formed committee. i know. right. that this is creating a new animal only under scintilla, but is requiring that animal to file reports. all right, i will just keep thinking about it. if we haven't figured out the definitions we should try to get that right. it's dangerous to have a definition here that is complicated and interconnected and say that the commission may further adopt presto clarify this. i think we should get it right and not rely on having to go back later and define by regwhere we already have a definition that is intended to be comprehensive. >> because we so seldom try to do things right the first time? >> we should try. i'm being supportive. i will shut up for a while. >> i think commissioner studley is correct that the issue of the words "qualification," will make it more parallel to decision point 2. line 18. >> so we're going to say in order to support the qualification or election of an identifiable person, the city elective office who is not qualified as a candidate? >> yes. >>

of the committee as well as the chair of two committees that could work with staff and come back to the full board with a recommendation for how to proceed. my own personal view and i look forward to hear from all of you is that you know there should be a formal search and that we need to you know, try to find, the most qualified person that we can get. and that in considering that search that we should also seriously consider any candidate that might be interested and there are also benefits to having an internal candidate as well being considered. so with that, vice, chair, weiner? >> thank you, yeah, i want to second the chair's remarks that because of the depth of the staff and i think that we are going to be in good shape while we conduct a search and so, i feel and i have full confidence there. and i i think that we should be very thoughtful about this, and cast a wide net in terms of doing a full search, considering both internal and external candidates. there are a lot of great people in various parts of the transit and financing world and i know that we will attract a solid

chairman, since you are still our committee's chair, that deeply humbled to preside over the committee today as we consider your nomination. we're honored to welcome you as the president's nominee for a position you have most deservedly earned, from the first time you testified before chairman full-bright as a young returning vietnam hero in 1971 to the day the president announced your nomination as secretary of state. you may not be aware of it, but you will be the first member of this panel to ascend directly to the position since senator john sherman of ohio became president mckinley's secretary of state more than 100 years ago. so you're clearly making history once again. yours is a big chair to fill, and i will do my best today to live up to your example. i have watched your lead on the committee with an equally deep and abiding commitment to get to the heart of the matter. always probative, always open to debate, always ready to mitigate disagreements, always looking for the truth, for answers, uncovering the facts, hearing all of the evidence and then publicly spooeking truth to

i am sorry, do i do committees first or read it off. standing committees. we have a report from the buildings and ground committee. >> yes, the buildings and ground committee met on december 17th on two informational items. the first was an update on the current technology initiatives in sfsud. and i want to thank matt kensey and his team, we just have been able to advance by leaps and bounds. all of our schools are wired for the internet. there is still some last mile connectivity issues. but i want to acknowledge our previous superintendent, carlos garcia that made sure that was money in the qta dedicated to infrastructure. and some of you know in a previous life i worked in high-tech. and when i came to san francisco and saw some of the antiquated systems we use in the city and the school system, it was appalling. but in a short time they have brought our schools up to the 21st century, and it was good to hear a reporting on that. and we secondly took up a pathway to community contracting and hiring a resolution on local hire. and we discussed the propos

. >> so are those topics to be discussed for example at a committee meeting, a committee of the whole or a curriculum committee meeting, would she then there be exempt from participating in those discussions? >> she would. >> would she be exempt from participating in any discussion around special education and contracts? >> i don't think so. the way the government code is written, is that basically, if there is some financial gain nexus between what is being discussed and the fact that she employed by a non-public school or a situation where an appearance, if a contract was not awarded to one non-public school, that was maybe a competitor of oaks. she would not involve herself in anything there there would be the appearance of personal gain because that could provide funds to oaks that could be her salary. if it's just a special education question in general that is unrelated to non-public schools, i of course will look at each of those individually, but i think she is able to discuss and vote on these matters. >> so this would not exempt commissioner maufas to vote on our budget? >>

at this time we don't have any questions for the committee members. i will open this item for members of the public. thank you so much. if there are members from the public who like to speak you have two minutes. seeing none, public comment is closed. (gavel) a seat appointed by supervisor cohen in district 10. do we have a motion? >> motion to move mr. bass forward with a recommendation up to the board. >> we have a motion with recommendation. do we have a second? we can do that without opposition. (gavel) congratulations mr. bass. >> item number two is considering appointing one member from determining november nineteenth the bicycle advisory committee. one seat one applicant. >> thank you could recall mr. casey allen. since he's not in the audience we do have the file in the record, reappointment. served in the bicycle committee since 1999; an appointment from supervisor avalos's staff. we will open up for public comment. >> my name is -- hill chair of the bicycle advisory committee. mr. allen could not make it today apparently but i do want to spe

barbara boxer also has seniority in this committee, but she is the chair of another committee, so theules will work, it will be bob menendez of new jersey who will be chairing this. interesting to watch, a couple of the senators who might be in a 2016 frame of mind, marco rubio, rand paul, perhaps, they also did not serve with hillary clinton as a senator. so the tone might be different there. there's a lot of respect on both sides of the aisle from those senators who did know her personally, while she was a member of the u.s. senate. chris? >> well, you've set it up pretty well there, it seems, because you've got a very formidable political presence there. hillary clinton, we just looked at the new numbers on her, she's three to one popular. do you think that will make the republican critics a bit hesitant today? >> i think there is a sense of wanting to tread carefully with respect to secretary clinton. if it were a different head of a department, you might see a much tougher go. later this afternoon on the house side, there might not be quite that sense of decorum, if you will. but

and if they don't act you go to a conference committee. >> there's been no committee hearings, no public hearing, no discussion. >> there is a hearing right now on ways and means. >> i'm assuming you are not having the conversations with the senate. >> we have. this bill came from a member on your side of the aisle, mr. cooper. it came -- the decision was before that article. i really think what you'rei rear we had decided this is a better course of action. we felt the bipartisan bill that mr. cooper, the democrat, authored was a sound way forward and that's why we included the cooper legislation with a short-term debt limit extension. >> but given the importance of this, i'd like to know what kind of negotiations you've had with the senate. we don't know if the senate will pass this or not. i said that the white house supports a short-term extension. >> have they've been discussed -- >> they've been sent the legislation. i don't know what the senate will do. but that's -- i think that happens fairly often. i don't know if every bill we pass through here we first have to wait for the sen

i've been on the budget committee, served with you in the budget committee. it's a lot of hard work, a lot of long hours, but it produces things that gives people confidence that we're addressing those things. thank you very much. >> thank you. >> mrs. miller, if i could ask you, i've heard our two colleagues from the other side of the aisle really kind of allude to this five-page bill that we have before us today that i have read several times and i think i understand it but wouldn't it be true to say that the senate would have to agree to this if it were going to become something that they would have to live by? >> yes. >> so in other words, this is a document which we're producing -- >> has to go to the senate. >> so if they have problems with it then they would take up that issue and deliberate that. we're not in essence laying off on another body our own wishes. we're rather stating what we would like to do and we're placing ourself in the same position that we would be placing someone else. would that be true? >> we're putting ourself in position to fol

chairman, since you are still our committee's chair, that deeply humbled to preside over the committee today as we consider your nomination. we're honored to welcome you as the president's nominee for a position you have most deservedly earned. from the first time you testified before chairman full bright as a young returning vietnam war hero in 1971 to the day the president nominated and announced your nomination as secretary of state. you may not be aware of it, but you will be the first member of this panel to ascend directly to the position since senator john sherman of ohio became senator mckinley's secretary of state more than 100 years ago. so you are clearly making history once again. yours is a big chair to fill, and i will do my best today to live up to your example. i've watched your lead on the committee with an equally deep and abiding commitment to get to the heart of the matter. always probeative, always ready for debate, always looking for the truth to answers, uncovering the facts, hearing all the evidence and then publicly speaking truth to power based solely on what

welcome to the committee. i am to see you and senator mccain on the committee. i am delighted that both of you are there. i am sorry that we will not be working together in the committee. we will be working together. i look for to it. secretary clinton has said, china is an ongoing process. it takes commitment and perseverance to break through on one issue or another. we have a lot of issues with china. my intention is to continue to focus as the administration has begun. rebalancing to grow that's rebalance. it is critical to strengthen our relationship with china. china is the oth significant economy in the world. it has a voracious appetite for resources around the world. we need to establish rules that work for everybody. that is why the administration came up with the transpacific partnership to help establish greater leverage for this notion of broadly accepted rules of the road, which are critical to our commerce. on international property, currency, market access, there are still significant challenges ahead with china. my hope is that the new administra

chairman, members of the committee, i believe that chuck will work effectively with this committee and congress on meeting these budget challenges while protecting our people, our capabilities, and while ensuring that the united states has the strongest military in the world. chuck hagel was a soldier and a senator, but he has been also a highly successful executive in both the public and private sectors. he built a successful company from the ground up. he is a man who knows how to prioritize and make tough decisions. he will listen to and carefully consider the views of our military and civilian leaders and guided them as necessary. fifth, i believe that chuck hagel will be a balanced and responsible voice on a nuclear weapons policy. president reagan said it often and said it well -- "nuclear war cannot be won and it must not be fought." as this committee knows, this of a global nuclear war have thankfully, substantially declined since the breakup of the soviet union. but within nine nations possessing nuclear weapons, with a nuclear weapons usable material and knowledge spread acro

>> or to the budget committee -- >> the budget and finance committee on a quarterly basis? >> okay. >> report to the budget and finance committee by the puc on a quarterly basis. >> um-hm. >> i think i would be fine with those amendments and the underlying legislation. the controller has a question. >> if i could. this is clearly a choice for the committee as to what level of delegation of authority you want to have. i think what we have kind of arrived at with this suggestion is no more administratively simple than simply having it on committee reserve. in either case it's going to require action by the committee to release the reserve and it might be simpler to just simply reserve balances over 100,000 for the committee's action. if you desire to have the item come back before the committee on a regular basis for action, if you're comfortable delegating that authority and having a written report, then i agree with the puc's suggestion. but if you're not comfortable with simply receiving a quarterly report on what's planned and being spent to our office releasing the reser

it's the formation of a committee to do this. and you could have a committee, if it had no money. the five of us got together and had a conversation with somebody, totally independent of our commissioner roles and no money changed hands that is also okay. i'm just sort of kicking the tires. >> that wouldn't stop friends of taking them out for dinner and saying here are the reasons to run. so we're not capturing that activity. >> what if it's a really nice dinner? >> and they got contributions from others towards? >> then we want to know. >> then we want to know about that. >> and the public wants to know about that. >> is that a public action? >> no. i don't think so. >> right. it would fall under a draft committee. that would be a draft committee. >> it just wouldn't support, -- publication support a candidate essentially? >> i think once you start collecting contributions, as a public action. so if they are at this private dinner and you start collecting contributions for a run at an elective office, i think it's a public action. or it could translate into this. because state la

the democratic members of this committee we would like to welcome you back to our committee, and we're glad you're feeling better. this will likely be your final appearance before our committee, and i want to take this opportunity to let you know how much we appreciate your outstanding and tireless efforts to represent our country in the international community. i have no doubt that you will continue to serve our nation in some capacity as you have for so many years and like forward to working with you in the future. and might i add as a new yorker, i feel especially proud of the wonderful and outstanding job you've done as secretary of state. i think that when we look at the outstanding secretary of states in our history of our country, you will be right up there at the very, very top, the way you've worked, the tireless effort you had, crisscrossing the globe so many times, you have just been indispensable to all of us as americans and i just want to thank you personally on behalf of all the democrats and behalf of all americans, democrats and republicans, we really want to thank you

and we need the help of this committee. i am one who believes that we have to both walk and chew gum at the same time. we have to deal with our own economy and other physical situation. that is a given because that is the source of our strength and our capacity. but we also have to be smart about making the right investments in diplomacy and development to try to solve problems and prevent them. so you know, i have outlined what should be a no brainer. let us have the permission to take money we already have. we're not asking for more money and put it to work where the arb told us to do, and then let's look at the budget as we move forward. now if sequestration will be very damaging to the state department and usaid if it does come to pass because it throws the baby out with the bath. are there programs we could reduce and make more efficient? yes, that's what i've been trying to do, push that forward and that's what the qdr process was about. but, there are also a lot of essential programs, first and foremost security of o

it's my advice that the committee directs me to competitively bid these services. i am happy to at the end of awarding that contract, be able to take some further time and investigate the actual details around the independence issue, the chain of command and who the budget analyst would report to, how our office would interact, how they would interact with the members of the board, where exactly they would be housed here at the board of supervisors. you could also direct me to investigate other jurisdictional cities. los angeles, san diego, new york to look at how they are provided budget analyst services. so, i think it's from the comfort of actually having a contract that you could then further direct me to provide that information to the committee. >> okay. and if we were to go forward with an rfp and eventually that rfp would have to come back for approval, could we have it be flexible such that if there was a decision by this body at a later time to actually do a contract, any type of proposal we would be flexible enough to make sure that contract is not exist

if there are questions of the committee i will direct them to you. thank you for being here. >> good afternoon my name is joseph tham. i was on board from 2002-2011, i finished 12 years at the puc, i am retired now. i have been in the real estate business as a sales, appraiser, certified general appraiser; sales since 1983, appraiser since 1987. on the board since 2002. i want to continue my public service i have been involved with the glbt and chinese community. i want to continue public service and hope to continue my service on the board. i am seeking one of the two vacancies, seat 2 and 5. either one of those. >> i want to clarify again, although this is already in your record, but for the sake of the public that you have a minimum five years professional experience in the state and one of the areas listed as an area of expertise. >>yes, i've sat in board 1 and 2, and hearing officer during the nine years i was on board 2. >> thank you so much, seeing no questions from board members, we will hear next from mr. mark watts. thank you mr. tham. >> g

to the armed services committee as an old friend. of those of us with whom you served during your years in the senate. there are few jobs that are more demanding than the position to which you've been nominated. the hours are long and extremely challenging and require sacrifices from both the secretary and his family. we traditionally give our nominees an opportunity to introduce their families at these hearings and we would welcome you doing so during your opening statement. if confirmed, senator hagel would be the first former enlisted man and the first veteran of the vietnam war to serve as secretary of defense. you can't read senator hagel's account of his military service and not be impressed bit. as senator hagel explained a few years ago, quote, probably most fundamental for me, when we talk of going to war, we need to think it through carefully, not just for the political and the geopolitical and the diplomatic, and the economic consequences and those are important, but at least for me, he said, this old infantry sergeant thi

the next item on the committee's agenda is the report from the credentials committee. i'd like to recognize co-chairs to give us an update on this. >> in a. >> thank you, madam chair. on the have of the rest of the potential committee we are honored to present our report. >> the credentials committee received a challenge to the election of dnc members from the state of georgia, and a challenge to the election process used in the election of dnc members from virginia. >> most of these challenges were received in a timely fashion, and reviewed by the credentials committee co-chair. after reviewing each of these challenges, the co-chairs determined that neither of the challenges have merit and the members under challenge were to comment to be properly elected members of the democratic national committee. >> with that, we now recommend to this body the adoption of the credentials committee report as presented. thank you, madam chair. >> thank you very much to both of the co-chairs. the chair will entertain a motion to improve -- approved the report of the credentials commi

welcome to the committee. 63 mr. chairman. >> we are devoted to this incredible topic ensuring access to quality and affordable health care has been and will always continue to be a high priority of mine. and when i say health care i do not distinguish between physical health and mental health because to me they should be viewed as one of the same. the mental health parity act and the affordable care act both take important steps to make this vision a reality. and together, they will both expanded health care insurance coverage to millions of previously uninsured americans and increase access to mental health care for millions more who have health insurance coverage. so my first question relates to increased access to insurance coverage. as we speak, governors across the country including in my home state of wisconsin are grappling with the decision of whether to expand medicaid coverage under the affordable care act. in my home state, are around 200,000 could gain and medicaid coverage through the affordable care ac

and safety committee. i will mention that that is the name we are using is a placeholder. if any of you have better more creative names , we are open to suggestions. the chair will be supervisor campus, vice chair supervisor mar, third member supervisor yee. supervisor kim will share the school committee. for government audit and oversight, chaired by supervisor chu, vice chair supervisor cohen, third member supervisor campos. land-use committee will be chaired by supervisor wiener, by shared by supervisor kim and i would join the member of the third member. rules committee will be chaired by supervisor breed. because we have a budgeting rules committee schedule for this week these assignments are effective this friday the thirteenth. for those of you who are chairs start to work on the agenda items. >> supervisor cohen. >> supervisor cohen: good afternoon colleagues. i have several things that i will introduce today. first being two pieces of legislation that the mayor and i are introducing; introducing t

to this committee inappropriate -- appropriations committee but let me say this. from kentucky, and all other states, we feel for these states of the northeast better in severe distress. we have experienced similar types of disaster, but our hearts are with the people of the northeast. we appreciate the time allowed to perfect this legislation. >> time does matter. and the governors say in the mayor's reached he may have prepared remarks. he spent a great deal of time not with the preparation but also behalf of the delegations a and for a member to do leave me your home number. >> can be half of those that represent said northeast northeast, faq for your patience and forbearance. i have tried to revise my remarks. of using several like to say but also in knowledge as the ranking chairman we have felt your heartfelt feelings from around the country and you recognize your predicament, the disaster that we face. i will proceed. internet loggers, the talking heads and media after this exceptional storm and destruction have moved on to other stories. but if we represen

this committee got started about half an hour ago, and speaking right now is a democrat on the committee from florida. >> smaller disasters that don't meet the standards of that large and awesome disaster like sandy. but you know something, when a person loses their house in our tornado that's a complete disaster to them. somewhere along the line we need to be thinking about what can we do to help people in those situations? the creative thing to do just to test it would be to have a voluntary check off on their income tax return. we do these kinds of things in florida, florida power and light company has others i am sure subscribe to it to help people who can't meet their needs to be it would be a good test run to see and then in future disasters we would have an opportunity to know what exactly, how many people really are mindful, never were -- never mind the work climate change. you tell me if something is wrong with this disaster and houston texas has more snow than chicago and illinois. something is upside down in many respects. chairman sessions, you and others on the rules of the

. >> no further questions from the committee. i want to thank each of you for not only sicking around but for your consciousness of explaining very carefully your thoughts and ideas with this committee, and you're each excused tonight. thank you. at this time the chair is in a receipt from the gentleman, mr. yoaquita, to enter in the record, and i will. i'd like to call the next panel. i would ask that you five please come forward, and remembering that we want to turn on those -- we just had an opportunity to see each other on the floor. i want to express my sorrow to you on behalf of the committee to the circumstance of your family, that you've been through, and welcome to the committee, sir. you're recognized. anything you have, statement will be entered into the record. so feel free to speak at this time. >> thank you, mr. chairman. thank you for your courtesy. i would like to express my appreciation to representatives campbell, capps and howth for submitting amendments on my half because i was not a member of this body. in th

it's going to be -- i enjoy that committee the most of any committee i have served on. because every day it's like going back to school. something i enjoyed immensely. this here at georgetown, and i brag about you because where i was taught in great elaborate detail i might add, about the values embodied in the constitution and about the rule of law, but also about the majesty of our legal traditions. and i say to the students, there is majesty in america's legal traditions. this is where i learned to argue. i also learned to appreciate different sides of complicated issues, and then to search for solutions. i never imagined then i was going to work in the area of broad legal constitutional issues that come before the senate judiciary committee. in my years there i think i have seen just about every kind of legal or constitutional issue there is. so i look forward to chairing it again. in that committee what we do touches the lives of 300 million americans. we are going to talk about issues ranging from the freedom of the press to the right to bear arms. and we are priv

senator durbin, and we need the help of this committee. i am one who believes that we have to both walk and chew gum at the same time. we have to deal with our own economy and our fiscal situation. that is a given because that is the source of our strength and capacity but we also have to be smart about making the right investment in diplomacy and development to try to solve problems and prevent them. so, you know, i have outlined what should be a no-brainer. let us have the permission to take money we already have. we're not asking for more money and put it to work where the aa.aa a.r.b. told us to do and then let's move forward. sequestration will be very damaging to the state department and usaid if it comes to pass. it throws the baby out with the bath. are there programs that we can reduce and make more efficient? yes. that's what i've been trying to do, is push that forward and that's what the qdr process was about. but there are programs first and foremost for the security of our personnel in dangerous places that we can't afford to