shaheen: i certainly agree with my colleagues in both aspects. i think when we think about the three big challenges you outlined, we have -- we are likely not going to solve them on our own as americans. and that is why our relationships with other countries are so important. and why, as we think about addressing climate change, for example, getting back in the paris climate accord, working with the international community , it is so important even when it comes to racial inequities. it is not just the united states that has been struggling with that, we look at democratic backsliding across u.s. -- europe and other parts of the world as we look at the opposition to migration and to anyone who looks like -- who is the other. those are challenges the world is facing and it is important for us to think about tackling those in the context of, not just the united states and being honest with what is happening here but also in terms of world forums. we can work with our allies and try and solve the big challenges that we all face. >> thank you so much

with what you're saying, senator shaheen. to slightly shift gears, i want to talk about what we hear quite a lot of and have for generations, decades, i'm an anthropologist by trade so we have been hearing at least as long as i have been, it is common to hear how our nation is exceptional and distinct. you see that reports like the trafficking in persons report and its header. to what degree is the future of our country's global leadership by the popular rates of u.s. exceptionalism and what should the foreign policy be on that issue? >> i'm going to lead off because i haven't yet it's not fair to keep relying on my colleagues to say something and just say yes, me too. i don't think it hurts for us to be patriotic in that regard and call ourselves exceptional amongst ourselves and cheer ourselves whether his olympics were cheer our successes where they might occur but i think we recognize other nations feel they are number one and they are entitled to get away and they are exceptional and we are each different and i happen to

senator shaheen, you are next. >> thank you very much, mr. chairman, and thank you to both of you for being here today and for your testimony. i want to go back to the extremist -- domestic extremist versus national organizations, and one of the concerns that i have, which i'm sure you share, is the one that senator reed referenced about the connections between some of our domestic violent extremist organizations and international terrorist groups. there's been reporting of americans involved with those right-wing extremist groups in the u.s. communicating online and sometimes traveling overseas for training with other extremist groups and not just in russia, alt we know of at least one leader of the base who has resettled to st. petersburg, russia. so can you talk about the extent to which you're seeing an increase, or if you are seeing a increase in those connections and what we're doing to try and address that? for either of you. >> yes, senator. well, you're right to be concerned. i can't give a sense of the magnitude of the problem, but

senator shaheen. >> thank you mr. chairman. mr. mr. helvey i want to begin by sharing the chairman's frustration with the fact that we have not been able to hear from our general in afghanistan. it's very difficult for this committee to conduct its overright responsibilities when we can't get the appropriate people in front of us and there is no excuse for that. so i hope you will take that back to the department and share that with them. general trollinger, there have been multiple reports over last months since the february 2020 agreement that the taliban have not broken their ties with al qaeda, that al qaeda continues to operate with the taliban in afghanistan, and that isis also is operating in afghanistan. is that your understanding and is that the understanding of our military people on the ground in afghanistan? >> senator, it's clear that the taliban's compliance with the agreement has been uneven. but i would prefer to go into detail on that in our closed session. >> i appreciate that. however people are going to know very so

sen shaheen: thank you. aspect of that is the complexity of health care, retirement and education. there is a difference between when they are deployed on state orders under title 10, title 32, and the complex health care transitions that are caused by going off and on different orders. do you think we should re-examine those benefits and what you commit to take a look at those so we can better ensure guard members know not only what is expected of them but what they can receive as the result of what they are doing? ms. warmuth: senator, if confirmed, i would be happy to look into the status of the benefits and how they are provided and whether that makes sense. i know we have done a tremendous amount in recent years to try and shrink the number of different duty status is to sort of help us with that and i would be happy to look into the issues that you have raised and come back and talk with you. sen shaheen: great. thank you. thank you, chairman. chair reed: thank you, senator shaheen. senator? >> thank y

and good afternoon, chair shaheen and ranking member moran and members of the sub committee. it's truly a pleasure to be with you today and being in person testimony, it makes me feel so special about nsf. it's truly an honor to appear before you today to discuss nsf's many amazing accomplishments and how we can accelerate innovation for the benefit of all americans. i would like to start by thanking this committee for the continued strong support for nsf. your support has enabled nsf to advance research and innovation, which has brought remarkable benefits to our nation. for over seven decades nsf has played a leading role in building u.s. leadership in science, engineering, and technology and has an incredibly strong record of investing in the brightest minds with outstanding ideas. the internet, 3d printing, the economic theory of underpinning spectrum auctioning and kidney exchanges, companies like qualcomm and even pcr testing, which has been critical to the fight against covid-19, are just a few examples of the outcomes and benefits of nsf investments. from piloting the

shaheen: thank you. dr. collins, you may remember new hampshire is one of the hardest hit states by substance use disorder pandemic. we have seen a decline because of the pandemic, but we has also seen a replacement of many of those opioids, there is a belief among some [indiscernible] that believe it cannot kill u.s. some can. as we talked to providers, they say there is very few treatment. can you tell me what that national institute of drug abuse is doing to address that? dr. collins: there is intense interest and concern, because what was primarily an opiod crisis is now very much becoming a mixed crisis of opioids and stimulus and methamphetamines. i was pleased to see a phase three trial on treatment for methamphetamine addiction which is a combination of injectable and oral and it showed benefit. we had not previously had anything to offer people who were a deck -- addicted. we are running an effort to vaccinate people and i know that sounds odd, but you can immunize against that compound in a way tha

and the shaheen lay, she doesn't come talk when she asked them, but they had been as a sunny and i'm just want them to make sure that i was feeling better. and then i went ahead miss bailey sullivan. jealous of good. as live with that. but the majority doesn't bother with them glory, i'm just like the little person living alone doesn't appear to me. i'm actually official with them. a spell is just let me go and get the issue with the issue. there's usually get shut up. god, god got plenty and you also get them in a few of them and we look in moment of doing that from one of the top of the back of the book here and then at the in service of michigan. so there was a few in ms. jan this is a catch up with no one has the elementary shut up. i'll be sure she knew she was getting along. the heavily cut off and no more was shorter than this for the gotta here. done little the shuttle or should be in love with you about about us comes to the bridge, gives you a little something little bit because mr. joel, us see it can, i can get it is that your phone was probably the phone and my husband w

and the shaheen lay, she doesn't come talk when she asked them, but they had been as a benefit for them. and what have you that i was filling out miss bailey sullivan. jealous of going to live with our richmond been at the middle . doesn't bother with them. glory, i'm just the little person i'm gonna give her a little bit lower to the actual official with that it was just let me get it out and give her the issue with the issue. there's usually about god god, and she can get them in a few fashion and then we can do it from the shed. have a back up here and then at the in the service of michigan. so there was a few in ms. jan. this is a catch up with no one has the elementary shut up. i'll be in charlotte as long as the gloom heavily cut off and i will have to move on that short data here in a little bit to have both of them or should be in love with you about about us comes to the bridge, gives you a little something that we can masonic enough job and see it can i can get that your phone was over the phone and my problem can you tell me what the amount of initially what do you need my ph

and the shaheen lay, she doesn't come talk when she asked them, but they had been in touch with them. i just want them to make sure that i was looking at the plugin and then i went ahead miss bailey sullivan. jealous of going to live with our richmond been at the middle doesn't bother with them. glory. i'm just like the person living alone doesn't get the lower the actual official with the misspelled. just let me get it out and get the issue with the issue. there's usually get shut up. god god. and she's in the field, russia and was looking to do it from the shed. does have a back up over here and then at the in the service of michigan. so there was a few in ms. jan. this is a catch up with no one has the wrong in the elementary shut up. i'll be in charlotte. as long as the man heavily cut off and know what it was that i want to show mister. gotta hear a little more shall be in love with you about about us comes to the bridge. give you a little about something that we can reset the job and see it can i can get your phone was over the phone. and my problem, can you tell me what the amo

. >> chairman shaheen, thank you very much for hosting us today. director, thank you for being ei here. this is a critical area for us.n the united states spends billions upon billions of dollars on research and development. we do g each year with governme agencies that range like yours y at the science agency and department of defense. office of science technology policys is charged with coordinating all of this. this effort so it's thoughtful and strategic. but unfortunately so many times we see our agencies get siloed in efforts.o you talk about mak partnerships i'm delighted to hear you doing that pause we want to make the most and not duplicating or competing in areas where we ought not be. in an an attempt to solve the ag problems some of our nations nc most seriouse any challenges, w you talk about artificial potelligence you talked about fiantumss computing, we want to advance as rapidly as possible. th doorld not want. to be left y position other than first in the world. and i want to make certain, as d we dooi this, we know very well what

i do also share the concerns raised by senator shaheen and gillibrand. we were to visit a number of training facilities where afghan women were being trained in various secretary and clerical positions but also as women warriors and very concerned about what will happen. what will happen to girls at the intended schools now working in businesses so i want to that. senator shaheen is writing a letter to our president for those special immigrant visas . it is something we are very concerned about. in the new iowa we have to an afghan interpreter in iowa and is request has been denied. just received a letter the other day can also work with the state just stress to them as we are stressing to them how important it is that as we are withdrawing we're also making sure we are protecting those who have enabled our forces in afghanistan. it is extremely important and it's not just the men that have served as interpreters but women and girls that have stepped up as well. i know this is a very important hearing and you can hear the level of frustration in all of o

senator shaheen, please. >> thank you. congratulations ms. ms.ormuth on your historic nomination and thank you for your willingness to come back in the public service. you mentioned the fact that your stepson you said is a member of the national guard and you also talked about the importance of the people of our military and our army and they are the reason that we have been so successful. i am concerned that over the past year we witnessed the national guard really deploy virtually nonstop to handle pandemic relief and civil servants to administer vaccines, protect the u.s. capital and a whole myriad of activities. in new hampshire we had more than 900 guard members who have deployed to support our covid relief efforts and we cannot have gone through this last year without them but they have been consistently on deployment for more than 400 days. we also just sent a battalion to the unit from the first battalion 169 aviation to close a vote and of that unit attended previously been deployed and one was on the sixth deployment. as a think about w

. >> reporter: new hampshire democratic senator jeanne shaheen managed to get an intelligence report grim picture for afghan women. the taliban, the report says, would roll back much of the past two decades progress if the group regains national power, progress it states that would be at risk after coalition withdrawal even-of-. even if the taliban doesn't take full control, it says, widespread back lash against women, education outside the home, how girls dress would be at jeopardy and child marriage and honor killings would likely persist. senator shaheen says she's spoken with afghan women over the years who fear the country could go back to where it was before the international invasion in 2001. >> they had to wear burqas. they were not able to go to school and how important it has been to have women in the workplace, to be able to have girls in school, to be able to have freedom of movement, and they don't want to go back, and i don't blame them. >> reporter: on the afghan government's team negotiating a peace deal with the taliban, there are four women, including women's rights

senator shaheen please. >> thank you. congratulations, ms.uth, on your historic nomination, and thank you for your willingness to come back into public service. you mention the fact that i think it is your steps and you said is a member of the national guard and you also talked about -- your stepson -- the importance of the people of our military and our army. they are the reason that we have been so successful. i am concerned that over this past year we witnessed the national guard really deploy virtually nonstop to have pandemic relief, civil disturbances, to administer vaccines, protect the u.s. capitol, a whole myriad of activities. in new hampshire we've had more than 900 cardmembers who were deployed to support our covid relief efforts. we could have not gotten through this last you without them but they have been consistent on deployment for more than 400 days. we also sent a battalion to a unit on the first battalion 169 aviation regiment to kosovo, and of that unit ten had privacy been deployed and one was on a six deployment. as we

commentator, joanna jarjue, and political commentator and nonresident fellow at new york university, faiza shaheencandidate for the labour party for chingford were welcome to both of you. joanna, your first outing with us so lovely to have you with us. let's take a look at some of tomorrow's front pages already in, starting with... the telegraph which leads on what it describes as the prime minister's defiance of pressure from teaching unions. quoting souces, the telegraph says that the pm is to announce next week that secondary school students won't need to wear facemasks in the classroom from later this month. the metro's front page is dominated by the the post—brexit fishing row — and the protest by french fishermen in jersey's territorial waters. the daily mail describes the same a story, and the decision by french fishermen to return to their ports, as the �*grand surrender�* and asks the question what could happen next. the ft�*s main story is the bank of england's forecast that the uk economy is set to grow at its fastest rate in more than 70 years. the guardian leads with an inquiry into p

are excellent framework because what happens is not only are these ideas are important represented shaheen but it thinks it will be brought to the market. it's hard to bring things like new innovation centers. in order for us to be the vanguard of competition we are looking at doubling or more are quadrupling of funding and this is why the lines with the american jobs plan in terms of concept. the act is very much aligned with where we need to be as a nation so we don't miss out on these important ideas and not let any other country take advantage of us. they make you feel like you have the authority unique currently and is this the question of resources? >> the resources would be the most important thing in and the kind of framework we are talking about her example not a separate direct it but a directorate that merges innovation and energizes new technology innovation and brings it to market right away. this is what we need to do more of. i call it strengthening at seed and. >> director panchanathan panchanathan al tried to flesh this out a bit more as you would know 10 states receive mo

the progressive wing of democratic party but some allies like chris murphy and tim kaine and jeanne shaheen were telling me and others that they felt the u.s. needed to call for immediate ceasefire right away but the president's decision was that you can't back netanyahu into a corner and i think from his years of expernce as chairman ofhe foreign relations committee and as vice president, when president obamaad a cold relationship with netanyahu, vice president biden then was sort of the go-between, the b.b. whisperer, trying to keep channels open and that is his nature. i think it was that and the intensive diplomacy and the key was egypt, persuading egypt to show it could deliver results from hamas and four days before the ceasefire came together, egypt finally showed they could get hamas to stop firing long-range rockets into tel aviv and that was such a red line with the israelis, such a hot button for them and when those rockets stopped, the u.s. side knew that hamas might deal and then it was time to start escalating the pressure on netanyahu and saying, you've done enough, you've go

last the mosque was no social distancing in sight. brazil's president shaheen, those narrow lead the motorcade through reiteration arrows while the health care system struggles to cope with 16000000 covered cases, and nearly half a 1000000 dead since the pandemic began. but i mean, if we were to me, our president is to blame without a doubt. the way he governs this country, leave the luck to be desired for help. expose worry. government mismanagement will only make it more difficult to find a way out of this crisis. only 15 percent of brazilians have got their 1st shot, but a new study shows 15 percent of the population already has anti bodies, suggesting infection at some point, and possibly some immunity will cross the numbers in a moment with an epidemiologist. in brazil, 1st d w reporter and for feed pen for reports from the countries biggest cities of polo on efforts to develop home chrome vaccines. these x contain hope for brazil. there are incubating a home grown carpet 19 vaccine booty back. that's being developed and sal powder human trials haven't started yet. that results

military means sport the afghan security forces that would be a mistake taliban spokesman so hale shaheen has told of 0 that all foreign troops must leave immediately we have not. stopped the. second person that he is will remain in. the city so that's very real and he was not only work for us as well if you are so they are. larry let me take you there if you very. well so very sad. very very not are. very well they have made commitments about. now the decision will carry our leadership what very disparate in future our doctor will be implemented we are a great team here with. some of been java has been following the ongoing peace negotiations here in doha there's little progress on the ground you've seen the attacks spiking you've seen the scathing criticism coming from the afghan government and if statements are anything to go by you heard the taliban spokesman there talk about investigating the logar attack which in which civilians were killed and you heard from the afghan president saying that the taliban were responsible so it is going to be a continuation of competing narratives in

suhail shaheen, who's a spokesman for the taliban's political leadership, said in may this year the groups, whether they are in terms of access to education or work. so, you don't need to worry about your basic rights, do you? i mean, they're making assurances such as those. we really want... the women of afghanistan want to see more public policy change from taliban side. i have been in the negotiation table with them for the past six months. of course, you know, after six months, we have now come to a time where we call each other with each other�*s name and then we try to build some respect and some mutual understanding. but the people of afghanistan and the women of afghanistan want more. they want taliban to publicise their policy on education, publicise their policy on work for women, on political participation of women. these are... just saying that we have changed is not enough. it will not build enough trust by the women of afghanistan over taliban. they need to really demonstrate, because i know that in many places now under the control of taliban, still, girls have difficulty g

taliban spokesman says hell shaheen has told algy they're all foreign troops must leave immediately we had not the struck the. certain person that believe it was government and the state so that state in the uk and the me was not only what foley did it's what if you are so very are legally i missed it but that is getting where and also the fact that micha could but if you missed that clearly they did not to. tell you what they had made the commitment about supro now that would change and sending a lot of literature was very spotty and creature that would be implemented we are working we have the tapes and. some of been generated has been following the negotiations from doha. there is little progress on the ground you've seen the attacks spiking you've seen the scathing criticism coming from the afghan government and if statements are anything to go by you heard the taliban spokesman there talk about investigating the logar attack which in which civilians were killed and you heard from the afghan president saying that the taliban were responsible so it is going to be a continuation of c

folks like mitt romney and lindsey graham and susan collins, to folks like debbie stabenow and jeanne shaheen and angus king here we spent a lot of different committees let me mention three things that are think a of che that i think are important. every one of the 14 senators in this group including those seven republicans agree ceos, leaders of major companies, oil and gas companies, business organizations like the chamber of commerce, folks who lead major companies like ford and gm are major financial services companies. and every single one of them has said the climate is changing, humans are causing it, we have to change it, and we need to put a price on carbon. that's a a big change from wht you would ever from the ceos of major companies five to ten years ago. last, this is a i think hasn't been reported or covered as much, there's a real enthusiasm in the conservative religious community amongst evangelicals for tackling climate change, and pope francis as the world leader of catholicism has taken on climate change as one of his top priorities. that's changing some of the conversation

peace talks going on with the taliban those are going on here in doha and we have taliban spokesman shaheen joining us on skype thank you for your time. the troop withdrawal from the united states began today may the 1st this was supposed to be the time that it was all happening by at least the trumpet ministration want to bet they're just starting to withdraw now so what happens do you as troops become a target now if they're not withdrawing quickly enough. there are 2 parts of this one part we have a commitment with that american. 18 months negotiation here in doha and according to that. they will lead to to go all the troops. may 1st that we didn't put. so why elected that includes and. 3 this that the i'm not let's leave you with withdrawal of all the other forces. so that i think. and not. to think that one side is why lation. and. withdraw all of the unfortunates and to not put the can. now a plea now that would change and bringing. literature what the facts and creature that would be implement it maybe. be at the same thing you're saying that's a violation because they have not withd

military means support the afghan security forces that would be a mistake taliban spokesman said hell shaheen has told al jazeera all foreign troops must leave immediately as agreement they reached was with the u.s. and not just as president we have not. struck the. certain person that be mates with the government and the state so that's stating the ip and the he was not the only one who did this what if you are so they are limited i missed it but that is getting what and also the fact that got me to talk about equipment that they did not to. tell you what they had made the commitment about food supply now that decision in sending. a letter ship was very spotty and creature that would be implemented we are working we have the patience. well violence against afghans has escalated in recent months with security forces and many civilians targeted on friday a powerful car bomb killed at least 24 people in the east in logar province where a group has claimed responsibility for a reporter from kabul. for afghanistan it's a cycle with no end body after body lying next to each other this time the vic

ah, ah massless no social distancing in sight. brazil's president shaheen, both an arrow lead to motorcade through region arrows. while the health care system struggles to cope with 16000000 covered cases and nearly half a 1000000 dead since the pandemic began mediately with me, our president is to blame. without a doubt was the way he governs. his country leaves a lot to be desired. for some help expose worry government miss man.

folks like mitt romney and lindsey graham and susan collins, to folks like debbie stabenow and jeanne shaheen and angus king. we spend a lot of different committees. let me mention the three things that if they can't change that are important. first is a good one of the 14 senators in this group including those seven republican agrees the climate is changing dramatically. that human action is driving the change and that we must take action to address it. climate denialism has largely died away here in the senate as a constant theme from the republican party. second, we've had meeting after meeting with both activists and advocates from research and science leaders, but also ceos, leaders of major companies, , oil and gas companies, business organizations like the chamber of commerce, folks who lead major companies like ford and gm or major financial services companies. and every single one of them has said the climate is changing, humans are causing it, we have to change it and we need to put a price on carbon. that's a big change from what you would have heard from the ceos of major companie

shaheen: it has been an honor and what a wonderful way to remember senator john mccain. sen. coons: thank you, it was great being on with you both. >> more from the mccain institute with former cyber agency director christopher krebs and former congressman will heard talking about the impact of this information campaigns and the cyber threats posed by russia and china. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2021] >> senior foreign affairs correspondent at cbs news, i have had the privilege of interviewing both of our next guestd a number of times, and i am sure that you will enjoy the conversation today with chris krebs, and currently the cofounder of krebs group, and will heard served as former senator until his retirement this year, and before that, he was a cia clandestine officer. welcome. >> pleasure to be with y'all. >> i want to start with you and i know you are out of office, so you can answer everything straight on the n

i do also share the concerns raised by senator shaheen and ww senator gillibrand. facilities wxxhçv afghan women w were being trained in various secretary and clerical positionu but also as women warriors. and i am very concerned about what will happen to them, what will happen to girls who have t attended school and are now s si working in Ñi businesses. so i just want to re-emphasize w that.riÑi senatorñr shaheen is leading a letter asking for those special immigrant visas. it is something we are very concerned about. dest in the news this morning coming from iowa we have an afghanÑi interpreter in iowa let falls, and his asylum request has been denied. he just received a letter the other day. so if you can also work with the state department and just stres to them as we're stressing to them how important it is that ai we're withdrawing we're also making sure we are protecting those who haveñr enabled our forces in:o i am running out of time.ant bu you can hear the level of frustration in all our voices. i do think we need to withdraw we need to do it a in a smar

. >> senator shaheen thank you very much for hosting this today and director thank you for being here. this is a critical area for us. the united states spends billions upon billions of dollars for research and development. each year we have government agencies that range from the national science foundation to the department of energy in the department of defense and science technology policy start with this effort so it's strategic. unfortunately so many times we get silo than our efforts. talk about partnership. i want to make sure we are making the most of our research and development and not duplicating or competing in areas where we ought not to be. in attempt to solve the problems over nations it's a serious challenge any talk about artificial intelligence any talk about quantum computing. we want to advance as rapidly as possible and we don't want to be left in any other position than first in the world. i want to make certain as to do this we know very well what we are doing as a nation. earlier last year for the buena vista congress work on a white partisan basis to an act t

military means sport the afghan security forces that would be a mistake well taliban spokesman so has shaheen has told al jazeera all foreign troops must leave immediately we have not. struck the. certain person that believes it will remain in. the streets so that's 33 here and we will not only work for you just as well if you are so we are living and we could be better if you. and also very sad for me to remember that very very did not or or very well may have made a commitment about warmness who says now the decision in bringing our leadership what very sad and future after that will be implemented we are a great team here. now that arlen's turns $100.00 so on monday since in may that's unlikely to be acknowledged south of the border a former irish president has told al jazeera that the partition in 1901 was a tragedy continues to have consequences today under simmons reports from dublin mary mcaleese is unlike any other former irish president she grew up in northern ireland a catholic living in a protestant area in the fall of seventy's a family forced to move out sectarian conflict group.

military main sport the afghan security forces that would be a mistake the taliban spokesman sahara shaheen has told al jazeera all foreign troops must leave immediately we have not. stepped indeed a 2nd person that really is normal in. the city so that's very very real and we will not only work for us as well if you are so they are. maybe i missed it but that is getting what and also events that got me to talk about equipment that clearly they did not to. tell you what they had to make the commitment about supro now but with changes in sending out water literature what big factories and creature that would be implemented we are a great team we have to take that off our bench others have been following the negotiations in doha. there is little progress on the ground you've seen the attacks spiking you've seen the scathing criticism coming from the afghan government and if statements are anything to go by you heard the taliban spokesman there talk about investigating the logar attack which in which civilians were killed and you heard from the afghan president saying that the taliban were res

the massless know social distancing and sight brazil's president shaheen. those the narrow leads the motorcade through revision arrows, while the health care system struggles to cope with 16000000 cousin cases and nearly half a 1000000 dead since the pandemic began. but i mean, if we were to me, our president is to blame. without a doubt, it was the way he governs this country, leave a lot to be desired for help. expose worry, government mismanagement will only make it more difficult to find a way out of this crisis. only 15 percent of brazilians have got their 1st shot, but a new study shows 15 percent of the population already has anti bodies suggesting infect and at some point and possibly some immunity will cross the numbers in a moment with an epidemiologist in brazil, 1st d w reporter and for the painful reports from the countries biggest cities, apollo on efforts to develop homegrown vaccines. these x contain hope for brazil. they are incubating a home grown corporate 19 vaccine boot and back. that's been developed and so powerful human trials haven'

i share senator shaheen's concerns about -- i did not get a chance to comment on her presentation or statement that i shared those concerns. with regard to what you said, senator van hollen, we support the idea of increased trade between afghanistan and pakistan and central asia, and we support increased trade between us and afghanistan and pakistan. i look forward to a detailed discussion of the proposal you referred to. it seems to me it was a worthwhile concept to explore, and i look forward to a detailed discussion. >> i look forward to working with the chairman. i guess this will go to the finance committee, as much as i'd like it to come to this committee, but i look forward to working with you. i know other parts of the administration are taking a look at it as a positive tool that we can deploy in trying to shape the future of this region. there are lots of countries that neighbor afghanistan, but the one that has the most direct potential influence here is pakistan, as you've said. pakistan has an interest in stability in afghanistan. if you see chaos and war erupting, you h

let me ask you specifically, senator shaheen and senator manchin mentioned the epidemic. you mentioned this in the budget, surveillance of targeted funds to help us address certain areas. hot spots, i guess you would call them. we are not a focused community, and you state that increased funding in the budget is for four key strategies in the focus areas but not to increase the amount of focus areas. so my question is, i think we need to be a focus area because we have some of the highest incidents, and how do you expand that footprint or how can you help me with that? >> thank you, senator. i think as you know, my prior career to january 20th was in doing exactly that, and the epidemic really threw diagnosis, treatment and response. when the original tranche of hiv and the epidemic money went out, it was to areas with the highest numbers with truly a multi-year plan to expand to other areas that we really needed to curb things in the areas with the highest numbers, take some of the lessons we learned and expand to some of the other areas. so i have a vision and hope that