john fortier, what did you hear there? >> from your list, i'll take the campaign finance question again. i think the caller illustrates different opinions on how to reform the system. some would be and more on the left, public financing, money to campaign and not private sources or equalizing the amounts limiting the amounts to equal amounts of people to raise. i think certainly on the more republican and libertarian side you have some worries that maybe the limits are too low that we should have higher limit that is alaw people to go out and raise some disclosed amounts of money but at larger chunks and maybe not spend so much time raising as worried about raising lots and lots of $2,000 checks and less time with higher limits and the parties were stronger. we did worry you mentioned outside groups. that was a concern of our members. that the outside independent groups are spending a lot of money on campaigns. we didn't have a solution for that but i think both parties worried about this. >> we have to leave it there. joh

john fortier, he is here. he is from the democracy bipartisan project.ook a look at the first six-month of the hundred and 14th -- 114th congress. how is congress doing? guest: we had a look at it. how could we improve the political system, how could we improve congress? some of our recommendations are congress should we hear more. congress certainly works a lot. i think the criticism that the members are not working is very unfair, but they should be here in washington for concentrated. periods of time. we think also that the debate has suffered in congress in a number of ways. in the house but especially in the senate where the amendment process was shut down. members of both parties worry that they really could not put up their proposals as amendments to bills and a lot of debate was being shut down by filibusters or by the majority or minority shutting down debate. finally, if you think about schoolhouse rock, maybe you watched that show when you were younger. that was a simple way of describing a good legislative process. you really work on legislat

john fortier the budget. >> we with respect taking positions like wars and entitlement. those are functions for congress to address. i think if you're getting at the budget process, that's something we made recommendations about and the bipartisan policy center has additional recommendations out of an economic commission. it really is not what it should be. one thing we recommend is really to move to a two-year budget cycle and may seem like inside baseball and we spend a lot of time each year arguing trying to get through many appropriations bills, trying to get a budget passed and then start all over again next year and contentious and the deadlines are and with a two-year cycle, more long-term planning and the ability to have oversight, more in the middle of this time so you weren't always thinking about a one-year plan. you could have two years and watch where the money was going over the two years. not measured by the index and something we hope to see. >> john is next in pennsylvania, republican. good morning. >> caller: yes. good morning. i'd like to just make a c

john fortier what else is that you think this 114th congress is not doing that they should be doing that you have recommended in the past? >> well, in our big measures there are a couple things that could be better. the house could be in session more. senate's doing pretty well. when we get to the debate on the floor, there's good things. senate's allowing amendments. activity. bills are there. but the house of representatives has had more what we call structured or closed rules. to explain that in a simple way. you can have a debate over a bill where there's a completely amendment process where anybody can add any amendment they like and vote on whether they get into the bill or not. you can say there's five for each other side or really say almost no debate. here take it or leave it the bill, as it is. while we have seen more activity on the house floor, a lot more bills there, more debate, we have also more closed rules, more structured rules than we'd like. we would like more chances for members of both sides to amend the bills. i think on the senate it's complicated trying to talk a

fortier the 2% of all the trading is exploratory. >> with the market is structured right now, beforegap by high-frequency traders. >> let's go back to the floor of the new york stock exchange. i don't know how much you've heard that a lot of people want to understand how the market works. they used to depend on the guys surrounding you right now is there ultimate backstop. do they play an important role? >> they are relevant. they play an important role. today is a highly unusual day. i have been down here since 1995. i have never ever ever seen all stocks on the new york stock exchange halted in this manner in the middle of the day. they have been a glitch of some sort but still a slew of traders on the ramp. you are 100% right. all the stocks can now trade away. if you think the customers will send their orders here the rest of the day i highly doubt it. once they start routing them away -- [inaudible] >> i don't know. >> we are getting quite close. >> said they are trading. i don't know. if you are getting close i guess it's trading. >> that would be the one question i have. i thi

john fortier with the bipartisan policy center on recommendations for making congress work. ♪ host: goodorning, everyone. wednesday, july 22. flags at half staff and owner of the five u.s. service members killed by a gunman and chattanooga last week. the white house ordered the flags lowered after criticism from capitol hill. meanwhile, secretary of state john kerry and energy secretary ernest moniz briefing lawmakers on the iran deal. the

john fortier, the director of bipartisan policy center's democracy project. thank you for your time. the house is gathering and for their live session. the speaker's rooms, washington, d.c. july 22, 2015. i hereby appoint the honorable scott r. tipton to act as speaker pro tempore on this dafmente -- day. signed, john a. boehner speaker of the house of representatives. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the order of the house of january 6 2015, the chair will now recognize members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning hour debate. the chair will alternate recognition between the parties with each party limited to one hour, each member other than the majority and minority leaders and minority whip limited to five minutes, but in no event shall debate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. the chair now recognizes the gentleman from oregon, mr. blumenauer, for five minutes. mr. blumenauer: thank you, mr. speaker. it was interesting to listen to some of the congressional reactions after the united nations security council on monday unanimou