concession speeches live tonight. unfoldsn, where history daily. in 1979, c-span was created as a public service by america's cable television companies and is brought to today by your cable or satellite provider. journal is next. we will look at today's news and take your calls. the house is back at 10:00 eastern. they will work on a securities exchange bella and veterans mental health legislation. california democratic congresswoman jacky spare will talk about her legislation to try and strengthen sexual-harassment reporting laws on capitol hill. then president trump's trade policy goals during his asia trip and we are live in baton rouge for the next up on the

c-span 50 capitals tour with louisiana secretary of state and louisiana attorney general talking about ♪ good morning. it is tuesday, november 7. flags over the u.s. capitol remain at half-staff following the church shooting in texas that claimed more than two dozen lives. the house and senate are back at 10:00 a.m. this morning and the house ways and means committee returns at 10:00 today to do some work on the republican tax reform plan. it is election day in several states. a gubernatorial contest in virginia. as many americans had to the polls, we begin by asking our viewers to look ahead one year from now to election day 2018 and tell us what you think republicans should retain

control of congress. let us know your reasons why. if you are undecided, what will he be looking for to make up your minds? phone lines are open. you can catch up with us on social media. a very good tuesday morning to you. you can start calling in right now on this question. should republicans retain control of congress? in thing to think about today, a year from election day 2018. the phone lines are open. as least -- as we point to the story from yesterday. a poll on voters and who they favor a year out from election 2018. voters say they prefer

democratic candidates over republicans by the widest margins in over a decade. a fresh sign of trouble for the gop majority one year before the midterm elections. that is the biggest spread in a post-abc survey since october 2006. the poll noting that democrats 11 point lead advantage tricks to two points among people who voted in the 2014 midterm elections, underscoring one of democrats main challenges, getting up enough enthusiasm. that and with it being a year out, we invite you to call in asking this question, should republicans retain control of congress daca -- congress? we do want to update you on the

latest reporting from that shooting down a texas. the flags over the investors capital and here in washington at half-staff today in the wake of that shooting. the latest report noting that the massacre of more than two dozen churchgoers occurred amid an ongoing "domestic situation" and his -- between the gunman and his relatives. -- after he was discharged from service while in the air force. the gunman was convicted by a general court-martial on two charges of domestic assault but was not entered into a national database. he was able to pass background checks and retain a job without raising flags. in this first hour, we are focusing on the 2018 election, a

year from now. it being a election day in several states. one of the states is in virginia. jay is on the phone. s.line for independent as we show our viewers between at gillespie and ralph northam, who do you think should control congress to you from now echoed -- from now? >> i don't care who controls congress. when democrats get in there, is just like bill clinton, he turned his back on black people. blacks need to form their own party. this immigration which goes to wrigley against us, it affects our community very bad because we're competing with these people for housing, jobs, etc..

they get government aid. the government brought them over. there is black people there now who needs help. i'm glad trump is in office because he is exposing the system. it is a system of men. you can be the president and through all the things that trump is doing, it had to do it morals and principles. he is bankrupt and he is exposing the constitution. the democrats are not come to push for it. we people are not going to come out and vote for it. we are looking for criminal justice reform. we are looking for aid in housing. our unemployment rate is still high. white people have it made. they have jobs. you are bringing immigrants over here and there getting jobs. this is where the jobs are going. thank you. host: virginia, one of the

states with an election today. that gubernatorial race will be closely watched today. we are going to be talking about it today on the washington journal. minnesota.t. paul, for democrats. caller: thank for taking my call. the republicans are going to lose the majority in the house and senate, because they have not done a thing. all they want to do is help the richest americans. that is not what america is about. they haven't anything about gun control and in the last year, there been over 300 mass shootings. why won't they do anything? because of the nra. things have got to change. this country, we've got the highest death rate from guns. most of them are from assault weapons which should be banned.

host: when you say republicans haven't anything, does that change if they get the tax reform through? caller: i think the tax reform bill is going to go the same way as therefore the short -- the same way as their health insurance bill. corkerollins, mccain and . they are not going of the votes they need to pass that. it is want to prove that with any year, they are failures. they cannot pass any major legislation. the so-called president has not signed one piece of major legislation. minnesota is can in -- that is ken and minnesota. work convenes today on the ways and means committee. plan.ering the tax

a week in which republican housman was attracted push through this tax plan through the committee process. you can watch live it to :00 a.m. today -- at 10:00 a.m. today on c-span three. any of it today, you can go back to our archives and watch it there. jim is in delaware. line for republicans. i hope to god they do, but the way they have acted it seems every piece of legislation that they put up is designed to fail because of the anti-trump sentiment. if they want to retain the house, they are going to have to get rid of paul ryan. they want to retain the senate, they are going to get rid of mitch mcconnell and put some new faces up there. the democrats have acted so

they have been tied to the antifa movement. they sound ridiculous with this whole witchhunt against trump when they have been a blend the republicans for the evil deeds that they pulled off to the election. they have the cards in their hands but they are so calverley they don't seem to get anything done. what happened to the spirit of ronald reagan? let's get up and go again. people vote republican because if you look at their 401(k)s, it is massive growth. i talked to a friend who said he loaned money to a son and looked --401k and looks like the loan was paid back without him doing anything. it has been good for the average working schmo. still, we have to channel ronald reagan to take back this country

and get rid of these anti-trumper's in congress who are republicans. host: when he said any new faces at the head of the republican party. who would you want to be one of the new faces? lee from like mike o'connell spot. i know he wasn't approach upper but he is a constitutional list. i don't agree with rand paul but he seems to be a fresh face. for the house, i always liked king from iowa. he seems to be a straight talker. there has to be other people out there. there's a little cluster group that is anti-trump. upy throw but nine bills that look good they can i get the source support. these guys who are in leadership

are not strong enough to get everybody to walk with them. hopefully we are going to see the end of the mccain era, the susan collins era coming up. all of these people from mississippi and these other people who are just there for the life. not doing the country in a good. let's get the new republican party going and somebody they can get something positive for the american people. this is a shell game that the tokens are playing. host: we are going to be taking more of the calls. we are in your way from election day 2018. as it is election day 2017 in several states, point you to the story in today's washington post. local races, a test for candidates and parties. the author, david wigle joins us on the phone to talk through what is happening today.

let's focus on virginia. give us a sense of how close this race is. guest: it is close for ralph northam, even with margin of error. 70 points that ralph northam wins. it tightened the bit at the end. democrats have had a couple of close calls in the beginning of last two years were always wanting people to take the occasional plus 10 poll for granted. race,as you look at this can you talk through the role that president trump has played in this race? president trump overseas on that 12 day trip but tweeting this morning about the virginia senatorial race, tweeting up his support for and gillespie and a serious -- for ed gillespie. saying that he will turn around

the high crime in poor economic performance of virginia, ms-13 in crime will be gone. book today asap -- vote today asap. guest: which is not true. virginia has one of the lowest crime rates in the country. there hasn't been much of a voter backlash to democrats in the state. terry mcauliffe is leaving after his state constitution that is fairly popular. there is a less negative mood in that state. the difference being in southwest virginia in the valley, there's a bit more negativity. they did resident -- the president, a complicated role because the democrats didn't know what to do.

the northam campaign made this decision to focus their little trump. just pull trump into one of many issues. gillespie on one ad. he was taking a page from jumps playbook -- from trump's label. .t is being portrayed that way he did run a few anti-trump adds. gillespie was extreme nervous about using trump in a new way. he never campaigned with him. this is the first year since richard nixon was under fire watergate that the incumbent -- the mosts not necklace be did was run around with its. -- with mike pence. they didn't lean on the white house asking them to bring in

trump. a chunk visit might expect people but it would be such big news that voters in northern virginia will get excited. a war of depressing the other sides enthusiasm. really emphasize this, please about the race seemed to be random and unconnected. he called northam is bad for vets. and northam is the only veteran in the race. the other race we are paying attention to today, new jersey. take us through what has happened there. this will not expect to be close, correct? .uest: that is right democrats had a great opportunity here. one state has been deeply blue and everything but the governor's race for 15 years. as christie who is leaving

office is going out with a 50% approval rating. -- with a 15% approval rating. there's an opium awareness ad with his face but they don't use his voice. --is the lieutenant governor who is turned into a energetic candidate. the republicans are hoping they can brand him into the up-and-coming. he has avoided that trap. the only mistakes he has made is in the context of national immigration policy p he was critical of donald trump and said he waedke new jersey six or state -- a sanctuary state. he would not even allow police deportport -- police to

undocumented immigrants. not quite what he meant. democrats think that might've .ightened a 20 point lead they are in that race, not so much for a win or loss, they are watching for how much murphy's victory can sweep in some lower ballot democrats. how much he wins places like other districts. also how much voters cared about the six where city issue. -- the sanctuary city issue. before we let you go, there is a congressional race today out in utah, a special ofction to fill the seat jason chaffetz resigned from congress earlier this year. is there any expectation that

the race will be competitive? guest: they expect to hold on. he held off to conservatives in a primary. mitt romney posted a photo. democrats thought maybe was a long shot. they got a solid candidate. then i expected to win. they are going to watch the margin. all of the country and virginia is good to show this. democratic turnout just falling apart. that has been changing. we will look at the margin in utah. there is a democrat running for senate in 2018, pulling not poorly in utah. if there's a way outside of likelihood race. it is a sign of how their contesting everything.

he writes for the was supposed. we appreciate your time. guest: thanks so much. host: as he noted with that congressional race happening in utah, it is a race to fill one of the big -- one of the vacant seats. otherwise, republicans have a 239 to 194 majority in the house and senate, a 52 seat to 48 seat majority. we are asking our viewers should republicans retain control echo -- control? . phone lines are open. doug is in flushing, new york. caller: good morning. i wanted to say, i have been a democrat for 20 years.

the democratic party cannot keep it together. they have no idea what they're doing. they are running around, bashing trump and they are not getting anything done. they are upset they lost. hillary didn't get into office. i don't think it is a gender problem. they like to sit there and complain about it because they don't have a man in office. host: why do you think that? caller: it comes from a certain biological standpoint. they wanted the first woman as president and they didn't get that. they see it is sexist for people who vote for a man over a woman. ofre's also a lot republicans in the house that we should think about removing, such as mitch mcconnell and paul ryan. we need to remove them because they are being ridiculous and blocking republicans standard from in past.

host: would you ever vote for one candidate? caller: if they came to the right time where she sat there and supported just causes and she was qualified for a position in the government, yes i would. .ost: dug in flushing eric, compton, clams 20 just compton, california. caller: on to speak to america, not as a democrat or republican. i like to speak to all christians. when we are expensing here is not about a democrat or republican party. we're supposed to represent a compassionate and mercy party and that party is the jubilee party. it is not on the internet and not here in the wilderness. it is a supernatural event. what would you rather have, a tax cut? or debt relief you can have all of your debt removed? your mortgage is paid in your

student loans all wiped out? all of this is supposed to happen in their turn to slide a tax cut on us. get all of your debt wiped out. get you a raggedy tax cut. the corporations are tried to control us christians. these giants are cowards. they have big guns and their turn to kill us. they are starting to attack the churches. host: chuck is in new york. caller: well, i think it is much better if the democrats take over congress. the two-party system is in shambles and hasn't been what it used to be years ago. frankly, the days of friends and was about, some of the so-called democrats of the day would be called republicans. two of the folks you just had on, it is funny that one

gentleman seems a little prejudice against women, even though he had a lot of good things to say about the democratic party being screwed up. together german cap referencing christians. everybody has their little segregated area. eleanor roosevelt said, when everybody,better for and get every desk thinking better for everybody. hopefully somebody can understand it better. i think it's important that somehow we get rid of mr. trump. he is a danger relative to nuclear proliferation. the problem is more independent parties need to be created and the problem is this, that networks working with the two parties that want to keep it separate, want to keep it inside group will not allow other people to be seen. if you were to pull the american people, i am sure a majority of them would like to see more

so that youe stage could hear it would other parties might say. it might have more parties. it would be nice if we had more than the people. i'm an old guy. it would be nice if we had in the people running. that is about it. that the democratic party is so far removed from the party of reglan was about. host: that is chuck in new york. one thing that a lot of race professional polling look for is money in which candidates are raising money and how much they're raising. politico with a story on that looking at 2018. noting the democratic candidates are reporting the stored

fundraising totals. if you want to read more on that story, it is about -- it is written by elena schneider. independent, good morning to you

. should republicans retain control? caller: not less they have a good record and they go under scrutiny of the mental health society, along with the president, along with the democrats. we need more toward mental health in this world. so much has affected my family, it is not funny. they need to have meds and places to put these people. bid, they're not doing their jobs at all. they themselves have a problem. we need to have some control. there is no control. i have a son working for the mental health department. i have a granddaughter working for one. my whole family has been affected by the opioids and nothing else. where is the help? stop cutting down on what is needed most, mental health.

that will take your the problem we have become controlling anything. -- we have with gun control and everything. host: he mentioned mental health and gun control. the president traveling overseas and asked about the control just about gun control -- about gun control and extreme vetting. here was his response. >> well, you bringing up a situation that probably should not be discussed too much right now. we can let a little time to go by. you feel that that is an appropriate question, i will certain answer your question. if you did what you are suggesting, it would be no difference three days ago. you might not have had that very brave person who happened to have a gun or a rifle in his

truck go out and shoot him and hit him and neutralize them. i can only say this, if you didn't have a gun, instead of having to six dead, you would've had hundreds more dead. that is the way i feel about it. not going to help. >> i considering any control policy? >> sitting with the strongest gun laws in our nation chicago. chicago is a disaster. it is a total disaster. just remember, if this man did not have a gun or rifle, you would've been talking about a much worse situation in the great state of texas. thank you. host: that was the president as he continues his trip. we will be talking more about the trip. the trade focus on that trip later in our program. also later, c-span's 50 capital .tore continues

the c-span bus is spending the day in louisiana's capital cindy this city of baton rouge. the sector state will be aboard the c-span bus later in our program to talk about some of the top issues facing the bayou state. stick around for that later. back to your calls in this first hour of the washington journal. coming up on 7:30 on the east coast. where asking, should republicans retain control of congress as we work a year from election day 2018? martin is in gainesville, virginia. caller: i would like to say the a partyt republicans is that cannot govern. they cannot seem to pass any major laws, nothing. it is incomplete chaos. republicans are the party of

despair and division. there been able to divide where is democrats is the power of hope. they have to have somebody who is enthusiastic and knows how to will the people to the polls. [indiscernible] republicans are the party of the rich. the rich and the dumb. the dumb folks think that they can somehow get rich and i'm from another country. i came to this country twentysomething years ago and i went to college and it would have to do. yet, when i see americans who are so anti-intellectualism, this is not the great country that i came to. this is not a country that cherishes education. this is a country that says you can be dumb and have an opinion on facebook. that is my two cents. host: that is martin in virginia.

a few tweets asking this question, should republicans retain control of congress? taking your calls this morning and getting your thoughts on twitter, facebook. join the conversation. if you're calling it -- staying in virginia, we go to chesapeake. don is a republican. caller: how are you doing today? i think they should control because look at the last eight years. where has a gdp growth been? 1%.

to $10t has doubled trillion. $125pentagon turned up billion. can you imagine where that money could've went? i can't. , if thatrs of obama didn't crush us, what did? we need to control the house, senate. withn i get nothing done democrats want to stand in front of us all the time, cause chaos and we can i get nothing done. is your prediction for what happens today in the virginia gubernatorial race yucca -- race? caller: the white man is coming back out. where had enough. -- we have had enough. they have destroyed in america and the last eight years. it is pathetic what has happened

in the years we put up with. you didn't see us out there complaining, he is not my president. all these doctors are getting rich off the democrats because they need to get their drugs now because they cannot stand it. they are crying everyday. they need to dry their tears, and try to figure out what is wrong with their credit party -- their democratic party. i think they are communists. host: what you mean we see the white man's coming back out? caller: we have had enough of government. it is too big. it time for the people to take back the country like president trump has said. it is time to give the country back to the country. not to these lobbyists and everybody that has their hand in the pot, you know? they throw money around, the last eight years like falling

out of the trees. i mean, it has been ridiculous for eight years. host: that is done in virginia. there is that gubernatorial race today, a race that has seen several controversial ads that have gotten a lot of national attention. one of them that was up briefly was by the latino victory fund. it was targeting at gillespie and his desk at gillespie and his voters.

>> run. >> run, run, run. come on. >> is this what donald trump and ed gillespie made by the american dream? host: that at getting a lot of criticism from republicans and the gillespie campaign. it was pulled down last week from being on-air after that truck terrorist attack in new york city. that gubernatorial race much of the focus of today's national headlines about election day 2017. we will ask our viewers to look ahead to 2018. do you think republicans should retain control of congress echo

just congress? john, go ahead. caller: i have been a public and for the last eight years. that is neither here nor there. thatoing to say something my trigonometry teacher said, no class. that is not the way to do it. this is what the republicans are doing. they have no idea that they are in power. they are oblivious to everything. i think they should be taught a lesson. i hope steve bannon does what he has promised and rollout and run republicans that's run his people against the republicans. wayside.all by the maybe some they will learn. me for thehat soured whole congress. it goes way back.

congress never does the president does just what the president wants to. i think trump would be all served working with the democrats. while he was a democrat before, so they say, he is a very independent thinker, going back and reading his history. he would do very well. one more point is the new thing that we've got, the tax cut. it is not reform, it is just a cut. it is a cut for the extremely wealthy. i want to say, whatever happened to the carry trade. it is interest and everything associated with rich brokers. trump promised he was going to do something as soon as he went over to asia. they dropped that out completely. no more tax. it is just amazing. these people come all they get

-- the senate voted for gorsuch and that is about it. host: scott is in maine. caller: good morning. i vote democrat pretty much, but i am sick with all of them. they keep dancing around the problem. these mass shootings and stuff and then people have issues. they're mostly white people. i am white and so i can say that. you take a man that is making a fairly good living in a castigate him and you put them down to a job that pays 16 dollars to $20,000 year set of of000 and with no hope getting a job that could ever replace that, to take care of

his family and stuff. you don't guess you're going to have problems like that. that is what happens. the keep dancing around the problem. nafta is the problem. they could be making it illegal for corporations to take their companies that they built on the backs of american blood sweat and backbone and take them companies overseas. and say screw america, i am going for the profit. they want to start giving with getting this country back, you're going to have to get on those corporations and put a stop to it. host: we are going to be talking about the americans -- the president's trade agenda. stick around for the discussion. alfred -- duane is in jamaica, new york. go ahead. caller: good morning. i truly believe the republicans should not be running the

congress or the senate. yearsfor the last eight had sex and balances against him. that's had checks and balances against him. the general from virginia is a perfect example. he said he wants it to be white world. what does that mean? this is ridiculous. every time i hear these guys talk, it is like, where they coming from? i cannot understand this. host: you prefer -- you prefer divided branches of government echo -- branches of government? absolutely. you need checks and balance. you can i keep having a congressperson, and defending his agenda, when people like me are hurting. new york with this new tax plan, i am going to be hurting. it is not helping me.

the cost of living in new york is tremendous. we do need checks and balance with what is happening. thank you come c-span. the house ways and means committee is going to be taking up the text plan once again in that committee hearing today. it begins at 10:00. we are going to be covering it on our networks. also some reporting on what happened yesterday. if you missed any of that, you can go back and watch at c-span.org. the post noting that house republicans rejected president crippledush to repeal piece of the foot care act, instead of making only modest changes. it did not repeal the fourth care ask insurance mandate which requires most americans to retain some form of health insurance. president trump had pushed the committee to include the mandate to repeal a change that some

analysts would say would say the government more than -- tony is in washington, d.c., republican. caller: i would like to say that i voted democrat most of my life. all of my life up until the 2016 election. has designated the democratic party. things that she was doing with the globalism and socialism in this country with all these foreign nationals in this country and smashed the american people's face. a lot of the democrats went along with her. they didn't say anything. american people are suffering. i'm in washington, d.c., i see

some the better half of the suffering. as a travel outside of the sea, people are hurting and it hurts me as an african-american to see my american brothers and sisters suffer, black and white. it hurts. host: who do you mean? democratic leadership in congress? caller: democratic leadership in congress. the lawmakers, the bureaucrats. host: the national republican congressional committee recently focusing on one of those democratic leaders, someone that republicans have focused on quite a bit. that is nancy pelosi. in one of their web ads from last month focusing on the elections ahead. here's what the rcc put out.

>> nancy pelosi's baggage is too much for even her allies. >> ice chair of the caucus, this is what you said in an interview. i do think we have this this talent within our caucus and i do think it is time to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders and i want to be heart of that transition. >> now pelosi and leadership are picking their favorite candidates in 2018. with her place in the democratic party on the brink of collapse, pelosi is looking for a new set of friends in 2018. that ad from a couple of weeks ago, a sign that republicans intend to focus on nancy pelosi in the upcoming election. let's hear from a democrat. alfred is in north carolina. c-span.good morning, i hope the republicans to retain ,ontrol because if they don't

the democrats are going to continue giving way benefits to illegal immigrants, syrian refugees and him in taxpayer and citizen, we are not going to get the benefits that we are entitled to. on the praise resident donald trump for he is doing with -- host: do you consider yourself a democrat? caller: i am voting republican this year. i have been a democratic or on my life, but in 2016, i voted republican because i like donald trump's message. what he is going to do for them in taxpayer. he is the only president in the last 32 years that has really come to the rescue of the disabled veterans and the american taxpayer in the united states of america. the young lady is right, hillary clinton has decimated the democratic party and i hope that they will get their act together and work bipartisan with republicans so that we can get our economy rolling and continue

to roll away donald trump has a going right now. i hope they will continue control of congress so that our economy can continue to build and grow for our children, our grandchildren in the future to come. host: staying on the line for democrats. julia is in manchester. good morning. are you with us? caller: i am sorry. you want me to talk. host: turned on your television. what is your comment? caller: i just believe that the democrats really need to take over the house now because the republicans are not going to be a look to do anything, as long to count sotrying to president trump -- to kowtow to president trump in effect they are trying to keep face

with one third of the united states that once to please the president. it is not the right thing to do anymore. i really think there needs to be a balance of power between the executive branch and the legislative branch. it is just too skewed. they are not want to be of the get anything done. do you think the balance was there during the ages of obama? -- during the eight years of obama tackle -- of obama? caller: well, i can't say that i think that either party is perfect. imbalance,t was an even when obama was in the white house. i am not sure. i cannot say because i am just an owner person. -- just an ordinary person.

trump feel at this point, is dangerous. i feel that he isn't -- he doesn't have a good handle on how to be a politician. he cannot focus. he has a problem understanding what it is like to run a government versus a family business. towards to go much more being an autocrat. i feel that his twitter have it is dangerous. host: the president focusing on the virginia race. three tweets about the virginia contest today, including this.

close series of tweets coming of the same day that there's this headline on the front page of the washington times. gillespie far away from trump as he wraps up his campaign hassing on how ed gillespie tried to keep the president at arms length over the course of his virginia campaign. independents.or caller: thanks for having me. i have been trying to get on here for years. yes, i do believe that the republicans should be up to keep control, like a caller said the calls back. i am a disabled american veterans from vietnam. 70 years old. i have seen a big difference thatin the 10 months president trump has been in

office. with the v.a. system. if i'm having a problem, i can make a call up to the veterans administration in washington, d c and get immediate action. i bypassed the chain of command and got immediate results which i'm very happy about. thing, i think they should have term limits on our congress and our senate. just a ballpark figure in my mind. i'm thinking 12 years. 12 years and they are out. it stops stagnate tatian -- stagnation in the old-school

mindset where their becoming multimillionaires, even some billionaires. special interest groups and if we had term limits, this would and a lot of this stuff and maybe we could get the democrats and republicans together. host: line for republicans. good morning. caller: good morning. i'm a lifelong conservative republican. i just want to say that i do hope that the democrats gain control of at least one of the houses of congress. man in a very dangerous the white house. i've never been so embarrassed, and, frankly, terrified of the future of this country. me that sonding to

byy republicans to be fooled the bs that our president has laid before us. i pray that there some means of checks and balances going forward. that is all i want to say. host: do you think republican leadership in congress is doing enough to stand up to the president of the places you disagree with him? caller: absolutely not. they have an agenda which i cannot say i blame them. what they are doing is interests ande safety of the american people for that agenda. that is not acceptable. i believe we can work together. if you listen to these tax obvious.it is

these men, they spend a lot of discussing, assessing relationships and trying to move things forward. whether democrat or republican, that theelieve democrats are communists. everybody in their heart of hearts wants what is best for this country and the people of this country. we can disagree on what they may be but what we have lost his rationality-- is and a means of coming together. we have a very divisive individual sitting in the white house who knows nothing about politics. this is embarrassing. i cannot take it anymore. host: one of those republican

leaders the democrats have made clear their are want to focus on heading into the 2018 election is speaker paul ryan. here is a national ad that put up by the democratic congressional campaign committee last month. ryan cateringpaul to drug companies and special interests, coming after your health care, increasing out-of-pocket costs, the distance devastating aids tax if you're 50 or older. paul ryan in the washington book and. it is the same thing every time. the rest of us have to change washington. dccc is responsible for the content of the said. host: this question where asking, should republicans retain control of congress, asking this question on election day 2017, a year out from election day 2018. anderson, california.

good morning. caller: how are you today? host: doing well. caller: i'm asking people to do something different. instead of voting for people, i am asking them to hire an employee, because that is all congress really is. i'm tired of this good-looking/ democratic -- this republican, democratic, independent. we don't have control of our employees. that is what people in congress are. we paid a salary. i don't care if you file a tax return, he still pay tax. -- you still pay a tax. it is ridiculous. these guys can walk into a house and say i want to raise and walk out. we have to be better employers. we have to start standing up and saying you cannot do this. why? because it is not right. stop hiring a party line.

start hiring the best employee. candidate for first district assembly here in california. i am tired of the way things are going. nobody is doing anything to change it. we had a toxic gas tax raise. -- had a 12 sent gas tax raise. the people passed it that you cannot raise taxes unless you come to the people first. they jump right over us. i am tired of these people complaining that sitting on their butts. the democrats have a larger capital than the republicans do. the capital is in people. people don't want to voice their opinion. i'm asking people not to vote. i am asking them to voice their opinion. that is what matters most. my vote for the ever counts for anything but i still was my opinion. host: you are running for the us of them in position out there.

are you running as an independent? caller: i'm running as a declined the state. it went all haywire. i feel the republicans keep everybody down by putting their foot on the neck. the democrats give too much. iran for a district office here in chester county and they got 26% of the voice of the people. i always spent $800. -- i only spent $800. i am trying to get people to understand that it is not about the money, it is about the visiting the hiring and firing centers which i am calling the polls. we have to get out of our old thinking. this is the 21st century people have to come up pit we losing jobs because of technology. not because companies are going overseas, but because we do not

put regulations on our company's. host: marcia is in new jersey. a democrat. caller: thank you for c-span. i do not think that the republicans should control congress. i do agree with the two callers, one from oregon, and one for maryland. i do think that term limits should be put on congress. my main priority is the control. control. too many guns are the hands of people should not have it. priority.y main i do not like to see the killing in this country. thank you for taking my call. that is going to do it for the first segment of the washington journal.

talk abouter will her legislation to battle sexual-harassment on capitol hill. we'll talk about president trump's trade policy goals as he continues as the continues his trip to asia. c-span's 50 capitals tour will continue with the bus spending the day in baton rouge. the state attorney general and secretary state will be aboard the spam bus to talk about the -- aboard the c-span bus to talk about issues. they will be joining us later on in the show. ♪ >> the c-span buses traveling across the country. we stopped in jefferson city, missouri, asking folks what is important in their state.

>> i am concerned about foreign policy. it is different than it has been in the last year. hopefully we can continue to go smoothly. it has been rocky. >> i am concerned about women's health care. it is always under attack. we need to have free control of our bodies. is we need good-paying jobs. people need to contribute to society and to help serve others. one way you can do that is by having a good job. that is something i would like to see. >> i would like to see us try to help more of those that are the neediest.

we have a project, homeless connect, several other events in our community. an impact.ng to make if that could be done state-wide, it would make our state one of the models for the nation. i would love to see that. my issue is -- we need more of the world war ii era, i think. i have been listening to winston churchill and visiting his museum. the people of the parties did wonderful things. state, onfrom the c-span. "washington journal"

continues. spiers.ckie why does congress need to look in the mirror on this issue? an enableras become of persons who engage in sexual harassment. there is no requirement that staff have sexual harassment training. there is requirements for ethics, but not sexual harassment. if you complain, it is to an office no one knows about, the office of compliance. it is constructed in a way to protect the perpetrator, not the victim. host: folks unfamiliar with , why is this

structure different than the government federal and what they might see in their workplaces? guest: in the rest of the government, there is requirement for sexual harassment training. can go topeople you for support. patchworks, we have that is inappropriate. interns and fellows have nowhere to go. the most vulnerable. if you have a complaint, you go to the office of compliance and you are given a month in which you are supposed to be provided legal counseling. it is typically one session. if you move forward, you sign an perpetuity, and then you go to mediation. in mediation, there is you, the

mediator, and the house representing the perpetrator. thehe most recent case, victim was trashed by the house counsel, saying you will never be able to work here again if you move forward with this, using intimidation. after that is completed, you have a month cooling off period. you have to continue working in that environment. it is an unsustainable and indefensible program. this is an issue you have experienced personally and that you have talked about. staffer in i was a the 1970's, the chief of staff , wehe office i worked in were alone in the office. he held my face, kissed me and stuck his tongue in my mouth. i recoiled. i was panicked.

never in a i was room alone with him again. back in the 1970's, we had not going the term sexual harassment. the courts had not determined it was a violation of title vii of the civil rights act. it was not nearly as defined as it is today, nor is it as recognized, back then, as being conduct that is to be punished. we clearly appreciate that today. the: do you get a sense problem is as prevalent today as it was then? and more so. we have a system in place in which the perpetrator is never outed, they never pay a price. is cost of any settlement taken out of the u.s. treasury. taxpayers pick up the tax. ' reimbursement

allowance, the way we run our offices, is not impacted by it. it is a get out of jail free card. host: how would your legislation change the system? one bill will require members and staff to have sexual harassment training, mandatory, every year. the second will provide a means by which you do not have to sign an nda. there will be a special victims counsel available. you will not be forced to go through mediation. at most sexual harassment cases, you go to the media or you file a lawsuit. on capitol hill, you cannot do either. host: we are talking with jackie speier.

we are inviting our viewers to call in with your questions and comments. our phone lines are different this morning. (202) 748-8000 for women to call in. for men to call in. she will be with us for about half an hour. since she came out with this story, can you talk about the reaction you have seen and heard? guest: female lawmakers have said they have been sort -- they have been sexually harassed by colleagues. we have to find a way to deal with that. i am concerned with the staffers. staffers, female members of congress still have a job. staffers are often blackballed. she was a single mother with a young child, i cannot lose this job. she has not come forward. host: how does one become

blackballed on capitol hill? guest: it is a gossip mill. known you have filed a sexual harassment complaint, there is likelihood you will not be hired in another office for fear you are going to look for a means to create trouble. most people, men and women, do not file complaints. three quarters of those sexually harassed in society never file a complaint. if you file a complaint, it is a fairly egregious situation. leadership is looking at it. i will be testifying next week on the legislation. what i have learned talking to the staffers on capitol hill, they have great fear for coming forward. had, one comment we have

we need people in congress who are honest. we have liars in congress. what happened? truth in congress. guest: what happened to truth in congress? what happened to truth in the white house? it is a calm oddity -- it is a commodity that seems to be disposable. we are not held accountable as we should be. we have caught people under oath of not telling the truth. that is a felony. you can be charged and convicted. somehow, not telling the truth manner as an acceptable in which to operate. it is not. host: glenn, california. good morning. caller: i am sorry to hear what in your younger

years. this happened to my niece and lancaster, california. ien came intole her classroom and sexually assaulted her and two of her other kids at an elementary school. you live in a sanctuary city. how many undocumented people, human traffic in your city, in san francisco, as sex slaves? there are a whole lot, but you are protecting them. nott: first of all, i do condone undocumented residents who commit crimes. i voted for the steinle

legislation, when it came up in the house. if someone is undocumented and commits a crime, they do not have a right to be here. we have a responsibility to deport them. niecethe situation your found herself in, i hope she is filing a complaint with the in herct attorney community. that is a felony and should be prosecuted. host: isabella, briarcliff, new york. caller: thank you for taking my call. about theering legislation that you want to of people ons capitol hill. beh the perpetrator's name revealed? part of the problem has been that, as you said, they want you

, or nothing is revealed. would they be treated as a regular person? regular people and should be treated as regular people. one of the provisions would be that you do not have to sign a nondisclosure agreement. legal side of the something you have personal experience with? caller: yes, unfortunately. that's why i was hoping that would be the case. in a lot of situations, certainly the age would be the 1970's and 1980's for me, you had to sign nda's, you are not allowed to have an attorney.

it sounded like what the congresswoman said, you are put arbitrator.th an old -- you are pu mmelled. you didat situation, not want to be in the industry you wanted to work in. you wanted to run. that is the worst thing. you are the one who feels dirty, less span. they are the ones who backed you into a corner, literally. host: thank you for sharing your story. guest: what you described is what a victim survivor explained to me last week. congress is in the dark ages in terms of dealing with this.

if you look at the private sector, it is not tolerated in most areas. been at it as well. we are at a tipping point. manneraddress this in a that is thoughtful and responsible and holds everybody accountable. that why you decided to introduce this legislation now? guest: i introduced it in 2014 and could not get a hearing to make it in order to take up on the house floor. times have changed. i am grateful for it. host: waverley, new york. caller: sexual harassment has been around for years. when you are young, in school, and it continues while you are getting jobs as

you get older. it does not matter. au can be dressed in turtleneck and overalls. you could be dressed from head to toe. someone is going to harass you. treat our kids better . host: thank you for the call. your comment about dress is interesting. one survivor i talked to makes a point of dressing conservatively. it still happens. it is an issue of power and being able to exert it over others that needs to be addressed. training is a key component. bet: what would the training like on capitol hill? what are you asking for in that training, and a culture of

powerful people? there is a training module you can do online. i would like to see that changed. it speaks about how you can get around the system rather than foryou make the system work you. we need more in person training. role-playing helps people appreciate what the boundaries are to conduct that is comfortable, but not one that invades privacy or becomes sexually heated. host: michelle, houston, texas. caller: i would like to know if , possibly your bill workplace bullying could be included. you keep talking about ,ntimidation and harassment people having power over others. introace bullying is an

to sexual harassment, if the person continues to receive and work around that individual. what you think about putting that in? guest: sexual-harassment is defined as -- quid pro quo, you do this to have a job and i will hostilee of you, or, a work environment. under hostile work environment, that could be addressed. it is something, everyone has workplaceto have a where they can conduct business and not be hostile he treated -- hostily treated or have an approach made to them. sexual-harassment often times begets sexual assault. that is something we need to be serious about addressing. one can move into something that is a violent felony. host: elk grove village,

illinois, lawrence. i assume you are a lawyer. guest: i am. i am a recovering one, but i am. give you would like to advice. maybe you could have more credibility when you were you referreder -- to the person who was accused as the perpetrator. he referred to the person doing the accusing as the victim. the languageot be used until there is some investigation. you would have more credibility if you used proper terms. guest: all right. i have no comment about that. i see someone sexually harassing a staff member as being a perpetrator. host: mary, auburn, new york.

caller: i would like to ask of jackie a question about sexual-harassment. what happens when your party allows males into the women's bathrooms and locker rooms? pare males still have their ts. looking at bruce jenner, for example. he was married and fathered children. they can still use these parts against women and children. i would like to hear your comment on that. question has to do with persons who are transgender. you are talking about a situation where there is -- we are talking about a situation where there is sexual harassment in the workplace. i am supportive of trans-genders.

they represent a portion of the population who should not be discriminated against. at using the bathrooms they identify with is only appropriate. is with us. speier i want to get your reaction to the shooting in texas on sunday. came to your office and focused on a display outside your office, the faces -- the victims of gun violence. atst: i am looking across the flag at half staff and i realize it will almost become permanent if we don't address this issue. it is one mass shooting after another in this country. horrific sets of circumstances.

there are a number of things we can do that would have immediate effect. background checks that are comprehensive, ones that make sure if you buy it at a gun show or the internet, or another person, there is an instant background check to determine whether you are a felon, have committed domestic violence, and whether you have been adjudged as unstable. we have passed a law and the president signed it, that allows persons determined to be in conservatorship, who are not deemed to have the mental capacity, they can still buy guns. we are going in the wrong direction. background checks are critical. ,eyond that, assault weapons there is no reason the ar-15 used by this shooter and who was

able to put magazines filled with 50 bullets and shoot and spray the bullets as he did, create that kind of carnage. today keyrts information was not provided to the fbi that would have prevented him from purchasing a gun. guest: the current system has loopholes. case, he should not have been able to buy a gun after he was convicted of being a domestic violence abuser. yet, he did. the mistake was by the air force not transferring that information to the national database. three states in the country have transferred less s to the persons' name

database because they don't want to participate. it has been voluntary. we need a comprehensive database. beyond that, banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines is important. host: do you think it is realistic? atst: if we have the flag half staff on a permanent basis, we will get some backbone, we will do something. the nra should not own the congress. host: jackie speier with us. columbia, maryland. good morning. caller: i am a mother of three sons. of sexualvor harassment and assault, it is , youtant we teach our sons

need to respect women. i am curious if there are educational initiatives to bring that to schools as part of the curriculum? that: there are programs have been created in the schools. in my district, there is a 24/7 respect program, where they teach children to respect each other. that goes to the issue of courtesyand general that should be extended to everyone. those efforts are underway in many school districts around the country. it also starts at home, as you realize. jean, cincinnati, ohio. affair,do you think the or whatever bill clinton did, on congress.t

he was never really punished and he was supported at the time by n.o.w. i am curious about that. .uest: he was impeached that is a form of punishment. he was tried and it was not pursued in that venue. i will tell you, i remember when this happens. at the nine-year-old son time. i was offended i had to explain to him what a blow job was. like that by anyone, a president, persons in office who conduct themselves in that manner, should be held to account for their behavior. host: catherine, mobile,

alabama. caller: i appreciate your work. there is one thing i would like to ask you do for us women. i was raised in the 1950's and 1960's, in alabama and mississippi. it is mean and hateful down here. i experienced the worst torment out of men my entire growing up process. i worry for the girls and children today. years, i have been n,lling c-span, msnbc, cn writing letters, begging people to stop this. i would like you to have in this bill that men are not allowed to .egislate against us anymore

i don't know what the answer is to help us. i am telling you, they will not stop. if we do not stand up for our girls, they will not have any rights. , we as women of this country, are allowed to have equal rights under the law. -- they rolled back the rape initiative that was put in by the obama administration. they do not want equal pay for equal work. people's private parts. it is creepy. these are old, wrinkled man. -- wrinkled men. i look at the children and think what do these men have in common with these beautiful children, these lovely girls. inn i was growing up, i was

a trigonometry class and they told me -- what is a girl doing in my 8:00 trigonometry class? it was bad. i try to tell women we have got to stop this behavior. women marched against cigarettes and alcohol. can't they come out and march 4 civil rights for their daughters -- march for civil rights for their daughters? guest: they have. the largest march in the history of this country took place around this country, with women and men marching for the women's march. we are reaching a tipping point where many of these issues have the opportunity to be addressed and legislated on. host: have you gotten pushback from male members of congress since introducing this legislation? guest: i have had a number of

them say -- tell me about this training. what can i do? it has heightened their awareness. staff.raining with my my staff has taken it again. i am going to take it again. told there, i was were just a handful of offices that had the training. takenly time they tend to the training is if there were an offense in the office. host: new york, good morning. comment. have a quick why don't we prepare women for couldentuality that this happen to them? allow them to make decisions aheadoften times, women are raia bit sheltered. i would not just hand them the keys to a car and tell them to

go at it without giving them some driving lessons or something along those lines. why are we not mentally preparing women so they can figure out ahead of time how to handle these situations? be anso what would example of that that you would want. score -- that you would want parents or employers to do? caller: i think it would be best done with parents. street savvyof women and they know how to handle themselves. you take someone who like me, was raised in a suburban, ruralish community. those sortssed to of behaviors and when it happened to me, i was completely unprepared. i froze. i was mortified. i think that as part of the problem. you think, i should have done

this, i could have done that. maybe if i've been prepared for those possibilities ahead of time -- it is like any other self-defense, you have got to make the decisions before you are in the situation. acknowledgeat least that situation could occur, but it seems like we are not doing a good job of telling women, as ugly as it is, this could happen and you to think about your options ahead of time. host: thanks for the call. guest: a couple of things. a law of it does started home. when i was a young girl, my father gave me judo lessons. i think that was his way of trying to prepare me. beyond that, training in the workplace is critical. everyone should know what their rights and responsibilities are. normalld not accept as that persons in the workplace

can conduct themselves in a manner that is sexually harassing or that turns into sexual assault. those are two good points. i was a single mom for a number of years and i can assure you, my 23-year-old daughter now knows how to push back. host: from page went, south carolina. guest: -- caller: good morning. i would like to ask you a question. sexual harassment in the workplace by a man or a woman should never, never have to be put up with. i know everywhere i have worked, the human relations department had an open door policy and if someone was sexually harassed, they would investigate. the later that called a while ago and the points that she made -- one other point i wanted to make, have you ever personally

shot in ar-15? guest: yes, i have. caller: great. you understand the clip sizes. they come and 30. i what i want to touch base with you on -- they come in 15, 20, and 30. the gun does not kill anyone. it is the person. it is not the gone. bansaid ban gun -- if we assault weapons, the black guys are still going to get it. you can get them on the black market. is, wemy response to you had an assault weapon ban in this country before. we all seem to be able to live under those rules. it does not mean you cannot own

your arsenal of guns if you want an arsenal, but the power that issts with an assault weapon one that empowers someone to have more firepower than the police officer who may be in a position of addressing it when they are stopped. do not need an assault weapon to shoot bambi. authorede, have in the weapon ban bills california legislature and i think that california has the toughest laws on the books and the fact that we have these boundaries allows guns to move in and out of the state. host: jane, good morning. i have concerns about the lack of due process that occurred when the obama administration put forth the executive order about sexual harassment on college campuses. i think it is scary anytime we eliminate due process.

i would like the representative's comment on that, please. guest: actually, there is due process. on a collegess campus is that you go to the person who is a title nine coordinator, they do an investigation, there is a determination made on a conference of the evidence. all civil rights cases are determined on the preponderance of the evidence -- that more than 50% of the circumstance that it was indeed had occurred. what is being promoted by the secretary of education is a clear and convincing standard. if you assault someone, if you cheat, you are going to be subject to a preponderance of the evidence but if you sexually assault, you are going to as a victim have to prove by clear and convincing which is a much higher standard.

presentlyrights cases require preponderance of evidence. there is due process, let's make it very clear. , represent 3% to a percent of all claims that are filed. minute ornly have a two left, but i did not will you to leave without asking you about the russian investigation. you are a member of the house intelligence committee. can you give us an update on what is happening in that committee and also, your reaction to those indictments and the guilty plea in the mueller probe. guest: first of all, they intervened on many platforms whether it was social media are hacking into computers -- they had a full campaign to undermine our democracy. i think it is still a question as to whether or not they impacted the votes.

they got into voting systems and voting records -- it is unclear if whether or not they got into voting machines. they are not going away. they will be with us until we shut them down. in terms of the investigation, i think there is growing evidence that the trump campaign wanted to collude with the russians. if you recall that meeting in heald trump jr.'s office, wanted dirt on hillary, do you have any more dirt? that would suggest that there was an effort to want to. there may be more evidence coming out later that will show more threads that suggests an interesting -- and interest and coordinating. host: congresswoman jackie speier and one of those three committees that is investigating russia election -- the election in 2016. guest: my pleasure. host: president trump continuing

his asia tour. we will take a look at his trade policy goals coming up next with politico's adam behsudi. later this morning, c-span's 50 capitals tour. the state attorney general and secretary of be aboard the c-span bus talking about top issues facing louisiana. stay tuned. ♪ the c-span bus is traveling across the country on our 50 tour.l touir -- we recently stopped and mississippi. >> i'm concerned about foreign policy. we have a big chance -- a big change and administration. it is a little different in the last eight years of hopefully we can continue to go smoothly. it has been a little rocky at

the start here. c-span helps me keep up to date. >> i am really concerned about women's health care. it seems like it is under attack and in order for women to be truly equal, we need to have free control of our bodies. >> my issue is what i think missouri means is we need good paying jobs. we need people who can society and help serve others. one way you can do that is by having a really good job. that is something i would like to see. >> i would like to see us try to that are thethose neediest and our communities. , weave a project homeless have several other different, significant events in our community, and we are trying to make an impact and if that could be done state wide and every community, it would make our models for thee

nation. i would love to see that. >> my issue is we need more ,eaders of the world war ii era i think. i'm on the edge of that. i beenthought -- listening to winston churchill and visiting his museum over in fulton, missouri, and the people of the 40's did some wonderful things. >> on c-span. washington journal continues. host: president trump is entering the middle stretch of his 12 day trip to asian nations this week and with trade a top agenda item, we are joined by adam behsudi, a trade reporter with politico.

adam, what would account for a mission a cop list for the president? i think it is kind of hard to say. the president -- when he looks at trade issues, one of his main reducehing goal is to the u.s. trade deficit with a bunch of these countries. that has sort of been his main objective in trade agenda going back to nafta -- renegotiating that, reopening the trade deal with south korea, and then dealing with china on various fronts. world, i think we would see possible agreements, announcements that would move towards that objective. americamind us of where was on pacific trade the last time these asian nations that president trump is visiting -- the last time an american

president visited them and how that has changed in the first 10 months of the trump administration? guest: under the previous administration, there was this. to asia and -- there was this pivot to asia. the goal of that was to reshape the trading rules in that region and have a way a buffer against china. that has obviously changed. president trump, one of the first things he did in office was take the u.s. out of that trading arrangement. he looks at bilateral trade deals as sort of more valuable in his view. he thinks the u.s. can exert its leverage and develop better relationships with countries through that. strong casealso for regional deals because he is that platform. when you are dealing with china,

the previous administration thought that was important to have a set of rules governor and intellect -- governing intellectual property that would keep china and check. trade picturethe look like right now amongst the nowr 11 members of the tpp in the several months post tpp? guest: they -- with the leadership of japan, they have simultaneously are continuing the tpp among themselves without the u.s.. they are trying to reach a final agreement amongst the 11 countries for it that would -- the 11 countries. that would put the deal without the u.s. that would allow the u.s. to come back effortlessly or without much effort in the future so they are countryng some of the

and they are trying to have an announcement -- it is still in question whether they will have something to announce at the aipac meeting that the president will attend. host: i do want to discuss some of these trade issues that we have been talking about. phone lines are open. (202) 748-8000, republicans (202) 748-8001, independents (202) 748-8002. done anyn the meantime of these bilateral deals, completed any of them? where are we in the state of their nose negotiations? guest: the policy right now seems to be focused on revisiting our current trade makeionships and trying to

those relationships more balanced. that includes reopening the ,afta with canada and mexico taking south korea back to the to -- so we are looking looking back at our current deals. said he wantshas to pursue these bilateral deals, but there has been no public opening aretowards preparing for negotiations with those other countries. for visual learners, here is a chart on the trade picture with asian countries, u.s. oforts, about $985 billion imports from asian countries. about $452 billion. the u.s. with the largest trade deficit with china at $347

billion. japan at $69 billion. south korea, $28 billion. and so on, down the charge. -- down the chart. countries that are not playing by international trade rules, countries that manipulate their currency, is he doing any of that and his 12 day trip to asia with any of these countries he will be visiting? action inhave seen the process of that and we have seen a pretty active number of cases being filed at the commerce department against andir -- against dumping unfair subsidization. .e have not seen any action yet that may be for a variety of

reasons with north korea getting china to cooperate on that. he started an investigation into china. it is intellectual property protections and forced and under transfer section 301 of the trade act of 1974 and that is a pretty serious action to take in that seestigation -- most people it as resulting in some sort of trade action against china. we are also starting investigations into reports of steel. that could result in something. you have also seen domestic companies emboldened to file more serious trade actions with the international trade commission.

you've seen that on solar panels. you have seen that on washing machines. those are going to be handed off to the president to make a decision. the: we are speaking about president, he is in south korea. this is him earlier today talking about the trade issues that he is discussing with the leaders of south korea. [video clip] to dotrump: we would like much more business with south korea where south korea is going to order a whole lot more. the good news is you will be ordering. representatives, the amount of equipment and things you will be ordering from the united states will be substantially increased and therefore, will bring the trade deficit way down. which is very important to our people. we have trade deficits with numerous countries and we do not want to have trade deficits. we appreciate it very much. you are getting the finest equipment. host: what equipment is the resident talking about>? guest: i think he is talking

about military equipment. generally, that is in line with the president's view that having other countries by more american goods is a way to reduce that trade deficit and combining that with a strong enforcement agenda orch could stop or halt restrict imports. i think you made the same point in japan with japan buying a law of military hardware. host: let's take a few calls as we talk about the president's trade agenda with adam behsudi of politico. cindy, fort lauderdale, florida. good morning. caller: i wanted you to know that i, too, do not like the trade deficits. we invented televisions and not one is made and the united

states. we are not only capable of making military equipments. if we invented it, it should be made here, not used in some kind of political game of trade. be what you to cannot make for yourself, you can buy from someone else. it works on that principle. run around and make what someone else is good at making. host: what if you can get those products cheaper from another country? yeah, but you caused a global recession doing that, didn't you? didn't you? especially when you combine it with the federal law that your currency is worth less and less every single year. -- you causedobal

a global recession. wake up. host: adam, i will let you jump in. guest: i think that is the root betweenverall struggle this administration's america first approach and the more globalist up. -- globalist approach. those supportive of open and free trade see this as a global world now and see that as something we cannot control. we have to find a way to manage. then, you have the president's view of america first and pursuing policies that make sure jobs come back to the u.s.. reduce the trade deficit.

eternal debatehe over global versus america first. that is a debate that will continue to be happening. n is waiting, independent. just like to say that having the tpp makes the globalist government steroids. we need to protect trade with and we need to keep our products here. also, concerning military hardware, we are advancing at a much rapid place in terms of military hardware and technology. this will lead to a war that we cannot fight against possibly robots. it will eventually come down to a war against people and robots and we are in danger of making the human race go extinct. focus in thed to

first part of that when he is talking about trade and focusing on products made in america. where are we on the renegotiation of nafta? guest: right now, the u.s. has put forward a number of proposals, controversial proposals that would implement this overall vision of america first. that includes a heightening rules for automobile in aacturing and putting mechanism that would automatically set this trade years unless the country agrees that it is working for them. really, putting some serious proposals that question and challenge the trade deal. veryo and canada have been

-- they have been trying to, they are very challenged by these proposals and i think a lot of people think they are going to have a hard time accepting these and fighting copper mise. -- finding compromise. i think people are 50-50 on this deal. the president has talked about using his authority to with from the deal as a way to press the two countries to agree to the demands. the u.s. has an unyielding approach to these negotiations. it is anyone's guess on whether they are going to compromise on what they have already proposed. host: ohio, larry, good morning. line for independent. caller: good morning.

manufacturer of the highest quality nonperishable food in the world, and i could not sell anything after offering major discounts. the dollar is too strong. the foreign currency coming into it causes the dollar to be extremely high compared to other currencies. access need is a market charge that would charge foreign currency and dissuade these countries from bringing their currency to this country. is, the big lie of globalism is that nafta is important. it is not. since 1998, the trade deficit that has been driving the federal deficit, you can take the tables and it will scare the hell out of you. they run parallel. we have got to do something

about that. main things are going to be a market access charge to bring the dollar down and get our tax 20% forn to 50% to corporate income tax and get those companies back here. 20% for down to 15% to corporate income tax and get those companies back here. the trade deficit sucks out the demand for 70 million jobs in this country. the 94 million that you keep -- it makes our economy too small to support the federal governments. that is one of the reasons we are running federal deficits. the trade deficit sucks out about half $1 trillion out of our banks. host: the currency question is a big one. it is something that the previous administration had tried to address in the tpp, but it did not set up a binding, enforceable mechanism to hold

countries to task for manipulating or do evaluate devaluingent== -- their currency. really beens have on the forefront of this because they feel the car is being built in foreign countries are coming in and undercutting value of their automobiles because of the currency difference. trumpw the president promised during the campaign to hold china accountable and that he would labeled them a currency-manipulator. the treasury department has an annual report putting -- that they put out doing so. he has kind of backed off that. i think he is holding that in his pocket as a tool. problem that people have talked a lot about.

it is hard for the u.s. to regulate on that because we have our own monetary policy. the treasury department especially is very careful about holding other countries accountable for fear that if we were to need to have very monetary policy, we would not want to be prevented from doing that. host: lawrence in washington dc, line for democrats. caller: yes, good morning. my, is simply to ask a couple of questions. number one, we did not start this international trade until nixon went to china and opened the trade. what i thought americans did, the manufacturers, the big-money people went to china and decided, we can get a law of products made at a very inexpensive price, have them

made, shift back to america -- shipped back to america. at that point, china started putting in japan because we dropped japan down lower than china, and then the americans decided, we can get a lot of things left. caller: we are running out of time -- guest: we are running out of time. what is your question. caller: i'm just trying to get him to confirm. host: it is true. companies have gone to labor markets where they can produce and that has been made possible by technology, oursportation, interconnected world has grown

much more connected. that has been what has been happening. some people would argue that the trade policy have been a response to that. there is the argument that that would have happened anyway. based on our evolving economy and our evolving world, tpp, the obama administration was a way to keep the and in check. ,ules on labor and environment that would level the playing field. in a way, you are seeing this -- takeration take a that problem seriously but also in a very -- a much different approach. adam behsudi writes about it all as a trade reporter or political.

thank you so much. guest: thank you. host: coming up, we will have open phones for you. we will hear about any public policy issue that she will want to hear. lines for democrats, republicans, independents. you can start calling now. stick around, c-span's 50 capitals tour with the buses spending its day in louisiana with the capital that in reach. they will talk about the top issues facing that state. we'll be right back. ♪ >> the house ways and means committee continues work on the gop tax reform bill today and wednesday. watch live coverage at 10:00 a.m. eastern on c-span three and c-span.org. or listen on the free c-span radio app.

50 years ago, the united states was at war indian non-. weekend,rans day american history tv on c-span3 looks back with 48 hours of coverage starting saturday at 8:00 a.m. eastern. we are live at the national archives among the backdrop of helicopters. 1:00from 11:30 a.m. until p.m., we are taking phone calls in tweets live about the war 1967. at 1:00 p.m., from washington dc's the anon veterans -- the .ietnam veterans memorial on sunday, 4:00 p.m. eastern, a 1957 cbs news war report. to theher it is due terrain, itics, the

seems clear that the american military thinks that the dmz has bogged down. on american artifacts, we will tour the national archives exhibit remembering vietnam. at 8:00, on the presidency, president lyndon johnson. >> we made our statement to the world on what we would do. would stand when those people in the face of common danger. the time came when we had to put up or shut up. we put up and we were there. >> watch the vietnam war, 50 years later. this weekend on american history tv on c-span3. washington journal continues. host: it is open phones on the washington journal. any public policy issue, we will do it for the next 20 minutes.

democrats. (202) 748-8000, republicans (202) 748-8001 independents (202) 748-8002. papers show you some this morning. here is the headlines from some texas newspaper. it is focusing on the massacre at the texas church. "family dispute tied to massacre." the picture there of fbi agents continuing to conduct their search. paper,her texas "gunmen's past not disclosed." one more headline from the "victorian advocate" focusing on some of the victims including an family, aids members of that family dying on sunday.

members of -- eight that family dying on sunday. two men in truck chase down , is thehooter, let's go headline there. the shooting with of the first baptist church and sutherland springs. taking your comments this morning. any public policy issue you want to talk about. from selma, alabama, line for democrats. caller: good morning. i can hardly hear you. host: go ahead with your comments. theyr: i want to know why try to push our taxes so fast when we had to pay for garbage, water, and then you have to go to the electric company and pay

one dollar 50 to three dollars $3.50 to paynd your bills. then, we do not know where the money is going to go. they might just shipment across overseas anyway. why are they doing all of this? host: the tax reform debate continues today on capitol hill. the house committee will reconvene to continue their consideration of republican tax reform bill. we are going to share that live on c-span three. you can also watch it on c-span.org, listen to it on the c-span radio app. joyce's in woodbridge, virginia. caller: good morning. thank you for taking my comment. i feel that the american people are being fooled once again.

i think that the story line that they are giving to us that, oh, we are going to reform the tax laws, i think this is a very big trick on the american public. they are saying that they are the playingecause field is unfair because americans are paying more taxes, the deficits and all of that, but i feel the bottom line is when these companies went overseas to get cheap labor, how could the american people compete with these companies that are paying their workers $.17 an hour? if you pay somebody $.15 an hour, even one dollar an hour, how could the u.s. who is paying eight dollars an hour, $16 an

hour, how can they compete with these other companies? the greedy corporations, of course they want to get profit. they go overseas and get the cheap labor but when they bring it back here, the poor and the middle class have to pay the same high-priced for the products as when those products are being made in this country. host: that is joyce, in virginia. john is in north carolina, independent. caller: hello. i want to talk about the tax reform bill. the narrative is being pushed that the money -- that the tax reform bill is going to cost the government's money as if the government's money to start with. no, it is our money that we are giving to the government so they can pay for goods and services on the federal level. it is not the government's money. the democrat party has managed

to change that narrative as to where it is the government's money and they are letting us have it. it is not that way. it should not be that way. we need to get back to the government that has limited in scope and duties at the federal level. see them stop spending money that they have no constitutional mandate to do. host: would you be ok if in this tax reform bill, republicans use it to undo parts of the affordable care act? the federal government has no constitutional mandate to provide health care or require people to buy health care -- health insurance. that duty under the the numerator powers is not delegated to the federal government so it is reserved to the states.

it should be the states that are coming up with health care for their citizens. on this topic, the "washington post" reporting on rejecting president trump's pushed to use the tax bill -- the amendment that was eventually passed did not include a repeal of the affordable care act insurance mandate that requires most purchase health care. nonpartisan analysts say it would have saved the government more than $500 billion over a decade what would have left 15 million more americans without health insurance. open phones on the washington journal, nitro is in new york. good morning. caller: good morning. my suggestion is that this bill

should not be passed until people can compare their -- hello? host: compare what? caller: people can compare their opposed toyear as the republican plan for next year. wait until you get your tax statement and see -- do your or do it the old way and see what comes out better. after take the vote until april 15. that all. -- that is all. host: how would that work? yourould you be able to do taxes both way? i think we lost, nitro.

bob, go ahead. caller: yet. -- yeah. this trade is concerned, i think most americans are quite even -- as far asde automobiles are concerned, i am sorry, but american cars are not popular in korea because of the bad image with the quality. koreans --id-1970's, they are either buying bends or or ferrari.enz

how manyprised different types of u.s. products are being sold in korea as well. procter & gamble products like laundry detergent and toothpaste are being sold in korea whereas no korean products are being sold here and it is not because koreans do not know how to make their own toothpaste. i think there is some misperception and misunderstanding on the part of american consumers or even consumer pollack -- american politicians. considered to be the best american products by those in south korea? obviously, the military equipments, of course. we, meaning america, export lots of agricultural products to materialsa like raw

which they used to make products to export all over the world including america. yeah. those are the things that in korea, are popular. host: larry, memphis tennessee, line for democrats. caller: good morning, how are you doing? host: doing well. caller: good. this tax bill is up big giveaway to the big companies and the rich. host: mention about the what? caller: i want to make a mention about the cabinet. they come out and tell a lie and the alternative facts and the republicans come out. this is a disgrace. host: one other news story to point you to, we talked about it , the attack on senator

rand paul of kentucky -- more details on that being reported in the "new york times." this attributed to a yard dispute with his neighbor. it left a senator nursing bruised lungs and ribs. andrding to neighbors kentucky republicans that are familiar, the new york times reporting that their competing explanations of the origins of the drama citing stray yard clippings and underrate leaves, "they just could not get along. it had little to do with democrat to republican politics, politics," jim said.

likely to be some more reporting stillt story as there are a few questions about what exactly was behind it. back to your calls, michelle in l.a.. line for independent, go ahead. caller: thank you for taking my call. my concern is rex tillerson shuttering the sanctions office. keeping with in trying to reduce the state department but a followed missing the deadline for the sanctions to be imposed on russia. it seems to me that it was a bad move. especially since the state department has been reduced and foreign affairs seem to be so troubling right now. host: do you have experience and working in foreign affairs? caller: no. i do have a political science bachelor's but that is the extent of it. -- wewhat do you think spent our first hour of our show talking about election day 2018,

we are a year away. what do think the russian investigation and these concerns about russia, how much you think that plays into the congressional elections a year from now? caller: i think it is still up in the air because it seems that it is very difficult to gauge the mood of the country. still very divided, both sides, so i am not sure. host: thanks for the call. theviewers unfamiliar with story that michelle was referring to, here is the newspaper reporting on it. secretary of state tillerson eliminating a key office in the state department coordinate foreign sanctions policy. congressional sources tell foreign policy that tillerson had a limited the office of the coordinator for sanctions policy as part of his plan to revamp the state department. some reporting on that the time when it came out.

richard in michigan, a republican. caller: yes. i'm interested in gun control to a certain extent. what i am wondering is why do we 20 oreapons that can hold 30 or 40 rounds in semi automatic rifles? why this has anything to do with personal protection, i do not know. i am think about when the amendment was written, we were talking about those that are loaded by hand in the barrel, , we werer tamping down not talking about weapons anything like these. i am not talking about getting rid of all weapons i am just talking about these big clips that we find in almost every massacre. clips that will hold 50 rounds or 30 rounds or something like

that, especially in rifles. with rifles, i think that is ridiculous requirement or i ridiculous way of saying that we have the right to bear arms to use weapons like this. they have nothing to do with personal protection unless you are standing often army or something like that. i just do not get it. why do we allow clips that can hold so many rounds? lead in the usa today's editorial, it is titled "enough is enough, stop the insanity about guns." they also include some of the research from the pew research center in their survey about the gun proposals when it comes to banning high-capacity magazines, 65% surveyed supported that proposal. 68% supported--

banning assault style weapons. 84% supported background checks for private sales. in the 9% supported preventing the mentally ill from buying guns. if you want to read in today's usa today. a caller from north carolina, republican. caller: yes. people were talking about the media. and the criminal division at the courthouse is. there are facts. -- at the court houses. the taxpayersnce to pay for his taxes on all of his properties and all of his golf courses. we have another problem, and the single-payer for bernie sanders, how come the state of vermont does not want the single-payer system in their state? then we have congress.

all of the people in congress are just staying there. ryan, they did, not do what the popular people wanted. they opposed everything. host: that is our caller from north carolina. our last caller in this open phone segments but coming up, c-span's 50 capitals tour continues this morning with the bus spending the day and louisiana in the capital city of baton rouge. we have two top officials in secretary joining us, of state tom schedler and at 9:30, we will be joined by louisiana attorney general jeff landry. ♪ 50 years ago, the united states was at war with vietnam. weekend, c-span3 looks back

with 48 hours of coverage for its saturday at 8:00 a.m., we are live from the national archives among the backdrop of three vietnam-era helicopters. until 1:00 p.m., we are taking your phone calls and tweets live about the war in 1967. at 1:00 p.m., from washington dc's via nonveterans memorial, a ceremony. cbsunday, 4:00 p.m., a 1967 vietnam news special report. the bader it is due to fighting conditions, the weather, or the terrain, it seems clear that the american military defenses have bogged down. 6:00, we will tour the national archives exhibit remembering vietnam. on the presidency, the

1967 president lyndon johnson the anon war press conference. >> we made our statement to the world of what we would do if we have promised aggression in that part of the world in 1954. we said we would stand with those people in the face of common danger. the time came when we had to put up or shut up. we put up and we were there. watch the vietnam war, 50 years later, this weekend on american history tv on c-span3. washington journal continues. host: c-span's 50 capitals tour is an baton rouge, louisiana where the c-span buses parked right outside the tallest state capital in the nation. has 34 floors, finished in 1932, houses all the offices of that state's government. joining us on the bus is tom

schadler who served as secretary of state. , you are schedler going to be in washington tomorrow. what is the reason? actually, that was canceled. , is thehis district unfortunate issue out in texas and so it was canceled. i do scramble yesterday butrnoon to cancel my hotel i got out of everything very smoothly and we will wait for the rescheduling. host: when that is rescheduled, will be the focus of that hearing? going to be cyber attack issues, cybersecurity in component of the our election process so it is a very timely subject and one that all of my fellow colleagues are very interested in and

certainly take seriously. you serve as cochair of the emergency preparedness elections -- four elections in the secretary of state association, what are some of your concerns when it comes to election security? well, it has been a hot button issue ever since the last presidential campaign and it continues on today. eating putissue of into critical infrastructure on the homeland security -- we had the issue of being put into critical infrastructure on the homeland security. of thee assistance national association, i serve in the capacity of which you just indicated and i'm the current election committee chairman but more importantly, i did several congressional testimonies when i was president of the organization. i want to assure the american public that each and every secretary of state across the country takes the issue very,

very seriously. we each have our own unique ways of handling that the we do have the assistance of homeland security. we are in the process of getting clearances and getting secret information from that agency when those threats arise. louisiana was blessed that we were not one of the 21 states that was purportedly, the doorknob was rattled, but on election day, the security of machines -- we are very comfortable with. like louisiana, our system is one where each machine is separate. they are not linked together. the vulnerability and the one that you have heard most about is on the registration side where your registration lists your photos. if some -- your voters.

if something happened there, it would cause delays and some problems but it would not affect the election per se. elongate the results, it may create some lines to rectify the problem, but all of us have a duplication of those systems that we could quickly rebuild. that is the important thing. we are costly trying to improve on that situation and i know here in louisiana, we feel very comfortable with assist them we have. host: you referred to it as a system. a lot of states have multiple systems but louisiana is unique in this regard, correct? caller: -- guest: that is correct. what we call eight top-down system, i'm a very big proponent of that. unlike a being driven by the

local level, county level, you may have several systems, louisiana owns all their own machines. we warehouse only our own machines. so it is a very close to the system. it gives a better security model than pushing that down to the county level. louisiana, we were first to that as parishes, and i can only imagine that frustration in louisiana with 64 parishes if we had 64 different systems. it is different. there are one or two other states that have a similar type process but the line share is more on a local basis. we are talking with louisiana secretary of state tom schedler about election security. is the area code and if you live in louisiana have a comment to make,784 >>8 c-span's 50 capitals tour c-span's 50 784-8000 is a --

number to call. do you leave a paper trail? matter matter -- guest: of fact, we are going to go on a system that will give us some advantages that we do not have now. we will also hopefully be able to produce an actual paper ballot at the end of the -- a voter would not leave the precinct with that but they would be able to view what they -- into the it machine is exactly what -- .e do produce a tape we have never lost in court with that. this would put one extra step to it that the voter could actually see exactly how he voted on a machine.

in louisiana, we were the first state to offer what we call go boat -- go-vote. you can mock vote under the new system, hopefully we will be able to pass that underneath the screen and populate the ipad so to speak and have this paper ballot. we would be able to vote anywhere in the state wherever you may be on election day, if you are away from home or a college student at school. it would be a very unique system and something we are hoping we , and hopefully we will know the answer to that sometime early january. come out of ay population of 4.6 million or so, you have 3 million registered voters, really relatively high. how is the turnout? guest: horrible.

we have had five elections in louisiana since the presidential election. we had one in early voting as we speak here. the vote will be november 18. literallymary, we had a 13.8% voter turnout. i'm anticipating somewhere in 11%-12% voter turnout for this election. it's for several issues, local propositions, but a statewide office of treasurer. i have been a big proponent for several years of moving to a temporary appointment process where we have a position that opens up midterm. this position was opened up when our previous treasurer was elected to the u.s. senate . it's only for two years remaining. we have had an individual in the position for almost a year.

my attitude is why would we not just keep the individual for another year and get to a congressional election or a statewide election where you have better voter turnout? louisiana is what it costs to run a statewide election. it costs the same amount of money to run a presence will let presidential election. we can certainly put our money at that uses here in louisiana in my opinion. i'm going to be moving very strongly with the legislature because i think this election cycle has made the case for me to do that. host: your tried some different techniques, early voting, saturday voting. what is the secret to increasing that turnout? guest: that's the million-dollar question across the country. i know when i served as president of the national association aside from new biggestechnology, the concern is the lack of

participation across the country. let's face it. the population is absolutely at wits end, mad, frustrated at a national level, and it filters down to local government. quite frankly until that attitude changes, i do not know what to do about that. we have a veterans program. i almost embarrass people by telling them a 20% voter turnout, just think about that. you have a remote 10 people in an audience and you get to tables to stand up to represent a 20% voting population out of those 100. those 11 people decided for all 100 in the room. it happens across the country every election. people are complaining. they are frustrated, but the best way to emphasize that complaint is to go out and register your vote and change something in an effective way -- not sitting in a coffee shop complaining. it all starts with the frustration with the federal government and the gridlock and all the various aspects.

it filters down and it seems to be getting worse and worse. everybody is in their corner and we don't talk to one another. we don't negotiate anything further. at some point, the american public will have enough of it. host: let's hear from some of our callers. byron is in denton springs, louisiana. you are on the air. please go ahead. caller: thank you, peter. my biggest problem in louisiana is discussed. we have got nothing done. a louisiana, we have got nothing done nationally. all they want to do is say i'm a republican. i'm a democrat and i'm not going to work with you. in the laste up 15-20 years in louisiana. we were very fortunate to get a democratic governor elected and we did have a good turnout on that election. i don't know what to do to make it repeat, but we certainly

don't need the secretary of state -- not secretary of state, but attorney general coming up. he's been running for governor since he became attorney general. we should have someone else go along with our secretary of state to represent the people of louisiana on c-span. host: secretary schadler? guest: thank you for your comments. let me clarify. i'm certainly not running for governor. i will make that comment here on national tv. i understand. i think he was indicative of what i described -- frustration and anger from the top on down. i agree with him wholeheartedly, but the election he referred to was 40%. ort's a lot better than 10% 12%, but certainly when you have 86% of your eligible voters in louisiana registered to vote, 40% is not that great either.

i do appreciate his comment and he exhibited exactly what i indicated before, which is voter frustration. host: craig is calling in from texas. go ahead. i'm in texas. i've been all across the united states and people need to get together and decide on how to build things that will withstand hurricanes. we dug 60 foot holes 60 foot deep within augur. it took about three or four hours to dig the hole and you need to make the telephone line hurricane proof to know it can withstand 150 mile-per-hour winds. we worked with the louisiana augur service and louisiana and we built lines all the way to texas. we built. electricity hurricane proof. -- volts of electricity

hurricane proof. host: thank you, craig. a little off-topic, but any response for that caller? guest: certainly after katrina, a gentleman like that is the one who rebuilt katrina and it's happening in the houston area and now in florida. we are very used to those situations and those types of individuals who come in after the storm in harm's way and assist our constituency in making things better and getting electricity back on for everyone. host: you served as a louisiana state senator for many years, including being chair of the republican delegation. how is the president doing? how is the national party doing in your view? mean, it's in chaos just like the other side of the equation. to thatit goes back initial comment i made about the

frustration. i think just politics in general have reached an all-time low across this country. there is no discussion. everybody is in their corner. i came out of an environment when i was in the state senate and even some of the gentleman i noticed served in the federal government level, there used to be a reaching across the aisle of individuals who know one another's families. they get together and compromise. that turned into a very dirty word now, compromise. i came out of an environment where republicans and democrats looked at the issue and voted on the issue. it's becoming very similar to the federal government here over the last two years since i've gotten out. it causes problems. people need to sit down and discuss things like they used to on a very rational basis and come to a conclusion. the old adage of i didn't get everything i want and my opponent on the other side didn't get with that want,

that's a win-win for everybody and for the american public and the taxpayer. when everybody gets in their corner and decides to do nothing, everybody loses and that's the situation we have today. host: have you found more compromise since john bel edwards has been elected governor of louisiana? guest: well, i mean, look. i'm very respectful of john bel edwards. i think he has done a fabulous job. he did some of the great job in the hurricane threats and disasters a louisiana. i know john and i served with him on the house side. he's a man of honor and integrity. does everybody agree with that? i know the man personally. we are in opposite parties, but we certainly get along. i've never had an issue with him. you will have people who take opposition to that obviously. that's politics. i don't think it serves the public wealth.

i think we need to all pull the wagon in the same way whether it's a democrat or republican in the position. unfortunately that type of attitude is becoming almost a yonder in this country today. some people describe that as weakness. i think it is a strength to be able to work across party lines and to be able to negotiate and do something for the people and move the wagon forward. it may not get as far as you want in your one, but if you're still moving in that direction, it still positive. host: let's hear from one more caller. this is from tampa, florida. please go ahead. theer: i would direct secretary to the october 18 "washington journal." thee was an expose on [indiscernible] . host: i apologize if that call

was not very clear. i think he was referring to the security of voting again. please go ahead. guest: let me just say this. the integrity of voting machines is one of the most misunderstood things around. if i give a machine to a learned professor at a learned university and say, can you hack into this machine, if they cannot find a way to find a leak in that machine, they should lose their diploma. i've never heard one of those professors tell the american public is that after you figure that out, how are you going to get access and i'm going to give louisiana as an example. 64 where the houses -- warehouses and 10,000 machines. you have to unscrew the machines and tinker with the machine and

you have to do that 10,200 times in 64 warehouses in a very short time between certification with a metal clamp like you have on your electric meter with a serialized number and nobody detected you on camera and key. that is the part they never share with the american public. certainly they can find a way to tinker with one machine. the machines are not linked together. each machine has a cartridge that is separate and apart. concede the fact that you can maybe figure out the fact that you can do that with a machine in the laboratory, but in the environment of an actual election with a certification and protection of the machines, i would say it's highly improbable even more than a meteorite to hit the bus i'm currently sitting in the interview. it's possible but improbable. host: another issue is whether or not felons could have the

right to vote. what is your view? guest: louisiana takes a very middle road approach to that. some states allow felons to vote from prison. when some complete their incarceration part, they are allowed to vote. louisiana, you have to finish your entire sentence. if you're in a halfway house or have an extended term when you are released from prison, you still cannot vote. we have a lawsuit underway in the state right now. i believe it's in the senate appeals court level that i'm a defendant in, . i don't make the law anymore and i follow state law. the only one who can change that is the legislature. personally i think it's a fair approach. you finish your term and you become a citizen again and you've done your time and you can certainly go back to register to vote. while you are still serving time, i think that's an inappropriate -- that's an

appropriate thing to lose your right to vote. host: tom schadler has been our guest on the 50 states capital cities tour. in a few minutes, we will be joined by the attorney general of louisiana, jeff landry. because we are louisiana, we have divided our lines typically. 202 is the area code. (202) 748-8000 if you live in louisiana. (202) 748-8001 for all of those around the country. let's hear from more voices. this is arlene in san francisco. good morning. caller: good morning. thank you for taking my call. california has mail-in ballots as well as polling stations. ballots.s all mail-in this is really great because you have time to sit down and look over the ballot and muse about which is better.

and then you finish it and mail it in. i don't understand why every state doesn't have mail-in ballots. i will take my answer off the line. host: you're not going to get an answer i'm afraid. that would've been an excellent topic to discuss with him. i apologize for not bringing that up. linda from dodson, louisiana. where is dodson? caller: between lynnfield and jonesboro. when is louisiana going to be what we have all professed to be -- the sportsman paradise and southern friendly and do something about the speed trap towns we have all over louisiana? one other thing please -- the opiate problem we have in louisiana. it would be more people seeking help if we could find a way to help them pay for it. thank you. host: that was linda and dodson, louisiana. we will ask the attorney general

when he gets seated and ready. we will ask him about the opioid issue. jeff landry will be joining us in just a minute. we are on a 50 capitals tour. the new c-span bus is parked outside the state capital in baton rouge today. 10 --e artie been to already been to 10-12 capitals including delaware, pennsylvania, new jersey. we have been to kansas, missouri, and now we are in louisiana. december 6, we will be in tallahassee, florida. we will hit all 50 capitals, including juneau and honolulu. i'm trying to volunteer for those trips when we get there. we will hit all 50 capitals by the end of next year. mike from north carolina, good morning. >> your comment this morning -- what is your comment this morning? caller: i wanted to ask the

gentleman -- what is the harm of a person that gets out of prison or gets out of jail, >> the harm o what is the harm of him voting? i don't understand why it would be a problem with someone who has been to jail and gotten out. why would it be a problem for them to vote? host: what do you think the answer is? caller: i don't know. if i'm going to vote for you, i'm going to vote for you. if i'm not going to vote for you to my think the answer is voter suppression. it comes in different forms. i think voter suppression comes in different forms. you know we have voter suppression. that's my opinion. host: that's mike in north carolina. north highlands, california, good morning. caller: a comment with your last

guest talking about voter machines and hacking and how it's possible to not be detected going machine to machine. i know that was testified to -- i can't remember what committee whether it was the house or the senate. experts,t testimony by but i later saw -- and i don't remember whether it was house or senate committee -- that now that worry has changed because there's only like four companies that we use as opposed to the 19 we used to to buy those machines. the big worry about the hacking is that those machines are coming from other countries. we don't buy them in the u.s. could receive the

packing -- i don't know all my terminology -- would already be there when it comes. has, thoselouisiana are old machines, which also has its own problems. is it going to be vulnerable? as machines are replaced, the experts and our congressman are realizing the ones that are in place now that we saw the are realizing that paper ballots are the way to go. host: carolyn, thank you very much. and on yourn rouge screen now is the attorney general of the state of louisiana, jeff landry. general landry, what does the state attorney general do? guest: the state attorney general is the chief legal officer of the state. in most states, the attorney general plays that particular role.

over the last couple of decades, you have seen the role of the moreney general become and more important as the federal government has encroached more and more on the state's ability to govern itself. you see the attorney general's push back on those particular federalism issues. that is what we do here in the state of louisiana. we are the chief legal officer of the state. andave a civil organization criminal organization and louisiana. host: what are the issues that your office is working? guest: again we have both a civil and a criminal division. on the criminal side, one of the biggest sections we have is a medicaid fraud unit that works to help root out corruption for abuse in the medicaid system here in louisiana. we justivil side,

created a federalism department. we have a solicitor general now that's working on important constitutional issues. we defend legislative laws that are challenged by different organizations or people as to the constitutionality of them. we have a plethora of issues we are working on from the litigation front. like many other states, we are experiencing both of violent crime epidemic and the opioid epidemic. those are probably the most important issues we are working on right now here in louisiana. host: we had a caller asked about the opioid epidemic in the country. what exactly is your office doing to combat that? guest: since we began, we have looked at ways in which we can and to stem that epidemic that tide. it will take a multifaceted approach could and will not be one specific silver bullet.

legalrited a number of cases from my predecessor. as we evaluated them and as they moved through the court system, one of those particular cases we felt was on somewhat of shaky ground. we had an opportunity to sell the that particular case. instead of money, we settled it for a million dollars of nax alone product. we took that product and put together a program that was against pfizer pharmaceutical. they agree to settle and give us that product coul we . we distributed that made it available for law enforcement and first responder agencies in louisiana. that helps to take people that you find in opioid induced, is out of that,. out of the coma. , anotherrovided narcan

life-saving drug that helps to relieve the symptoms and take people out of opioid induced commas. as. we created a website called and the epidemic.org. they can look for ways how they can help their loved ones who may have been addicted or maybe going through an addiction. here lately we partnered with blue cross blue shield in trying and our goal is to try to put a drug prescription take back off in every county or perish and louisiana. we partnered with our departments to put one of those drug take back boxes. citizens to clean out their medicine cabinets and bring them to those locations. of course we put those locations on all of our websites at e

ndepidemicl.a..org. that is what we are doing to stem the opioid epidemic. in ained 41 other states multistate civil investigation in looking at the conduct of manufacturers and the products that have led to this epidemic. host: from your perspective as attorney general, what has been the effect of new orleans being a sanctuary city? guest: can you repeat that again? host: from your perspective as attorney general, what has been the effect of new orleans being a sanctuary city? guest: i think that when you look at cities and i've looked at the statistics time and time again, those cities that in games in sanctuary city policies see a greater crime rate than those that do not engage in those policies. it's really just common sense. when you go out there and blatantly say you disregard the youryou allow people into

city who came into the country illegally. it's illegal. we have a process put in place if you want to migrate into the country. if you just say don't worry, you broke the law and you can come into our city, you're basically setting the tone to the rest of the citizens out there. there are some laws that you don't have to worry about following. i think that continues to breathe criminal activity as well. in addition to save harboring criminal elements. andou run a drug cartel there's certainly a lot of people you employ and that the legal trade, you send them into the country and don't send them through the proper process. they don't just get a visa. most of them have a criminal background. where do you send them? you send them into cities that you know safe harbor. that way their ability to be caught is diminished.

new orleans by having that particular policy is only exacerbating the violent crime epidemic that is in that city right now. host: let's hear from jonathan hollinger from new orleans this morning. you are on "washington journal" with jeff landry,' . caller: as the attorney general of the state suffering the most from climate change, i'm standing right now and lower plaquemines parish. how do you justify your decision to support president trump withdrawal from the paris climate accord? aren't you telling the residents of the state essentially i don't care about you, drown? , just forst of all the record, i live on the coast and i grew up on the coast. my family has been on the coast for 300 years. i would tell you that the problems that louisiana faces in regards to coastal erosion problem is mainly contributed to

the corps of engineers and the national policy that was designed to protect the mississippi river in its current state. louisiana's coastal problem has nothing to do with climate change. it has to do with the fact that all the southern that runs down the mississippi river -- sediment that runs down the mississippi river is being moved off our shelf. that's an issue that we absolutely have to address. as someone who represented 75% of the coastal parishes in louisiana and u.s. house of representatives in 2010, in fact representing plaquemines would tell well, i you that are coastal problems again are contributed mostly from policies implemented by the corps of engineers. our ability to fix that will be to look at what those policies are and how we move that sediment back across louisiana's coastline. host: general landry, i have to ask you about a recent article

in "the advocate" about your relationship with governor john bel edwards. "landry and edwards at new classes to their long list." what is your relationship with the governor? guest: i think i have a good relationship with all of our statewide elected officials. the governor and i have had disagreement mostly over the law. i don't disagree with him. --seems to do disagree disagree with what the law is in louisiana. we have had to go to court on numerous occasions and it's unfortunate each time. before we have gone to court, we have sent correspondence to the governor why we believe their particular actions that they have taken or position to have taken was unconstitutional or contrary to what the statute is. it's been four different times here in louisiana. they have agreed with us for times.

i would think that based upon that winning record we have got a pretty good idea of what the constitution says here in louisiana. i'm pretty sure the governor takes disagreement to that. if he doesn't like that, he has the ability to work with the legislature to change particular laws. host: jeff landry is the attorney general for the state of louisiana. he has been our guest this morning in baton rouge on the c-span bus on a 50 capital store. thank you, sir. guest: thank you. host: as you can see, the louisiana state capital is right there with the c-span bus. it is 34 stories tall, finished in 1932, and inside that door and back around the corner, you will see where he belonged was -- huey long was shot,

the former governor of louisiana. he was shot right in that building. it is the tallest in the nation. ist stop on our tour tallahassee on december 6. now to the house of representatives just coming into session. [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. 2017] in order. the chair lays before the house a communication from the speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the speaker's room, washington, d.c., november 7, 2017. i hereby -- the clerk: the speaker's room, washington, d.c., november 7, 2017, i hereby appoint the mr. weber to act as speaker pro tempore on this day. signed, paul d. ryan, speaker of the house of representatives. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the order of the house of january 3, 2017, the chair will now recognize members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for mog