some 43 years in congress with the gentlemen on the stage and i can tell you good stories about sam nunn, john warner and how we had a very difficult issues and got i think sam is absolutely right that it is a matter of political will. let me say that the alternative of not producing a solution to this debt crisis, the so-called fiscal cliff could bring about the sequestration that is the slicing of the military right in half. that would be a disaster in many respects. across the world people would say we can't handle our own country well, our own defense well. people across the world will see us feeling to fulfill the duty of the constitution to provide for the national defence and it's up to congress to do that. but after we get this done, let's hope that it does come to pass. the second challenge is out there and that's the challenge to put together a strategy that will keep this country safe and secure. back in the 1947 era, george said what is known as the long telegram from moscow to the white house spelling out the rise of the soviet union and its intentions. president truman and

a bipartisan man who worked with then chairman of the armed services committee sam nunn to put together the nunn-lou gather agreement which allowed us to tear apart nuclear warheads, tear down nuclear missiles and a.b.m. launchers. the reason there is not a terrorist attack using nuclear material today so far is probably more because of dick lugar and sam nunn than any two individuals in the united states. dick lugar is a man i admire greatly. i hoped when i came here i could serve with dick lugar. that took place and the president and i have served on that committee together for four years. i've watched dick lugar during tough times, happy times, good times and challenging times. he is always even. always got an even keel, his rudder is in the water, knows where he wants to take the committee but he doesn't drive it, he leads it. one of the great negotiators of our time, dick lugar has been more to our country than anybody i can think of today. he has a legacy of supporting the state of indiana in every way you could from the school board to mayor of indianapolis to united states senat

worked well with the gentlemen on this stage, and i can tell you good stories, positive stories about sam nunn john warner and how we worked out some very difficult issues. but we got them done. i think sam's absolutely right that it's a matter of political will. let me, let me say that thetive of not producing a solution to this debt crisis, the so-called fiscal cliff, could bring about the sequestration that is the slicing of the military right in half. that would be a disaster in many respects. across the world people would see we can't handle our own country well, our own defense well. people across the world would see us failing to fulfill the duty of the constitution to provide for the national defense that's up to congress to do that. but after we get this done -- and let's hope that it does come to pass -- a second challenge is out there, and that's the challenge to glue together a strategy that will keep this country safe and secure. back in the 1947 era george key man sent what's known as the long telegram from moscow to the white house spelling out the rise of the soviet union and i

i worked well with the gentlemen on the stage, and i can tell you good stories about sam nunn and johnr, and how we worked out some very difficult issues, that we got them done. i think sam is absolutely right -- it is a matter of political will. let me say that the alternative of not producing a solution to this debt crisis, the so-called , would bring about the sequestration, the slicing of the military right in half. that would be a disaster in many respects. across the world, people would see we cannot handle our own country while, our own defense well. people across the world would see as failing to fulfill the duty of the constitution to provide for the national defense. it is up to congress to do that. after we get this done, let's hope that it does come to pass. a second challenges out there -- that is the challenge to glue together a strategy that will keep this country safe and secure. back in the 1947 era, george keenan sent what is known as the long telegram from moscow to the white house, spelling out the rise of the soviet union and its intentions. president truman, my fe

that program is based on a law that was response orders by senator sam nunn and is aimed a lot of weaponsmass destruction in former soviet union states. he will talk about the progress in the specific area of national defense. and the election was nearly a month ago, but many states are still tallying their ballots. the united states election project is gathering some of that data and as found 28 states are reporting their official and final results. according to that samples size 59% of eligible voters cast their ballots this november and in nevada .6% voted for none of the above in the presidential race. >> that's the only state allowing that option. be right back. alright, in 15 minutes we're going to do the young turks. i think the number one thing that viewers like about the young turks is that we're honest. they know that i'm not bs'ing them with some hidden agenda, actually supporting one party or the other. when the democrats are wrong, they know that i'm going to be the first one to call them out. they can question whether i'm right, but i think that the audience gets that this g

committee, he partnered with delaware's own joe biden, with senator john kerry, and with senator sam nunn. and because of that work together, there are thousands fewer nuclear weapons in our world. serving with dick lugar these last two years has been a tremendous honor. as has been serving with senator jim webb of virginia, also a member of the foreign relations committee. another retiring colleague who knows there are things in this world in our lives more important than our politics. a decorated marine, a celebrated author, a former secretary of the navy, and now a respected senator. his tireless work has helped make the world safer, our veterans stronger, and our criminal justice system more fair. and i will truly miss his company. mr. president, there's a few more retiring senators i'd like to share some more detailed stories about today, but let me, if i might, start with my chairman from the budget committee, senator kent conrad. senator kent conrad of north dakota is a senator i met many, many years ago, but if i'm going to talk about him, i feel i have to have a chart. you really

he comes down to honor richard lugar and sam nunn who founded this program 20 years ago.perative reduction program. if has eliminated thousands of weapons in russia and other countries but then he takes that and says our job is not done. we have to go further. we have to disassemble the weapons of the bygone era. missile by missile warhead by warhead. bomb by bomb. so he's reaffirming his vision of the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons. a very important statement. get going. i'm not done yet then to the american people, this is the direction we're going in. >> bill: the administration is doing that. this is an on-going campaign. >> it is an on-going campaign. we're about to see act two. act one, we saw new treaties with the russians. a new direction. a new policy for the united states but it is only half done. it is not complete. we have to make much deeper reductions. stop the contracts for the new weapons. this is what the president's job is going to be over the next 18 months. >> bill: all right. evan, gave him the job of doing something about clima

next up will be senator sam nunn, a long-standing chairman of the senate armed services who understandsur country and our national security, as well or better than anyone i have ever seen. [applause] >> thank you to pete peterson for getting a group together and for so much else that he and michael peterson foundation have done in terms of bringing attention to the fiscal challenge that we face today. in mobilizing support for a rational and sane fiscal policy. second, admiral mike mullen, thank you for your tremendous leadership both in the military and as a citizen and a reason leader. you have led the way with the biggest risk that we have of national security, and our unsustainable fiscal policy. one that i totally endorse or agree with, and i commend you for making it because your impact is very powerful. that is my first point. my second point is that even if we avoid short-term debt crisis, the so-called fiscal cliff, and i hope that we will, the debt in the years to come will increasingly dominate the budget. it will pressure defense and a in a serious way. so without addressing

the program he created with senator sam nunn has assisted russia and other countries of the former soviet union to secure and dispose of their weapons of mass destruction. what an amazing accomplishment by senator lugar. i also want to salute senator lugar's record of principled, conscientious leadership on the committee of agriculture, and forestry, including from 1995 to 2001. he is a key author of landmark measures strengthening federal agricultural conservation policies and programs, particularly in the 1985 farm bill and succeeding farm bills. he has been instrumental in strengthening and in fighting at critical junctures to maintain federal nutrition assistance including school lunch and breakfast and other child nutrition programs through his support for food banks and other emergency food assistance. dick lugar has also been an outstanding leader in research, development, and marketing farm and forest commodities by converting them to energy and biobased products. for me it has been a great honor to be senator lugar's friend and colleague for 36 years and to serve all that time wi

let me quote my predecessor, senator sam nunn, by saying they don't make them any better by senator dick lugar. i would like to act with that statement. we appreciate you very much. my statement is come in your report, in the report, admiral mullen and secretary pickering, it said there was a culture of which back in the state department. not a question but a statement. i've seen that culture of pushback. i bend embassies in africa that made requests. security related requests that basically were really minor like securing ground-level residents at an apartment building that couldn't get done until a united states senator asked for. so i think the state department needs to look at the process internally to see to it there's a flow to the pop-up important security is important security because come from industries. that's just a statement on my part. my question is, secretary night, you made a statement and i read the following. let me add, we may need your help in assuring we have the authority to streamline the usual processes and produce fast results. this is related to security. what

let me quote my predecessor, senator sam nunn, by saying they don't make them any better by senator dick lugar. i would like to act with that statement. we appreciate you very much. my statement is come in your report, in the report, admiral mullen and secretary pickering, it said there was a culture of which back in the state department. not a question but a statement. i've seen that culture of pushback. i bend embassies in africa that made requests. security related requests that basically were really minor like securing ground-level residents at an apartment building that couldn't get done until a united states senator asked for. so i think the state department needs to look at the process internally to see to it there's a flow to the pop-up important security is important security because come from industries. that's just a statement on my part. my question is, secretary night, you made a statement and i read the following. let me add, we may need your help in assuring we have the authority to streamline the usual processes and produce fast results. this is related to security. what

proud of him and tk deand the way he reached across the aisle to work with our colleague, senator sam nunn, on their famous nunn-lugar cooperative threat reduction program. they truly worked together to begin to end the threat of weapons of mass destruction in the former soviet union and made the world a better and safer place. we want to wish senator lugar a fond farewell and know that he will be deeply, deeply missed. i certainly will. i valued his thought, his counsel, his observation, particularly in the area of foreign policy, and he taught me a little bit about farm policy, too. i also want to say a goodbye to our friend, jeff bingaman, of new mexico, someone who's always brought intellectual rigor, a lawyer's insistence on thoroughness and a real commitment to people. it's been an honor and a pleasure to work with him on the help committee, especially on the affordable care act. i was proud to support him all that he did, particularly in developing and focusing on the health work force for the future. i knew i could count on jeff in the committee and on the floor as one of those men