instead of just fighting the houthis. the united states isn't at war with the houthis. we haven't declared war on that group. we have declared war on al qaeda, and al qaeda is growing in its lethality, influence and territorial control inside yemen. second condition as contemplated by our amendment is to simply have the president certify as a condition of continued support for the bombing campaign that the coalition is fighting terrorist groups alongside the houthis. i think if i had 100 different individual conversations with members of the senate, i can't imagine there would be a lot of objection because of course we want to fight terrorism. of course that's our priority, not the houthis. of course we want to do everything possible to reduce civilian casualties. and so i'm grateful to senator mccain and senator senator reedd also senator cardin and senator corker who has some jurisdiction here that they're willing to look at this amendment. i'm not offering it today because i know we're constructing ways to make the language acceptable to the chair and to the ranking

t they're doing with the houthi rebels.nd we continue to do what we can through authorities that we have both sanction authorities given to us through iepa and through other legislation and through executive actions to sanction when possible and to counteract the activities of iran in the region. >> thank you. real quick, given the increase activity that iran is showing in the region since the jcpoa, can you give us an update on the memorandum of understanding with israel relative to the military assistance there? i know it doesn't expire until '18, i believe. and also, given that iran has -- continues to make anti-israel statements, even putting death to israel stencilling on the missile that they've been testing, i think this is really important that we reassert that support for israel in light of this increased activity. can you give us an update on that mou? >> what we are in the process of negotiating the mou with the government of israel looking at how best we can continue to meet the defense needs of israel as it fac

and it's all really kind of collapsing in yemen in 2015 when the houthi insurgents actually overthrow the yemeni government which then ruins the whole counterterrorism program that we've put in place. we have to pull all our people out, lots of hardware falls into the enemy's hands, we don't have intelligence now to do any more drone strikes there. so to sum up, drones have been useful tactically in certain situations. they've had, certainly, some benefit. we've also seen they can be counterproductive when they hit the wrong targets. the idea they can be a strategic instrument i think has been very much disproven by events. the enemy, if we don't have boots on the ground, our friends don't have boots on the ground, you're not going to be able to stop these groups. and the idea is problematic simply because we thought that having drones as a strategy was a viable strategy, and that has prevented us from adopting strategies that are actually more effective. thank you. [applause] >> thank you, mark. we'll have time for a couple questions. i'm going to ask one x then i'll turn it over to

-backed, saudi-led coalition fighting houthi rebels in yemen from a blacklist of forces responsible for killing children. the removal came after intense pressure from saudi arabia. an annual u.n. report found nearly 2000 children were killed or injured in yemen last year, a sixfold increase over the previous year. 60% of those casualties were blamed on the u.s.-backed, saudi-led coalition. in istanbul, turkey, a car bombing has killed at least 11 people and wounded dozens more. the bombing targeted a police shuttle bus near a central tourist area of the city during rush hour. seven of those killed were police. no group has claimed responsibility so far. a watchdog group has recommended the blue semi-precious stone lapis lazuli be classified as a conflict mineral because of its role in fueling armed groups in afghanistan. "global witness" says the taliban and other groups earn up to $20 million a year from illegal lapis mining. researcher stephen carter said the mines have destabilized badakhstan province in northern afghanistan. --at the moment, you have there is competition among armed

the houthi rebels in yemen. the houthi rebels in yemen. and so, what i wrote was how the and so, what i wrote was how the region sees iran's behavior. region sees iran's behavior. so, the question remains, are we so, the question remains, are we going to now be able to make going to now be able to make iran pay a higher price for this iran pay a higher price for this behavior or not? behavior or not? and the answer to that will and the answer to that will largely reflect on how that deal largely reflect o is viewed. >> and if i can maybe press you on that point. are you seeing from the obama administration at this stage the sort of pushback to iran's behavior in the region that begins to rebuild some of the confidence that has been lost around the region about u.s. presence and commitment? >> i do, but i also see mixed messages. i do see a desire to push back i do see a desire to push back iranian influence, but at the iranian influence, but at the same time, i also see u.s. same time, i also see u.s. officials

hamas, hezbollah, houthis in yemen. president obama wanted a deal so badly that he got a very bad deal, a bad deal not him, for the american people, for our country. the president and his foreign policy team were willing to say anything to sell this deal to the american people, the administration's policy on iran has not provided the greatest possible security for america. mr. president, i could go on talking about more places around the world. members of this body are fully aware. members of the american people are fully aware of the failures of this administration. there are so many places where america does not have a better relationship now than we did when president obama came into office just like jimmyarter said. can't think of many nations in the world where we have a better relationship thousand than we did when -- now than we did when president obama took over. so president obama is going to spend the rest of his time in office trying to create an echo chamber. he'll try to convince people around the world tha

houthi to be resilient enough not to be changed? -- not to be tattered and worn and tormented by seeing the worst of what is possible? that me tell you about the firehouse where we gathered. where families were waiting to hear news of their loved ones. the firehouse is at the end of the street where the sandy hook elementary school stood. if a small, tightknit community. those volunteer firefighters were the first on the scene, running to the school which their children attended. walking into a scene of carnage. stepping over the bodies of children who were their children's friends. imagine that. imagine you as a police officer, a firefighter, a doctor, and seeing the children of your community. blood splattered in the hall the school dedicated to learning and uplifting. these people will never be the same. it was not their children, but it is our children. it is america's children who were being slaughtered. and the inaction in this house and in this congress is shameful and it is wrong. and it can change. and i think it will chang