service that has kickoff. we only bring in some something huge happened in the situation in kenya and we have learned that met of the hostages taking by the al-qaeda linked groups, perhaps americans among them, have been freed. we will go right arrest, now, to conor powell watching this veryó closely. conor? >> in the past few minutes we have word from kenyan military authorities that most of the shopping mall that now is under criminal of the military and they are saying most of the hostages are free. what we are not hearing is how much longer it will take to free the rest of the hostages, how many have actually been freed and how many are it will being held hostage. a lot of questions right now but this is the first indication we have gotten from the kenyan authorities in the past few hours that this assault by the kenya military forces on the building, on this facility, is starting to prove successful.

what we are hearing is not a complete story of what is going on in kenya. there are a lot of questions of how many hostages have been freed and who may still be held hostage and what type of death toll we could be facing during this type of assault and whether any kenyan soldiers were killed. how many of the gunmen are alive? there are a lot of questions still. the good news is that at least some if not many of the hostages are free. >> they are seven hours ahead of eastern time and we are dipping back and the midnightñi hour now and they havur said we are going to try to bring this to a halt, the kenyan special forces, as the night wrapped up. now we are we seeing change. we will come to you as the news warrants. now we will go back to the memorial ceremony for those who were killed and injured, the

vice admiral is speaking now. let's watch and listen. >> they were killed in the line of duty, they died in the service to our nation, the service to our navy. in service they were just as committed to as any of us in uniform. for that service, we honor them. for that service, we will never forget them. i salute these american heroes.

>> good evening. last monday's horrific shootings at the navy yard were a tragedy for the nation, for the navy yard, but most importantly, for the loved ones of those lost and for those who suffered injuries. also, it was a tragedy here in the district of columbia. residents of our city lost friends, neighbors, mothers and fathers, colleagues and fellow church members. our brave first responders joined their federal counterpart s in doing their duty fearlessly and unselfishly. among those injured on monday

was one of our metropolitan police officers, officer scott williams was one of the first to respond the he was shot in both legs. his bravery is symbolic of countless other personnel from ourñi metropolitan police department, our fire and emergency medical services and our federal and local public safety agencies who answer the call to duty withoutçóñiñiçó h we are reviewing their response to learnñi as many leõnsñiçó ase can fromxd this event. there is one lesson that is already abundantly clear: our country is drawning in the sea of guns. one of monday's victims was a district resident whose family

already had been tragically touched by gun violence: arthur daniels was 51 years old. that day, the simple act of going to work,çó going to work n the morning, cost him his life. sadly, it was a price that his family had paid once before: his widow told me how their 14-year-old son was murdered just four years ago, shot in the back while running from an assailant. senseless gun violence like this is an all too every day fact of life here in the district and in our nation's other big cities. it is a fact of life which we must stop accepting. the navy yard, sandy hook, aurora, virginia tech,

columbine, the streets of our cities...why is it that every time we let ourselves backed inured to the horrific violence and the tragic consequences and the tragic occurrences never seem to move us any closer to ensuring that guns don't get into the hands of criminals or mentally unstable people? i don't know the answer. i do know this: the time it happened this time within the view of our capitol dome and i, for one, will not be silent about the fact that the time has come for action. thank you.

>> ladies and gentleman, as the admiral has indicated, our nea lost 12 teammates here in the attack on monday. they were members of our navy family. these were our shipmates. they are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters going to work to provide for their families and serve their nation. the nature of our navy family is that we serve together and we depend on each other in times of need. we celebrate each other's successes and our triumphs and we grieve together in times of sorrow. these shipmates dedicated to their years to building and maintaining the finest navy working alongside each other for

a purpose greater than themselves: they are the best naval engineering team in the world, a team that designs, repairs, maintains our ships and submarines. they plan and manage budgets. they research, design, and build our future. this team is the genesis of the united states sea power. it all starts here. above all else,2tjey are part of the navy. navy strength has been and will continue to be the resilience and endurance of our people during times of crisis whether an attack on pearl harbor or more recently the bombing of the united states us "uss cole" our legacy has been that our navy pulls together with resolve when tragedy strikes. members our navy family demonstrated true courage at the

navy yard. it was apparent in a former hospital corpsman carrying out a fallen co-workers and. ifed cpr in an attempt to save his life. or the individual who insured the safe evacuation of a blind co-worker. these are examples of what defines our navy family. it is shipmates taking care of shipmates. we will remember the fallen and the events of last monday. we will grow stronger as an institution, reinforcing our commitment to maintaining the world's finest navy. to the families here and to our navy yard shipmates we mourn with you today. we will stand with you going forward in the difficult times ahead. we will remember your loved ones and we will be with you.

god bless you, our navy, and the united states of america. >> as a military organization we have experienced all too often the pain of combat losses and honor the many who in abraham lincoln's words have sacrificed their lives on the alter of freedom. today we honor 12 patriots who have made the same sacrifice in the service of their nation. this time, here at home. we rightly set aside special days and solemn rituals to

recognize, remember, and revere the men and women in uniform who have paid the final price in the defense of our freedoms. the nine men and throw women deserve no less. their work and that of thousands of their civilian colleagues across this city and country is critical to our nation's security. without the civilians at naturally sea systems command, we literally would not have a fleet to put to sea and we could not operate ashore without the navy's facilities engineering command. this is a critical part of the navy-marine corps team, of the navy-marine corps family. we are a family. uniform and civilian we work together, serve together, overcome together as a family we grieve together.

together they will assure those like those before them will be remembered and honored as heroes that is what they are. heroes, ordinary people, facing extraordinary times and ordinary monday that became a day of extraordinary horror but, also, extraordinary heroism as law enforcement officers and other first responders ran into danger to aid and protect others as colleagues and strangers assisted each other even at risk of their own lives. we memorialize as heroes those we lost and honor the heroes we have here today. the courage we witnessed on monday did not end with the closing of that day on tuesday, the people returned their work and by thursday when were of the navy yard reopened,

thousands would lived have been in real peril three days before would not let fear keep them away. still, we know it will take time for those with wounds -- visible or invisible -- to heal. the shock and anger and what kurd on monday will take us time to deal with. this act of evil dies comprehension, defies understanding: it will wives, hows, fathers, mothers, children, work mates, colleagues, brothers, sisters, taken from us suddenly, violently, cruelly. what can never be taken is the love and our memories and as we remember the individuals we cherished, we should not be

victims. their lives should not be defined bit tell inexplicable way they were ended. but, rather, how they lived and the rich legacies each of them left. these are unique individuals but as i have spoken to their families and friends and common threads emerge: love of family and country, the value and pride placed on working for america and the values that others place on their work and on their lives . today, one by one, we will hear their names and remember them and mourn. then they join so many navy and marine corps heroes whose lives and deeds shine forever bright.

we recommend forever courageous, forever faithful. >> mr. president, and mrs. obama, on behalf of the more than three million men and women of the department of defense serving across the nation and all over the world i want to express our deepest sympathy to the families here today. our thoughts and our prayers are with all of you. today we come together at this

historic post to begin a long road of healing and recovery. it is a path we walk together. we walk with the families all who loved the fallen, to help ease the pain, hoping that grief and sadness will when day end and cherished memories of those we loved so much will take their place. we walk with those injured and scarred by this senseless act of violence to help them regain their strength. together, we will recover. we will remember the first responders. we will remember all: the first responder whose ran toward the sound of gunfire including officer scott williams, injured in the line of duty. we will remember the valor of the navy yard personnel, all the people in the building 197.

we will remember in the face of tragedy the united states navy is once again responding with resolve as we rememberñr the fallen, we also note theñr timeliness resilience of the institution that the victims were part of and they so proudly supported and the nation they so humbly served. god bless the families and the friends of those we remember today. god bless our country.çó

>> secretary hagel, admirals, mayor, leaders from across this city,ú@wd armed forces, to all the outstanding first responders and most of all, the families whose hearts have beenñr broken: we cannot begin to comprehend your loss. we know that know words we offer today are equal to the magnitude , to the depths of that loss. we come together as a grateful nation to honor your loved ones to grieve with you and to offer

as best we can solace and comfort. on the nightñi we lost martin lutherñr king jr. to a gunman's bullet, robertçó kennedyçó stood before a stunned and angry crowd in indianapolis and he broke the terrible news. in the anguish of that moment he turned to the words of ancient greek poet. "even in our sleep, pain which we cannot forget, falls drop by drop upon the heart until in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the all of grace of god."

pain which cannot forget, drop by drop, upon the heart. the tragedy and the pain that brings us here today is extraordinary. it is unique. the lives that were taken from us were unique. memories that loved ones carry are unique. they will carry them and endure long after the news cameras are gone but part of what wears on, as well, is the sense this has happened before. part of what wears open us, what troubles us so deeply as we gather here today, how this senseless violent that took place in the navy yard echoed

other recent tragedies. as president i have now grieved with five american communities ripped apart by mass violence. ft.q hood. tucson. aurora. sandy hook. now the washington navy yard. these mass shootings occur against the backdrop of daily tragedies as an epidemic of gun violence tears apart communes across america from the streets of chicago to neighborhoods not far from here. once again we remember our fellow americans who were just going about their day doing their jobs, doing what they love -- if this case the work that keeps our country strong and our

navy, the finest fleet in the world -- these patriots doing their work they were so proud of and have now been taken away from us by unspeakable violence. once more we come together to mourn the lives of beauty and to comfort the wonderful families that cherish them. once more, we attribute to all who rushed to the danger who risked their lives so others mightily and are in our prayers including officer scott williams. once more our hearts are broken. once more, we ask, why? once more, we seek strength and wisdom through god's grace.

you and your families, this navy family, are still in the early hour of your grief and i am here to say today there is nothing routine about this tragedy. there is nothing routine about your loss. your loved ones will not be forgotten, they will endure the hearts of the american people, in the hearts of the navy they helped to keep strong, in the hearts of their co-workers and friends and their neighbors. i want them to know how she lived, jessica said of her mother agent: he is not a number or some statistic. none of these 12 fellow americans are statistics. today i want every american to see how the men and women lived you mayor never have met them but they are your neighborhoods,

like arthur dan yells on the weekend polishing his white crown victoria. kenneth proctor with his beloved we mustang, the friendly face at store and sylvia frazier who took a second job at wal-mart because she loved working with people. and a diehard began you sat next to at the again, kathy loved her hockey and his cats ticket holder for 25 years. the volunteers who made your community better, frank kohler giving dictionaries to every third grader in the county and another leading the children's bible study at church.

they lived the american dream, like pundhit who dedicated himself to the united states navy after leaving his beloved country. they were proud veterans, like the wearer of an army uniform for 25 years and michael arnold who became the leading architects of whom a colleague said nobody knew the ships like him. dedicated fathers, like coaching the daughter's softball team joining facebook to teach his with his girls, one of whom said he was the "cool" dad. they were loving mothers like mary francis knight devoted to her daughters and who just recently watched with joy as her older daughter got married.

they were grandparents, like >>john: son always smiling, who would have welcomed his 11 great child this fall. these are not statistics, they are the lives that have been taken from us. this is how far a single act of violence can ripple. a husband lost his wife, wives have lost their husbands and son and daughters have lost their moms and dads. little children have lost their grandparents. hundreds in our communities come lost a neighbor and thousands here have lost a friend. as has been mentions for one family, the daniels family, old wounds are ripped open again but

so has arthur only a few years ago as the mayor indicated, another shooting took the life of their son just 14 years old. i cannot believe this is happening again they says. these families veteran doored a shattering tragedy it ought to be a shock to all of us as a nation and a people and ought to upset us. it ought to lead to a transformation. in united kingdom and australia, a single mass shooting occurred in those countries, they understood there was nothing ordinary about this kind of

carnage. they mobilized and they change changeed. mass shootings became a great rarity. here in the united states after around-the-clock coverage on cable news after the heartbreaking interviews with families, after all of the speeches and all the pundits speaking and all the commentary, nothing happens. alongside the anguish of these american families, alongside the accumulateed outrage so many feel i feel there is a creeping resignation these tragedies are just somehow "the way it is." this is somehow the new "norm."

we can't accept this. as americans bound in grief and love we must insist here today there is nothing normal about innocent men and women being gunned down where they work. there is nothing normal about our children being gunned down in their class rooms. there is nothing normal about children dying in our streets from stray bullets. no other advanced nation endures this kind of violence. none. here in america, the murder rate is three times what it is in other developed nations. the murder rate with guns is ten times what it is in other developed nations. there is nothing inevitable about it. it comes about because of decisions we make or fail to

make. it falls upon us to make a difference. sometimes it takes an unexpected voice to breakthrough. to help remind us what we know to be true. we heard one of those voices last week, the team addçó med sr washington center treating the wounded. in the midst of a briefing, she spoke with heartbreaking honesty as somebody who sees daily and nightly the carnage of so much violence. we are a great country, she said, but there isñi something wrong. all these shootings, all theseñi victims, this isñud not america. it is a challenge to all of us, we have toñr workçó together, se said, to get ridñiñi ofñrñr+ tó that is theñi wisdom we shouldñe taking away from this tragedy

and so many other tragedies. not acceptingñi the shootings as inevitable but ask can we do to prevent them from happening again andçó againxd ad again? i haveñr said before, we cannot stop every act of senseless violence. we cannot know every evil that lurks in troubled minds. but if we can preventiven oneñi tragedy like this, save even one life, spare other families what these families are going through, surely we have an obligation to try. it is true that each of the tragedies i mentioned is different and in this case it is clear we need to do a better job of securing our military securities deciding who gets access to them. as commander in chief i have

ordered a review of procedures up and down the chain and secretary hagel is moving aggressively on that. as a society we have to be doing a better job ensuring those who need mental health care they get it and we do not stigmatize those who need help. those are clear. we have to move forward and address them. we americans are not inherently more violent than folks in other countries or inherent i more prone to mental health problems. the main difference that sets our nation apart, what makes us so susceptible to so many mass shootings is we don't do enough, we don't take the basic common sense actions to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and

dangerous people. what is different in america is that it is easy to get your hands on a gun. a last of us know this. the politics are difficult. as we saw again this spring. that is where the resignation comes from, the science our politics are frozen and that nothing will change. i cannot accept that. i do not accept we cannot find a common sense way to preserve our traditions including our basic second amendment freedoms and the rights of law-abiding gun owners and reducing the gun violence that unleashes so much mayhem on a regular basis. it may not happen tomorrow or next week or next month but it will happen. it is the change we need. it is a change overwhelmingly

supported by the majority of americans. by now it should be obvious the change will not come from washington, but change will come the only way it ever has come, and that is from the american people. the question is not now whether as americans we care in moments of tragedy, clearly we care, our hearts are broken again. we care so deeply about these families. the question is, do we care enough? do we care enough to keep standing up for the country that we know is possible even if it is hard and even if it is politically uncomfortable. do we care enough to sustain the passion and the pressure to make our communes safer and our

country safer? do we care enough to do everything we can to spare other families the pain that is felt here today? our tears are not enough. our words and our prayers are not enough. if we really want to honor these 12 men and women, we really want to be a country where we can go do work and go to school and walk our treats free from senseless violence without so many lives being stolen by a bullet from a gun, we are going to have to change. we are going to have to change. on monday morning these 12 men and women woke up like they did every day.

they left home and they headed off to work. and the general's wife said see you tonight for dinner. >>john: son looked at his wife and said what he always did when they parted "goodgoodbye beauti, i love you so much." even in our sleep pain which cannot forget falls drop by control upon the heart until in our own despair against our will, comes wisdom through the all of grace of god. what robert kennedy understood, what dr. king understood, what all of our great leaders have always understood is that wisdom does not come from tragedy alone or from some sense of resignation in the fallibility of man. wisdom comes through the recognition that tragedies such

as this are not inevitable and we possess the ability to act, to change, and spare others the pain that drops upon our hearts. in our grief, let us seek that grace. let us find that wisdom. in doing association let us truly honor these 12 american patriots. may god hold close the souls taken from us and grant them eternal peace. may he comfort and watch over these families. may god grant us the strength and wisdom to keep safe our united states of america.

[ instrumental music ] ñiçó

♪ for purple mountains majesty above the fruited plain ♪ ♪ america ♪ america ♪ god sheds his grace on thee, from sea to shining sea ♪

♪ o beautiful ♪ america

♪ america ♪ got gave his grace on thee and from sea to shining sea ♪ ♪ america ♪ america ♪ america

[ speaking foreign language ] the translation says from hindu holy scripture, fire cannot bun it, water cannot wet it, nor can wind dry it, and the second stand ask i will read in hindu.r

translation: as a man sheds his worn out clothes, takes other new ones, likewise, the embodied soul casting off warn out bodies and enters new bodies." a small prayer from hindu scripture in hindu. this translation: from untruths, lead us to the truth. from darkness, lead us to the light. from death, lead us to immortality. peace, peace, peace. may the treasured souls of our

12 dear friends rest inñi peace. >> a reading from the letter to the romans: if god is with us, who can condemn? christ jesus who died who was raised at the right hand of god who,ñi indeed, intercedes for u. what will separate us from the although of christ will an win distress persecution orñi famine or peril or the sword? no. in all these things, we conquer overwhelmingly through himçóñi o

has loved us. i am convinced that neither deathñi nor life or angels or rulers or things present, or things to come or powers or height or depths or anything else in all of creation will be able to separate us from the although of god in christ jesus our lord. the word of the lord. >> would all of you, joins we me in praying and reading together from the ancient prayer book we know as the psalms.

this reading is from the 23rd psalm. will you read together with me. the lord is my shepherd. i shall not want. he makes me to lie down this green pastures. he leads me beside the stillwaters. he restores my soul. he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his namesake. although i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, i will fear no evil. you are with me, my rod and my staff, they comfort me. thou prepares the table before me in the presence of my enemies and anoint my head with oil, my cup runs over. surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all days of my life and i will dwell in the house of the lord forever.

let usñr pray. almighty and eternal god, we have gatheredñ fallen colleagues who died while serving their nation. these whom we regard as civilian sailors, as shipmates were beloved fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers,

you bind us their wounds and the families and the friends of those whom we have lost, we are reminded by the psalmest whether we ascend to the heights or descend to the depths or take the wings of the mourn and dwell in the utter most parts of the

we walk through the valley of the shadow of death your height hand shall hold us. we ask you, hold us, now. comfort each one of us with the great power of your love. in our grief and our confusion, give us light to guide us into the assurance of your love. we pray this in your holy name, amen. would you please as we recall the names of those whom we have lost and please remain standing for the navy hymn and for "taps." following "taps" please remain in place for the departure of president and mrs. obama and the families.

these are our fallen colleagues: michael wells arnold. martin john bodrog. martin lee daniels. renee frazier. kathy gaarde. john roger johnson. mary francis knight. frank kohler. vishnu pandit.

kenneth bernard proctor. gerald reed. richard michael ridgell. [ singing hymn).

[ taps ]

>> we have been with this memorial service as our nation comes together to mourn and bless the souls of the victims of the senseless violence that played out last monday at the washington naval yard. the president and first lady are there and dignitaries on hand to speak who are quietly leaving this memorial service. alongside me watching this is father jonathan morris. at one point the president got pretty political in his 20 minutes of speaking but this was a lot of scripture today and you say that there were some words that people needed to hear. >>guest: it is surprising but also refreshing to see that in moments of tragedy, i wish not only in moments of tragedy but at least in moments of tragedy in our country we are able to express and we do so very publicly faith and religion. the faith of the president. the faith of some of the military men and women. the reason why we do that

unashamebly we talk of hope, there is no hope if this is no eternal life and everyone recognizes they trying to give home to the families. it is always a great moment. >> the president borrowed a quotation against our will comes wisdom to the awesome grace of god. that is a point i saw you look up. what is the power that you see in those words. >>guest: just recognizing that there is a god and to hear the president of the united states state his beliefs in the existence of god, that is refreshing. recognizing that we need his help, that is the second element to that. knowing, too, the president has been very respectful of those who don't believe in god but recognizing that in moments like this it is totally appropriate

to express his belief in president. we voted him into the presidency. >> for people who much wad the president speak i am stating the obvious 20 minutes, and he acknowledged mental health problems and talking licks and gun control. how do you mix that in, though, with helping the people there and the nation grieve? >> the president has a tough job. we know. i was surprised he spent to much time. he talks about, for example, the ft. hood shooting and the situation, saying the solution was gun control without talking in a significant way about the situation that is causing the

violence in the streets, in ft. hood massacre we know it was a radical islamist ideology and in this case we know which was a mental health psychosis. i would hope we are giving all of those root problems sufficient attention. >> you said the greatest thing we could do as a nation and for those who are gathered here at the marine barracks to be together. as you watch the ceremony today, and i have heard you in a different setting, in a religious sense, give words of hope. without share some of those words with us. >>guest: anyone who believes in god and i am sure many of the families who lost their loved ones, have that belief, first of all, they need human affection and, also, they want to hear words, you know what? you may be encountering your loved one again based on our hope in god's love and his

forgiveness, they can receive that comfort of knowing that there is the possibility for eternal life. i think that is the greatest hope. >> father jonathan thank you for your perspective and context. a has happened since we had this service. i will rejoin you in an hour and we will bring you up to speed on the situation in kenya with non-muslims being targeted where westerners have been then to frequent. we learned during the memorial service many of the hostages have been freed. we do nut yet know how many are injured but we will work on that story and bring you live coverage. in the meantime, we will wrap up our coverage now with the memorial service for those lost last monday at the washington naval yard, 12 americans. up an

senator claire mccaskill's response coming up. remain proud and fearless. i'm chris wallace. the house passes a budget bill but ties it to defunding obama care putting the government to shut down in just eight days. >> our message to the united states senate is real simple. the american people don't want the government shut down and they don't want obama care. >> any bill that defunds obama care is dead. dead. >> and right at the center of the debate, republican senator ted cruz who's threatening a fill buster. >> i will do everything necessary and anything possible to defund obama care. >> sen