mr. babbitt, good to see you today. >> thank you.>> one of the biggest sticking points right now seems to be slashing the funding to these rural airports, some 13 where the government helps cover the costs to run them. would you support the funding cut if it means a deal now that would put these furloughed employees back to work? >> well, one of the basic problems is we have had this extension passed 20 times without any riders to it. they have chosen this one to put some political attachments to it, which is kind of thwarting the effort. i just want an extension bill passed. i'll let congress use their wisdom as to what they'll accept or not accept with it. but we need to put 4,000 people back to work. we need to put 70,000 construction workers back to work. we've got 250 projects already stopped around the country and that number increases every day. i just would like congress to take a break from vacation, come back and pass a bill and let us get back to work. >> what's your contingency plan if the house doesn't return to work, if

mr. babbitt has been delayed. here are some remarks from hilary clinton from earlier, talking about obama's statement calling for the syrian president to step down. and all assets were freezed belonging to the syrian government. >> good morning. for months, the world has borne witness to the content for their own people of the regime. in peaceful demonstrations, syrians are demanding -- demanding their universal human rights. the regime has responded with empty promises and horrific violence, torturing the leaders of the opposition, laying siege to cities and slaughtering thousands of unarmed civilians including children. the government has now been condemned by countries in all parts of the world and can look only to iran for support for their brutal crackdown. this morning, barack obama called on him to step aside and announced the strongest set of sanctions targeting the government. this includes the energy sector to increase pressure on the regime. the transition to democracy has begun and it is time for him t