menendez: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from new jersey. mr. menendez: mr. president, i rise to urge a "yes" vote for feignafinal passage of the homes flood insurance act, and i'll say that the senate went through a considerate, deliberate process where amendments were openly considered. i believe that at the end of that process there was a 67-32 vote. we don't normally get two-thirds of the senate agreeing on major issues, but we did at that time on a bipartisan effort. my understanding is that the legislation that ultimately we are considering today, which is basically foundationally what we agreed to here, with some changes in the house for which there was vigorous back-and-forth negotiation passed by over 300 votes of the house of representatives. so it seems to me that it has a broad bipartisan support and was vigorously debated in that chamber. we have an opportunity to once again, after the bill that we just passed, to show once again this body can work. we've had a respe

senator menendez, how far do -- vladimir putin to go?> well, president putin has started a game of russian roulette and i think that the united states and the west have to be very clear in their response. because, he will calculate about how far he can go. so that means they're having very robust sanctions ready to go, starting with the crimea vote and moving onward depending upon russia's continued actions after the crimea vote. >> senator corker, we'll get to the sanctions in a moment. but in addition to the steps that we've already talked about, the russians have thousands, some say tens of thousands of troops massed along the border of eastern ukraine in russian territory. what do you expect putin to do there? >> well, as was mentioned i think that will be a major game changer, and hopefully that's not going to take place. i think it's a show of intimidation, but the fact is, that we do have to show resolve. i think we're -- the european community has stepped up, and made commitments to do some things that they have never done before

para hablar de es, vamos a washington dc el senador del estado de nueva jersey bob menÉndez con nosotroso en la intensidad de las manifestaciones. el gobierno de venezuela ha dicho una y otra vez que losm manifestantes son creados por estados unidos, y el fascismo internacional. expulsaron a 3 diplomÁticos estadounidenses, esta misma semana pasada ¿como ve usted el tema de venezuela? >>> bueno, maduro quiere evitar la responsabilidad por lo que pasa en su paÍs. un paÍs con riqueza enorme de petrÓleo con 56% de inflacion. solamente un crecimiento de #1% en latinoamÉrica uno de los mÁs bajos. y quienes son los estudiante que pacÍficamente estÁn protestando por una mejor vida o los par mil tatos auspicio dos por el presidente maduro que han creado muerte dentro de venezuela. asÍ que, la tragedia de venezuela es hecho, y la persona responsable es el presidente maduro. >>> los manifestantess dicen que va un a mantenerse en las calles, hasta la renuncia de maduro maduro ha dicho que Él no se va. >>> bueno, espero que maduro entienda que hay una responsabilidad a su pueblo. y que su manifestaci

from new jersey, chairman menendez and tennessee the top republican, bob corker. gentleman, we have the crimea rather dumb that will certainly vote to break away from the ukraine but new we have an incursion six miles into the ukraine, so how could we get president president to go? >> putin has start add game of russian roulette and the united states and the west have to be very clear in their response. he will calculate about how far he can go. that means having robust sanctions ready to go starting with the crimea vote and moving onward depending on russian continued actions after the crimea vote. >> senator corker, we will get to the sangs in a moment but in addition to the steps we have talked about the russians have thousands, some say tens of thousands, of troops massed along the border of east urn -- eastern ukraine in russia territory. what do you expect vladimir putin to do there? >> that would be a major game changer and, hopefully, that will not take place. it is a show of intimidation. the fact is that we do have to show resolve. the european community

. >>> como nunca antes tomÓ fuerza el clamor popular, y son los senadores menÉndez y derbec que hicieronde illinois y de nueva jersey, bob menÉndez. los senadores son juntos con otros miembros autores de reformas, pero que estÁ congelada en la cÁmara de representantes. >>> perdimos la esperanza que comience a legislar, pero vamos a pedir que interceda por nosotros y que hable con el presidente. >>> un grupo de 11 activistas viajaran a la ciudad del vaticano. >>> nos vamos porque tiene la reuniÓn el presidente obama y el papa francisco y no tienen una agenda de migraciÓn. >>> ellos entregaran mÁs de 200 cartas y dibujos con plegarias hechas por hijos de padres deportados. >>> querido papÁ, te pido que ore por nosotros. >>> que ven en el mapa su Última esperanza para que detenga las deportaciones. >>> tiene un poder que es firmar el paro, el lo puede hacer. >>> tambiÉn puede pedir una acciÓn diferida. >>> y despuÉs de llevarlo a ganar dos elecciones lo Único que recibieron a cambio son casi dos millones de deportaciÓn. >>> queremos ver dos deportaciones. y ninguna mÁs concreta que paren la

una de las damnificadas es marÍa menÉndez quien vive frente los edificios derrumbados.ce estar preocupada por la desapariciÓn de un amigo. >> esa explosiÓn, >> hay mÁs de 22 desaparecidos. >> precisamente, una persona que yo conozco. >> cientos de policÍas y bomberos continÚan en la escena donde todavÍa se percibe el olor a quemado y se puede ver una columna de humo salir de los edificios afectados. lÍderes políticos locales dicen que las autoridades trabajan arduamente en busca de los desaparecidos y para ayudar a las vÍctimas. >> estamos todavÍa en esfuerzos para averiguar exactamente todas las personas que estaban en los edificios. aquÍ estamos la cruz roja, donde los servicios a las personas desplazadas temporalmente. ahora estÁn montando las guaguas para irse a un albergue. >> llegaron al lugar de los hechos, las tuberÍas de gas son consideradas una ruta de transporte. uno de sus directivos dijo que trataron de determinar si este explosiÓn fue por un problema de antigüedad en la infraestructura por una inspecciÓn inadecuada, consecuencia de la falta de mantenimient

new jersey senator robert menendez joins me now. jack kennedy, our hero, used to figure out the other side, what they were thinking and churchill, everybody's hero, said russia is an enigma, but you have to understand that they have interests. find out what the interests are and you can figure them out. what do you think putin wants? >> well, first of all, you've got to understand putin's mentality, right? putin loves peter the great. why was peter the great? because he amassed moreland for the russian empire. this is part of what putin sees. he sees a return of the demise of what was the soviet union and wants to extend its influence territorial and otherwise. crimea important because of the base there and the access it gives the russians to the entire region and to the sea. and but at the end of the day, i think we have to remind president putin of his own remarks six months ago in an op i have ed in the new york times speaking about syria, we have to stop using the language of force and return to the path of civilized diplomatic

menendez: mr. president, i ask that the quorum call be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. menendez: mr. president, i have nine unanimous consent requests for committees to meet during today's session of the senate. they have the approval of the majority and minority leaders. i ask unanimous consent that these requests be agreed to and that these requests be printed in the record. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. menendez: thank you, mr. president. mr. president, i come to the floor as we are at a moment of truth and a moment of incredible importance, and i want to start off by acknowledging the distinguished republican ranking member on the senate foreign relations committee, senator corker, for the spirit in which we've worked together to marshal forces to bring, i think, some critical legislation to the floor at a critical time in history. this is the type of relationship that we have had for the last 15 months in which, in a time, some time of partisanship here,

senador. >> siempre un placer. >> senador bob menÉndez.emos de casi todo, menos del libro. (risa). >> bueno, esperemos que hablemos del libro, jorge, ¿ah? muchas gracias. >> gracias por estar aquÍ, andrÉs. perdÓn que te hable de tÚ. >> no, muy bien. >> y, porque creo que nos conocemos hace dÉcadas, ¿no? >> colega, periodistas, ni contemos cuÁnto nos conocemos, ¿no? >> claro. >> todo lo que tocÓ trabajar y trabajamos juntos. >> bueno, quisiera comenzar hablando sobre venezuela. >> sÍ. >> ¿el gobierno de colombia de juan manuel santos ha tenido una reacciÓn muy tibia ante la masacre en venezuela? >> muy dÉbil. muy debil. fÍjese que, inclusive hoy en dÍa que las redes sociales, yo apenas entrÉ al twitter hace dos meses, cuando lancÉ mi libro, y yo se lo decÍa al presidente en las redes sociales, seÑor presidente, comenzamos a ver lo que sucede en venezuela, comenzamos a ver las masacres que hicieron sobre los estudiantes, la situaciÓn que se presentaba al paÍs, y yo le puse un twitter, le dije "presidente ¿cuÁl es la posiciÓn suya y de su can

. >> senator menendez. >> thank you. i want to congratulate you and your leadership of the committee and looking forward having moved down to the rostrom to here no longer smashing my knees or the staff from the other end. let me -- mr. secretary, talk about -- i know you're here about the budget and also about values, from my prif, prif -- perspective, it reflects what we believe in as a country. when we talk about the budget, i also look at the draft of the house and ways and means committee's chairman tax reform plan that has a complete elimination of the state and local tax deduction. that's a proposal that would impose a significant, from my prif, unfair tax increase on millions of families in my home state in new jersey and across a number of high cost states in the country. unfortunately, for the reality of this bill's prospects, experience from the 1986 effort shows that as most tax experts know any serious tax reform effort can't be build on such a shaky foundation. my question, to get a sense from you, in order

includes twenty four members of the house of representatives sent to u s senators new jersey's bob menendez a democrat and florida's marco rubio potential republican presidential candidate the latino electorate is expected to grow from twenty three million to forty new in twenty thirty. how do you think is gonna affect policies in the west wing forward to what are the big change is that one. one should expect the fans what i mean of the latino groups think alike in you know you mention the names of sen menendez in center rubio may mean that the nose will tell you that they do not represent their interests and in a republic in a cave in from south florida's i think the same with the politics as a mexican or so but dorian here in los angeles different views on on foreign policy given the fact that mexicans have to know what nafta has done to their country and sent americans have witnessed what has happened in such a manner that the two interventions back during the eighties so it is tough to tell us exactly what sort of effect it will have that many of the issues that are not at the forefront

today speeches from new jersey senator bob menendez and benjamin netanyahu as well. reporters are reportedly lobbying members of congress in support of new sanctions on iran. president obama has vowed to veto that legislation saying it would disrupt ongoing talks over iran's nuclear program. this is set to get under way shortly here on c-span2. while we wait, remarks from secretary of state john curry who spoke at this -- kerry who spoke at this conference. secretary kerry is in crew -yard line to show -- kerry is in ukraine to show support for the country's military. and as russian president vladimir putin said he wouldn't be deterred by economic sanctions imposed punitively by the west. ♪ ♪ [applause] ♪ ♪ >> norm, thank you. thank you very, very much. thank you all. 14,000 strong or more. [applause] executive director howard core, incoming president bob cohen, incoming chairman, michael cassen, outgoing chairman lee rosenberg and ambassador ron -- and ambassador dan shapiro. i don't know where our ambassadors are. somebody ought to -- [applause] let me tell you, it

hemos visto al senador menÉndez, al senador schumer, el senador ( ). >> o sea, no los van a dejar en es pasar propuestas que estÁn atacando al programa de acciÓn diferida. >> claro. >> que lo han hecho esta semana, queriÉndole quitar el poder administrativo y ejecutivo al presidente. >> pero, a lo que me refiero, si ustedes estÁn atacando al presidente, si se les estÁn presentando en cualquier lugar donde llegue ¿por quÉ no hacen lo mismo con john boehner y los republicanos? >> si vamos a atacar a los republicanos, este es un aÑo electoral. y united we dream va a empezar nuestro trabajo electoral en florida, texas, nevada y colorado, donde nos vamos a asegurar que los latinos salgan a votar y que sepan quiÉnes estancaron la reforma migratoria. >> o sea, que les cueste, que a los republicanos les cueste >> sÍ. >> el haberse opuesto a la reforma migratoria. >> que ellos sepan que hay consecuencias polÍticas, por haber jugado juegos polÍticos con nosotros. >> ¿todo esto no les da miedo? estÁn peleando. hay una frase en mÉxico muy bonita "cuando ( ) las patadas". o sea, se estÁn peleando

menendez: mr. president, i ask that the quorum call be vitiated. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. menendez: mr. president, i rise to express my robust concern about russia's actions and the continuing escalations of tensions in central and eastern europe. even with ukranian troops leaving crimea, russia continues to extort the ukraine, disavowing an agreement on gas prices that was part of a bilateral agreement allowing russia to lease the black seaport in the crimea for its fleet. russia is now arguing that it no longer has to provide the discounted gas because it illegally seized the port, but that it also must be paid back $11 billion for prior discounts. at the same time, russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops at ukraine's border, in addition to 23,000 troops that are in the crimea, making clear the threat of an outright invasion of ukraine and possibly a portion of moldova. putin is watching to see what we will do, to see if we have the resolve to act or if he in essence gets

senator menendez brought it to the floor. now, when it came to the floor before our trip to ukraine, senator reid offered to bring it to the floor and pass it, do this on a bipartisan basis quickly, just what the senate minority leader is now asking for, but there was an objection. the objection came from the senate minority leader as side of the aisle -- leader's side of the aisle. a republican senator objected to moving this bipartisan measure forward quickly. so senator reid set up the vote that happened yesterday when 78 members voted in the affirmative to move to this measure. that's a good thing. and i hope we can bring it up this week, and if the other side or any senator has a proposal for an amendment, i hope that they won't keep it to themselves and conceal it but bring this forward. let's talk about it. let's see if we can amend this measure, change this measure in a constructive fashion without introducing a lot of amendments which might bog us down in long-term debate. the ukrainians are waiting to hear from the

menendez talk about? >> he said to see what we can do to make loan guarantees. think we have got to work and lead with europe in order to really create a united front because if this thing gets further out of hand and in these cities and in the eastern ukraine, and if in the city hall they hoist russian flags, you can end with an insurrection across the ukraine. >> do you think vitaly churkin, describing that there are mob scenes on the ground that are not existing, they are creating a pretext, a reason for russia to go in there and take control, a reason that nobody who is there says is actually real, do they believe it? are they being told this by operatives? >> they are being told this by propaganda in russia. as you know, he's closed down every other avenue of information in the country now. this is why it would be very important, i think, and samantha power did a good job in her speech today at the u.n. but what we should be doing is bringing up a security council resolution that would not only isolate russia and make russia vote against the international c

but again this week senator menendez was out talking forcefully about this and now he's pushing back those within his party. how does the white house navigate this? >> that's difficult. my guess is that -- i would be surprised if harry reid brought it up for a vote over the white house's objections. in some ways they can have their cake and eat it, too. all the democrats can say we want to be hard on iran and the president can say to the iranians look what i'm saving you from. you need to negotiate with me. so it's a little bit dicey for the white house. particularly with syria, particularly with the crimea russia, he needs to show that he's more forceful on foreign policy. here is aen example where he's saying no, let's hold off for a while. puts him in a tough spot. >> and quick final word to you. >> the president is in a tough spot on a lot of issues and he doesn't have many friends on the hill even his own party and he doesn't have the respect of the country or the foreign leaders that he needs to go to battle with putin who obviously swho does have the respect of his own people.

joining me right now is the senate of the foreign relations committee, democratic senator robert menendezou've been in close consultations with the white house on how congress will move forward in ukraine in terms of aid and sanctions. can you help clear up which allies are with us? it does not seem that the ukraine is not quite where the obama administration is yet. >> our country has always led the world, particularly when we're talking about the potential of a sanctions regime. and it is that leadership that ultimately brings the world in concert. so it doesn't all start off with everybody calibrating the exact same way. that's not surprising. but i do believe that we can get to where we need to be, which is to create a menu of options on the sanctionable side. and as such, can face consequences versus the old command and control structure of what was the soviet union. so there's a big difference here in terms of our ability with the thinking, putin's thinking. >> president obama not only needs to negotiate with the european union countries, he also needs to negotiate with congress. i

. >> thank you very much, chairman menendez. let me say to senator barrasso, i think the thrust of where you're going with this is a very good one, and i have supported it. i believe that the export of lng is something that we should be doing as a country. we somehow have to shake up the doe process that's going on right now because it is, in my opinion, going too slowly. there are several bills that have been introduced. senator barrasso, as you know my cousin and our colleague, mark udall, has introduced a bill that would expedite approval of exports to all wto countries from existing or future export facilities. i support this effort. the volume of our exports will be determined by the price of gas and the costs of facilities. and the gas will likely go where there's the most need. and there's a strong interest, i think, in eastern europe given russia's aggressive economic behavior. last summer i joined a bipartisan letter with both democrats and republicans to support further lng exports, and i understand there's also a bipa

menendez: i will be heaped 20 yield. mr. mccain: i think it is very clear that vladimir putin has amassed forces on the eastern border of russia and eastern ukraine. and right now he is calculating as to whether to move their or even into moldova where the region is now occupied and has been by russian troops. also there's pressure on the baltic countries that is being exerted as we speak, a lot of it in defense of russian-speaking people. if we don't send this message now with this package in a bipartisan and strong manner, vladimir putin will be encouraged to enact further acts of aggression against crimea and in the region. and i would ask my colleague if he doesn't agree with that assessment. mr. menendez: i think the senator is spot-on. right now putin is looking at whether or not he proceeds in eastern ukraine. he is looking at translistia and moll dough vavment he is calculating and he is calculating what are the costs? what will the united states and the european union do? from my perspective, president putin only un

. >> do you know how mary landrieu made the list and bob menendez and harry reid? it seems eclectic to me. >> i think leadership roles that harry reid and bob menendez have -- i'm not sure about the others. i know that dan coates has been very strong on russia, but for me to understand what the russian's thinking is, is very difficult. but again, i know that he is bent on restoration of the russian empire, and ukraine is the crown jewel of that. that's why i'm worried about what actions he might take -- >> if you were president, senator -- and you argued the in the past we provided the atmosphere and our conduct has provided the means by which putin takes advantage of situations like this. you were president and you're at this stage and let's assume the same thing to you. how do you respond at this point? he is saying i don't think the sanctions will get much worse and they're not going to send troops here. what does john mccain do? >> john mccain says we have to understand vladimir putin for what he is, and then i send defensive weapons to ukraine so they can defe

menendez proposes an amendment numbered 2867. strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following. section 1, short title. mr. reid: madam president, i ask unanimous consent the reading, further reading be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. reid: i now ask unanimous consent, is there more that the chair needs to do. the presiding officer: there is not on that matter. mr. reid: okay. i ask unanimous consent that at 11:00 a.m. wednesday, march 26, the senate proceed to executive session and not withstanding rule 22 the senate proceed to vote on cloture on executive calendar numbers 581, 582, 583, 584. if cloture sin invoked on any nominations the time until 2:30 be equally divided between the two leaders or designees and at 2:30 the senate proceed to vote on the confirmations of the nominations on the order upon which cloture was invoked. following senate action on these nominations the senate proceed to vote on 694, there be two minutes for debate on each vote and all roll call votes after the first vo

please welcome a true champion , senatorited states robert menendez.use] >> [speaking spanish] >> thank you very much, and i might continue -- for those of you who are terrified i might continue in spanish, let me a thanke kaplan -- let me lonnie kaplan. -- thankonored to bank those i have stood shoulder by at ourr with sometimes own political peril. we have always stood together when it comes to the security of the state of israel, and it's one of the hallmarks of this organization. i am especially honored this the stage withe prime minister netanyahu, a powerful voice for a strong, secure, and democratic israel. he is the personification of a sentiment john kennedy once expressed when he said, "israel order toreated in disappear. israel will endure and flourish. it is the child of hope in the home of the brave. it carries the shield of democracy and honors the sword of freedom. like israel, benjamin netanyahu is not created to disappear, and i know with the shield of democracy in one hand and the sword of freedom in another, he will inform and inspir

>> well, first of all, i don't disagree with senator menendez. he may go further, i just don't think he's going to do it now. they're very careful now in how they are even going into other parts of eastern ukraine, other parts of ukraine. so so far, it's contained in crimea. i think that's what we are dealing with right now. but what's going on through putin's mind, and yesterday was an amazing, brilliant speech. i think george orwell is really just so jealous, the whole devil's speak that putin played yesterday. it's an act against western double standards. and that's what putin starts with. that is also -- i mean, i love how he twisted the ukrainian-russia relations. because originally, it was kiev in russia, the ukrainians original to the russians. but he said it's us. we are the russians of ukraine. so that's another really interesting twist. and through his mind, what always goes through his mind, that he is a great man representing a great country. whatever it takes. >> do you think that the sanctions on vladimir putin and his inner circle

menendez: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from new jersey. mr. menendez: mr. president, you know, i have deep respect for senator sessions, but i'll just simply say, this is the eighth year -- the eighth year -- in which under some fig leaf -- before they could hide through their objection. this is really a fig leaf. the senate has expressed itself on immigration reform. this is not about immigration reform. this is about cesar chavez. this is about a man that led boycotts across the country to bring to justice the rights of farm workers and all workers across the land. and there is no bigger supporter by the way of immigration reform than the united farm workers, which he helped build, create, and today is one of the strongest voices for that immigration reform. so it's really shameful that we can pass, you know, commemorative resolutions on some of the most insignificant issues, but on the life of someone who changed the course of this country for millions of latinos who understand that life and history and would want to see that life commemorated that there

bob menendez joins me now from cnbc in new jersey. senator, thank you very much.s a sense certainly in moscow that the u.s. is issuing empty threats. >> well, you know, we're not finished. first of all, the threats aren't empty. they're significant. they, of course, will seek to brush it off saying it has no consequence to them. but i do think that what has to happen next is a combination of europe coming to the conclusion that their commercial interests cannot supersede their security interests, and joining in some very biting sanctions because they have $400 billion worth of trade with russia versus 40-some-odd billion from the united states. so they have the greatest bite at the end of the day, and i know that they're debating that as they speak. so hopefully they'll come to the conclusion that they need to have some very significant sanctions joined with a continuing sanctions that we'll leverage as well as those that we call for in the senate past legislation, from the committee passed legislation. >> vice president biden on his trip in the last couple of day

i appreciate senator menendez. he's shown some real leadership and insight into international relations, he chairs the foreign relations committee, and i don't have any -- don't mean to attack his integrity or anything of that nature, but he is incorrect in saying that this bill is paid for or doesn't violate the budget. it absolutely violates the budget, the congressional budget office has analyzed the numbers and they've concluded just what my budget committee staff has concluded, that it violates the budget. the numbers are plain. look, a lot of things around here are not perfect but the idea that we would insist on passing international monetary fund reform that does not have to be a part of this bill and is not related to this situation, it's going to cost $315 billion -- million dollars, to fund that program, that reform which is very controversial, and half of the money explicitly comes from the defense department, air force miferls and army procurement and aviation. at a time when the russian army is occupy

senator hearken, schumer, menendez and derby came out calling on the president to stop the deportation of people with immediate relatives. and you saw the same, the president of the nclr came out, there is a lot of, washington is picking up with the grassroots because we've been making it very clear for the last year the president can act, and he ought to do that today. not wait the next three months, six months for there potentially to be a legislative solution to this issue. >> we're going to take a short break. when we come back we'll hear from you, bill mcmorris on what the near-term and long-term risks are for republicans. stay with us. this is inside story. >> welcome back to inside story. i'm ray suarez. president obama has ordered the department of homeland security to conduct a review of the administration's policy on deportation. on this program we're discussing the political bind facing the president and his party in this midterm election year. you heard brent and lorella describe the landscape. are there some down side risks for republicans not necessarily in the near term

. >> thank you, very much, chairman menendez. and let me just say, senator barasso, the thrust of where you are going with this is a very good idea, and i support it. i think the support of l.n.g. is something we should be doing as a country. we have to somehow shake up the d.o.e. process that is going on. it is, in my opinion, going through slowly. several bills have been introduced. senator barasso, as you know, my colleague and our colleague mark udall, has introduced a bill that would improve exports of all w.t.o. countries from existing or future facilities. i support this effort. the volume will be determined by the price of gas and the cost of facilities. the gas will likely go where there is the most need. there is a strong interest, i think, in eastern europe given ssia's strong economic behavior. last summer i joined a bipartisan letter with both democrats and republicans to support further l.n.g. exports, and i understand there is also bipartisan opposition to this policy. but what the letter said, and these are both d

. >> thank you, very much, chairman menendez. and let me just say, senator barasso, the thrust of where you are going with this is a very good idea, and i support it. i think the support of l.n.g. is something we should be doing as a country. we have to somehow shake up the d.o.e. process that is going on. it is, in my opinion, going through slowly. several bills have been introduced. senator barasso, as you know, my colleague and our colleague mark udall, has introduced a bill that would improve exports of all w.t.o. countries from existing or future facilities. i support this effort. the volume will be determined by the price of gas and the cost of facilities. the gas will likely go where there is the most need. there is a strong interest, i think, in eastern europe given russia's strong economic behavior. last summer i joined a bipartisan letter with both democrats and republicans to support further l.n.g. exports, and i understand there is also bipartisan opposition to this policy. but what the letter said, and these are both

house speaker john boehner, senator bob menendez, a series of people.ing sanctioned by putin is a badge of honor. majority leader harry reid made the cut either. putin, it's one thing to pick on me but i wouldn't mess with mary landrieu. >>> we are learning about a dinner with cory booker and ted cruz. they had a great intellectual discussion and no filibusters, but the hardest part? >> he's a texas meat eating cowboy. >> good ole boy. >> i'm a jersey boy, vegetarian. so choosing a restaurant alone. >> wonder what they ordered. okay. well, the ellen show, president obama was on there. he made sure to get in a jab about how she broke his four more years of retweets record with her oscar selfie. >> i thought it was a pretty cheap stunt, myself. >> yeah, right. >> getting a bunch of celebrities in the background. >> only thing i could -- i -- that's the only -- >> you feed them a pizza. >> yeah. >> well, his tweet game may be a bit off but how good is the president's hoop game. so good that kobe bryant said on the dan patrick show that the president could

senator hearken, schumer, menendez and derby came out calling on the president to stop the deportation of people with immediate relatives. and you saw the same, the president of the nclr came out, there is a lot of, washington is picking up with the grassroots because we've been making it very clear for the last year the president can act, and he ought to do that today. not wait the next three months, six months for there potentially to be a legislative solution to this issue. >> we're going to take a short break. when we come back we'll hear from you, bill mcmorris on what the near-term and long-term risks are for republicans. stay with us. this is inside story. >> al jazeera america presents extraordinary documentaries. >> i've seen nothing like this before in my entire life. >> the amazon rainforest is going up in smoke. >> hundreds of kilometers square are disappearing in a day here. >> indigenous communities at risk. >> if their forest continues to disappear, then eventually these people will disappear. >> this british firefighter joins a group of brave men. >> the most surprising

the senate will first vote on the substitute a minute by senate foreign relations chair bob menendez and ranking member bob corker. that the name that would authorize $150 million in economic assistance to ukraine and imposed sanctions on russian and ex-ukraine official to a vote on final passage of the house bill as modified will follow. simple majority needed for both of those votes. the senate is set to gavel in at 10 a.m. live coverage on c-span2. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> as we await president obama this morning, ma a reminder that we do have life committed coverage of the u.s. senate. the senate is set to gavel and at 10 a.m. we will bring a live coverage of the senate as they begin their session, so if we're not able to bring to the president lied, you will be able to see it live online at c-span.org. yesterday several senators came to the floor to talk about the supreme court's oral argument on the hobby lobby case that took place yesterday morning involving the contraceptive mandate in the healt

we have senator bob menendez from new jersey saying stuff like the russian president is lying russian roulette. what's interesting is you have between the united states and western europe and, crucially, germany on this one. angela merkel was talking to the polish prime minister pushing for tougher action on russia. she herself was talking pretty tough. she was bluffing, she was doing a pretty good job. >> we live in the 21st-century and we do not solve conflicts to military means. we do not evade these conflict. if we costly repeat our readiness for dialogue and it has no effect, we take into account sanctions. >> meanwhile, we talk to people inside the kremlin and say they are preparing for iran-style sanctions. they're trying to calculate exactly what it would mean for russia to have the sanctions. secondly, they are already talking to state-controlled companies about how they can help should there be sanctions. the other thing going on as of this morning is more military exercises just east of ukraine. the reality, i think, come monday when you get the eu foreign minister meeting,

menendez: madam president, reserving the right to object, and it is not my ultimate intention to objectbut hopefully to persuade my colleagues not to object, you know, i have been watching my colleagues on television, in committee, on the senate floor rail about what is happening in the ukraine, rail about the lack of action from their perspecti perspective, and here we are at a moment that after a very considered process in the senate foreign relations committee, which i'm privileged to chair, working alongside with the ranking member, senator corker, and with colleagues such as senator mccain, a distinguished member of the committee, with a very strong bipartisan vote on a major piece of legislation, that in fact when it comes time to act, we have those who say "noings" even thoug"noings" --who say "no," ey go on tv and bemoan the lack of afntle i finaction. i find it incredibly difficult to suggest that what the house passed can be the only response to what is happening in the ukraine. yes, it is a loan guarantee, which we include in our legislation. but, by the way, everything we do

tonight's commencing survey at all in the uk the organization said responding to denmark from and menendez guidelines on how to trough wales which won a share vs exception of rules and number it should be and how many councils in england and wales in all parts of the official clock system but they help muslim communities result civil and family disputes by making recommendations and hostile to that david cameron announced that race in what the defense non muslim country to cells that kirk's phones that can be bored minus ten in augusta is in accordance with islam a financial hole. the summit and dangerous precedents the effects of extreme liberalism and indeed in knowing that is conducive to compete again at the same loan from the meeting them and to change from external forces cummings the country needs adoption. there's extent of olson's news is that this is the unintended consequences them underneath all this but it still falls see how it affected him praising him as liberal as free society. he said body called for a comment inquiry into the extent of the flatmate floor in the uk played

senator menendez. >> first i want to congratulate you and i look forward to your progressive leadership in the committee and i'm also looking forward to having moved down the roster. i'm here to no longer smashing my knees or that of my staff from the other end. so, let me talk about -- i know you're here about the budget and also about values and in my perspective if it reflects what we bb does a country. but as we talk about the budget, i also look at the draft of the house ways and means committee chairman tax reform plan that has a complete elimination of the state and local tax deduction. that's a proposal that would impose a significant -- from my perspective unfair tax increase on millions of families in my home state of new jersey and across a number of high-cost states in the country. and unfortunately for the reality of the prospecting experience of the 1986 effort to show that as most tax experts know any serious tax reform effort can't be built on such a shaky foundation. so my question to get a sense from you is for the tax reform to become a reality, do you think the tax w

package that will be on the floor later this evening and i want to thank the leadership of senator menendez and the great work that he has put into this bill. i was proud to help put this together along with senator johnson and senator mccain and many others who are part of our debate in the one relations committee. i come to the lord as i am sure others have and will over the course of the day to talk about the vital importance of a big bipartisan vote in favor of this legislation this evening. having just come from the ukraine come i was there this last week with a number of my colleagues and was my second trip in the last three months and i can tell you that they are waiting a very strong signal of support and will send a message that we are going to stand together with our ukrainian brothers and sisters as they engage in this epic title for their independence and their freedom and for their sovereignty. i will not belabor the underlying details of the bill, but the three components of the legislation are all equally important to the ukraine and we have heard support for all three of the

menendez: i will yield back our time. the presiding officer: all time having been yielded back, by unanimous consent, the clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture. the clerk: cloture motion, we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate, hereby move to bring to a close the debate on the nomination of rose eileen gottemoeller of virginia to be under secretary of state for arms control and international security, signed by 17 senators. the presiding officer: by unanimous consent, the mandatory quorum call has been waived. the question is is it the sense of the senate that debate on the nomination of rose eileen gottemoeller of virginia to be under secretary of state for arms control and international security shall be brought to a close. the yeas and nays are mandatory under the rule. the clerk will call the roll. vote: vote: the presiding officer: are there any senators wishing to vote or to change their vote? if not, the ayes are 55, the nays are 45. the motion to invok

. >> chairman menendez ranking member corker and establishment of the committee is an honor to appear before you to discuss the spillover effect of the syria conflict. at this point the syria war is likely to continue for a long time. we shouldn't altogether ruled out the possibility that assad's regime could fall unexpectedly fast. the regime could be seriously threatened if infighting declines but nonetheless it is now clear that assad's fall is not the ability and the likely scenario is that in which the intelligence community project which is the war continuincontinuin g for another decade award. it heavily supported iran and russia and the second is his willingness, brazen willingness to allow jihadists and other actors problematic by outside states to flourish relative to other rebels. this machiavellian strategy has served his purpose. the measure role jihadist play astern western countries and others from throwing significant weight behind the opposition. to world serious -- and major ripple as foreign fighters. the impact this area war will have on this generation of jihadist

americans from entering america, john boehner, harry lead, and mccain, robert menounos des, and -- menendez. and mary landrieu, and dan coats. and round out the list, putin having fun. on wall street today, stocks recovered from yesterday's sell-off, a triple-digit recovery, dow up 109, and s&p and nazdaq up 11, crude oil down 994 cents, gold down 11 dollars, yield on 10-year note, rising 2.78%. jobless claims, rising slightly but less than expected to 320,000 last week, existin home sales down last month to lowest level since july of 2012. we're coming right back, please stay with us, much more ahead. >> a major reversal that reverberates, a federal judge rules that arizona and kansas, can demand voters show their i.d. at the polls. the kansas secretary of state, crisco vacing join us on the impact of this decision. so i can reach ally bank 24/7, but there are no branches? 24/7. i'm sorry, i'm just really reluctant to try new things. really? what's wrong with trying new things? look! mommy's new vacuum! (cat screech) you feel that in your muscles? i do... drink water. it's a long story. we