royce and mr. engel very much for including in this legislation language from a bipartisan bill sponsored by myself and my colleague, mr. radel, also from florida. and this particular provision would authorize the state department to use the best value contracting award method in high-risk, high-threat areas around the world, ensuring the safety of american men and women serving our country abroad. and with this bipartisan effort, the state department will be allowed to consider factors beyond only price in making security contracts, giving the state department the flexibility and tools they need to keep those who serve us abroad safe from harm and ensures taxpayer money is being used effectively. mr. speaker, the attack on our embassy in benghazi was a tragic reminder of the security environment in which many of our diplomats serve. and it is our responsibility here in congress to do everything in our power to protect americans in our embassies overseas. again, thank you, mr. speaker, and thank you to m

. >> thank you, mr. engel. this afternoon we're pleased to be joined by our secretary of state, john kerry, and shortly we will be joined by the secretary of defense and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. prior to his appointment, john kerry served as a united states senator for massachusetts for 28 years and chaired the senate foreign relations committee for the last four years. without objection, the witnesses' statements, senator kerry and those of secretary hagel and general dempsey will be made part of the record. members here will have five days to submit statements and questions and extraneous material for the record. i'd like to note, members, we have a nearly full committee with us here today, and therefore, we need to work within the time constraints that we have. we're going to ask all members to be mindful of that timer as you ask questions. so we will begin now with secretary kerry's testimony. mr. secretary. >> thank you very much, ranking member engel. as the chairman said, an early congr

mr. engel: mr. speaker, by refusing to advance a resolution that can pass the senate, the republican majority has made the wreckless and irresponsible choice to shut down the federal government. the affordable care act is the law of the land. it was passed by a majority in this house and the senate, signed into law by the president and has been upheld by the supreme court. to try and repeal the affordable care act at a time when we're talking about funding the government is like mixing apples with oranges. i've heard so many horror stories about the affordable care act, all of which is irresponsible. let me say some facts about it. the speaker pro tempore: the entleman will suspend. the house shall come to order. members are advised to take their conversations from the aisle. the gentleman from new york may proceed. mr. engel: in my state of new york, people who enroll in the highest-tier plans are are -- can expect to see a 53% reduction compared to this year's individual rates. the average ap

mr. chairman, thank you very much. ranking member engel as the chairman said, an early congressional leader on syria. and to all members of the committee. i have enormous respect for the fact that everybody has returned unexpectedly and hurriedly to be part of this debate and on behalf of the administration and the american people, i thank you for doing so. i know it is no exaggeration to say the world is not just watching to see what we decide here, but the world is really watching to see how we decide it. frankly, whether or not we can still make, achieve a single voice speaking for the united states of america, congress, and the president of the united states. they want to know whether or not america is going to rise to this moment, whether or not we will express our position with the unity this moment demands. the question of whether or not to authorize force, as the chairman referenced my 28 years now, i had a number of occasions to make those votes in the number of other occasions to make judgments on presidents who acted without com

mr. engel: and that causes the equation of both the russians and the syrians to think about the united states. and that's why i believe so strongly that if this falls apart, we need to strike in syria, to let assad know that it is unacceptable to gas a civilian population. it is indeed a war crime. many of us today watched pictures of children foaming at the mouth and dying and shaking and it's just something that will live with me for the rest of my life. i think what the president's proposing is balanced, it's moderate, i will vote yes and i urge my colleagues to do the same. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition? without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, the attacks of september 11, 2001, caused many americans to appreciate the danger posed by islamic-inspired terrorism. following september 11, 2001, americans from all walks of life resolved that we would bring swift an

mr. eliot engel of new york, for their work on this bipartisan, bicameral effort to take one step, just the first step, at deep o.a.s. reform. we want to thank senator bob menendez, the author of the bill, who has been a longtime supporter and leader in favor of human right the rule of law and democracy, especially in our hemisphere. all of us in our committee look forward to working with senator menendez and all of our members in the other body as well as we move forward to enact this bill and make sure that we have the true, meaningful reforms and endeavor to get the o.a.s. once again focused back on their core mission, which should be and remain promoting democracy and human rights in the americas, a mission from which it has strayed far too often including up to today. with that, mr. speaker, i yield back the balance of our time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass senate 793? those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. -- as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in

mr. chairman. ranking member engel, members of the committee. thank you. general dempsey and i also apologize for being late. the other side of the capitol held us up. but we are much better for it. so, thank you for your understanding. in the coming days, as we all know, congress will debate how to respond to the most recent chemical weapons attacks in syria. a large scale sarin gas assault perpetrated by the syrian government against its own people. i welcome this debate and i strongly support president obama's decision to seek congressional authorization for the use of force in syria. as each of us knows, committing a country to using military force is the most difficult and important decision america's leaders can make. all those who are privileged to serve our nation and have a responsibility, in many ways, to serve our country -- but the primary responsibility is to ask the tough questions before any military commitment is made. the american people must be assured that their leaders are acting with the court to u.s. military objectives with an unders

mr. chairman. members ofber engel, the committee. thank you. general dempsey and i also apologize for being late.lhe other side of the capito held us up. but we are much better for it. so, thank you for your understanding. in the coming days, as we all know, congress will debate how to respond to the most recent chemical weapons attacks in syria. gas assaulte sarin perpetrated by the syrian government against its own people. i welcome this debate and i strongly support president obama's decision to seek congressional authorization for the use of force in syria. committingus knows, a country to using military force is the most difficult and important decision america's leaders can make. all those who are privileged to serve our nation and have a responsibility, in many ways, to serve our country -- but the primary responsibility is to ask the tough questions before any military commitment is made. the american people must be assured that their leaders are u.s.g with the court to military objectives with an risks anding of the consequences involved. the president and his entire national security te

mr. lugegar is nominated, i urged joe not to run. i think i was right. the good news from joe's is the most threatened democratic senator. todd aiken. and sharon engel was the candidate against senator reid. i don't think it's helpful to senator reid. as i mentioned the hard line -- i would call it the radical right is not allowing the appropriations process to go forward and threatening members if you corporate in my way. mike simpson is one of the most solid, reasonable, common sense chair of the subcommittee from idaho. former speaker is being contested bay tea party person because he's not conservative enough. we believes that we need a balanced deal. i don't know whether al rogers will get the opponent or not. i don't t the -- believe independence is there. i think modern republicans and will reject this hard right, take no prisoners, shut down the government. repeal obama claire. when you talk to the american public, they say, no fix it. they may not like it. but they say fix it. make it work for me and my family. they don't say repeal it. when you say the republicans have been talking about repeal with no alternative for 20 1/2 year -- 2 1/2

. >> we are going to go to mr. engel. >> thank you mr. chairman. am more concerned with preventing another benghazi type attack in the future rather than worrying about who was brought to justice so to speak for what they did or didn't do. i want to make sure that we do everything we can so that there are no future benghazi's. the state department led by secretary clinton and now secretary kerry has put forward a lot of effort to improve how it provides resources to manage security over the past years. the bottom line is the state department does a better job in serving around the world and dangerous parts of the world and explain what you have learned. obviously things were problematic. what have we learned from the benghazi experience that could not be repeated today because we made changes? >> congressman i think one of the things the accountability people have drawn to her question -- which is is the focus of security only the management responsibility or should the culture of the responsibility extend to all elements of the state department? i