i'd like to go to mr. gomez first.afe drinking water to the needs of our most needy xhunds. is there a way to measure across the country whether the drinking water state revolving fund is immediating -- its congressionally intended purpose or authorized purpose? >> that's a really good question. what we are aware of is the drinking water srfs are required to provide 15% of the funds to the small communities. the extent to which states are doing exactly what you're asking we don't know yet. that would be a good question. possibly for gao to look at. there are estimates from epa, for example, that about 38% of the drinking water srfs have gone to small communities. as of 2008. that's the estimate that's out there. but to the extent that it's meeting small communities' needs we don't know that. >> great. well, thank you. are there any reports that show how fast this drinking water funding is spent, by whom and where it goes including distribution to the neediest communities? >> so one of the things that we are doing at th

mr. gomez. >> well, generally, what g.a.o. always recommends is that you target federal funds to those communities. so if these are the communities that's one of the areas we could target. >> okay. i guess we're running out of time. again, mr. chairman thank you very much for bringing this out. i hope we continue to -- this is for small cities. the big cities have their own issues, but they have the resources and the critical mass to be able to take care of it. our small towns are 400, 500 people. we're struggling. we'd better find it. thank you very much. >> the chair loth gentleman from ohio mr. johnson for five minutes. >> thank you, mr. chairman. i represent appalachia ohio and i don't have to tell you folks, probably, how rural that is. i hear the horror stories, many of which you've just heard. i could cite similar cases that my colleague from west virginia mr. mckinley, did. mr. selman long before i was elected to congress i served 26 years in the air force and i was stationed in columbus

mr. gomez the gal studied the range of government programs that provide assistance to rural and small water systems as well as the systems face. what is the funding gap for water infrastructure back sino earlier you gave a combined total for the water into drinking water and sewer. what is the funding for the infrastructure and how much money does it entail quick. >> the epa estimated the funding gap and they estimated to be $662 billion. that's an estimate from 2002 and the estimate is based on the next 20 years. >> thank you. and obviously the water systems represented on the panel i would agree more resources are required. do you support legislation to reauthorize and increase the funding available clicks you mentioned in her testimony the need for the grants not just loans and i think many of you mentioned is it fair to say that your village has reached the limit of its ability to borrow more for the needed funds to >> absolutely. we can't even entertain him in a subtle bond at this time an

i believe mr. gomez talked about the bond market for small communities this isn't an option at all. we heard this 53,000 some of the community water systems in the country perhaps forever then have the ability to access the market. so, what they are left with is the two primary federal financing programs being the drinking water and usda rural development programs, so it's critical that those programs continue to be supported in a robust manner. we worked a lot with the rural development and water environmental program. they are the primary lender. they have some 18,000 plus loans out with a small water system and as you probably know there's virtually nothereis virtually no default on these loans. we take these matters very seriously repaying the loans are made in the small communities. one of the things is the field staff in every state they have the ability to work with the communities. the communities know the local folks in the district and state offices. it's just a more cooperative and easier way to get the funding through the rural development. the rural development funds th

but, the gentleman, mr. gomez said that everybody knows that the system has to be reformed and, that is ludicrous. everybody does not agree that we need more high-tech workers. this is surplus of workers. hi tech workers.ed a only about a third of the people graduate from stem, science, technology, they get work in their field. there is a surplus of agricultural workers. so what is going to happen is,ri if wecu bring in more agricultural workers, what agricultural agr workers move to the city either they get work or get unemployment disability. there is untold amounts of money we're talking about. >> host: take up those issues john. abo alan gomez. >> guest: on issue of workers coming in here, i can tell you, spent a lot of time with farmers around the country in wide variety of fields. i think a lot of them would disagree with the statement that the caller just made. it is incredibly difficult to find americans who will do that work anymore. i they talk about, it is just incredibly difficult for them to a a find

mr. gomez says the idea of a track in regards to all urban and rural systems? how many municipalities have systems charge the true cost to provide water to customers? how many are in the red? >> there is so is one area that is but if we do have to give back to you i would. >> i think the american people would be interested to know how the small rural communities are struggling and they are operating in the red as it stands right now because the residents cannot even afford it. >> for the we have to wait for the infrastructure projects with the rate payers and what it would be paying. >> absolutely. i have role areas the letter under that exact pressure. they don't have the many because of the economy they'll have the money to comply with the epa cleaved water mandate. anger and their level with the fines that they also cannot pay. is to get blood out of return of. is tough. let me ask you a question. mr. newman your testimony mentions the town of columbia university and the of has the upgrades the the the it's what is the annual operating budget? >> it is appro

caller: i am listening to mr. gomez and i am spanish myself.elieve we could have legals but being legal and doing the paperwork before they come to this country. the only thing i don't like about the president when he turned off the people that were in jail and he is worried about the country? i don't think so. you said that we survived on their back because a work in the fields and stuff like that, but you stop and think about how many kids they have. they are on food stamps and welfare and everything. host: let me jump in because alan gomez we have had these calls before. people are concerned over there -- concerned that under the president immigration action that you get federal benefits or state benefits. can you walk through what people are able to get and what they are not able to get if they are here illegally? guest: if they are heal here illegally and are approved by the president's program, they do not qualify for obama care. i know that is a big concern for a lot of people, but that is one thing they have been clear about. what they

gomez. more than a a hundred thousand people have been killed by drug cartel since 2007. >> the man playing legendary mr. spock has died. >> live long and prosper. >> tonight an outpouring of love for leonard nimoy. he was popular around the world in star trek. nasa virgin galactic and google are sending out messages of remembrance today. nimoy died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at his home this morning. he was 83 years old. >>> tonight on nightly news a closer look at the life of the legendary actor. >> another measles alert. this time diernsners of a popular east bay restaurant. now if you've been there recently you may have been exposed. nbc bay area's jodi hernandez is in berkeley where that owner is working to alert niners. >> restaurant officials are warning customers, this restaurant wants folks to know that they may have been expose bid a fellow diner. >> people who work and dine at this popular berkeley rhett raunt are learning that they add brush with the measles. someone infected with the virus ate there last friday night. >> if there were susceptible individuals in the restaurant

mr. bush will be speaking shortly. we will have live conference. part of this morning's washington journal. host: we turn to our immigration debate and alan gomez. he is covering this issue for a long time. let us first talk about were taxes and these 25 other states appealing. what were they suing over on the presence executive action? guest: the present announced act in november that he would create this program to protect the 5 million undocumented immigrants from deportation. what the states were doing were trying to block that program. their argument is that by doing that -- by the president doing that and protecting these millions of undocumented immigrants, though states would bear the cost of allowing them to be here. they've had to get driver's licenses, help them with medical care, give them free schooling public schools k-12, they are saying that the president doing this is overstepping the constitutional authority to do that. a are the ones that are going to be hurt by it. that is why 26 of them got together to see the administration. host: here's the governor of texas, republican greg abbott on the immigration really. he says that w