jane harman's district is a democratic district. we take nothing for granted, and there are many three candidates who have emerged there, but that is an example of the retirement is in a democratic district. >> as you recruit the candidates and urge them not to retire, how're you pitching bajaur are you saying, the democrats got their rear ends handed to them. nancy pelosi has a 25% approval rate in my district. what do you doing to convince them that 2012 will be different? >> republicans have said -- have had such a run start, i do not have too much. it is the other way around. if people are calling on us, knocking on our door, and what is interesting is that members of congress who were defeated who are engaged. we have conference calls with them. we stood up a program for former members where we keep them informed, in caves, to solicit their ideas. we talk about what is happening in their districts. we share information and the attendance rate of those conference calls from former members is extremely high. we do not have to do

jane. mrs. harman: thank you, norm dicks, my longest standing, certainly not my oldest friend in the house. and thank you, colleagues. my congressional career will close on february 28 so that the constitutionally required special election to replace me can coincide with a state-wide referendum governor brown intends to hold in california late they are year. this timing will save taxpayer money, a very good thing, ensure a higher turnout and most quickly fill the vacancy created by my resignation. the messages that have flooded my offices since i announced my departure have touched me deeply. the extraordinary honor of a congratulatory statement by the president was completely unexpected and absolutely thrilling but the message i may treasure most came from one of my four children. it said simply, brave mama. for 17 years, i have worked my heart out for the people of california's 36th congressional district. i cast votes with which some strongly disagreed, but i have always tried my best to listen and

. >> long-time southern california congresswoman jane harman is expected to announce tomorrow she's resign. the los angeles democrat sent an e-mail to her constituents. she's been a leading voice and a special election will determine her replacement in the house of representatives. >>> president obama sought to mend fences to american business leaders. he spoke to a number of a groom of ads that -- he spoke to a number of execs and he says growing america's economy requires working together. >> as we work with you to make america a better place to do business, i'm hoping that all of you are thinking what you can do for america. ask yourselves what you can do to hire more american workers. what you can do to support the american economy and invest in thiscation. >> mr. obama included the business leaders to begin spending the $2 trillion in cash they've been keeping in reserve while waiting for the economy to recover. >>> america's work force is becoming split between the haves and have-nots. a new report shows the lines are moving farther apart. companies are less likely to lay off workers

jane harman. now, how many times do they agree with jane? and dad used that 80/20 cool 80% of the time, you know, maureen and i are on the same page. 20% of the time we are not. i'm supporting my daughter, pro-choice. he caught hell for it, jack kemp caught hell for it and maureen lost. >> host: suit to be cleared you do not believe there should be a pro-life litmus test. >> guest: and i don't believe there should be a pro-choice litmus test on the other side of it. they're really shouldn't be. these litmus tests it you in trouble. iter this apart in the book. i speak at pro-life even swallow for the country for. i'm adopted and one of the questions i asked in the audience is how many of you adopted would have rather been aborted. so far 100% of the answers are no, i'm very happy being alive, think you very much. but the reality is 69% of abortions are done on young gurgles who profess to believe in god. catholic and protestant. 69%. that's a huge percentage. so then the question is why. the argument i made in the book is they are fearful of

jane harman. now how many times do they agree with jane? and dad used that 80/20 rule. 80% of the time, you know, maureen and i are in the same page, 20% of the time we are not. i'm supporting my daughter, pro-choice. he caught hell for it, jack kemp caught hell for it and maureen loss. >> host: to be clear you do not believe there should be a pro-life litmus test for republican candidates. >> guest: a bye don't believe there should be a pro-life litmus test on the other side. there shouldn't be. the litmus tests did you in trouble. i really care to support the book and give others -- i speak at pro-life defense all over the country. on an adopted. one of the questions i get asked is how many of you would have rather been aborted? so far 100% of the answers or no, i'm very happy being alive. thank you. but the reality is 69% of abortions are done on young girls who profess to believe in god, catholic and protestant. 69%. that is a huge percentage. so then the question is why? my argument i made in the book is because they are more fearful o

signed sincerely, jane harman, member of congress. the speaker pro tempore: under clause 5-d of rule 20, the chair announces to the house in light of the resignation of the gentlewoman from california, ms. harman, the whole number of for what purpose does the gentleman from georgia rise? >> thank you, mr. speaker. mr. speaker, i ask for unanimous consent that it may be in order at any time on wednesday, march 9, 2011, for the speaker to declare a recess subject to the call of the chair for the purpose of receiving in joint meeting the honorable julia ga lard, prime minister of australia -- gallard, prime minister of australia. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. the house will be in order. members, please take their conversations from the floor. the speaker pro tempore: the chair lays before the house the following personal requests. the clerk: leaves of absence requested for mr. hanna of new york for today and the balance of the week, mr. jones of north carolina for today and mr. young of florida for today and march 1 . the s

and one final call question -- did the president called for here of jane harman's decision to leave?> not that i'm aware of. i think some people may have known that she was interested in that position, but i do not know that -- i can check and see if there's anything on that. >> the question on the chamber -- he is talking about the $400 billion, that is net after he has made the investments he wants to make. that is correct, the $400 billion? >> there is -- we all understand we have to cut spending. as you freeze the level of spending over the course of five years at a certain level, you are still spending a certain amount of money. inside of that money, you can cut some and add to others, but the baseline is a freeze. >> in terms of cutting, he says he is going to make room for the new investments he wants and they will all be paid for. will the budget monday explain how all of it -- how much all of these are going to cost and how he is going to pay for them? >> the details of next year's budget will be released next week. >> he has not given any indication of how much is going to

california democratic representative jane harman said she will resign from congress. this came as a surprise to many in our party. it served as the latest blow to the diminished ranks of the centrist wing of the democratic caucus. in an e-mail she also said she was "in discussions" to take over the presidency of the woodrow wildrow wilson center. a new inspector general report showed that the u.s. failed to deliver aid to pakistan. the report says the u.s. has committed nearly $4 billion to projects in pakistan since 2009 to help the country address critical infrastructure needs, provide basic services, and improved government performance, but the largest contributor, and that is the u.s. agency for international development, has not committed a way to measure the success of its programs. finally, julian assange is back in court in london for the second day of the hearing on whether he should be sent to sweden to face sexual assault allegations. his lawyer told the court yesterday he would not get a fair trial because of his notoriety and because swedish cases are cus

the story we have been falling -- earlier today,, california congresswoman jane harman will announceorrow that she is resigning from congress. she has represented southern california's 36 district since 2003 she will replace former indiana congressman lee hamilton as the director of the woodrow wilson center in washington. there will be a special election to fill her seat. the white house briefing is coming up shortly and until then, a discussion on democratic goals for spending. this morning's "washington journal." journal" continues. host: derek thompson, blogger and staff writer ed "the atlantic" this morning, thank you. you have a piece and you call yourself a progressive deficit hawk. there is a good reason to be lonely and depressed. because some progressives think the term deficit hawk is pejorative and deficit hawks believe progressives aren't serious. because i have twice the cause to feel exacerbated by washington's budget policy. what is a progressive deficit hawk? guest: is to say i want higher deficits now and lower deficits later. i would like to see more willingness an

jane har men, the democratic congresswoman from leaks, is resigning. she's 65 years ole. she represents the district in suburban los angeles. harmanst eselected to the house in 1992. she just announced she will resign. >>> 8:46. right now, president obama is giving his first major speech to america's most powerful business lobbying group that would be the u.s. chamber of commerce. and he's prodding the private sector, telling businesses they should ask what they can do for america. sounding a little like j.f.k. as alison burns areports, it's an address that might have been unthinkable a few months ago. alison this. >> reporter: you might remember the big fight in the paul between president obama and the u.s. chamber of commerce. the white house and democrats were accusing the secret service using foreign money to help gop candidates. now they are trying to put it behind them. this is a look at president obama's arrival at the u.s. chamber right across the street from the white house just about 15 minutes ago. he started his speech say egg came to the chamber could -- to be neighborly. maybe if we -- we had -- if we had brought ove