our final witness is john butler. chief butler serves as the chief of the fire and rescue departments in fairfax virginia. prior to his time as chief he served 26 years with the howard county department of fire and rescue services and 21 years as a united states marine including two combat tours . he brings a wealth of . experience having all roles eras a firefighter paramedic, battalion chief emergency medical services chief and administrative chief before being named howard county's first african-american fire chief in 2014. chief butler, welcome to the committee. you may proceed with your questions . >> thank you and good morning chair peters and ranking g member portman. i'm john butler, chief of fire and rescue department at fairfax virginia and second vice president of the international association of fire chiefs. i appreciate the opportunity today to discuss how the nation can address the threat of worsening national disasters. america's fire and emergency services response are approximately 1.1 million firefig

butler: yes, thank you. we ask that congress can appropriate $50 million for the use of our system in fy 2022. this funding would allow our teams to replace current transportation assets, like you mentioned, which are nearing the end of their lives. and increased funding would allow fema to conduct three or four full-scale sizes of gear, provide training, along with operational readiness. i will stop there and answer the genesis of your question. how has it worked so far? it worked well, has worked well up until this point. as we've talked about this morning, the increase in demand and the increase in weather extremes requires that we keep up with the pace and the funding and the infrastructure. our teams will be able to improve their capabilities for responding subterranean incidents like tunnel collapses, as somewhat of an emerging threat. also our teams would be able to validate the use of new technology, like unmanned aerial systems or robots. the ifc recommends increasing the funds to adequately catalog

butler: thanks for the question. this is going back to the comments i made my opening statement, we are trying to score political points over focusing on the issue at hand. i appreciate your question, but i'm not going to answer it, because i do not think it is helpful. i think we need to focus on issues our veterans are identifying. rep. banks: are you aware of any steps the white house is taking -- mr. banks: i do not work at the white house. rep. banks: dr. miller-idriss, you have made concerning statements that made the people to question your credibility. in a twitter thread, you tweeted [indiscernible] "red meat consumption is championed by the far right as a celebration of manliness." you have stated that " far right podcasters have claimed veggie burgers are a plot against white people." another tweet you stated that " far right soup kitchens put pork and lentil in their suits to exclude muslims and jews." i had hamburger last night. do you believe i am the next during this -- and extremist? dr. miller-idriss

a judge has decided there was enough evidence to try heidi butler, a former high level nurse. in one message, jeremy said the case has taken over their small town and his life, saying i try my hard toes be the best man i can be. i've stayed in this marriage for my children. i've stayed because my wife was sick. the this 100%. investigators said one of his wife's co-workers called the fbi saying she had asked about guns and was discussing herring a hell's angel to carry out this hit. there was also talk of poisoning her husband's diet cokes with covid-19, and she was reportedly going to pay for the murder with a $500,000 life insurance policy on her husband. investigators said butler came up with the plans after one of her husband's real estate participate errs expressed feelings for him, but jeremy maintains it was just a close friendship. he writes she was my best friend during a very difficult time in my life and my children's lives. she cared about our situation. i explain with her about my we've's deteriorated condition. he says working seven days a week for over four mont

butler, who invited you as a witness to this hearing today? >> i believe it was ranking member [inaudible] . >> okay, so you are as a republican witness invited to this hearing today. >> correct. >> and i know that you [inaudible] use coming, but you really [inaudible] to mr. redell and mr. ellison, do you have any response to this comment from your perspective and the representative of that [inaudible] community? >> yeah, thank you i. think there's a lot of issues that one need to be addressed, and to, i think we are actually addressing all of those issues that are you talked about. it certainly occurs to be to reach out to our office. we have a priority as all of these issues that you mentioned. employment, mental health care. it's not as if we can only focus on one issue. there's a wide range of issues that the veterans community as as a result focus. we certainly hear that from our community. [inaudible] members and i will try to focus on all of these. and this hearing focusing on this issue actually [inaudible] so i think it's important t

my question, though, is to chief butler.fically, when it comes to first responders, much more would you like to see congress do to support first responders who are, who need to be there, first on the scene, to help communities when confronted with a disaster? >> thank you, so. that's a really good question. i would start by saying we appreciate that we already are afforded in the form of migrant, and continuing those grant opportunities [inaudible] safer and the outcome of branch particularly finding and continuing to find the reason the u.s. source system is very important to us. because there are frontliners who are responding to these disasters at times. so, you know, to some extent i'll say the continuation of the support and the funding and increase in those dollar amounts will go a long way. >> well, thank you, chief plateau. [inaudible] department, you are recognized for your question. >> thank you mister chairman, and i thank the witnesses for your testimony today. and more importantly, you know, for what you do ever

jeremy butler, the ceo of iraq and afghanistan veterans of america. dr. seth jones senior vice president at the center r strategic and international studies. and dr. cynthia miller-idriss, the director of the polarization and extremism research and innovation lab at american university, and author of hate in the homeland. thank you for being here. i'm in my eye witnesses to pause for two to three witnesses before speaking and answering questions. colonel plenzler, you're recognized for five minutes to present testimony. >> thank you, sir. chairman takano, ranking member bost, members of the committee thank for the opportunity to testify today. i am joe plenzler, retired marine corps officer. i speaker today as a concerned american on the threat posed by domestic violent extremist groups and their efforts to recruit and organize veterans for the purpose of inciting violence and overthrowing our republic. this issue should concerns all who are sworn an oath to support and defend the constitution irrespective of political party or ideology. on january 6 high

. >> in this book, i do not although it is interesting i've taught for years on octavia butler.uring that first year, that spring when we were all forced home, i changed my syllabus and we ended with octavia butler and it was incredibly moving to read that book during this global pandemic none of us could have ever imagined. when we left in march we thought that we were going to see each other in a week and we didn't. reading that book at the time was in the not-too-distant future but for us it was like this is our present with respect to fiction it was remarkable reading it and in some ways realist fiction that we had been reading that we could not really speak to the weirdness of the moment beyond realism to speak to what we were all experiencing and going through. i also changed the assignment and had them write a critical paper that responded to and some of the most interesting ones on octavia butler. >> in this time it has to be so much more. >> my book is very much about community and primarily. it's about. i hope that they feel welcomed in the community to pick the books

that after so many discussions, the e u has yet to come up with a coherent migration plan. natasha butler al jazeera brussels. the migrants are caught in the middle. al jazeera steadfast and spoke to 2 men who eventually made it to germany. they told us, what will you will, you will, i will kill you. he will be dying. no means you could go to a bullet. but of course you, yes. and they told us they cut it, they give us a cutter, they told us ok, bull and pull me, go and get to the copper. yes. the they give us the cutter to cut the harvard wire, that he was duck being sent back and forth between the 2 countries. for 20 days, better wishes would tell us to go to poland. the polish would tell us to go the opposite direction to. but of us, but 20 days we had no access to food or water and pollution. police would either put by weapons, doctors or peaches and repeatedly tell us to get back to poland. ah. all right, let's bring in our guess in kevin ukraine, yellow slab roman show president of the think tank mrs. scientific research center and in brussels, catalano chief executive of the center

that's led to thousands of people being detained since last year. natasha butler has more from brussels. as frustration with bell royce grows in the block. some european leaders did not hold back on the last day of a summit in brussels. they accused president alexander lucas jenko, of running a human trafficking ring and weapon ising migration, by helping people to cross and legally into neighboring countries. to be see the harbor to attack her of bella ross regime, which has continued, which is becoming more and more aggressive receive is of her salvation efforts. the c pry own try, soft bar ocean regime to find new connections. new destinations. the u says uminski is flying people mainly from the middle east into bearers, and helping them to cross the border into the block by a poland, lithuania and latvia. what are your luxembourg prime minister called on leaders to respect people's rights? a day after an 8th person died on the border, where conditions for migrants are greenberg. some countries want to build a board offense for after the meeting. you leaders agree to strength and bor

butler and mr. plenzier as all of our presenters have mentioned this program is on senior test why and how else can the program be strengthen to help servicemembers be prepared against the threat of extremist groups and recruitment by those groups? it t the more we can provide transitioning servicemembers with information and guidance on jobs education housing health care all of these issues that tend to build and become much larger issues down the line the more the weekend help them and the better off we will be in combating extremism as well as mental health albums down the line. it's one of those areas where we continue to improve. >> working to the left of this issue in a preventative measures the best way to go and i think if we can stop them from considering joining these groups that's when we can apply that is pressure. once a day -- difficult to recruit them away and to help those veterans navigate their way out. so definitely working on the left but letting veterans know they are out there

natural gas prices of sky rocketed prompting b e u to recommend a series of support measures. natasha butler reports now from brussels. reducing taxes on energy bills and financial help for poor households. were among the recommendations laid out by europe, the energy commissioner to help member states shield consumers across the block from spiraling costs. our immediate priority is to protect europe's consumers, especially the most vulnerable 2nd, we have to make our entire system better prepared and more resilient. so that we don't have to face a similar situation in the future. natural gas prices have soared in europe in recent weeks, partly driven by a certain demand, as countries emerge from locked downs, natural gas accounts for a quarter of the european union's energy needs. the majority of that is imported into the block from countries including how jerry, a norway and qatar, but mainly russia. some say that the kremlin is fueling the price rise by failing to boost gas supplies in order to pressure the you to prove the controversial north stream to pipeline. at an energy conference i

natacha butler, al jazeera, paris.bara: still to come, leaked research puts facebook back in the hot seat. this time, over the harmful effects of instagram on the mental health of children. world leaders promise to listen to climate activists as they take the fight for their future to milan. ♪ ♪ meteorologist: let's start in australia, where slow-moving thunderstorms are affecting the south. you can see the cloud cover in the satellite image there. we've seen heavy rain and some hail, and that's because the driving conditions to be hazardous in parts of adelaide. that wet weather is going to continue across the southeast as we go into the weekends. wet weather for parts of queensland, new south wales, victoria, and tasmania. it does ease as we go into saturday in the system pulls out to see, but is still looking rather wet. for perth, we've got a system moving across south australia. that's going to bring some brisker wins into play. of north, a few spotty showers around darwin. we are seeing a finer and drier weather,

next week with the onset of winter pressure is mounting to find solutions . natasha butler. i'll just sarah. roughly. there are fears that the u. k. might start running out of food because of a log jam of shipping containers that the country's largest commercial port. felix dow in england handles about 36 percent of the countries in ports, but they aren't in our truck drivers to transport the goods. mounds used a bow and arrow to kill 5 people in, in just several others. in no way. it happened in the town of combs with southwest of the county, a little slow, a suspect has been arrested. the u. s. equity of states says the by didn't, administration will go ahead with its plan to reopen a conflicts and occupied east jerusalem, even though israel is against it. antony lincoln said the move aims to deepen ties with the palestinians. but taliban says a block on billions of dollars in international funds is undermining security in afghanistan, it's acting foreign ministers as banks need to operate freely in order for people to be paid. that's concerned about a humanitarian crisis.

we need to very clear actions. natasha butler has more on the summit from brussels. you leaders are absolutely furious with the situation. they said is unacceptable. at least 10 countries are suggesting that the you fund the building of a fence along the border. that is, of course, seen as very controversial or by others. others are calling for sanctions, particularly against bella versus natural national carrier, but below, via they are also saying that they need to make it more difficult for the airline to be able to lease planes from countries within the you. there are other voices, though, are also calling for a closer look at what poland lithuanian latvia are actually doing. when my grants managed to cross into their countries of the battle. the prime minister of luxembourg says that the situation on those borders is terrible, migrants living in a humane in humane conditions. poland already been under some criticism for its treatment of migrants on that border. and it was just on thursday that a syrian a man died on the bell, russian polish a board. he is the 8t

it's an international standing. natasha butler. i'll just 0 brideau sirvina. ah, to breaking news now and at least 15 people have been killed after an earthquake struck southern pakistan. the details are limited at the moment, but what we do know is the quake was a magnitude of $5.00 and was centered east of quitter, or bringing more details when they come to hand in bullet hymns later on. turkish and as a by johnny forces have conducted joint military do drills near the border with iran. the 2 countries expand, expanded their defense ties after last he is war against our mania in the disputed know corner caraballo region. this dro comes after relations worse and between back who and t a run over around support of our mania and as a by john's relations with israel. iran held a military exercise along its border with as a by john at last friday. eruption of the volcano on the spanish island of la paloma has intensified. it's already prompted the evacuation of 6000 people and destroyed merely a 1000 times. jonah howl reports from the pa my in the canary. it's al

that actually butler is covering the for us in brussels. hello, natasha. it's not just the energy crisis and poland, it's likely to dominate the agenda. what else late is likely to discuss? what is actually mainly the energy crisis component which will be dominating the agenda even though leaders will be discussing other issues like migration and covet 19, but as late as arrived here for the summer's in brussels. many of them, of course, focusing very much on poland because you leaders are divided over how exactly to deal with walsall. some want to tough response. others want more dialogue, now a tensions between more so and the you've been simmering for some time. poland is an e u member state, but many the you accuse poland of the government that of eroding rice, particularly writing the independence of the judiciary and things reached a boarding point recently. a when a top court in poland decided that polish law could take precedence over e u law in some areas. well, in the woods of the european union's commissioners, lavonne de lane that was challengi

but after so many discussions, the you has yet to come up with a coherent migration plan. natasha butler al jazeera, brussels, still a head on out his era, millions a force from their homes as climate change, fields, hunger and conflict in africa, the hell region. and fighting to protect the family, alters the critically endangered species, is found an unexpected home in george's county. ah, it's another beautiful sunny day at 35000 feet. the weather sponsored by cutter airways voted world's best air line of 2021. well, the season seemed to have changed out throughout the ravine peninsula and up 3 rock on the letter. i was tempted back down to where they should be. there's nothing much in the sky apart from hays which is picked up as light dustin, things like that shamal wind is blowing down towards to her. now it's got to weaken during saturday, disappear for sunday, with temperatures now staying where the average says they should be both by day and, but the low thirty's or the high twenty's. typically, there is some active weather raster in northern pakistan. and the far north of afgha

butler reports from brussels as frustration with belarus grows in the block. some european leaders did not hold back on the last day of a summit in brussels. they accused president alexander lucas jenko, of running a human trafficking ring and weapon ising migration, by helping people to cross illegally into neighboring countries to be see the harbor to attack her of belarus regime, which is continued, which is becoming more and more aggressive, receive ease of hustled passion, efforts to be c. s. pry, earn try softball, rational regime to find new connections, new destinations. the u says uminski is flying people mainly from the middle east into bearers, and helping them to cross the border into the block by a poland, lithuania and latvia. what are you in luxembourg prime minister called on leaders to respect people's rights a day after an 8th person died on the border, where conditions for migrants are grim. some countries want to build a board offense, but after the meeting you leaders agree to strengthen boarders and impose more sanctions on minsk. we cons

but as natasha butler reports from bordeaux, there are concerns that a delay could push countries to other international plays. arriving for the summit and produce levina, the head of the commission sought to reassure west and bo can lead us about their possible future membership of the block. we want to send a very clear message, and that message is that the western vulcan belong to the european union. we want them in the european union. we are one european family, but the leaders of albania, bulls, near montenegro, north macedonia, serbia, and course they are increasingly frustrated with the you thomas's. they say they want more progress on membership talks that have stalled in recent years. we are hopeful that the summit will make you stay faithful to its essence and that is enlargement. during the meeting, you leaders acknowledge that western balkan countries had made some reforms, but they said there was still work to be done on the rule of law, corruption and major freedom. ongoing rivalries in the region are also impeding progress. historic tensions between cost of own serbia

the issue has dominated talks on the final day of a lead summit in brussels. natasha butler reports as frustration with bella. ross grows and the blog. some your opinion leaders did not hold back on the last day of a summit in brussels. they accused president alexander lucas jenko of running a human trafficking ring and weapon ising migration. by helping people to cross illegally into neighboring countries to be see the harbor, to attack, or of belarus regime, which has continued. which is becoming more and more aggressive. receive ease of hustled basin efforts, vi c, a prior try. soft bar ocean regime to find new connections. new destinations. the u says the minsk is flying people mainly from the middle east into bearers, and helping them to cross the border into the block by a poland, lithuania and latvia. what are you in luxembourg prime minister called on leaders to respect people's rights? a day after an 8th person died on the border. what conditions for migrants are grim for some countries want to build a board offense? but after the meeting, you leaders agree to strengthen borde

thank you so much. natasha butler reporting from brussels. at least 16 people have died after a fire broke out at a russian factory that happened at a chemical plant in a town 300 kilometers from moscow. several others have been injured. more than a 170 firefighters are searching for 9 people who are still missing. the us house of representatives has voted to hold donald trump's former allies, the bannon in contempt of congress. the attorney general now decide whether to prosecute ban in for refusing to cooperate with an investigation and to the storming of the capital in january and is ignored a subpoena from the investigating committee. alan fisher has more from washington dc, was on the boat as far as the thinks of january committee is concerned, is getting to the bottom of what exactly happened, who knew what and when the democrats expected to win this boy, they were pleasantly surprised that they managed to get 9 republicans to join them in voting for the contempt charge. 7 of them actually voted for don thompson, peach min way back in j

thank you for the update. natasha butler live for us there. okay, let's take a closer look at the migration situation in europe that we heard from our correspondent . the number of refugees in migrants crossing into the european union from belarus has surged in recent months. thousands have traveled into poland, latvia, and lithuania. they ques, belarus of sending them to destabilize their countries. the european union's called it a form of hybrid warfare, launched in retaliation against sanctions it imposed on minx. the measures were a response to a crack down on descent by the bell of russian government that's led to thousands of people being detained since last year. peter clipper is an editor of brussels report. don't you? he says this is become a defense issue for the block when you're talking about bella, ruth indeed already sanctions are in place. but i think we have to distinguish situation from other context where you is imposing sanctions, which often have to do with sort of trying to punish a country for, for internal oppression. th

has now joined european leaders for dinner in slovenia, before the western bo can summit. natasha butler is therefore swear to somebody's taking place in slovenia. we've just heard from the president of the council, natasha. what did he have to say? yes, sha michelle, the presence of the a you council? i spoke as he arrived here brideau in slovenia for this a dinner with other you leaders, nash? michelle said, oh, that's the main top talking point during this a dinner would be the use international position in light. he said of recent events . he said, look, we've all been looking at what's been happening in afghanistan, the growing influence of china, particularly in the inter pacific. and then of course, the fall out of the orchestra. michelle said it has become very clear to you leaders that they need to do more to strengthen their defense capabilities. and he also said that, in fact a you leaders would be discussing a possible future summit next year in which a you countries could come together and talk about joint defense. and the french president, natasha joining the summit after h

thank you for that. natasha butler reporting their life from brussels. and it's not just the energy shortages many countries are grappling with as a merge from the corona virus. pandemic, global supply chains have been disrupted, and many goods remain off the shelves reduced factory output over the past 18 months and shipping long jobs are being blamed. now u. s. president joe biden is intervening to help ease some of the pressure as bringing our white house correspondent kimberly hawk. it was live in washington. so kimberly tell us about the problems the u. s. is experiencing 1st well, the port of california in los angeles is a really good example of where the problems lie. that is a poor that accounts for in terms of unloading container ships from overseas, about 40 percent of the goods that americans buy. and right now, it is at a backlog. now adding to the problems, the fact that there are containers that need to be unloaded is there is a shortage of truck drivers to take those containers across the country to fill the stores and pack the shelves of

but after so many discussions, b e u has yet to come up with a coherent migration plan. natasha butler al jazeera brussels. moldova is declared a state of emergency over guess shortages. it's an effort to secure cheaper natural gas deals after a price hike as usual supply at russia last week, albania, also put in a place, an emergency plan to deal with the energy crisis. prices of surged almost 600 percent across europe because it fears that current storage levels will be insufficient for winter ukrainian present. val of lot america, la zalinski, is accusing moscow of orchestrating europe's energy crisis, is urging brussels to work with kia against what he calls russia's gas aggression. russia says it suppliers of fulfilling obligations under existing contracts, and that it has to fill its own reserves ahead of winter. so headed out 0, millions of force from their homes as climate change. fuels hung that conflict in africa, the hell region, and fighting to protect a family of waters. the critically endangered species is fun expected home in georgia's capital. ah, it's another beautiful

with the onset of winter pressure is mounting to find solutions . natasha butler al jazeera brussels. there are a phase that the united kingdom might start running out of food because of a long jam of shipping containers on the country's largest commercial port. phoenix dough in england handles about 36 percent of the countries and ports, but there aren't enough lori drivers to transport the goods. and some companies are having to move shipments to other ports. the u. k. economy is struggling as supplies of food and fuel are running low and supply challenges in the u. s. where the government is stepping up efforts to fix issues with the global supply chain, which have led to many items running low and higher prices. the slow down in the struggling economy is being blamed on cuts in factory output and bottleneck supports kimberly hawk. it has a report from washington, dc. each year, almost half of all us imports arrived here at the port of los angeles. but right now, dozens of ships are stuck off the coast, waiting to dock and unload. that backlog has led to a shortage of goods and hig

next week with the onset of winter pressure is mounting to find solutions . natasha butler, i'll just sarah brussels. the push for green energy is still a contentious one. meanwhile, in bulgarian hundreds of coal miners of march through the capital, sofia, demanding job security. they're angry over the use vow to close mines and coal fired plants over the can decades. oh, guerria is the poorest country in the you and workers say tens of thousands of jobs are at risk. they say the use timeframe for hosing the mines is too short and i'm calling for the government support. well, it's not just energy shortages that many countries are grappling with as they emerged from the pandemic. the u. s. government is stepping up efforts to fix global supply chain issues which have led to shortages of many goods and higher prices. reduced factory output over the past 18 months and shipping log germs are being blamed. half a 1000000 containers are currently stuck on cargo ships, waiting to be offloaded at the club. the ports of los angeles and long beach, u. s. president joe biden says his administrat

retaliation for european sanctions on the government of alexander lucas shanker. lived in natasha butler. she is joining us from brussels, so that summit is wrapping up soon. natasha. what more can you tell us about the focus on, on the 2nd day? yes, focus very much on migration with several you leader said you don't. holding back in that criticism over belive rowse and the government of alexander lucas shanker. being accused by psalm of running a human trafficking ring by enabling people to cross the border with poland, lithuanian latvia from paris into the european union, and actually flying people from countries mainly in the middle east, into mints, and then pushing them on across those borders. well, the latter lithuanian president is basic he said that been a vs weaponized migration. the see the hybrid to tech of belarus regime, which has continued, which is becoming more and more aggressive receive is of her salvation efforts v c a prior try. soft bar ocean regime to find new connections, new destinations from middle east, east countries. so the number of potential migrants which

thank you for that. natasha butler reporting their live from brussels. while a less discuss this further, now with that will, stephanie who's a climate change expert at the australian national university is joining us from cambra. thank you very much for being with us. so what do you make of this? i year report to day it says 4 trillion dollars of investment in clean energy is needed in the next decade. is that achievable? i think it has to be achievable because this is a very important report. it saying that if we want to meet the parents climate goals, we have to move very quickly and very decisively now toward renewable energy. but there's a lot of interest course in net 0 emissions by 2050. but i think the real focus and this report makes it clear that we have to think of the near term targets. we need to think about it getting our emissions down by 2030 very rapidly and very deeply. so this is a report from the, the sector itself saying we've got to move fast and decisively now. the report talks about a new energy connie, but says the clean energy p