coming up next on c-span, newsmakers with agricultural secretary tom vill sack -- vilsack. >> tom vilsack joins us. two reporters to help us with them from we have bloomberg years -- news. >> this week the house senate farm bill to go shooters held their first session. house -- let me what backup a little bit, the treasury secretary said it was important to have a farm bill. is the white house going to negotiations,he to help settle that issue? the senator has repeatedly said he wants the house to help solve that issue. >> is important to not focus on numbers, which in washington dc, we focus on and try to figure out what is the right number, i think that is the wrong question. i think the right question is what is the right policy? theusda will be engaged to extent that the committees need us to be engaged to try and make sure that the policy is right. there's obviously some concern on the part of some about the and requirements in snap whether they need to be more stringent or more strict. i think it is important for folks to recognize we have work requirements in the snap program, and

. >> you can watch the entire interview with secretary bill sunday,day -- vilsack here on c-span. >> every dollar that is spent on snap, that benefits a struggling family, also generates the economy. it generates one dollar and $.85 in economic activity. if you can buy more at the grocery store, you will buy more at the grocery store. that means the grocer has to stock more. has toans the grocer purchase more that has been packaged and trucked to the facility. all of those are jobs in the supply chain. it also means producers, farmers, ranchers, have a market to sell more. it has an impact. what we are able to do with the additional support was to give folks a little extra help during a tough time. stimulate the economy most effectively, because within 30 days the moneys are in the economy circulating. occurred takesw somewhere around the next 10 years $11 billion out of the system. why are more people dependent on food stamps even as the economy improves? >> when the president came into office, they were states were less than 50% of the population already eligible for snap was not p

vilsack tells "usa today" for example if we don't get it done i think it sends another negative messagecountry about the workings of government. is he right? >> a negative message coming out of washington because republicans and democrats can't work together? i cannot imagine. but look, the farm bill has always had this formula where they put 70% of it, 80% of it -- excuse me, 60% in food stamps, 40% in subsidies. they get the rural, the inner city folks together and that's how they pass a farm bill. there's been some good things over the years but bad things as well. and i hope that both members, both republicans and democrats get and focus on taking care of those that need it but also worry about the waste and fraud that's rampant in these food stamp programs across the country. >> secretary vilsack has an idea about this that i think we'd hall like to believe would happen. he said a farm bill can get passed if everybody says, look, nobody wants $7 milk, nobody wants kids to be starving at thanksgiving and christmas time. maybe it will take some bipartisanship and that will lay the gr

here's a brief preview of secretary vilsack talking about the program. spent,y dollar that is it benefits a struggling family and benefits the economy. it generates a dollar $.85 in economic activity. it stands to reason if you can buy more at the grocery store, you will. if you can buy more, that means the grocery has to stock more. they have to purchase more and truck it to their facility. all of those are jobs in the supply chain. andlso means producers farmers and ranchers. producers have to sell more and have a market. it has an impact. what we are able to do was give folks a little extra help during a tough time. stimulate the economy most effectively. cut take somewhere over the next 10 years $11 billion out of that system will start why have more people dependent on food stamps even as the economy improves? >> when we came into office, there were a number of states that were less than 80% of the people who were eligible who were not participating in the program. 90 c participation rate somewhere in the neighborhood of 60%-60 five percent. we have

secretary vilsack has done a great job it holding fraud down to its lowest level in history. over the last decade, 2% of the members of the house of representatives have pled guilty to crimes. >> congressman, mother jones reports that speaker boehner had shot down several proposed compromises on the farm bill because the food stamp cuts weren't deep enough. speaker boehner's office is denying the report even though he's confirmed by democratic aides. >> they don't want a safety net, al. they don't want anybody to get anything when they need it. but, you think about it. the food stamp program, the lower ranks in the military, the first and second and third rank, if they have a family of four, are almost always eligible for food stamps. that's how low we go in this country, even people who fight for our country, we will deny their children food stamps. and the republicans who do that simply, i guess, have never known anybody who didn't, wasn't born with a silver spoon in their mouth, because anybody who's been out there and been going, you go to the cupboard and there's nothing

agricultural secretary tim vilsack says it will allow communities to respond more effectively when droughts happen. >>> prince george's county fire crews are searching for the cause of an early morning fire along pennsylvania avenue in forestville. two fire companies got to the scene about 3:50 this morning. at one point, flames were seen going out of the third floor of the building. they were able to get it under control in about a half hour around 4:30. no injuries reported but some residents that live there are now in temporary shelters. >>> the case of road rage ended with two people being stabbed at montgomery mall in bethesda. it started at a nearby intersection police say. two drivers trying the get right of way. it escalated at the mall where one car chased the other and one driver got out. stabbed a man and a woman in the second car. the suspect hit another vehicle while he was trying to get away. he was eventually arrested and the stabbing victims are expected to recover. >>> two day care workers in prince william county have been fired after abuse allegations, the virginia depart

joining me now to discuss the fate of the farm bill secretary of agriculture tom vilsack. mr.ecretary, thanks for joining us today. >> i'm glad to be with you. >> i guess my first question is, how is it and why is it that funding for s.n.a.p. is being cut at the same time that we're increasing farm subsidies. >> lets make sure we understand precisely what's happening. the farm bill proposed to the house and senate would reduce both commitments to s.n.a.p. and to the farm safety net by direct payments to farmers there would be a savings of $50 billion. some of that is rolled back into safety opportunities, but the inette is a decline to assistance to farmers. it's significantly less than decline the house proposed for the s.n.a.p. program and that's where the inequity and unfairness in the house proposal is. >> ap reporting both the house and senate bills would increase subsidies for existing crop insurance and create a new crop insurance program. then you sort of look at the fail rate for farms compared to regular american businesses. farms failed at an annual rate of 25%. ann

agriculture secretary tom vilsack is our guest this week on news makers. he talks about the farm bill. the house version of the bill calls for nearly $40 billion in cuts to the food stamp program over the next decade. it would cost cuts by an stimed $4 billion in the same time frame. watch sunday at 10:00 a.m. eastern here on c-span. >> this is a tough time for n.s.a. where everybody says what are you doing or why are you doing it? we actually say it is much more important for this country that we defend this nation and take the beatings than it is to give up a program that would result in this nation being attacked. we would rather be here in front of you today telling you why we defended these programs than having given them up and have our nation or our allies be attacked and people killed. >> this weekend on c-span, intelligence officials defend the n.s.a. surveillance program. this morning at 10 eastern. live sunday on c-span 2 your calls and comments for kitty kelley, best selling author of unauthorized buying fiss of jackie e, nancy reagan, the bush

tom vilsack is our guest on c-span's news maker's program that follows "washington journal" at 10:00.m. eastern time. here's a portion of that interview. every dollar that is spent in snap, it stands to reason that if you can buy more at the grocery store, you can buy more at the grocery store. if you can buy more, that means the grocer has to stock more. that means it grocer has to purchase more that has been packaged and processed in the facility. all of those are in the supply chain. they're producer, farmer, ranchers, the producers have the market to sell more. it has an impact, all right? what we were able do is stimulate the economy. within 30 day, the moneys are in the economy circumstance latering around. the cut that's occurred takes, i'm told, somewhere around the next ten years, $11 billion out of that system. >> why are more people dependent on food stamps even as the economy improved. >> when the president came into the office, there were less states where less than 50% of the people eligible already for snap were not participating in the program. now you see participati

secretary vilsack once called the food stamp program an economic stimulus. food stamps are not the solution to the economic problems. they are a symptom of the problem. [applause] people can't find work. they can't find good work. they can find the government dependencies. we are watching this new national healthcare law literally unravel before our eyes. the president said no one would lose their health plan except of course the millions of americans who will. to quote rush limbaugh next he will be saying if you like your guns, you will be able to keep them. [applause] instead of solving problems from our leaders shut down government. it's amazing to me that the obama administration is capable of barricading a war memorial despite the government being shut down, but they can't operate a website when it gets up and running. it's not just that the political party agrees but that they are so disagreeable. so we not only -- but distrust our leaders have forgotten how to govern. and believe me i know a few things about forgiving. [applause] when millions of amer

secretary ville sacked once called the food stamp program " an economic stimulus" -- secretary vilsack said they were a stimulus. they cannot find good work. they are confined to government dependency. today, we are watching this new national healthcare law literally unravel before our eyes. the president said no one would lose their health plan. except of course the millions of americans who will. "next herush limbaugh, will be saying if you like your gardens you will be able to keep guns." if you like your [laughter] [applause] instead of solving problems, our leaders shut down government. it's amazing to me that the obama administration is capable of barricading a war memorial despite the government being shut down but they cannot operate a website when it gets up and running. you know, it's not just the political parties disagreements but they are so disagreeable. our leaders have forgotten how to govern. believe me. i know a few things about forgetting. [laughter] [applause] when millions of americans cannot trust the president about something so fundamental levels their health ca

tomh the interview with vilsack on c-span. asthis painting was painted my grandmother's portrait.bird johnsons, lady looked for portraits to rehang in the white house. she could not find my grandmother's painting was. my grandmother said it was on my wall. mrs. johnson said you shouldn't have that. my grandmother said no, that's where it's going to stay. mrs. johnson gave up. on c-span, looking ant mamie eisenhower. >> carl levin -- on foreignuncil relations, this is one hour. >> it is an honor to be here with carl levin. he is of the senate arms services committee. he is back from a trip to afghanistan where he met with our commanders, and had a one- on-one meeting with president karzai. senator levin has remarks about his trip to afghanistan. >> i appreciate joining you this morning. i look forward to receive some of the ideas. we'll need them in this kind of world religion. as john mentioned, i recently returned from afghanistan where we spent a few days meeting with our commanders, our troops, president karzai. and the defense minister from brussels before he went to afghanist

table as a staunch defender of crop injured earlier this year just two floors above us, secretary vilsack testified that crop insurance is working. this is a crucial risk management tool that requires our farmers to purchase a policy and then experienced a verifiable loss before collecting a dime. that's called having skin in the game. it's far preferable than tens of billions of dollars worth of ad hoc disaster bills. not a single penny in disaster assistance was requested after the midwest experienced a drought last year, and we have the crop insurance program to thank. we should be encouraging participation in this brogue ram and i support the house provisions that strengthen this vital safety net. regulatory relief in addition to crop insurance by farmers and producers to make they need relief from regulation to introduce an amendment against reforms a place at the table when epa is considering regulations that impact agriculture. this provision would also require economic impact statements to trigger a review panel where farmer recommendations would be considered. this isn't effort i

vilsack sack -- tom talks about the food stamp program, the farm bill overall, the conference committeehat took place this week. here he is talking about these topics. a we will -- >> we will be investing billions of dollars in an energy bill. if money is going to be invested canenewable energy, it change the economy. it is a research bill because this bill will provide resources to universities to come up with new innovations. because of our research initiatives, i think 364 patent applications have occurred just from usda sponsored grants. it is a conservation bill and the ability to protect their soil and water. it is a trade bill because this creates the sources by which we can promote agricultural trade. part of what is lost in the discussion in this town is the scope of this bill. we focus so merrily on the commodity title and the snap in to the nutrition title that we fail to recognize everything in between. that is why i am encouraging congress to get this done. yes there are consequences. the benefits are huge. frankly, if we want to talk about infrastructure and jobs and renew

earlier this year, just two floors above us, secretary vilsack testified that crop insurance is working. this is a crucial risk management tool and requires our farmers to purchase a policy and then experience a verifiable loss before collecting a dime. that is called having skin in the game, and it is far preferable than tens of billions of dollars worth of ad hoc disaster bills. not a single penny in disaster assistance was requested after the midwest experienced a drought last year, and we had the crop insurance program to thank. we should be encouraging participation in this program, and i support the house provisions that strengthen this vital safety net. in additionelief -- to crop insurance, my farmers and producers tell me they need relief from epa regulations. i introduced an amendment that gives our farmers a place at the table on epa's regulation's that impact agriculture. this provision would also require an economic impact statement and trigger a review panel where former recommendations would be considered. this is an effort i worked closely with chairman lucas and ricky m