday. the night before in montgomery we sat in dr. king's church. we talked to people who had been there. we were deeply moved by the courage and the faith of the people who were there. i will always count it one of the greatest privileges in my life that on the 45th anniversary of bloody sunday i was walking across the edmund

pettis bridge with john lewis. that is what has been what of the debate of the last week, that i am very typical in indiana. hoosiers are a loving, kind, generous, decent and tolerant people. we are known all over the world for that. and i am just one of them. and so, the suggestion that because we passed a law to strengthen the foundation of religious liberty in our state courts that we had in some way created a license to discriminate, that was deeply offensive to me, deeply offensive to millions of hoosiers and we will correct it and move forward. >> [inaudible]

governor pence: the difference between what? >> [inaudible] governor pence: well, i don't want to talk about private conversations or interactions, but we all understand that this is a perception problem and we need to deal with it. we need to deal with it because it is the right thing to do and we need to deal with it so that everybody around the country and the world knows that indiana is a welcoming place to everybody. i agree. we have got to correct that perception. the whole debate about how we got here, you know, we are where we are. as the ceo of the state of indiana i am determined to bring

people together, figure it out solve it and move forward. yes? >> [inaudible] governor pence: this law does not give a license to discriminate. it does not give a license to deny services. >> [inaudible] personally [inaudible]

governor pence: i don't support discrimination against anyone. the question that you pose though, i believe is -- it's -- we are dealing here in a free society would always a careful balance of interests. the facts and the circumstances of each case determine the outcome. what this legislation does, what it did when president clinton signed it into law in 1993, and what it stirred in the 30 states where it has been the law is provide a framework for determining whether or not government action puts a substantial burden on a persons religious liberty. now, it is counterbalanced against whether there is a compelling interest, ok?

the first question is -- in any case does the government action place a substantial burden on the free exercise of religion? under this standard as it has been applied for decades, the next question is -- is there a compelling state interest? what courts have found, without exception, over the last 20 years is that the state has a compelling interest in combating discrimination. i support that interpretation. ok? eric? last one. >> [inaudible] governor pence: well, the conversations have been ongoing and candid. we have been listening and sharing the facts about this law and our determination to step forward and provide the kind of solution that will allay the

concerns and correct the misconception across the country. there have been lots of ideas shared, but for my part, as i said, i don't believe for one minute that it was the intention of the general assembly to create a license to discriminate or a right to deny services to anyone in the state by this legislation. it certainly wasn't my intention . i've made it clear to those businesses that we will take such action as necessary to correct that misperception and move our state forward. ok? thank you all. thank you all very much. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2015] >> that briefing from earlier today, white house spokesman josh earnest was asked about the indiana religious freedom law.

here is his response. >> the kind of public outcry we have seen in response to the signing of the law is indicative of how this piece of legislation flies in the face of the kinds of values that people across the country strongly support. we have seen a governor and other indiana officials in damage control mode here because this law has provoked an outcry. from business leaders across the state of indiana. we have seen criticism even from religious groups inside the state. we have seen concerns raised by the republican mayor of indianapolis about the impact that this law would have on the economy of the state. understandably we see business leaders saying that they are reluctant to do business in a state where their customers or even their employees could be

subjected to greater discrimination. that is not fair, not consistent with our values, as a country, that we hold dear. i think that that is what has provoked this strong outcry and what has provoked the previously defiant governor to consider at position of changing the law. >> we had more live coverage today at 3:30 eastern. tony blank will be talking about the u.s. priorities for central asia speaking at the brookings institution live at 3:30 eastern on c-span. a new poll showing that rahm emanuel has opened a large lead over the challenger, jesus garcia. the chicago tribune poll published today shows that the mayor has doubled his lead within three weeks. the two will be debating tonight and we will have that live for you starting at 8:00 eastern on c-span.

this weekend the c-span city tour has caught -- partnered with cox communication to learn more about the history of literary life of also, oklahoma. >> he was born in 1912. we are very proud to have his work back in oklahoma, where we think it belongs. he was an advocate for people who were disenfranchised. for those people who were migrant workers from oklahoma, kansas, and taxes during the dust bowl. they found themselves in california literally starving. he saw this vast difference between those who were the haves and the have-nots and he became their spokesman through his music. he recorded very few songs of his own. we have a listening station that features 46 of his songs in his own voice. that is what makes the recordings that he did make so

significant and important to us. ♪ >>♪ this land -- >> ♪ this land is your land, this land is my land ♪ ♪ from california to the new york island ♪ >> noon eastern, on "book tv," on c-span3. >> politico chief white house correspondent, mike allen, sat down with anthony foxx this week. topics include federal funding for a transportation program and the impact of new technologies including drones and self driving vehicles. this event was hosted by politico. held at the newseum here in washington. [applause] mike: mr. secretary, are you milking the crutch for the extra applause?

foxx: you can consider it however you want. i had a little surgery. 43 years old. my knees needed a little repair work. it's kind of like the transportation system. short-term pain for long-term gain, right? mike: what did you have done? foxx: a little with a scop at surgery. -- arthroscopic surgery. i can walk on it but i use the crutch so people will feel more sorry for me. [laughter] mike: you have played basketball with president obama. what is that like? foxx: his jump shot is very methodical. it's very much like him as a person. we didn't actually get a chance to compete. we were shooting baskets.

i continued to try to urge him to get out on the court with me. we will see if that happens before it's over. mike: do you show particular mercy? foxx: not at all. i'm sure he would love to play. mike: you made news on the politico morning transportation -- grow 2.0. this is moving from a previous incarnation that was four years to six years. and the amount is bigger. foxx: the country has been under investing in transportation for a long time. they had 32 short-term measures and we feel strongly that the country needs to pivot forward to a substantial injection of financing into transportation funding and into transportation.

and to give enough certainty over a longer term so that we can actually get something done on the street. we have the grow america act. we will put out today. it's a big bill and we are very excited about it. mike: you said the transportation system is like a merry-go-round. it you put a quarter in it and it goes around again. you say we need a different approach? foxx: the way that we have allocated funding is basically the same. and the way we pay for it is essentially the same. we really need to rethink all

three of those things. grow america shows new ideas. a new way to pay for infrastructure. a new way to deliver infrastructure. $317 billion of the $478 billion is going in the highways. we increase transit investment by 76%. $115 billion over six years. we have a growing country and growing needs. our transit systems are an escape valve for some of the traffic that will cause congestion in the future. mike: you talked about we were having the wrong conversation in washington. how do you move that? foxx: that is the question. it has vexed secretaries of transportation far before me. i don't think you can do it having an affirmative plan and i don't think you can do it without engaging both sides of the aisle. it is what we have been doing the last several months. we have been doing a lot of work helping raise the visibility of this issue. i have been on bus tours, one in the midwest and the southwest and one in the southeast just

this past few weeks. you are going to continue sounding the alarm to americans. there have been driving over the potholes, paying for suspension systems getting beaten up by these potholes. the folks out there pay for it. it gets us a lot more for the dollar. mike: what is the most convincing point you can make to a normal person? what do you say to a normal person that makes them say, i get it? foxx: the biggest thing that people react to is when a project gets done. when we do these ribbon cuttings on projects that are getting done, when people see it, they say, gosh, we need to do more of that.

when you have seen what i have seen in nashville tennessee, concrete -- it makes people feel bad. we need to remind people that we need to be doing more of that. mike: we have heard tons of stories of how much trouble our bridges are in. something we done in minneapolis, st. paul. does there need to be a real catastrophe before their israel action? foxx: you mean like a bridge collapsing in minneapolis? we have had catastrophes. it's unfortunate. every time something happens

people say we've got to fix this and do something different. frankly, the american public has to demand action. i hope we continue to pound the pavement. connecting folks to the realization that if washington doesn't take this, -- doesn't fix this, it will roll downhill. and the congestion will increase. mike: the 2.0 act had a reality check that said the bill would be a good talking point for foxx. it is unlikely to receive serious consideration on the hill. foxx: you can't solve this without understanding what it would look like. people kept saying, you have another bill so you're not really serious. it is right there and it is paid

for. we have a great way to do that. we need to get out of this box of rooting against ourselves. every time we have a conversation about solving the trust fund, can we get together and figure this out? it is one that will not be successful if you don't have the folks pushing the affirmative case. mike: tweet us your questions. we will ask the secretary. a former mayor and younger member of the cabinet, a place you have found a lot of frustration is in -- [indiscernible] foxx: we are continuing to work as a department to both manage and provide the foundation for

this unmanned aircraft system industry to take root in the u.s.. it is a particular challenge in the united states because of the most complex airspace in the world. one of the most advanced aviation system in the world not a taught a mess but remote-controlled vehicles into the air spaces is a challenge. we are taking it on very methodically and we will get there. mike: faa takes hits for drone privacy and permitting. or you surprised when you got under the hood and discovered what it took to get an experiment like this permitted? foxx: it is far better than it was years ago now that we can move through the exemption

process. the exemption process, we are working on making that work faster. mike: you have made some progress for people that are close to airports. tell us what is now possible. secretary foxx: two things. one, the exemption process i just outlined. the second is that we published a notice of proposed rulemaking for small uas vehicles. these are vehicles under a certain weight that fly under a certain height. and we are trying to lay the foundation out of therefore these vehicles to be more widely used in commercial systems and frankly, most of the extensions that are not being requested probably will not be necessary once that role becomes final. mike: amazon is among the companies that has expressed a lot of frustration.

what would you say to them? secretary foxx: look, i know that our at the 18th of in a conversation with amazon here kind of there's a of utter frustration at the among some of the industry that we are not moving as quickly as some other countries are, but the countervailing point is our first mission is safety, and we do the most complex airspace in the world. to we're trying to move as good as possible but if our there are ideas out there that are manageable for us to act on, we want to read in want to read and.

i would just say send them to me. mike: is it going to be possible for us to get packages by drone? secretary foxx: i think eventually it will become absolutely. that's coming. mike: >> and what sort of time horizon do you imagine? secretary foxx: i don't want to put a 00:12:09 time horizon on it, but what i will say is we're working to shore ourselves that we have a good safety regime in place for the commercial use of these unmanned aircraft, which is one of the outcomes is one that you just described is people being able to receive

deliveries from these. mike: and what else, you think you're a visionary, as you think about how these unmanned vehicles or drones could affect the economy over the long term like what you imagine eventually happen? what difference could they make? secretary foxx: it's interesting. there's a connection between the beyond traffic study we just did 30 outlook at the transportation system, and this was one of the topics that came up. i do not know what the business case will be seeking to use the how cost effective it will be versus using a more conventional system. those questions will be decided in the future. it is a interesting and dynamic future. mike: your skepticism, what is the drawback? secretary foxx: i think it really will create an entirely different distribution system

and not unlike, for example, 3-d printing which will also provide folks with the ability to develop products in one place and have those products produced in a different place with a shorter delivery time around them. i think that you could see a similar dynamic with the unmanned aircraft systems but a lot of this stuff is sorting itself out and it will take time. mike: you spend some time with eric schmidt, what was that like? secretary foxx: we went out to roll out the survey and i find that it's an important event. we actually took one of the autonomous vehicles google is working on in the way to this event, and it's interesting because there are two things happening in the space to use as an example. there is a school of thought that says you need vehicles to talk to each other and there's sort of a connected vehicle discussion we were involved in trying to help that along. and then there is the autonomous vehicle discussion which is where they do not necessarily talk to each other that they have such a capability they are able to see the environment around them just like you and i are, so those vehicles really don't necessarily talk to another car that they see it and

they can avoid it so there's interesting dynamics and technology. mike: and what school of thought? secretary foxx: we have to be agnostic as a department. they are using the autonomous model. but i think as a department we have to just be supportive of all of these different technologies because it's connected to those technologies is a very bright future for job creation in those areas and so we want those jobs and opportunity to be in the u.s. and to be at the forefront. mike: how could that create jobs? mike: --secretary foxx: when you are at the innovator of the a new technology like these technologies are, you have the opportunity to build the manufacturing systems around them, and so i see a very bright future for the u.s. when it comes to these innovations because i think once we captured the space, we are going to be able to roll that out to the rest of the world and create an export opportunity. mike: so, everything has

trade-offs if the system were to take off, watch for the -- who have the jobs because of the technology? secretary foxx: i don't know. i think i was having a conversation with a friend of mine over the weekend who was trying to decide whether to buy his kid car. he was deciding between that and one of these uber accounts. and i don't know what these trade-offs mean for the future. but i do know is that the more we start to see these innovations happen in the marketplace, they will have disruptive impacts. and i think all of the market players will adjust to them but it's going to take time for them to sort out. mike: so we would call them so self driving. secretary foxx: i hear the jargon and use them. mike: one of the potential benefits -- secretary foxx: i like your words better though. [laughter]

mike: one of the potential benefits is the time that could be captured. so, you have driven. what is it like and what kind of time like what sort of time might make it back from this technology? secretary foxx: so a couple things. one, with both the self technology you have the 00:18:09 ability to platoon meaning they can run closer together without a fear of collision. the other thing that's interesting -- a crash, yes. [laughter]

secretary foxx: the other thing that is very interesting about this that eric schmidt shared with me, the one thing about the self driving cars, and a v-to-v example as well, as those vehicles actually follow the rules of the road. unlike most human beings. so if you're driving behind or in front of one of those vehicles, you might be surprised because they are actually following the rules. and wouldn't it be nice if we had all the cars on the road following the rules? from my vantage point, there is a lot of safety benefits that could arise as a result of that mike: from your hands on experience, what else is still in perfect about this technology? secretary foxx: there's a lot of foundational stuff that we will still need to

figure out. for example, there is the need for infrastructure that communicates with some of the vehicles particularly the connected vehicles. there is also i think the need for the state level legislation in some cases that provide some of the rules of the road so to speak. there's also some interesting questions about liability when an accident does occur in a situation when there's an autonomous vehichle. those type of questions are still the ones that need to get sorted out. mike: what are the insurance implications and questions at this moment? secretary foxx: that brings me to -- if you and i are driving different cars and you 00:20:11 crash into mine, because that is the only way that it would have been -- [laughter]

it's very clear who the operator is and if you didn't agree to pay my bill, we might find ourselves in court and i would know who i was going up against. if the car is controlling the action, then is it you, is that the manufacturer, who is going to stand in the place of being liable? so those are the type of issues that i think are still standing out there, and they will get it figured out. mike: and do you also find government impediments as we do with drones, or are there also things that someone -- in the citizen's mind

what would we change about the government to purchase these questions? secretary foxx: i tell my folks in the department all the time you know, we play a vital role in providing a safety regime for any form of transportation. mike: list all the different ones you do. secretary foxx: we do maritime carriers like trucks and buses cars, planes, the list goes on and on. we do trains, transit systems. i think i got them all. but anyway -- mike: we'll get a tweet if you don't. secretary foxx: i'm sure that i will find out. but anyway, we do these things. we set up safety regimes and that is the fundamental job of the department of transportation.

so, we take that very seriously. at the same time, the rate of change in technology is happening so quickly, much faster than it did even 15 years ago, that we've also got to adapt as we try to regulate those technologies and provide the rules of the road so to speak for the manufacturers building into these technologies and we have to move faster. and so, that is a cultural change that we are having to make in the department and we are getting there and frankly, what helps us is reps. so these issues around drones, issues around the autonomous vehicle to vehicle technology, the industry is pushing us to respond to changes in the technology it helps us to become more adaptive. mike: that's plain talking. secretary foxx: keep going and i might be real plain-talking. mike: what cultural changes would you say that you've made it to the department and where do you have to move the ball before you are done? secretary foxx: i think we have

things. first of all, placing a greater focus on efficiency than the department. mike: and what is an example of how you did that? secretary foxx: we have a big project, $5 billion with about three or four years of permitting that would have happened on the normal course but we got it done in about 18 months and that is an example of an outlier in some respects because we focused on it. we tried to create a system where every day a project gets that kind of attention to move forward because that saves money so that's one our focus on the study giving the country a bigger picture in the future it's been helpful i think pushing for the transportation bill in both the financing programs and policy and also it's been in some cases disrupted but in a good way helping people think differently about the system. we need to continue to make progress on the next trend and aviation system that is so critical to the future. i also want to see us make a lot more progress on the public-private partnerships. and i want to continue working with our team to raise the bar on safety in every respect we can. mike: within your building, what have you changed?

what is something that you as a former mayor of charlotte came into the federal government and said why do we do this and now we don't? secretary foxx: there's a lot of stuff like that. i will give you one example. when i was the mayor of charlotte, there was something called mpo's with often planning organization. you know what those are, right? mike: yeah. secretary foxx: well, they are

kind of a local transportation decision-making entity. there are five in the entire part of the area. we were not able to make decisions at the local level based on how the economy works we are making them on how political line works. it's not that you can have this happen. how do we create an environment where we encourage or help the decision-making become more sensible in terms of who is at the table, and so we are working through the process of helping the mpo's think more regionally and the grow america act has some that will become even more effective. mike: i'm going to come to my colleague under deputy

transportation editor question. first to go from one end of the technology spectrum talking about some of the exciting possibilities of of technology in the country. and at the other end when you were on the road you often get asked about potholes. secretary foxx: i do. mike: what you say, call the mayor? secretary foxx: actually the reality is this is a problem that i think is a national problem. when you have to have things like pothole palooza in

the washington, d.c. area, you've got a problem. whether it is here it's here or the midwest or any other part of the country, those are systems that are falling apart. a lot of state and local governments fund they are servicing budgets on a year-to-year basis area that's what we did in charlotte. and then they had a separate program to build a new infrastructure using capital dollars. and the one thing i would say is the less that we are investing at the federal level, the more pressure that is going to put on the states and local governments to choose in the resurfacing. so the more uncertainty you will see the state and local governments spending less and less and less which is going to mean more piles. >> so you are headed tomorrow

towards detroit and then pittsburgh and austin. if i come to one of those events, is that what you're going to say? secretary foxx: yes. i'm going to tell people the truth. the truth of the matter is the under investing that we have been doing is starting to show cracks and they are revealed in potholes and that's just the reality of it. so i am not going to sugarcoat this issue because i think the more we sugarcoat it and dance around the facts, the less likely we are to get an answer. so it is a small sign. mike: i will bring in my colleague the deputy 00:28:58 transportation. secretary foxx: hi, kathy. >> [inaudible] my question would be at what

point would the administration be ready --[indiscernible] mike: incorporate the question for people watching. secretary foxx: let me rephrase the question. after the administration's wonderful act -- [laughter] and we find such a wide acceptance. what happens after that in terms of being able to sustain the system going forward. and i think that first of all we've always been very clear that we are willing to listen to any ideas that emerge in

congress that even if they are different about my ideas on how to solve the problem we want to engage congress in their work and the most important point where i started out is if you look back even over the last six years, after 32 short-term measures and i can tell you because in part of those years i was a mayor, it paralyzes our system because when you are a local or state leader, you are looking at big projects that cost a lot of money and will take a lot of years and a lot of smaller projects that have cost less money and will take a shorter period of time. when you start constraining the system to three-month extensions and one-month extensions, it starts to paralyze the system and of the big things don't get done. with a country that is growing by 70 million people, we just can't afford any more. so, i would say look instead of

arguing against ourselves, let's get this bill passed. let's get the funding source in play and get six years of certainty under our belt. if we can do better than that, let's have a conversation about solving that problem. kathy: don't you agree that we would be right back here having the same conversation? secretary foxx: i think if you grow america if passed, the three components of the increased funding, the accelerating projects by making the permitting system boot faster and public-private partnership focused i think there will be more public confidence in the system and i

think that confidence will give congress more confidence. so, i think that if we continue to have the same system we have and the same funding that we have had, then i think people will continue having the same conversation but you've got to do something different now. you have to put it through growth and to a system that delivers projects hopefully faster and put it to a system that incorporates more private funding so that we can give more done. and that goes back to what we said earlier.

when they see the product happening and going down, not up and not up and they see the potholes going away they will have more confidence and feel better for the congress to take on a bigger deal later. mike: this is a question from a colleague. as you are working on the new federal, how far will you go and and how much will you need for the states? secretary foxx: it is sort of an autonomic because we have a pending rule that is being reviewed by a lot right now. but i will say what i said in several months and that is that we have to have a competence of approach. there's been an awful lot of

focus on the standards but not as much like focus on something like speed, emergency response any number of variables that need to be taken into account. i feel like the approach that we have tried to take all a long has been and all of the above approach and i think that is the right one for the country. mike: to push this to the top of the agenda, this is one of those issues when you took the job you

probably didn't realize what would be on your desk. secretary foxx: i was four days in, and even though the incident occurred in canada, we feel the same tinge of sadness when an event like that happens as our canadian counterparts. this is an issue that we are very serious and very focused and very intent on giving the country a very comprehensive solution. mike: are there safety concerns that have come up argue for more pipelines to carry oil maybe even keystone?

secretary foxx: i am agnostic on the modality. what i have to worry myself with this however this stuff is moving, it needs to be moving safely. and we have had frankly 00:34:37 pipeline explosions come and so we have to be focused on all of those modalities to ensure that it's moving as safely as possible. mike: so do we need more pipelines? again, the way that our department works is we are not the ones that come up with these ideas. we are simply charged with making sure that they are moving safely. mike: you have a twitter question at politico what sustainability have you made as the secretary? secretary foxx: towards sustainability, today in fact we are moving over to omb for a proposed rule on heavy and medium sized trucks that is designed to reduce emissions in those that are working with the epa but that is a pretty big deal. mike: something everybody in the room has in common is e-mail. what is your secret for managing your inbox? [laughter] secretary foxx: well. i try to look people in the eye a lot more and have

conversations. if i can't do that i use the phone. if i can't use the phone i might shoot an e-mail saying let's talk. so that's my way. mike: what device do you have on you? secretary foxx: i don't have one right now. it's a useful tool but it's also one that you have to be careful with. mike: a young person coming to washington, what advice would you give to them about getting ahead? secretary foxx: in washington or just in life? mike: let's start in life. secretary foxx: i think to get ahead, you have to really focus on being committed and whatever it is that you're doing because that is always the first level. and then i think you have to start looking at examples of people who inspire you. mike: who is that for you? secretary foxx: coming up from charlotte, the first african-american mayor of charlotte. when i was a teenager, he was such a big role model. and going on in life, so many more that i've come to know and i still have role models out there. i actually got a chance to have lunch with colin powell the other day. he's a great american. so there's a lot of people out there that frankly, the

president is a great american, too. mike: what is president obama like behind the scenes? secretary foxx: he's great. he's personable, he cares about the details of issues, he is very focused on what we can actually deliver on, in other words results, and he sees a country that we are becoming. that's the most exciting thing about working in the administration is that he doesn't see the country as static, he sees the possibilities and he's focused on achieving those. mike: what makes him different from -- he's accomplished and has the biggest job in the world. how did he get there and what is different about him that made him such a success? secretary foxx: he's tough in the sense of being resilient. i'm using myself as an example of this, when you have had life experiences that are challenging, it makes you tough in a different kind of way. it's not like mean talking, it's like results like i'm going to figure it out. mike: so, what he's like sitting around a table with? secretary foxx: he's great. it depends if there is an issue-based or if we are just sitting around the table. mike: what's that like? secretary foxx: he can talk about any number of things. you know, he's very interested in what's going on in the culture of the country, 00:39:21

what's going on -- mike: you're talking about music? secretary foxx: music and basketball ncaa. but i think that he is very in touch with the culture of the country as much as he is on issues. mike: you're into my brothers keeper program. some people describe this as potentially the longest lasting thing the president will do. why is that program so important to you? secretary foxx: it is a program that is designed to help young men of color to achieve their

ambitions. we have far too many men of color that turn out the to finding and get lost in the shuffle and the opportunity and plan and program to try to reclaim them and help them get onto the path of success. i was born to a single mother and no way on earth in 1971 with somebody who said that is the future secretary of transportation. statistically, that was just absolutely astronomical. but it takes a lot of people. my mom, my grandparents, my neighbors, my church, my teachers. a lot of people putting their hands out and helping you achieve success. and i think when i see a young person who's struggling, not because they are not capable

but because they think that success is not for them, that is a problem, that is a national problem because we need every man, woman, child to carry the future of the country forward, and i think the president recognizes that that is a weakness in our country right now and it is a place that should be for us. mike: what role does display on your work? secretary foxx: a whole lot. you know, i have faith that we will get a transportation bill. [laughter] secretary foxx: seriously, i think that nothing is by accident. the fact that i'm here and you're here, the challenge the country has also and is not an accident and it is not inevitable that we will continue having the same challenges going forward. so, it helps me stay recently recently had an also helps the kind of keep going but my faith is a big part of how i go through life. mike: you joined us for a public breakfast when you were the mayor of charlotte. to take on the democratic convention, what advice do you to the philadelphia mayor ahead of this convention?

secretary foxx: it is an incredible experience. mike: help a brother out. [laughter] secretary foxx: man, you're going to make me walk. you're a faith healer. let me help a brother out. you've got to have a good team around you. the convention, it really takes off. hundreds of people working on the convention and it starts with one or two. assembling a strong team and making sure that you are doing everything you can tell me the applications you ever made to

and making sure -- to dnc and making sure it is good. mike: you have 2 kids. what was it like, what did you enjoy? secretary foxx: it was a lot of fun. we made s'mores. i had four. hillary had four. she's the 10-year-old. samara had two, zachary had one. that is because zachary wanted to burn his marshmallow. anyway, we had a great time. it was great fun. mike: what else did you do out there? secretary foxx: kids were looking to do the zip line. it was too cold. we will do a rain check on that. which walked around a lot. i was still hobbled with this. so i didn't get to do a lot of activities. shot baskets with my son and daughter.

taught them how to do a lay-up that will serve them well in life. mike: last question as we say good-bye, i can't let you go without getting a barbecue recommendation? secretary foxx: from d.c.? mike: sure. or anywhere. secretary foxx: you got to go -- mike: what is the best meal you had on the bus trip. got austin coming up. mike: yeah. i tell you what i was done in mississippi and jackson and the congressman to which will place. i never had tamales before. i didn't think i would have tamales in mississippi but i had tamalies in sis min. they were pretty good. >> more from politico.

>> thank you for a great conversation. [applause] >> here on c-span we are live at the brookings institution here in washington. hosting deputy secretary of state tony blinken good afternoon. the deputy secretary of a aching -- speaking as secretary of tate john kerry and others continue in switzerland. the iranian nuclear negotiations continue in switzerland. a report saying the u.s. says they have made enough progress to extend the talks to wednesday. the white house press secretary said earlier today can my the talks could be extended for a

couple of months at least. we will show you what he had to say earlier today. press secretary: they are going to continue these conversations tomorrow if necessary, and as long as the conversation continued to be productive. the president has been very clear they've been having these conversations for more than a year now. they are seeking more serious commitments from the iranians to shut down the possibility of a nuclear weapon and to agree to intrusive expections -- inspections of the nuclear environment.

and we've been very clear that a year after negotiating that if iran is not prepared to make those serious commitments love and we will be prepared with other alternatives. but if conversations continue to be productive, it's possible the talks could continue into tomorrow. what progress has been made yet echoed -- has been made as of yet? >> it is march 31. our negotiations have been continuing over the last year but also over the last day, very serious negotiations. and if it is necessary -- and when i say if it necessary, as it is midnight and a deal has not been reached. but the conversations continue to be reductive, then they would prepared -- be prepared to continue talks into tomorrow. >> the latest from switzerland this afternoon, according to the associated press, the u.s. says enough progress has been made to extend the talks to wednesday. we are live at the brookings institution waiting to hear from

antony blinken, the deputy secretary of state about current prospects in asia. it should get underway shortly. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2015] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org]

>> ladies and gentlemen, it is my great pleasure to welcome all of you here today. i am the director of the center on the united states and europe and i'm here to welcome you on behalf of the working foreign policy program and also the economy development program here at brookings. our address today will be by secretary blinken, who'll be

discussing central asia. most of you are familiar with him, but nonetheless i would like lay out his current career in government. he has been the to the president and deputy national security advisor. he has also been the national security advisor for many years on the senate foreign relations committee. and that is just the most recent iteration of tony's career in government. because he also served on the national security council during the clinton administration from 1991 through 2001 in a variety of capacities, including as director of european affairs, and he also served in other capacities in the 1990's. he did career -- begin his career as most people in washington seem to do. and he was also a reporter for

the new republic with various since writing for the new york times and foreign affairs. that provides a perfect segue into the format of today's event. because he will also guess we will also feature a discussion with another deputy secretary of state. for them both, their careers intersected at various times as they work together in various capacities. but there is also a substantive link to today's event. on july, 1997, just down the road -- not here at working, but down the road" was the newly inaugurated site, stroke gave his own address as deputy secretary announcing a new u.s. strategy in central asia. it is quite a famous address and many in the audience might remember it. it featured the title "farewell

to flashman," which was a character from one of those daring british novels in central asia. but the point is, we were getting beyond that and getting to a new future for the region. at that point in 1997, the caucuses were willing to work together for energy resources, which were just being opened up to outside developers. and there was a great deal of questions about the future trajectory of all of the. -- all of these areas. and with russia, given the position of the soviet union. a lot has happened on the ground in central asia and not just here in washington, d.c. the state of central asia themselves have found themselves

on very different paths individually. and although energy resources are still a focal point in the region, the decades since 9/11 -- actually, more than a decade of course -- has turned to other issues related to afghanistan and counterterrorism. that is now shifting with the partial the role -- withdrawal of u.s. troops from afghanistan. but that for a long time tended to distract attention. while russia's position to continue to live in large, there is also been -- has also been an importance for other reasons. china has become one of the most active players in the region not something that mr. stroke could have predicted in 1987 when things looked quite different. beijing made investments in energy and infrastructure, and

in many places change the trajectory of trade politics in some of the central asian state. in short, central asia 2015 is not the central asia of 1997. and deputy secretary vblinken will tell you how the region has changed and give us insight into the u.s. interests over this time. we also have many distinguished members of the diplomatic service and colleagues from the state department, including those who work on central asia. some of our own colleagues are here in the front row, who have spent many years working on central asia for brookings. thank you very much to everyone for coming. now to deputy secretary blinken:

and then to the conversation. thank you very much. [applause] secretary blinken: good afternoon and thank you very much for those very kind words of introduction. there are few people in washington with a better feel for the sometimes byzantine regional politics of eurasia and sometimes byzantine policymaking process here in washington. it is always great to be here with you. it is great especially to be your with a great friend and great colleague in strobe talbott. as i stepped into the issues that he wants filled at the -- that he wants filled at the state department, i am struck again and again with the impact of the tough issues you dealt with. back in the clinton administration when i moved from being a speechwriter to taking on a policy role as senior director of europe at the white

house, strobe took me under his wing and it is something i've always been grateful for. i've also recognized the many scholars and experts gathered here as low as the diplomatic corps. germany discussions, roundtables, papers, you helped us better understand the dynamics of central asia as they shifted and evolved through the years. let me also recognize our extraordinarily dynamic assistant secretary of state who has been leading our efforts in this area. fiona said it very well, and indeed to make was prescient because what i wanted to say at the outset was that you could literally plot the trajectory of the region by some of the remarks given here over the years on think tank row. and indeed, 15 years ago had i been given this speech then, i would be discussing the emergence and the breakup of the

state of the soviet union. and in fact, that is what strobe did when he gave that speech in 1990's when he gave us a vision of free societies at piece of themselves and each other. and as fiona alluded to, if i had been giving this speech just five years ago, it would have largely been about afghanistan about maintaining a strategic presence in the region, maintaining supply routes for our troops and the capacity of afghani institutions. today, there are those who look at the drawdown of our forces from afghanistan and through that a region of declining importance for the united states. nothing could be further from the truth. since strobe gave his speech in the 1990's, the length we look through -- the lens we looked or may change, but our importance of the partnerships in the region have not. the reason is simple. our security is tied to a stable central asia, and at the same

time we see a region of enormous potential, a region that could act as an economic bridge from istanbul to shanghai and provide opportunities for our own businesses technologies, innovations to take root. a region that can offer goods and energy for the goods and economy of southeast asia. and it can service a stabilizing force and indefensible -- indispensable partner in the fight against trafficking in terror. to help unleash the potential united states needs to invest in its economic stability. i want to lay out a little bit of vision for our policy on central asia that is founded in two distinct ideas. first, that our own security is enhanced by a more stable central asia that contributes to global efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism. and second, stability can be best achieved if the nations of central asia are sovereign and

independent countries, fully capable of securing our own borders, connected with each other and with the emerging economies of asia, and benefiting from governments that are accountable to their citizens. the united states wants to broaden and deepen our bilateral relationships with each of the state of central asia. at the same time, we do not see these relationships in the region as exclusive or zero-sum in any way. we need healthy, mutually beneficial relationships with all of their neighbors. and they need to develop his relationships as they see fit, free from pressure or intimidation. it is their choice, not ours not anyone else's. our engagement is animated by the vision that every time of unique challenges and opportunities, central asia conserve in its historic role as a hub of vital commerce, ideas, and culture. it can ease on the desk can see the on the vital -- it can seize

upon the ideas of vital growth and put them squarely on the path to long-term strength can left ability and prosperity. just over 23 years ago, we were among the first to recognize the independence, the sovereignty, and the territorial integrity or he -- integrity of context and turkmenistan, and his next and -- and uzbekistan. it is this that encourages our people to people engagement. today, we have three important objectives for each of the central asian state. strengthen security, forge economic tide, and advancing and advocating for improved government and human rights. let me kick about each one of those pillars. first, with regard to strengthen our security partnerships.

while each country of its own history and will fort stone future, we know they share a common concern for stability and regional security. every year through bilateral discussions we address these concerns directly, and if need be, pointedly. just last month, we signed an agreement with copaxone -- with contextkazhakstan. they have been and continue to be a leader in global stability. ira member very welcome and stroke knows this even better, one of the great successes of the clinton administration with some of our european partners was hoping to work with successor states of the former soviet union that inherited nuclear weapons. in belarus along with ukraine took the very brave and important step of really pushing

what it had inherited when the soviet union dissolved. into giga stent, we are focusing on improving border security strengthening law enforcement, countering terrorism among nations long and porous border with afghanistan. uzbekistan's constitutions to the afghanistan network remain important, as does our works together to combat narco trafficking and defend against transnational threats. and we also remain grateful for the vital support keuka stand kyrgistan provided. our relationship has moved forward as we continue to work to address security challenges. in turkmenistan, we have helped the government established modern border patrol checkpoint

to combat struggling and to fight human trafficking. by deepening the security partnerships, we are also investing in a stable foundation for central asia to unlock its great economic potential. the images of the old silk road when central asia was truly a crossroads of civilization does not have to be just a memory. the past can become prologue. today, central asia is not only bursting with resources, but brimming with useful entre nous real potential -- entrepreneurial potential. a full half of the population is under 30. and around a third of the population is actually closer to 220. to deliver on the aspirations -- moser to the age of 20. to deliver on the aspirations of this new generation, who want to work to integrated into a global rules-based system. that is what we are working to bring in enough members of the world trade organization. and we expect this long-sought

goal to be realized this year. our own nation's businesses their talents and technological leadership can play an essential role in helping the region develop its own culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. and we will continue to build these connections on both sides of the world. the united nations recently held a delegation from turkmenistan. despite these efforts, i think everyone recognizes that central asia still has a long way to go in building a more open cooperative, and connected market that fosters true entrepreneurship and delivers benefits to ordinary people. the region remains one of the least integrated in the world with only about 6% its trade during the central asia and as a result, his own people are not benefiting from its enormous

potential. that is why it is part of it -- as part of the new silk road initiative, the united a is helping to improve its connectivity, improving trade infrastructure strengthening the links between energy producers, and consumers. and it's why we are helping to build a regional energy market to connect central asia's tremendous supplies of natural gas and hydropower to 1.6 billion energy hungry consumers in south asia. our support for the electricity line will help bring surplus electricity in the region where over 80 million people lack access to electricity. it is noticeable that afghanistan is also embracing connectivity. just last week when the afghani president was in congress, he extolled the regional importance of afghanistan's regional economic viability. a lot of work is being done on physical infrastructure to connect these countries, but

just as important that physical infrastructure are the policies that go with that, the soft infrastructure of laws and regulations, of agreement between and among governments to facilitate the flow of people, of goods, and of financing. and we are helping in that area, too. ultimately, for central asia to reap the benefits of shared prosperity, it has some choices to make between the lyrical and economic cap -- choices of the past and the possibilities of the future. the surge and innovation and energy that comes from building more open societies at home and joining a dynamic, just, and rules-based marketplace. these rules are not designed to assert the authority of one nation over another. they serve to protect and benefit us all, to give businesses the confidence they need to invest, drawing out the skills of the young, educated populations, and a growing market for entrepreneurial talent. i know that destination may seem distant as we gather here today.

but it promises what nothing else can. the opportunity for central asians themselves to enjoy the fruits of their prosperity. finally, a critical aspect of our foreign policy is advancing the democratic values we share with people all over the world including in central asia. these values are at the very core of our engagement with the region and essential to the lasting stability that we seek. across every bilateral relationship we continue to advocate forcefully for greater respect for human rights, a stronger voice for civil society, and greater religious freedom. progress has been holding. but i believe we are better able to address these difficult issues because we are present and engaged with these governments and their civil society. we know that governments that are accountable to their citizens can more effectively sustain their own security, defend their own sovereignty and contribute to regional stability. a holding freedom of expression,

the rule of law -- and the rule of blog gives citizens legal outlets and diminishes the chance that they will be drawn to violent extremism. the same freedoms are also vital to building innovative societies. in the past, we thought about the wealth of the nation and what constituted that wealth. we would talk about the physical size of the country, its abundance of natural resources the strength of its military literally the size of its population, and all of these things, of course, are still relevant today. but in the 21st century, the true wealth of the nation lies in its human resources and the potential of a country to maximize those resources to let them be free, to let them be creative, to let them innovate. those are the countries that we most want to engage with. that is what we want to look for as we seek to forge partnerships. it is something president obama

vice president biden, and secretary kerry have all spoken about passionately wherever they go. as the president put it, "we are far more likely to invest our energy in those countries that want to work with us, that invest in their people, that embracing a vision of society where everyone can contribute to my men and women, she or sunni christian or jew" because those that have emerged on a democratic path have emerged more peaceful and more invested in a hole in the common security and common humanity. in central asia, we will continue to support civil society and its ability to serve societies and speak up for peaceful change without government interference, consistent with the president stand for civil site he initiative. we will continue to advocate for free media and more open political systems, and urge the release of who are imprisoned for the exercise of their political views or religious

faith. we will support greater economic transparency and efforts to combat corruption. as strobe knows well, we have spoken about these issues for many years in central asia. there arguably even more important as the region seeks our engagement and assistance in its own development and integration. in this respect, we are also focused on the kyrgyz republic on eight -- is republic of mobile the one in the region. one of these is, having hosted new the 80% of cuties --kyrgyz events, time and again we have been able to foster greater

economic and democratic egos. -- ethos. in kazakhstan, newly for thousands of answering to read and learn other subjects. that education happens to be an alumnus of one of our exchange programs. in kyrgistan, more than 40 participated in the town hall event across the country thanks to a young man where he was in the united states and observe the 2012 presidential elections. building these connections between the people not only shares the values, but strengthen their ability to confront challenges together. as we gather today, i know a lot of focus is on the talks in

switzerland regarding iran's nuclear program. secretary kerry, wendy sherman and other colleagues are there as we eat. -- as we speak. and i know no one is watching more closely than the countries of central asia. iran's historic and cultural ties to the region are deep and long-standing. and for countries that focus on the connectivity to the rest of the world, he ran stands -- iran stands as a gateway to asia. but the unique complexities do not stop at the border with iran. the region looks up to china and it growing economic influence. it supports afghanistan's cautious transition. and it warily guards against the growing extremist ideology of his youth. china is large in the region with its ambitious plans to advance connectivity through

over land and maritime routes. it has committed tens of billions of dollars to building roads and rails to better connected factories and markets in asia and europe. and we support these efforts to connect the region. but we also urge that they advanced trade in all directions and adhere to international norms. we don't see china's involvement in central asia in zero-sum terms. it development of infrastructure in central asia can be fully come from entry to our own efforts. in particular, we can see an important role for china in supporting positions for afghanistan in advancing his own integration into the broader region. on the other hand, russia's actions on its delivery including the violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of ukraine threatened the foundation of international order not only in the region, not only in europe but beyond and around the world. as russia and the separatists continue to violate ukraine

there doing more than violating the borders of one country. they are violating the principles held around the world, the principle that borders and territorial integrity of the democratic a cannot be changed by force. that it is the inherent right of citizens in a democracy to make their own decisions about their country's future. that linguistic nationalism something we thought have been confined to the dustbin of history, would not be allowed to be resurrected and that all letters of it can become especially if leading members are bound by common roles and should raise the cost if they do not live up to the solemn limits they make. and i want to go back to something i brought up briefly a moment ago, which is the soviet states giving up the nuclear weapons they inherited when the soviet union dissolved. i know that ukraine was one of those. in the case of ukraine, it did

so in exchange for assurances from three countries, that is territorial -- is territorial sovereignty would be respected. those three kingdomswhat does it say not only to ukraine but countries around the world when those solemn assurances can be torn up and totally ignored question mark -- ignored? what does it say when we are trying to forgo koran from getting nuclear weapons in the future and it wonders about the enduring nature of those commitments into the future? there is a lot at stake in russia's actions in ukraine that we need to continue to stand up for. now, there are obviously costs to the pressure we are exerting on russia for its actions in ukraine, and these