Transcripts For CSPAN2 Key Capitol Hill Hearings 20240622

Youre within three miles away usually. But its not just the physical convenience of being on these best course of america but its the ours. Many of our pharmacies are open 24 hours. If youve got a Young Children weve got drivethrough pharmacies. We have over 400 retail clinics. Nurse practitioners can write prescriptions or treat illnesses. So the idea of convenience after hours on the weekend usually an advantage when perhaps the primary caregivers, providers like your primary care doctor is not inevitable. The second thing is we can find some Important Services for caregivers and seniors. Things like medication management. While the average senior today is on four or five or six medications, and keeping them straight see you can stay healthy is important are these connect interactions. They can be lifesaving but they can enter actions which make it more likely to fall were to be confused and our pharmacies really help support they caregivers, the patients and doctors sort that out there and then there are other Supportive Services that we provide the critical like immunizations which are so for to saving lives and seniors like influenza pneumonia, and was very, very painful, shingles. And files of course the clinics services. The third factor really is frequency. Im a primary care doctor by background and when i was treating seniors i would feel fortune if i got to see them to a three times a year. Andand just as if this is a key might find interesting average diabetic or the caregiver comes to our pharmacy 20 times a year. To pick up prescriptions or supplies. So the opportunity for our pharmacist understand to be supportive of the doctors and patients and caregivers is really unique. So theres three factors continues in the committee and the services that are really are important, and the frequency of connection being on the front line really provides us with a great place to try to make a difference. Thats fantastic. It really is, stepping up to the plate and seeing the need and filling it. We have some questions that were tweeted to his because its 2015. Tweeted to us. We will ask this. This is robert probably for you. I think you can answer this but maybe theres a new answer. Kerala garden from the fitzgerald house in new york city is asking what are the newest plans to a senior veterans . Youve talked about communities. What is the most cutting edge thing you can think of . We mention alzheimers on the panel and i think one of the things thats exciting is the research that we in the vat. We ended the i think are necessary for the medical care veterans but also necessary for american medicine. We have a project we in the va called and million of that project where we of the blood samples of a million veterans who have volunteered. Are not yet at them and were working our way the. We are doing the genome mapping on all those veterans. At the same time for most of them went 40 50 years of medical records because they spent their careers in the military so we have everything that happened in their lives. And that genome mapping, those medical records, are going to be available for research to be done so that we can do research and discover precision medicine. How do we understand using the genome wide medicine to prescribe, how to care for people in order to do a better job of identifying the potential for alzheimers before it occurs. I think this is incredibly exciting, and i think its a very important part of research that we are doing which makes me very optimistic for the future of the getting ahead of some of these diseases before they begin. And with that particular gene pool that you can discover the gene for bravery. Now we have from janus and cheryl on facebook and tammy on twitter, to ask questions about the support we can provide okay, yeah. I think this is a good question for you. Theyre asking for the support we can provide family caregivers. What are the bigger things you most wish you had . I most wish i had convenience. I most, i wish i had come the programs that have come all the great programs that i have been talking about, i call them. I down numerous 800 number than a call and either no one answers the phone or they wont return a phone call or if they do answer, theres another 800 number because i called the wrong department. So that has been a big difficulty of mind to get the resources and the benefits that he needs. So i would like to have more convenient for me basically. Or to have the system work. Right. I think that such an incredible point because theres so many wellintentioned organizations and as you say phone numbers and everything else, but its back and if youre trying to get your car fixed and you cant get through. Imagine dealing with caring for multiple people into to have time to make a call in the first place, it didnt have that kind of runaround. Thats a very interesting problem for anyone to think about how to make the system work better. Aijen, do you have anything to add . I think what it points out is just they need, the way we have to kind of shift our culture and the way we think about our systems, to see caregivers as a huge part of the solution for the future as a huge part of the equation for quality of life. [applause] and four how we can improve as for how we improve not only Health Outcomes but our human relationships, how our systems work. Caregivers who are responsible for their well being and part of life of so many are just an incredible leverage point for the society that we all want to live in. Frank . I just wanted to add that i think at the end of the day when you think about it Dementia Friendly Community, its about supporting the caregiver and easing the burden that we all know they caregivers have insurance of doing the daily things that we all take for granted at times. Switch really about integrating the system, getting away from the silo so that at the end of the day they caregivers and the folks were expressing dementia themselves can live full and rich life. So if you have the disparate parts of the system working together understanding having the awareness and in the tools that are necessary to better support individuals and caregivers, then we are getting somewhere. Thats why we believe strongly that the dementia Friendly Communities are one of the with which were going to do a much better job of supporting britnees out there and the other caregivers. Thats great. I have a question from Katie Barnett with the eldercare workforce alliance. She emailed a question, what can be done to increase and better support for caregiving workforce by which i think shes referring to paid and paraprofessional workers. You mentioned and then, its a good idea spent actually painting is a great idea. Paying a living wage where you can actually take pride in your work, support your family, care for your own loved ones right as a first step. But theres also training and other kinds of support. Want to do things that caregiving is that it can be incredibly isolating both for family caregivers and for professional caregivers. So creating community connections, support, letting every caregiver no that they are valued and that they are a critical part of our economy and our society and our families. [applause] i have sat in on training support groups that the Alzheimers Association has in the new york office. What theyre going through, is incredibly dedicated people and opportunity to just event and learn from each other plus its a very specific, especially within with issues of dementia how you respond to this ever shifting disease, it really takes training and expertise, and thats vital. This im going to toss out to anyone, on the pedal to the National Association of area agencies on aging annual convention in philadelphia is Live Streaming our conference today, and [applause] yes. And to ask via twitter what is the single most important need, caregivers have come at what can the area agencies on aging due to support them . So what do you think anyone . Have the privilege of joining them in philadelphia tomorrow, and they have played Important Role in whats going on in minnesota in terms of supporting the efforts and being the ones that are in the community who understand what the supports are and ensuring those are unavailable to the communities that are learning and building education and awareness and trying to understand what the supports are so that anyone who needs them to take advantage of the. So theyve been very critical in terms of their participation in the Dementia Friendly Community effort, and also Going Forward at the National Level will be very involved in whats happening across the country so we are very happy as a collaborative to be part of that, and we look forward to the evolving judgment involving these communities across the country with the help. I wish is going to sit i think of artistic the most important thing that they could do for caregivers is to find them, that i continue to be ive been working as a spokesperson for the Alzheimers Association to for 20 years, and im still amazed at how many places people just dont know theyre still this stigma about dementia and that disease. And some of it is because culturally different communities and theres different ways of looking at dementia but its just come a continued can also just the isolation of being a caregiver. Your time is taken up taking care. So unless we find ways to reach into peoples homes and say hey guess what, theres a resource theres people you can talk to places you can go, people who will answer the phone, that to me would be the most important thing. Just robert. I would also say from my brief experience in government the second time that collaboration is just incredible important. There are only certain programs you can have on a National Level level, on a state level on a local level. Getting collaboration between all of them so that you have that scale and the import of that skilled in the Program Setting up the program and resources come demographics are destiny. s window people are going to be aging any future because they are a live today. But the same time it got to the human being on the phone line that britnee calls so that you get this Personalized Service and an automated and is not the right answer. So how do you get that collaboration that permeates the entire system, everyone working together so that you get the skill but at the same time you get to customize individual service at the local level . Let me just toss that back. Weve got some people have come from the Business Community come and what you just described sounds to me like out of business would want to be. And, therefore, we sort of know how to make it happen, what do we do to create the kind of collaboration nationwide . I will just make a comment that i think some of the barriers of that happening is this working . Testing. There we go. So some of the barriers i think it could happen to think of the alluded to really are economic, where the funding doesnt exist always enabled a collaboration. So, for example, theres a lot more that we can do to leverage our 8300 stores with often this is because they are open late and on weekends, but we dont always have the mechanisms to compensate them for the work they do. Theres many other caregivers that are in the same providers that are in same boat. I think i do find ways to create Business Models to really compensate folks that are in the community that can provide that care and were chatting about that before the panel. Thats a work in progress, but we make a huge difference. Some of it is economic. Aijen . I wanted to add i think there needs to be a lot of attention on how our aging population is also very diverse your we have lgbt elders, immigrant Elders Elders of color and lots of different needs. And not just in terms of health and different illnesses and conditions that people are living with but also traditions and cultures and quality of life is a deeply tied to so many of those realities. So to the extent that the offices, the area agencies on aging can really be oriented towards cover is the reality of who is aging and what their caregiving needs are changing in the full diversity of who we are as a country, i think that that is a really key priority. [applause] so in minnesota, Blue Cross Blue Shield of minnesota has essentially been living out its mission of making a healthy difference in peoples peoples lives through this work. So we have been focused on creating an atmosphere on the job of being supported to the weve had brown bag lunches where we provide education and create awareness for our employees. We have provided training for our Customer Service representatives so that they can detect issues and then do a better job of helping individuals navigate what is a very complex system. And then going to the point about how do we better support of cultural communities. When the unique ways in which one of the Community Partners has been raising education and awareness is through having written a play called roughly translating to order out of disorder, and the play is based on the reallife experience of three families. So thats one way in which we been able to break through some of those barriers with this work and help people have a better understanding and awareness of the impact on a family. And more poorly that there are people out there who care and support you and provide the resources for not only the individuals expensing the dementia, but they caregivers. [applause] how great that peter can play a role like that. Thats very exciting. Anna eshoo at a time is but does anyone have any questions they want to toss up to us while we are here . Weve got quite a group. [inaudible] pashtun loved ones, from twinkle to ring to. From twinkle cubicle. Considering paid family leave for people who need to take care of from twinkle to wrinkle. Probably an expression ive not heard before. Right now he needs surgery but i cant take off work to be with him. So paid leave would be wonderful. [applause] [inaudible] a wonderful opportunity of the Walgreens Stores to identify. Not only cover the prescription and they will see perhaps an opportunity to bring awareness. [applause] let me just repeat that so for the people at home, the issue of held abuse which is such a plate in this country and that because many of these people come into walgreens thats a great resource to be observant and maybe notice when this is happening. Happening. Com i think its a very important comment. I comment on the frequency of interactions where you have a senior where their caregivers coming 24 times the. Its a great opportunity for our pharmacists develop these relationships and can often pick up subtle things that are really understood i really appreciate the comment and inside. I think its on target. Yes . On sandy, im about to be 82 im from new york city and i make jewish feminist and my big fear is not being able to do what it is i have to do and, therefore, they need caregiving and to go into a system known to be discriminatory homophobic. So im concerned that after all the years ive been an out and acted as im going go back in the closet, both if i need caregiving adult and if i have to go into an institution. So im concerned that the government right into whatever is going on and the Older Americans act, there should be training. First, nondiscriminatory laws. The ship returning from the administrative level down to the caregiving level because things start at the top. I dont want to go into an institution. Poseable i dont ever want to go back into the closet again. Thank you. [applause] thanks. That such an incredible point because we talk about the first commuters, there are all kinds as aijen set of the First Communities to the fact you live in new york city and have that here is very sobering. One is for [inaudible] you mentioned about the program that they had for trained social workers, caregivers. I know that they have social workers in their training programs, but when it is a veteran that needs longterm care, then who pays the bill . Where does the Veterans Administration get in on that . Because it families cant afford to pay a caregiver, then what happens to the the veteran . And number two question is and thats for all of you do you support and believe that home care workers really is worth the 15 an hour . [applause] they are underpaid and they are fighting to get recognition. Edu take your own family. So where do you stand on that . That goes to anyone out there. The interview question is the depends upon the status of the veteran. The application of benefits for veterans is somewhat complex because of the number of laws that have been passed over the years. I think the best way to get an industryspecific question will be to call our caregiver line, and ill repeat that number again, 18552603274 because well need to drill down on the specific status of each veteran to be able to answer the question. And just on the question of 15 of course the work of caregiving and home care workers deserves at least 15 an hour, if not more. [applause] at least. And thats just the first step in what it will take to secure a really strong home care and caregiving workforce, to support a 90 of us who would prefer to age in place at home in our communities connected to our families can live a life on our own terms. I just want to shout out, my grandmothers caregiver she takes care of my grandmother and supports her to live independently, takes her to church so she can be in the Church Senior choir and seeing twice a week so she can play mahjongg with her friends come and you do not want to take her on in mahjongg by the way. And all of that is made possible by the work of mrs. Hassan such as want to recognize her here today spent i think that is a great note on which to wrap up, talking about the great caregiver. Want to thank the panel. I want to thank all of you. And i just want to take a second to thank the president and the congress, miraculous it all moving together to pass the national alzheimers act. We talk about division. There was unity there and we all benefit from that, and im grateful to be able to thank them, and thank all of you. Had a wonderful rest of the conference. [applause] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] ladies and gentlemen. [inaudible] [applause] good morning. It is an honor to be able to join you all of today for the 2015 white house conference on aging. And i want to offer a particular thanks to our host today president obama who is supporting this conference, and usually happens with the help of congressional action to think as you all know this year the Older Americans act has not yet been reauthorized out forcefully the president committed to making this conference a success. And as a result of his leadership is the biggest and though it might be able a little bit bias, hopefully the best white house conference on aging ever. Kathy greenlee our white house conference is here as well as our white house conference on aging a director nora super. It also worked very hard to make this conference a success. And Trading Spaces for voices from around the country. This years conference has an extra special meaning for me. I work on these policy issues for a while and i have seen of the impact my parents. But result in the last month i actually turned 50 in the first time you get that invitation from aarp [laughter] these discussions take on a whole new meaning. And actually am in very good Company Turning 50 this year. This month marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of medicare, medicaid as well as the Older Americans act. [applause] and we made a promise to our parents and our grandparents that we will not let those who came before us spend their golden years wrestling with insecurity or indignity your our journey to get to the sex white house conference on aging is a culmination of a yearlong effort. We brought together all to americans, families, caregivers six white house conference experts engaging. Together we have listened learned and engaged with americans on aging policy. We met with tribal leaders, elder lgbt americans, groups like the diverse elders coalition. Virtually we engage thousands of americans from across the country in webinars. We held five regional forums with help from aarp and the Leadership Council of aging organizations. I was lucky enough to join the final one in boston. Over the course of these forums weve heard from americans across the country about the need for strong support for this community. At hhs these issues are at the heart of what we do whether thats our work through the administration for community living, medicare, or using the new tools of the Affordable Care act to improve the lives of Older Americans. Through the money follows the person the program we worked with 44 states and the District Of Columbia two of over 40500 Older Americans get the care they need and the setting that is most comfortable to them. We also want to do that for seniors enrolled in medicaid. Thats why we are working through the Affordable Care act kennedy first choice option to support states are fighting home and committeebased services. We are particularly proud of to knit efforts that were launching today, to support Older Americans and a dedicated workforce that supports them today we are announcing 35 points 7 million in awards for geriatric workforce training 35 points 7 million. [applause] this funding will support Geriatric Education Centers and training and continuing education for geriatric and other health care providers. These investments will promote access to Quality Health care for older adults by supporting their selfmanagement their families engagement in their care and a dedicated caregivers who work with them. Today, we are also proposing new measures to ensure the quality and improve the performance of longterm care facilities. To move medicare payments from quantity of services to quality of care. A swedish writer once said that old age is like climbing a mountain. You climb from ledge to ledge in the higher you get the more tired and breathlessly get. But your views become more expensive. [laughter] old American South for the extensive due to our nation. Their insight is invaluable and we must work to honor legacy than preserve dignity. I am happy now to share with you a video that captures the journey we took on the way to the conference. If conference. If features are great white house conference as well as some of the expert and Older Americans who joined us on this journey. Thank you. [applause] the 2015th white house conference is critical because our country is undergoing an incredible transformation. 10,000 people are now turning 55 each and every day. The age has already occurred. We are now meeting our destiny. This is a game changer for all aspects of life as we know it. The in years to come the fastestgrowing demographic will be people over the age of 65 and often times the age of 65 has the hardest time with housing. The mac we need to talk about healthy aging, what needs to happen for a healthy life as they age. One of the best descriptions is to be physically active. Walking is an easy and fun way to stay active. The white house is a great juncture for us to review the priorities for the important aspects of the aging population to be focused upon. It was important to us that we travel across the country to meet seniors where they are. The best way to find out what is happening in their lives is to see where they live. Its been incredibly inspiring to hear so many people speak about the opportunities that aging brings as well as the challenges to engage in a dialogue about what the 2015th conference could mean for them. Some of the best insights came from five regional forums held this year. They were the most visible part of the journey of listening and learning and sharing that the white house conference on aging has been the past year. We. We need a culture change as a nation. Our view of aging recognizes older adults bring it daring than diets where communities that strength in our society to solve social problems. The commitment is clear and steadfast. He is consistently focused on the importance of health and Financial Security in retirement. We need to empower people with tools to make informed choices on the best way to ensure people provide that if i are working in your best interest and not putting their selfinterest above your best interest. I think it is wonderful the white house conference on aging is traveling to people at the grassroots level. They have come out and made the effort to do these regional forums, to hear from individuals. White house conference of aging can help give a voice to the growing number of seniors and the variety of means they bring is not a onesizefitsall solution. The issues of aging to the table. Is white house conference is an amazing opportunity to assess where we stand now what the major challenges are in the opportunities. We want to change the discussion away from the limitations of aging to the possibilities. My hope is will the cap longevity as a set of opportunities and possibilities. The talent in the adult and Senior Communities is phenomenal. Or opportunities associated with getting older that allow others to make a more positive contribution to the community. The interaction of the Younger Generation and older generation could be rewarding for both generations. Each learn from the other and its a joyful experience and not just its all the generations in between. There has to be that length. Each one means the other. I remember when i was young i thought it was my duty and i wanted to talk to her too. The generations have got to put it together. The people should be involved. Seniors have a lot to offer. Not only are the seniors benefiting but all the individuals they are supporting are. A whole issue aging is some rain intergenerational. We start aging from the day we are born. We need to think of the nation what are some of the solutions we need to adapt either in policies or products or services that allow people to age the way they want to age. I believe the white house conference on aging is a chance to set the platform for the next 10 15, 20 years in the aging of the population. Every 10 years we believe this is in a day at the white house. This is a Movement Towards making sure everyone in our country is engaged on important issues. To resolve the issue. People need to know the seniors are human. They are not someone to push into the corner and forget about them. I want to see seniors respected. We all age and we all want the same thing to be respect, health the an independent. It gives us the unique length every 10 years to hold off the value of growing old. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the program will continue momentarily. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] ladies and gentlemen, will you please take your seats. The program will begin momentarily. Ladies and gentlemen, the key police said. [applause] good afternoon. It is both an honor and a pleasure to be with you here today to tell my story and share with you. I was raised to be a hardworking military brat. Met quite a few of those back there. My parents didnt go to college, but they were able to send my Three Sisters and myself to get a good College Education my dad passed away about 14 years ago but my mom ida may gray is 81. She is watching firm home. Hey, mom i am in the white house. [applause] my parents raised me as many parents in america do with a strong moral fabric for saving, that somewhere along the line i went way way, way off track and ended up in a fiscal nightmare with bill collectors and foreclosures looming on the horizon. I didnt think i could see anyway to get get out of my financial problems. About 16 years ago in a rented georgia i stumbled into a meeting, a Financial Education meeting. As many of us go to Hotel Meetings when you think youre in the wrong room. So i went in. I didnt see anybody that looks like me and everybody looked extremely prosperous. I am thinking wrong meeting. They made me feel really warm and they welcomed me. I was in the right meeting. The individual who had come to teach the meeting by Cindy Hounslow who was at the Womens Institute for secure retirement and she had flown into atlanta and she was there to provide help to my organization mothers voices, so i could reach out to women like myself who are struggling to never thought we could have a secure retirement. This white house conference on aging is an opportunity for everyone to come to the table and feel like they have a voice. We have an opportunity for shifting the economic landscape for millions of women in this country as well as men millions of women like myself who struggled financially to make sound decisions while dealing with the very difficult economic challenges. As you can tell, this is both personal and i am passionate about it. We are hopeful as we pulled together today this can be a generational dialogue that reaches out to women in their 20s 30s, 50s 70s 80s and beyond. This is our opportunity to be able to be heard and have a part of which is so critical. When i think about my 81yearold mother in massachusetts, she too is also a part of the conversation as well as my nieces and daughter. My 15yearold daughter were saying to me mom are you going to see mickey manoj as well as president . [laughter] i told her a darling, i will have an opportunity to express what many young people need to know today that this is a part of their dialogue as well and the resources and innovation that we hear today at this white house conference on aging is going to set the tone for a dialogue that will provide opportunities for my daughter as well as the next generation. Now i have the distinct honor and pleasure of introducing the president of the United States, barack obama. [cheers and applause] hello everybody. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Everybody, please have a seat. Welcome to the white house conference on aging, everybody. Please give mickey a round of the applause. I want to thank the members of congress who are here. Those of my administration who have been working on this issue. I want to especially point out one of my former members of congress, a legend who is here today john dingell. Thank you. John was elected to congress when he was just 29. An over achiever. 10 years he provided over the House Chamber for the vote to pass medicare into law an achievement for which he and the father can take some credit. Last week john turned 89 so we want to wish john a happy birthday. Hes been a retiree for six months but is keeping busy. Check out his twitter feed if you dont believe so. It is wonderful to be here with all of you. Many of you voted careers advocating Older Americans. They understand the whole terrain, not just challenges but also opportunities. Not only questions today, but the questions we started thinking about for tomorrow. Because the Conference Takes Place once a decade, weve got to make an account. One of the best measures of the country is how it treats its older citizens. By that measure, the United States has a lot to be proud of. Medicare, medicaid Social Security. Some of our greatest triumphs of the nation. When Social Security was signed into law, far too many seniors were living in poverty. When medicare was created only more than half of all seniors had some form of insurance. Before medicaid tehran they had no help paying for nursing home costs. Today the number of seniors in poverty has fallen dramatically. Every american over 65 has access to Affordable Health care and by the way since the affordable character was signed into law it has fallen by about one point. [applause] to get it we declared its pretty good. Together we declared that every citizen of this country deserves a basic measure of security and dignity. Bachelors save millions upon millions of people from poverty allow them to live longer and better lives. Weve got to be proud of that. American endeavors didnt just make our country better. It reaffirmed our greatness of the country. It is hard to find a single american whos life hasnt been enriched by these covenants in some fashion. My grandmother was a fiercely independent woman. She helped raise me. She worked her way up working on a bomber Assembly Line during the war and went on got a job as secretary and kept on working her way up until she was Vice President of the local bank. After my grandfather died she chose to live independently. Medicare and Social Security allowed her to make that choice. She had the confidence that having more working hard and playing by the rules she could not all through those cracks. That was a promise the country made to her in all its citizens. As a grateful grandson who happens to be president heres a promise i will keep for future generations. [applause] we have to make sure that people are working today. We have to work for it. We have to work to do more to ensure that every older american has the resources and the support they need to thrive. That challenge protecting our seniors come as you seniors come and join with the rising cost of an aging generation, ensuring they have enough home care workers looking out for our family members. [applause] maximizing contributions that Older Americans can make to our country. These charges are becoming more urgent. Here is why. When we won world war ii, everyone came home and had babies. Not literally everyone, but a lot of people had babies. And now which an everyday almost 10,000 of those babies turn 65 years old. More than 250,000 americans turn 65 every month. They are living longer and they are living healthier. We see people break athletic records in their 60s. You do not want to raise her in any game. [applause] arguably the toughest justice on the Supreme Court is the oldest. Ruth bader ginsburg. [applause] also known as the notorious rvg. In just about every field americans who once might have been dismissed as out of touch are past their primes are making vital contributions in every field and all of us as a consequence are able to raise their own ambitions about what we hope to achieve in our golden years. And since im living at dog years in the presidency, this is something i pay a lot of attention to. Although i do have hair. Carly was laughing a little bit too much. [laughter] so since these golden years are coming pretty fast i want to make sure that we briefly focused on what weve done to strengthen already medicare and take a longer look at what we have to do to strengthen retirement even more. We are often told medicare and Social Security we hear all the time and that is used as an excuse to cut spending on this bedrock programs. But here is the truth. Medicare and Social Security are not in crisis. Nor have they cap custom cutting deficits by two thirds since i took office. Both programs are facing challenges because of the demographic trends atop about and for medicare that means theyve got to keep slowing the growth of Health Care Costs and keep building on the progress regarding made in the past few years. Since i signed the Affordable Care act also known as the care care [applause] since we signed the aca into law, weve extended the life by 13 years. We are moving medicare towards payment models that require quality of care instead of quantity of care as the measure of what you get paid, creating a different set of incentives and something that will keep Older Americans healthy and medicare healthy as well. Whats more the fly has saved over 900 people on medicare currently. More than 15 billion on their prescriptions. Now that doesnt get a lot of notice [applause] built into the Affordable Care act, 9 million seniors have got significant discounts on prescription drugs. They dont always know it is because of obamacare, but that is why they been paying cheaper drug prices. Its also given more than 40 Million People free Preventive Health service. And weve expanded the options for home and communitybased Services Offered by medicaid which means more Older Americans are able to make the same choice my grandmother did them live independently. [applause] those are some areas we have made progress in Sylvia Burwell im sure at some point in this conference will be talking about additional steps we need to take to further prove the Delivery System and understand the goal here is not to cut back on services. The goal is to make sure you are getting more of the services you need, less of the services you dont see that more money left over to do even more stuff you need to keep you help inactive and driving because we have too much waste in the system thats not benefiting patients but often times has to do with an inefficient system are in some cases works well for providers that doesnt work well for the consumer. Even as we deal with the health care site, we know too many Older Americans that the workforce without having saved enough for dignified retirement. Its not as if they havent tried. A lot of folks out here who work really really hard but at the end of the day just still dont have enough in todays economy preparing for retirement has gotten tougher. First of all most workers dont have a traditional pension. But we have is a defined pension plan where you are guaranteed a amount every year once you retire. Social Security Check on it so often times is not enough. Even though as a consequence of some of the steps we choked we pulled ourselves out of terrible financial crisis in the stock market has now doubled since i took office, which means it is replenished 401 k for millions of americans. [applause] said that its been important for millions of families across the country. A lot of people dont have any retirement account at all. So we have to work hard to deal with these issues. Number one, keep Social Security from insolvency. [applause] i think there are creative ways people talk about to protect the future solvency but also strengthen Retirement Security for our most vulnerable neighbors. That is step number one. Step number two for americans doing the hard work of saving for retirement, lets make sure they get a fair deal. Earlier this year announced steps we take to protect americans at cranking down on conflicts of interest in retirement advice. The goal here is to put an end to wall street brokers who benefit from dr. Payments or hidden fees at the expense of their clients. If they are advising you on how to save your money they should be looking out for you, not for somebody whos selling a product and for the many brokers out there who are doing the right thing visceral levels the Playing Field for them and their customers. The notion here is we want to make sure responsibility is rewarded and not exploited. Theres a Consumer Protection element to this whole thing. Number three with got to make it easier for people to save for retirement and im pleased to announce important step we take to do just that. Right now one third of American Workers do not have access to a Retirement Plan at work. One third. That is why every budget request i submitted has included a commonsense proposal to automatically enroll workers that access to a work based Retirement Plan and an ira which would provide an additional 30 million americans with access to a Retirement Plan at work. Unfortunately congress has repeatedly failed to act on this idea. The good news is states are stepping up. Just like a step in other areas where congress is not doing its work like raising the minimum wage or making paid sick leave available for working families. [applause] so far a handful of pass laws to create new ways for people without a work plan to save for retirement. More than 20 states are thinking about doing the same. We want to do everything we can to encourage more states to take a stab. Ive caught him the department of labor and tom perez to impose a set of rules by the end of the year to provide a clear path forward for states to create Retirement Savings programs that every state did this, tens of millions more americans could save for retirement at work. [applause] i want to emphasize this point. It is perverse that in this country, it is just easier to save a few party got money. And im talking about not just the fact youve got money to save. Im talking about just the mechanics, the mechanisms of being able to say and take advantage of the tax benefits of savings. So if we can just make sure that everybody even if your employer doesnt provide those mechanisms, you still have a way of accessing it. Every dollar you put in is going to be a dollar that also been benefits from the same kinds of Tax Advantages for somebody with a Million Dollars is able to take advantage of. And that is just fair. And that is all were trying to do is make sure you are working hard out there even if youre not making money and dont have Financial Advisors and all that. You can still put away a nest egg so you are protect did when you get older. This is just one of a number of steps we are taking to improve the lives of Older Americans. Many of you know the past year without regional forms of aarp across the country. Heard country. Heard lots of ideas from people including folks in this room about how we can make things better, especially families and caregivers. We are moving ahead with several ideas youve given us. For example, make it easier for folks home bound to get nutritional assistance. We will update quality and safety requirements for thousands of nursing homes, the first Major Overhaul in nearly 25 years. [applause] will trade more prosecutors and how to combat elder abuse. [applause] we are going to work with congress to reauthorize the Older Americans act. [applause] we are going to help federal workers and supervisors better understand how policies on Workplace Flexibility can support employees who are caregivers do aging parents. Hot buy i am going to keep fighting to make family leave and work place flexibility available to every american no matter where they work. It is the right thing to do. Every study shows the kind of Workplace Flexibility we are talking about isnt just good for the employees. Ultimately it ends up being good for the employers because you get more loyal, more productive employees with less turnover. Its the right thing to do and what the Technology Today there is no reason why we cant make this happen. This year we mark the 80th anniversary of Social Security. That marked the 50th anniversary of medicare. Weve grown so accustomed to programs in a part of American Life the Bedrock Foundation stones of our society, sometimes its easy to forget how revolutionary they were at the time. They were hard to get done. When fdr tried to pass Social Security critics call a socialist. When president kennedy and president johnson worked to create medicare, the government takeover of health care. Now weve got signs saying get your government hands off my medicare. [laughter] the plainest change is always been hard. They always try and to maximize peoples fear of the unknown. Ultimately hope triumphs over fear. We choose to do big things in america. Like i said a couple weeks back, generations ago we left to languish in poverty. Two generations ago we chose to end the age when americans in their golden years didnt have the guarantee of health care. This generation we chose to go even further and health care is more affordable and available than ever before. This anniversary, this incredible achievements when incredible achievements we need to commit ourselves from finishing the work that earlier generations began. Make sure the countries when there remains no no matter who you are or where you started off you are treated with dignity and your hard work is rewarded. Your contributions are valued. You have a shot to achieve your dreams whatever your age. Thats the america we work for. Thank you so much. Congratulations. [applause] lations. [applause] [applause] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [applause] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] good morning. Can you hear me . Its an honor to be here as serious activists in the audience. I know im in the right place. Thank you to members of congress here. Thank you to other leaders who are here. This has been a great morning and you heard from the boss. He is all in and this is a joint venture. We have a great panel here so i want to keep moving. I heard the president say a lot of focus on what i call promoting access in the retirement space and the president has been taking action on that. Hes directed us to take more action to facilitate that. The Treasury Department has started taken action on that and the my ra space. You are in the way back. Diana is a smallbusiness owner who encouraged her employees to participate to help strengthen their Retirement Security so she has a lot of my ra participants. Thank you for being a great spokesperson for this. We do this one business at a time and i appreciate your help and im glad its working. We will talk more Financial Security with garbage and toxic shock who are talking and giving their views. We have a number of questions and i got a few questions on twitter as well. We will go with them time permitting. Let me introduce our panel as quickly a monogamous question should which i will ask your panelists. Jean teske is a financial editor for sec director of education for savvy money. Com and she has a long career in journalism that matters and has published several books on everybodys favorite topic of Financial Management and money. In the spirit moving forward on this grill quickly as robyn diamante. Robin is the chief Investment Officer of united Tech Knowledge is in hartford and for me and equally important in addition to that very important job, she was appointed in 2013 by the president to the pension benefits guarantee Program Advisory committee and as labor secretary that had the privilege of sharing the board. I spent a lot of time with rabin and it has been a labor of love and shes educated me a lot. She chairs the Pension Management Advisory Committee which abides as the New York Stock Exchange and the Federal Reserve a new York Markets Group on the impact of policies and Market Conditions on in additional investors. As we continue to talk about the importance of state and local government and someone who spent a lot of time in state and local government we are pleased to have vicki l. The site here for the comp county board of health near atlanta. She was a 2011 White House Community leader and policy issues for seniors and by the way and if im not mistaken for production work and having watched you already we understand why you have an enemy. I am pleased to have you. Last but not least is a good friend of mine who is the head of Global Wealth and Retirement Solutions for Merrill Lynch at bank of america. And a stellar career in finance spans more than 20 years and includes time at the white house working on economic and domestic policy and in his spare time which i dont think he has much of the racers on the board of reid worked out or will help students in needy schools develop literacy schools. I would ask you to give a round of applause to our panelists. [applause] i am going to jump right into the questioning because they were short period of time. I will ask a question for all of you to answer and then time permitting we have a few twitter questions and perhaps audience questions. The question for the group is theirs. Many people in our country is the president described is to take root argument for granted. Work 30 years and get a pen, pension and a party. In the definedbenefit world of yesteryear. Now it seems like fewer sound they will be able to retire comfortably. What do you see as the most significant barrier to a secure retirement . I know this could be a onehour answer for each of you but if you could focus on what you see is the most significant barrier. Well start with you and work our way around. Thank you mr. Secretary. From our perspective the first thing is the fact retirement itself has been transformed as a concept in our society and we heard that from the president. This is now a time of unprecedented opportunities and possibilities but also risk their families have never before had to deal with and manage. From our perspective, the barrier we need to overcome is to expand the way we think about later life in these bonus year so it is not all just about money. This is about how to think about work and how little fact into later life. Certainly about health and cognitive decline and many other Health Related issues and how families deal with the new dynamic we experience. Well talk about how we can address it. We think during college he and Training Needs to be brought into the mainstream of American Life and will talk a little bit about that is the panel continues. From my perspective the biggest barrier is we are human and when we ask human beings to plan for retirement, we are asking people to do things that are really the antithesis of human nature. We are asking them to save which humans are not particularly good at. We are asking them to do it consistently and life always has a way of surprising you in getting in the way. We are asking people to invest consistently which means sticking with the markets when the marks markets arent a lot of fun. And once theyve accumulated not to pull the money out and spend it all at once. Its a really, really difficult challenge i work with the aarp on trying to educate people how to do all these things, which nobody is really training us to do. We are climbing a mountain of previous generations didnt have to climb. Thank you. When i had an opportunity to attend my First Financial literacy workshop 16 years ago i met cindy hansel who definitely gave us the tools they need added through an Organization Called mothers voice is georgia, which is a nonprofit which has reached out to women in terms of helping them plan a secure retirement. One of the challenges and barriers that definitely make the dialogue interesting is the issue of longevity. I have just recently heard that they have changed the category of old old friend named d. From 85 years old to 90 years old. And so, when you talk to young people, women who are representing the millennialist about saving and not living your, that just means though far away. I jokingly say of orange is the new black, 90 is the new old old. So you never meet any retirees that say they have saved enough or too much. So one of the definite critical education pieces we get across to women is your finances you can always find a way to save. I love the fact would have been my ra in place. You need to begin the behavior and once you start that behavior look at ways if you are having Critical Issues dealing with finances like i did initially trying to overcome issues related to diet trying to reduce in using tools. Big steps will eventually get you to where you need to go. Baby steps are not bad stats. Hopefully they will get you comfortable with saving in the concepts of producing Credit Card Debt comfortable with the next step you need to take as they wanted, especially because that is who we reach out to. Comfortable taking those steps you need to make in order to secure your economic future. I will talk more about barriers we address barriers we address especially as it comes to Financial Literacy education not being a onesizefitsall model. Is a lot of barriers for young employees. They need to take on the financial responsibility of saving for retirement. As the president said they will not have the pension fund their parents and grandparents enjoyed. They need to think of their 401 k not as just a savings plan but Retirement Plan. You need to save early and save more. They need to resist the temptation of taking money out when they change jobs and this is an easy investment portfolio appropriate for their age and circumstance. If they do that effectively, they may have a retirement more money than theyve ever had in their life and they may feel secure. But here is what i think one of the most critical barriers are. How do you turn that money into a stream of lifetime in cobb so you dont outlive it. Many employees allow participating to stay in their savings plan after retirement. Unfortunately, in please dont know that. They think they need to leave the plan and move their assets. Also in some circumstances there is aggressive marketing urging them to do so. Once they leave their 401 k plan, it isnt a reversible decision and unfortunately they cant get back in. Once they are out, they find themselves all noble to Investment Advice and recommendations on in their best interests. Hopefully there will be laws in place in the future to protect them. I think someone at the department of labor is doing something about that. Phyllis, is that right . When they continue with you because theres two dimensions to the question i have for you. For the people who have a 401 k , what can you do to make sure i make either retire or leave the job because this is no longer our fathers and mothers generation where you work 30 years the same place and more and more people bop around in a generation. So how do you educate them . And then the second part of the question gets back to what the president said emma which is about a third of workers dont have access to work place Retirement Plan. And so life is more challenging because obviously Social Security alone in all likelihood is not going to be enough. I know youve thought about this and your boss and company which is forward leaning has been thinking a lot about this. If you could address the twopart question for those of you who have the 401 k how can we make sure folks are educated about choices and for those who dont and dont have anything right now, what options are out there and what else should we be doing . Companies need to change the way they get in touch with savings plans because they dont have the pension plans. The well structured default option. We talked about in the past however thing works. So what we do is when an employee starts, they are automatically enrolled at a 6 contribution in the optout rate is 1. 3 . Once we put them in, they say. We escalate thats a maximum of 1 . The company puts in an additional agebased contribution and three to 5. 5 even if its not their own money in the plan. It is very important. Also, a robust default option we have developed something called a Lifetime Income strategy developed for younger employees who dont have a pension plan. Basically what it does is very similar to a portfolio or is a diversified Growth Portfolio that becomes less risky as the person gets retirement. But it generates a Lifetime Income stream for them. As the balance grows so does the income stream so they dont outlive their money. It is important for the industry to post these products in place that give people a Lifetime Income security, but also flexibility they want. Our plan is unlike a traditional annuity and that you always have control over your balance said there is no penalties if you decide you want to take it out by traditional annuities. Trending up in social media right now our applications to united Tech Knowledge is. Technologies. Let me turn to you because we are obviously doing a lot of work with the Treasury Department, Labor Department and others on some regulatory proposals. At the same time we are working hard on education because we all have a shared interest in the import and of education. When i have someone through the media here i cant help but ask the question what you think the media can do to help the public learn about Financial Markets and what we need to do to save for retirement and how we can make this correct choices in the leave it to beaver universe we didnt have to make this choice is in our modern family were modern family with a different environment. What can you do . The best thing the media can do is not get overly focused on the minutia of the market. Investment that people can understand. When we get caught up in the details of puts and calls and options and daytrading and things that we really dont need in order to achieve Financial Security, the media might be trying to garner additional ratings, i dont think were doing people a great service. Andy, let me turn to you. I want to say thank you to be okay and Merrill Lynch because theyve been incredibly helpful partners in our efforts moving forward and you have been an Industry Leader and want to thank Brian Moynihan and also ceo of merrill as well who ive met personally for your work on these issues. Youve really been very very helpful. You mentioned about longevity, and so did vicki. My memory serves serves me, the of his been doing a fair amount of work with usc longevity center. Can you tell us what youve learned from the work that youre doing regarding the evolving needs of the population that is living longer and what that means for Financial Security and what proactive steps that we could be taking in light of what we are learning . Great, thanks. The secretary is referring to work that weve done with the university of Southern California and the school of gerontology. We had the good fortune some years ago hiring a graduate of the day this school to join our team at Merrill Lynch. We were blown away frankly by the focus at first the Financial Media placed on the fact theres a chair and colleges working on wall street, and Vincent Scully we were blown away by how our clients embrace this broader perspective around later life. Over the last year or so we decided to double down on work and we extended our work with the Biggest School can now offer chair in to logical control the advisors at Merrill Lynch and with over 1000 advisors who either complete or working their way through certification. Today under the auspices of the white house conference we are announcing we think is an even more exciting step forward which is to extend his work with the usc so well be training 35,000 companies that might not employers or clients of ours at Merrill Lynch trade their benefits and h. R. Professionals around the usc gerontological program. Will be hoping his this would be a major step for in terms of making workplaces much more page friendly, and the partnership with you see this extraordinary and i would encourage everyone thats part of the conference to really take some time and focus on what they are doing at uc davis and brought in the field of gerontology. Great, thank you. Thats a great. [applause] who and last but not least you talked in your presentation about the work you about the work youve done on behalf of women. As we know, women in the aggregate live longer than men and they have often saved less and have lower Social Security income in no small measure because the remarkable important decisions regarding childrearing, et cetera. And so that puts them obviously at greater risk, and youve worked with a lot of women to prepare them for retirement. Whats the most important set of advice you give to women and what would you give to this audience today as you talk about women and Financial Security . Thank you so much secretary perez. I think that in terms of the women that we outreach to coming from all walks of life and did with many of the challenges financially of childrearing are dealing with a relative who may be experiencing enormous, in terms of a caregiving role or and parttime employment, the challenge is staying consistent. The challenge is keeping that Economic Security or retirement goal ever present despite what some time may seem like setback. In terms of the Financial Education that reaches these women, its reaching them where they are at at that particular life point with whatever they are dealing with and being realistic about it, whether or not they are dealing with divorce or whether or not they are dealing with an issue of caregiving for an aging loved one. But meeting those women where they are at financially. And not be a sub about what that we dont do any beating out. We are all in this together. The other piece that it would like to be mindful of is that in terms of Financial Education, one size does not fit all. Its sort of like pantyhose. If we did that the entire world would come crashing to a close if one size pantyhose of it all. [laughter] so just like with Financial Education we are all processing the imagery of that metaphor right now. We might need 10 seconds or so to work through that. [laughter] okay, we can proceed. [laughter] so Financial Education needs to be women and individuals where theyre at. The other final piece i will add this understand the system how important it is. Assistance that the president shared the bedrock of Social Security, medicare, so important for people to be educated about the rules. But if we can make the rules a little bit more userfriendly just a little bit more userfriendly. I know sometimes when i cant get to sleep i will try to read some of the rules and it will help me and have me out by 9 p. M. But for those individuals, seriously who are dealing with either comprehension issues, literacy issues, rethinking with visual impairment, making those rules more userfriendly is something we do all the time. For other types of roles that are out there, it would be great if we could apply that for Social Security and for medicare. Great, thank you. I have two questions that came via twitter. I think think we discussed in part but this does give you a little bit of an opportunity i will combined them into one. One comes from which asked what advice would you give to someone trying to plan for a secure retirement . Theres a related subset question from sage which is services and advocacy for lgbt elders which asks how can we bolster retirement saving for lgbt elders who face high rates of poverty . And less of him and social support networks. So again if you want to build on things youve said before. Applicable to open it up if anyone has a question were going to go to you and india and will probably have the time for those two questions. Questions. Vikki touched on Social Security and i dont think we can put too great an emphasis on how important it is to be mindful of how you make the decision to take Social Security. Three quarters of americans take Social Security at age 62. By doing that they leave a ton of money on the table. And one way in which we need to be offering additional education to people is to teach them not only how best to tap the Social Security but how to mix their soso security with their other retirement accounts and which to draw from at which time. I am with you. Simplify it as much as possible. A question from a student i thought is very interesting because on one love the most important thing is to begin saving early but i think as well its important remember that the savings comes in many different forms. And for millennials in particular one of the most important things they can do to begin shoring up their finances and think about the future is paying down student debt and paying down debt is the financial equivalent of saving. And is while keeping in mind investment in Human Capital and would you think about what long jump is doing and the fact that careers are going to be very long and very, those investments whether spending time out of the sorority you refer to and in the classroom or subsequently around job training and job retraining with anticipation you have multiple careers, those are all building the kind of capital people are going to need for long and successful and secure financial lives. Just to elaborate on trim once point. Its very important to take a holistic approach to Financial Wellness andy approach. We are auto everything but at the same time we have to be very mindful of their other debt. Things like paying down student debt are thinking about buying a house or later saving for their childs education, he didnt want to a young person backs up their credit cards and can be saving 10 for retired. There has to be this Financial Education on how to utilize debt appropriately. Let me turn to you. I will try to repeat great. We have a microphone right up there, and then we will go to you. We probably, we will see how we are doing on time. Ive me home care worker out of atlanta georgia, i love your shirt by the way. Thank you thank you. We are in the fight for 15. Maginot, home care workers we make 13,000 a year or less. And we also get state funding as input stems. How can we save . Any suggestions . So how do folks who are barely making ends meet enter into this conversation . I think everybody sitting up here is nodding out is because it is really, really difficult. You should of course be paid more money which would make this problem go away. [applause] interim there are two essential ways to save. One way is to just do small chunks when you can and viacom small consistent pieces whenever you can, whether its 5 or 50. Every little bit helps. The other is to come if and when you get a small windfall whether its tax refund or a birthday gift, to just try to put as much about away as you possibly can. And i know it may not always be possible, but we do what we can when we can do it and hope that we make more money in the future. When i was listening to your question i was thinking about another moment when the president stood up there to talk about the need to implement and to propose and implement a regulation with respect to all health workers. Because as a result of [applause] loophole in the wage an outlaw human and even entitled to minimum wage or overtime protections. Im glad we have done that. Its been upheld in the court but we will continue dividing and continue to work with you. We would not have done that without your advocacy and efficacy of others who are in this room. So working to upscale americans are working to make sure folks are reported for a hard days work with a fair days pay is what the president middleclass economics is all about. We will keep working on the. We had discussions here about savings, specific items but theres no better way to save than having a better wage. So thats why we are going to keep working. Yes, sir. If you could wait for a microphone. Its going to be with you in one second. George with us against alzheimers. We are with an aging and Longevity Society. We know increasing rates of Cognitive Impairment. Weve also discovered a couple things the last few years. We cannot diagnose this disease 15 20 years before symptoms appear one of the first manifestations of alzheimers or Cognitive Impairment is inability to perform Financial Transactions and make good financial decisions. So any Longevity Society had how do we protect it is particularly global population . How to do you detect Cognitive Impairment and inability to Financial Transactions and advised them appropriately . George, thank you for making that point. I would just, let me pick up what george said because bank of america and Merrill Lynch we have been very involved on alzheimers. In connection with that some survey research which shows overwhelmingly americans are more fearful of alzheimers in almost any other Health Condition combined with a think about later life. In the Financial Services industry there needs to be a wave of education around identifying the science of cognitive decline and also just the basics of how responsibly financial accounts needs to be handed from one person to another against the backdrop of cognitive decline. Its been great to see finra come our primary Securities Regulator and the sec and other regulators beginning to point a lot more attention at these topics as well because of regulatory backdrop needs to be very very clear as well when we are thinking about dementia alzheimers, et cetera, and what it means for our clients. I have one minute left. If you can ask a 20second question. I would like to raise the need for workforce, encouraging them through Financial Education that they can save, especially since they will have longer life expectancy. Couldnt agree more. One thing we worked have worked with everyone at this table on is making sure that we have vehicles and mechanisms that are linguistically and culturally competent so that when we are out there in the workforce, we are out there able to serve everyone in the workforce with these critical tools. Everyone at this table and many folks in this audience have spent time working on the. I apologize that we can do more. Im really excited we are able to get through this many questions, and this is a remarkably distinguished panel that i would ask you to give it up for them one more time. Thank you very much. [applause] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] ladies and gentlemen ms. Nora super. [applause] wow. All i can say is wow. Its so wonderful to see so many of you here today. As you might imagine ive been dreaming about this day for almost a year now and its so great to be up to say that dreams can come true. [applause] so thank you all so much. We are especially the latter to so many of you participating we are going to lead our coverage of this conference on aging at this point. If you missed any of what we showed you today you can watch it on our website cspan. Org. Iran Nuclear Negotiations have been ongoing throughout the weekend. Both sides claiming to be close to an agreement and political is reporting irans judiciary is ordering the United States to take 50 billion in damages on real and legal entities encourage since 1979 revolution according to report those of a lawsuit against the u. S. Their complaints have been process. Judiciary spokesman told reporters at a News Conference today. We will make sure make sure to join us later when iranian president Ripon Society Hassan Rouhani right here on cspan2. Congress is back today. The house in at noon for general speeches. The house was in just a short time ago. Ago. Legislative business start at qb and. Todays bill includes disaster loans for those affected by Superstorm Sandy akin 2012. Several spending bills have been taken off the agenda after last weeks derailment of the interior spending bill over a Confederate Flag related and in the. Later member should consider California Drought relief or trade enforcement measure. The senate is 3 p. M. Eastern. You can see senators working on changes to no child left behind. Later in the week senators could take up highway for me. Live coverage of the house on cspan and the senate right here on cspan2. Randy neugebauer is the chair of the Financial Services subcommittee on Financial Institutions and consumer credit. You will be hosting a roundtable event on concerns over liquid in the fixed income markets. Liquidity. And Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker plans to announce his decision to seek the republican president ial nomination later today. That will take place in waukesha, wisconsin. He would become the 15th republican candidate to announce his intention. Some reaction to Governor Walker spending announcement already. Aflcio president Richard Trumka says in a quote from scott walker is a National Disgrace quoteunquote. We will have scott walkers president ial announcement 6 15 p. M. Eastern is what gets under way. Watch it on cspan3. Cspan dish of the best access to congress. Live coverage of the u. S. House, congressional hearings and News Conferences, bring your events that shape public policy. And every morning washington journal is live with elected officials, policymakers and journalists, and your comments by phone facebook and twitter. Cspan created by an american cable copies approach as a Public Service by your local cable or satellite provider. You heard me mention the iranian president ends up being addressed to his country see that life starts at 1 30 p. M. Eastern on cspan2. To get as to his remarks heres a Panel Discussion on the topic posted by the Heritage Foundation from last week and virtually as much of this as we get into our live coverage from iran gets under way. [inaudible conversations] good afternoon. Welcome to the Heritage Foundation and a douglas answer allison auditorium are of course welcome those to join us on all of these occasions on the heritage. Org website. I would ask everyone in house to make a courtesy check that cell phones have been muted as we prepare to begin. It is always appreciated. Our internet viewers are always welcome to send questions or and comments throughout the presentation simply emailing us at speaker heritage. Org. We will of course post the program for everyones future reference or close to our discussion today is dr. Peter brookes. Is a senior fellow for National Security affairs at heritage. Prior to joining us he served as that the essence of sigir of defense in the george w. Bush administration. A republican staff of the committee on International Relations and the u. S. House of representatives come work for the Central Intelligence agency as well as at the state Department Come in the private sector and defense funds and on active duty in the u. S. Navy. Please join me in welcoming dr. Peter brookes. [applause] thank you john. I guess its good afternoon now. Up into the Heritage Foundation come our discussion on the reigning Nuclear Negotiations. I guess a deadline like a red line is a except when it isnt. Seems weve blown through another quoteunquote deadline with iran and the latest round of nuclear talks. News reports indicate there still a number of rough patches on the road to an agreement between iran and p5 1 and talk to go until the end of the week, maybe. These include hot button issues such as sanctions relief for iran, research and Development Inspection education regime and the question about irans prior work on a Nuclear Warhead among others. To complicate matters iran is pushing for punitive economic sanctions to be lifted other Ballistic Missile program in addition to the sanctions placed on tehran due to its nuclear transgressions. As if that isnt enough to run is asking for an end to weapons embargo put on iran which is deeply troubling considering if the talks to reach an agreement by tuesday cant legislate requires that congress get not a 30 day look at the deal come in to reach one but 60 days instead for briefings and hearings before the pact can be implement it. Of corsica and nuclear deal with iran does address the other problems we have with iraq including disabilities meddling and its sponsorship of International Terrorism. To investigate this further we are joined today by the hudson institutes Michael Durand ambassador Robert Joseph and Heritage Foundation jim phillips to look at the risks rewards it or ruined that may come from an agreement. Ambassador Robert Joseph a position of senior scholar at the National Institute for public policy. Until march 2007 ambassador joseph secretary of state. From 20002004, dr. Joseph served on the National Security council as a special assistant to the president counterpart ration of homeland defense. He was professor of National Security studies and director and founder of the center for Counter Proliferation Research at the National Defense university. Earlier he was commissioned to assist and consult commission ambassadors of you is Russia Commission Principal Deputy assistant, Deputy Assistant Nuclear Policy and planning officer at the u. S. Admitted that he was assistant professor of International Relations Strategic Study at the school of law and diplomacy tulane university. Jim phillips a Senior Research fellow for middle Eastern Affairs at douglas and Sarah Allison center for Foreign Policy centered at the Heritage Foundation. Is written widely on iran and International Terrorism since 1970. Is a former Research Fellow at the Congressional Research service, libra of god and from joint doctoral Research Fellow. Jemez testified before congress including the arabisraeli conflict and middle east terrorism and the reigning nuclear issue. Michael thurmond is a senior fellow at the hudson institute. He served in the white house as a senior Director International Student Council responsible for middle east issues including arabisraeli relations. He served in the Bush Administration and Senior Advisor at the state department and Deputy Assistant secretary and then the pentagon before coming to hudson, mike was a senior for the brookings institution. Hes held teaching positions at nyu, princeton and central for their an Impressive Group to speak about todays topic. Ambassador joseph, can you start us off . You can either do it there or come to the podium, whichever you wish. Good afternoon. Always great to be back here at heritage. So let me first thank the organizerorganizer s for the invitation to speak today on the very timely topic of iran and the Nuclear Negotiations. I have been speaking and writing on the subject for more than two years and have watched our negotiating position evolves evolves in one direction. With his has not been a matter of compromise a giveandtake of normal diplomatic negotiations. This is a matter of concession after concession on both the major and minor issues being negotiated. Since the jpoa was announced in november of 2013 i think the outcome was very clear, whether or not there is an agreement. The outcome is clear, iran would be recognized and accepted as a Nuclear Weapons threshold state and, of course, irans Ballistic Missile force, the largest and most sophisticated in the region, would not be limited in any way. These were explicit concessions acknowledged by the white house but explained away often in the most convoluted fashion. No longer would iran be compelled to abandon its enrichment program. Would only be constrained so as to extend the breakout time for the mullahs to build upon so that they can then deliver on a Ballistic Missile. These constraints would be removed after the agreement expires in the subsequent rounds of nuclear talks, other concessions on key issues have been signaled in the media by secretary kerry and by other named and Anonymous Administration sources most often through friendly reporters. You are all likely very familiar with most of it relegating with the iaea calls possible military activities to an implementation detail. Now the responsibly of the iaea and iran of course has been stonewalling for years on these issues. No longer would iran have to come clean on these activities before an agreement goes into effect. Remember, the head of the iaea describes these 12 weaponization activities as alarming. Abandoning finance for unfettered anywhere anytime inspections once considered esse