Transcripts For CSPAN2 Key Capitol Hill Hearings 20240622

I very much welcome the tone of the foreign secretarys remarks. This now opens the way for iran to play a constructive role in regional shares and noting that we have a profound common interest in defeating dinesh and the reactions from reality. Will we do not use the opportunity to employ the full british diplomacy to force intelligent, effect incorporation between riyadh and tehran towards a common strategy to defeat daish appeared he is quite right it is to achieve a measure reconciliation between saudi arabia and constructive engagement between those two important regional powers in addressing many challenges facing the region. That will not happen overnight. Hes absolutely right the measured tone of the response we heard from saudi arabia in stark contrast to the last measured response was heard from elsewhere in the region and is promising and i spoke last night we will maintain our engagement doing two things. Encouraging allies in the arab countries around the goals to be willing to engage with iran over time in a sensible and measured way, but also providing them the reassurance they need about their security to allow them to take a little more risk in trying to realize the opportunities the agreement presents. May i congratulate the foreign secretary and all others involved on this historic agreement on what has taken an enormous amount of time effort and detail and i think it is appropriate to congratulate barack obama this agreement that george yet they have many aspects which are objectionable and we look for improvements in the treatment on civil rights and other ways and i ran. I ran as a player and its important indeed. Will the foreign secretary made clear to the government of israel which unlike iran is not a signatory to the nonproliferation treaty and which has hundreds of Nuclear Warheads and missiles that any attempt by an to deal with communicate the agreement will not be tolerated. Mr. Speaker, i am honorable to good gentlemans remarks in in fact, he took the words out of my mouth. I was trying to explain why george was better than world war but i found it difficult to convey across the language barrier. Of course what he said is a rate. Iran has been subject to 35 years of isolation. Its a choice in our thoughts and getting iran engaged in the affairs of the region again will be a huge benefit. I am going tonight to israel and will have a chance to convey our message directly to Prime Minister not yahoo benjamin netanyahu. Israel will seek to use its influence in the u. S. Congress to abstract the progress of the deal. I am confident the action will not succeed. Im also confident israel has shown time and again that it can be pragmatic and once it has exhausted the avenue of opportunity that it will seek to engage in a sensible pragmatic way to deal with the new reality on the ground in the middle east. Dr. Liam fox. Mr. Speaker, my right honorable friend is right that if iran gives up Nuclear Ambitions is a huge move forward and reasonable security. But if we have confidence in verification that must be unfettered and unrestricted. Can my right honorable friend guarantee to the house iran could be forced to grant access to any site designated in how quickly would iran be forced to do so. While his right there is positive implications for the agreement, theres also potential negative implications. If iran had sanctions lifted what assurances are being sought that this will not be used to fund proxy since hamas and has a lot provide greater and stability to the region. My right honorable friend makes a series of good points and he is right the access for verification is the crucial underpinning of the agreement. We havent been able to secure arrangements and we wouldnt been able to make the deal. It wouldve been too too much risk attached to it. I describe in response earlier the arrangements for identification for inspection and reference of any iranian and actions to the commission. We are confident those arrangements will work. It will mean typically around a period of 21 days between initial demand and mandated access. If they continue to deny access that the commission has mandated should be access, though it be a breach of the agreement subject to snap back. My friend asked me about irans assets. Ultimately it will be to the unfreezing of 150 billion in the outset outside of the country. It will be a progressive process. What will happen with the money how can we be sure it wont be used to process interference in the region. But cant be absolutely sure. First of all iran has a huge deficit of Infrastructure Investment in this country, energy, exporting infrastructure and needs a new fleet of civilian aircraft. Theyre a huge demand for the use of the assets and the reformers in iran understand very well the deal has to deliver real benefits to ordinary people as they go about investing in nospace. The second point is that very little money available and under the full burden of International Sanctions, the Islamic Revolution command has made a pretty effect your job in syria lebanon and elsewhere. It is not as this the body was itching to do things im unable to do them. It has been able to be effective on a shoestring and we dont think the release will make a material difference. I point out to the house that its not an honorable gentleman. He is a right honorable gentleman. He is quite important to get these things right. Be aware that president rouhani [inaudible] in his doctoral thesis he wrote this verifies no loss in this land are immutable and that is true and its also true of relationships between nations. Not to listen to the prophets of doom by to see this welcome agreement as they start to a process of engagement that will bring good people of the remarkable country back into the community of nations. I have to confess that i was not aware the president was a graduate of Glasgow University but im delighted to hear it. Lets say a wholly new spin on the meeting but then he has relied on a consecutive english translation. He clearly does understand what we say. Or maybe not. I totally agree with the honorable gentleman. There is a huge opportunity. It is in our interest in the regions interest that we grasp it and ensure we do that. Dr. Julian lewis, most of the contributors so far have welcomed this development. Will the foreign secretary bear in mind the world also breathes a sigh of relief in 1972 with the signing of biological Weapons Convention only to discover after 1989 russia has been cheating on the massive than industrial scale. There must always hope for the best. I hope youll bear in mind who will also be prepared for the worst. The Cautionary Statement and the difference in the case with rashes cheating in the license agreement was that we did have the good Intrusive Inspections and access we will have in relation to iran. It is right while they go forward with optimism as the others have suggested, we should also be cautious. We should recognize a very big deficit of mistrust to be overcome. We need the access and inspection regimes. We need to pursue cautious and not least if we cant reassure partners in the region that we are approaching this cautiously and sensibly we will lose them and not be able to encourage them to engage in the way we want to see. That history will decide whether this was an historic agreement or not. It may be a bit premature at this stage. The negotiations took longer to reach than the safeguards stated 10 years to get to this point. Can i return to the point about using sanctions lifted to support these proxies . I do think he needs to reassure the house a little bit more to the lifting of sanctions will meet at iran becomes our proxy. Mr. Speaker, first of, first of all she is obviously right. She corrects for an era which im sure many of us have made describing something this historic premature basis. She talks about a 10 year time scale. The significance here is many of the measures taken by have an effect which lasts much longer than 10 years. Frankly, the challenge now is to change the mindset in iran that the uranium before the iranian leadership. We have a tad15 year period starting from now when we need to get it enshrined in the iranian mentality that it is better for iran, that iran will have more influence, more prosperity more success working with the International Community can International Community and working in isolation. That is why it is important we engage with them and i look forward to doing that. I right honorable friend will forgive me if i press him on one aspect of the agreement. He talks about drawing a line. We dont actually have a line that. We have in the words of the agreement a roadblock will drive out of line. Given irans past that committees of clandestine site and obfuscation, could you just a little bit about how we will know exactly what the position is when verification takes place but now its against a position that exists. Yes mr. Speaker. The International Atomic Energy Authority who has responsibility for this has agreed that iran is a roadmap that affect entities need to be carried out so allowed to publish its final report. We dont know how long that will take care of probably six months also. Various conditionality here until they establish the sanctions will not be listed. They will have the ability to gain technical access whether they need to do so to have discussions with iranian experts. It is completely independent. They are confident the measures they put in place that iran has agreed to as part of the deal are adequate to allow them to do their job complete their mission. Mr. Speaker, the foreign secretary talked about the issue of inspections on this after 20 or more days for access to begin causing concern. How confident is the foreign secretary the citizens of the country can be assured in the period where theres arbitration and discussions taking place that iran will be able to cover up any activity . Mr. Speaker, these negotiations have gone on a long time and on each and every one of these issues weve had lengthy detailed technical discussions. This is one of the issues have been particularly focused on. Ive sought detailed reassurance from our u. S. Allies that the assets and resources they have would allow them to be confident maintaining eyes on the situation in the time access was demanded until the time access is granted. After many hours of discussion on this it will be possible for us to retain a high degree of confidence that the question has not been tampered with or to know exactly how it has been tampered with. In the case of Radioactive Material removing things is not so easy. The radioactive footprints will be present and that is very, very extensive remediation cleaning were to take place. On present trends it would take a further hour and a half to accommodate interested colleagues. The present trend needs to be backed. Lets look to a new member two latest by example. My late father wrote extensively 1960s on Nuclear Weapons was to be pursued just had Nuclear Weapons. Geraniums are genuine when they say they are not seeking to develop Nuclear Weapons. Mr. Speaker, president rouhani the Supreme Leader will make the weapons he has. There will be some within the iranian power structure including some as the military structure im sure was still after the idea of Nuclear Weapons at some point in the future. Jerry corbin. Im pleased the agreement has been reached. A huge step forward. As a result, does the foreign secretary think there is a possibility of holding the middle east weapons of mass destruction conference in the last treaty review supported by all parties including iran and this is surely a great opportunity to push forward to and proliferation in the whole region. The honorable gentleman has been a supporter of the approach for a long time. The government supported the u. K. Has been advocating this conference and moving forward on this agenda. Removing the arabian issue i dont think it tells was of the problems we have in bringing this to a conclusion. We are continuing to press forward and will continue to do so. Thank you, mr. Speaker. It is clearly a diplomatic trial for the partners who have come to the conclusion. We will need to make sure in the long term project that it will be essential for greater contacts between this country and i ran across an area that is currently available. But he also agreed its essential the partners to the deal are firmly brought in behind the efforts that normalize relationships with iran. Contacts with iran will be critical now. The more iranians travel abroad the more foreigners travel to iran, the better we will understand each other. Louise, all men. Iran supports gaza and elsewhere in promoting terrorism. What impact will the agreement have on the situation . In an ideal world. Iran becomes more engaged in the International Community and the affairs of the region. We will be able to engineer a situation where irans average can be a force for good. We are not there yet and we are not there automatically. There is an opportunity to engage with iran on wider issues which there hasnt been for the nuclear file has been holding over it. Misters or reoffend president or reoffend president for or reoffend president lujan in our moderate but hardliners remain the iranian government. Secretary talks about the region and they are interfering massively. Have they spoken to the native ally turkey and what is their reaction to the deal . I havent spoken to my turkish counterpart since we did the deal, but clearly ive met with him on many occasions over the last few months. Turkey is also an important player in the region. Saudi arabia, iran turkey israel has to be engaged if we are going to have a stable region which has any chance of breaking out the cycle of despair weve seen the last 40 years or so. Doesnt say a lot about in this place of hours that the government has the Prime Minister himself has been dealing with the matter. In the current regime and more than an hour ago the same tory government declared war on the British Trade union. Be careful what you wish for. Mr. Speaker, the honorable gentleman has disappointed me. Here on cspan2 on cspan two whittle that the british house of commons as members move onto other business. Youve been watching the Prime Ministers question time 7 00 a. M. Eastern when parliament is in session. If you asked was a bright shining star in american politics a lot of people katharine graham, arthurs passenger was one of those people who worked in the white house in his early 20s. And was indicted for stuffing the ballot box. The incredible promise planned out. It is a unique situation. He rebuilt the original foundation. What we have to stay home that is essentially a fivepart federal style home with italian details, architectural, et cetera and an added layer of aesthetic details and my daughter and great granddaughter and home. After yesterdays announcement of an agreement with iran over their Nuclear Program the House Foreign Affairs and he held a hearing on the deal. Former senator Joe Lieberman and cia director Michael Hayden talked about what is in the agreement and chances of being blocked by congress. This part of the hearing is two hours. This hearing will come to order. Today the committee continues to examine the Obama Administration Nuclear Diplomacy with iran. We think our witnesses for joining us this morning. The administration has just a hugely consequential agreement in testimony before this committee, secretary kerry told us these negotiations will be used to dismantle irans Nuclear Program. That was the goal. Instead, this agreement allows iran to engage in enrichment capacity with research and development and gain an investor Advice Program once the provisions of the agreement began to expire in as little as 10 years. The president told us iran does not need an underground facility like four to two have a peaceful Nuclear Program if the military complex will stay open. The program would have to be addressed as part of a final agreement they failed to mention addressing the Program Means taking restrictions off talking here about the icbm program iran has. Taking those off in eight years. The secretary of defense carter testified last week quote, the reason we want to stop iran from having an icbm program is that the eyes stands for intercontinental, which means having the capability of flying from iran to the United States. As we know countries build to deliver weapons and recently in the negotiation this is what russia in iran push for. The ability to transfer this technology. This is what russia would like to do. Transfer this technology to the regime. At the same hearing our top military official gave his best military ties. Quote, under no circumstances should be relieved the pressure on iran when it comes to the arms embargo. That comes off in just five years. On the critical issue of inspections a few months ago secretary of energy moniz said we expect anywhere anytime access, but anywhere anytime as we can to something called managed access. Manage access more accurately should be called manipulated accesses any process with russia, china and iran off the table will be treated exactly that way. It will be managed. It would be manipulated. Inspection regime would be manipulated by those with something to hide in the past experience with iran that is cheated every agreement so far. We might feel better if the United States was able to permanently constrained irans program but the key restriction, the ability to enrich high levels begins to expire in as little as 10 years. As 10 years, most americans take three times longer to pay off mortgage. 10 years from now. Once the restrictions expire, iran will reach on an industrial scale claiming the desire to sell enriched uranium on the International Market as france does. Iran could enrich uranium to weapons grade claim in the desire to power a nuclear navy as brazil has done. Ill be set if these are permissible under the npt and i would be in worse by this agreement. Indeed president obama said of his own agreement a mere 13, 14 15, irans breakout times would have shrunk almost down to zero. As a result, the u. S. And its allies will be left with no effective measures to prevent iran from initiating accelerated their program and materials needed for a Nuclear Weapon. Iran surely would be out of speed towards a Nuclear Weapon faster than International Sanction could be placed. We established the regime. One nonproliferation expert told the Committee Last week that the sunset clause is in his words a disaster. The athens of the agreement is per minute concessions in exchange for temporary benefit and that is only if iran does she like it has in the past and like north korea cheated. As one witness described last week, the deal is in many ways a bad, a bet that the administration is taking in 10 or 15 years will have a kind word, gentler iran. Iranian president rouhani joined a crowd, which if you follow the new york times, the crowd was chanting death to america this was their rally on the weekend. The posters read death to zionism and mr. Rouhani was walking. The reporter asked the question of the Nuclear Negotiations. The president rouhani said the future is bright as people behind them were chanting death to america, death to america. President obama has decided to place all his chips on the back that the death to american chance will soon disappear. This committee has to ask itself whether we are willing to roll the dice too. I will now turn to our banking number for any opening comment to my house. Thank you on a chairman worries. I appreciate the continued focus on making sure the committee gets to debate the merits of the newly announced agreement with iran. Mr. Chairman Ranking Member as we move forward towards a vote on the deal. And it demands that the p5 1 began negotiating an effort weve had a lot of discussion about centrifuges, stockpiles and we now want an agreement looks like in terms of infrastructure. We celebrate details as to what action the iaea will get and how the violations will be dealt with in how the mechanism will work and with Security Council resolution will look like. Secretary kerry and his team has spent an enormous amount of time and energy on negotiations and i applaud diplomacy and appreciate their ability to negotiate limitations on enrichment and stockpiles. I hesitate to speculate on the deal as a whole until we receive all the details. I have some serious concerns about various aspects which were extensively reported from vienna this week. In particular want to come clean on Nuclear Activities and access to nuclear sites. Payment of sanction in the act on the region and ensure the embargo remained in place to prevent the spread of weapons of terror. Along with most of my colleagues in this clearer brand must come clean on this work. The demand repeatedlrepeatedl y made by the ministration. It has been the case for years. Iran is unwilling to help negotiations cooperate on his parallel investigation into the possible military program. Iran intransigence has made it difficult to imagine how they would expect the deal. If they stonewall for a decade, will they continue to find ways to do so or will it deal makes that impossible . This is by upholding the integrity is so vital grade now. I will await details to at the new roadmap design will entail. Further, a concern about access. We are told the agreement is not based on trust. Its based on trends guaranteeing verification. I wait to see how the final agreement ways to deal with iaea access. But we have the access we need or will iran block. If reports are correct in one visit will be enough to gather the information needed. How far have we strayed from the anytime anywhere inspections the expert has said to be part of any deal. Third or make there and how expensive the Nuclear Related steps iran has to take to receive relief. How will stonewalling and cheating on commitment be dealt with and will it have access to well over 100 billion all at once and by what date and where does the money go . Irans behavior will not change. That is something acknowledged. The actors and terrorist organizations have the potential to grow under any deal and was sure the sanctions have to do towards fixing economic problems, one can imagine the havoc with even a billion dollars more. This is something we understand. That brings me to my fourth and perhaps troubling concern is a sticky point in the final days of negotiations, the lifting of u. N. Arms embargo. I understand the sanctions are intertwined and i understand the current disagreement among the p5 1 and iran Nuclear Sanctions. Is extraordinarily difficult to imagine the resolution was up from the agreement will not continue restrictions on the ability to export dangerous military proxies for many years to come. Quite frankly it in some ways this baffling. Why do we believe irans dangerous report will change in five years or the desire for Ballistic Missile technology will wane in eight years. From the beginning dealing with Nuclear Issue separate from other issues, whether meddling in neighboring countries and the sponsorship of terrorism will be dramatically more dangerous. Finally, i want to read the issue of the american citizens held in iran. Regardless of what transpires iran must know the United States will never stop working for the release of our citizens. I applaud and i think the committee for seen these innocent americans to their children and our negotiators to raise the issue and members of the committee and members of congress should have americans in their thoughts that they review the term. I look forward to receiving the details so members can evaluate the agreement can just be judged on what would have been in the absence of a deal to mayor 60 days from now. It must be analyzed by what will happen in five years or eight years tenders and beyond. The measure will be whether the interest of our nation and allies will be strengthened and decades to come and i look forward to a discussion and analysis of the issues in the days and weeks ahead. I dont have. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you mr. Deutch. We are pleased to be joined by senator lieberman represented connecticut for 24 years chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee. He is currently cochair of the Enron Task Force and foundation for defense of democracies and he is senior counsel castle west bend centaurus and friedman in new york. General Michael Hayden as the former director for the Central Intelligence agency, previously serving in multiple and other leadership positions including director of the National Security agency and the Principal Deputy director of national intelligence. Ambassador nick burns is a professor of diplomacy and International Relations at the Harvard Community suffer government. He served for 27 years during which time he served as under secretary of state for Political Affairs and ambassador to multiples. Dr. Ray is senior fellow at the council on foreign relations. He was previously a Senior Adviser at the state department. He has authored two books on iran. Without objection the witnesses prepared statements will be made part of the record. Members here will have five calendar days to submit statements, questions and materials they might have for the record and we will begin with senator lieberman if youd like to to summarize some of the questions after your opening testimony. Banks chairman royce and members of the committee. Im grateful for the opportunity attack by at this critical time the negotiations between iran and the peace have produced an agreement. Each of you will have i or two in doors. I personally look in back of my 24 years of service and congress cannot think of a more consequential vote cast in congress for the future security of the united state and indeed security of the world. I cannot think of a Better Committee to lead the house of representatives in its review of the proposed agreement with iran because this committee under the leadership of chairman royce Ranking Member angle and congressman deutsch has built a strong record of nonpartisanship, repeatedly putting the interest of america ahead of the interest of either Political Party if there was ever a time for that nonpartisan leadership it is now on this agreement. The fact is chairman royce, congressman deutch come your Opening Statement tell me this exactly right about laughter. Before i get to my reaction to what happened, secretary kerry cant secretary moniz the extraordinary effort. We have very serious questions about the agreement is negotiations have produced but no questions about the sincerity in pursuing the negotiations. In the time ive had since the agreement was announced a few hours ago and based on the Framework Agreement that came out in april, i have reached a conclusion which is there is much more risk for america and reward for a brand that should be of this agreement. It is not a good deal with iran well wanted. They reached the conclusion based on what i know now. I was a member of the United States senate when the first sanctions legislation was passed nearly 20 years ago and privilege to play a role in the drafting of every subsequent sanctions bill. Each of these measures was a top it by overwhelming bipartisan majorities in the house and senate. In each case, democrats and republicans in congress came together despite resistance and outright opposition from the executive branch regardless of which party controlled the executive branch at the time. There is no question in my mind when we united to pass the sanctions bills it was with a clear and simple purpose to prevent iran, the number one state sponsor of terrorism in the world from ever possessing a Nuclear Weapons capability. In fact, key provisions of the legislation we adopted explicitly stated this goal. Mr. Chairman, congressman deutch, this is not what the agreement announced today does. What began as an admirable diplomatic effort to prevent iran from developing a Nuclear Weapons capability dissolved into a bilateral negotiation over the scope of the capability. The agreement announced today temporarily delays but ultimately allows iran to become a Nuclear Weapons state and indeed legitimizes irans possession that the Nuclear Capabilities has built covertly in violation of International Law breach of obligations under the nonproliferation treaty. Mr. Chairman, this is precisely the outcome that for years when congress fought to prevent. This is precisely what we enacted legislation legislative bipartisan shanks youngsters. This is the biggest reason i respectfully based on what i know today ask you to vote against this proposed agreement. Iran will be granted permanent total relief from Nuclear Sanctions in exchange for temporary and partial limitation on its nuclear projects. That is the essence of why i believe this is a bad deal for america, bad deal for a brand neighbors and a bad deal for the world. The rabidly antiamerican antiisrael, antisunni muslim Islamic Republic of iran will have Nuclear Weapons. The agreement if approved takes Irans Nuclear station which previously had been unacceptable and makes it inevitable. Mr. Chairman, youve talked about the bet here that this agreement will moderate the regime. This is a bad not based on facts. In fact it is a that based on hope with iran. Weve got to judge the country not by what is represented but more by what its done and is doing. The months since the negotiations began, the foreign minister has been negotiating with the p5 1 and charming the International Medias the regime has continued to build up its Nuclear Weapons capabilities expand support of radical proxies that threatened the sunni arab neighbors and israel improve intercontinental Ballistic Missile capacity so weapons one day reach europe and the United States sera the most violent rhetoric towards america, israel, britain and lately saudi arabia. The rhetoric would be bad enough that the iranian government has acted on the rhetoric sponsoring repeated terrorist attacks that have killed americans and israelis, arabs, muslims, christians and jewish from argentina to iraq, saudi arabia to syria and a lot of places in between. You mentioned the rally in tehran last week. The newspaper selected by irans Supreme Leader and is a sin to reflect his views wrote that the United States which currently terrorizes humanity is the sole superpower will one fine day cease to be visible on a map of the world. How can we have any confidence in an agreement made with such a government . The answer is that its hard in any case but the only way we can have confidence in safety inspections verification provisions of the agreement are airtight. This is based on the history of iran deceiving and delaying the International Atomic Energy Agency claiming inspectors are spies and its a tool of the United States even though we know it is an agency of the United Nations. First look the inspection provisions in the agreement announced today will fall dangerously shored of the anywhere anytime access needed to have confidence to deal with the Iranian Regime will be behaved. President obama this morning used a term to describe the inspections where necessary, when necessary. Thats a long way from anywhere, anytime. The specific language ive gone over this morning creates a process that could go on for at least two weeks when they think it has reason of something going on and then has an appeal process. The iaea in other words will have to negotiate to gain access for inspectors even though iran has a consistent record of refusing timely and reliable access to international monitors in the past. Mr. Chairman in the days and weeks ahead, you will review the agreement in detail. You will hear different opinions and implications. Based on what i know i personally concluded they fall short that Nuclear Weapons capability and return for an end to the economic sanctions against iran based on its Nuclear Program. I know there will be some who will convince members of congress that if they reject the deal the results will be catastrophic. Some may intimidate and demonize critics said the agreement by arguing to vote against the deal is a vote for war. Those are false argument that i urge you to reject them. I cite as evidence the most powerful measure congress that were adopted effectively barring the sale to International Markets despite explicit warnings from Administration Officials at the time that it would collapse the global economy. In fact it opened the door to the diplomacy that previously had proven impossible. In todays context rejecting this bad deal will not result in the collapse of diplomacy. It would give the administration an opportunity to pursue a better deal. I will say is a former member of congress, i know how difficult the following weeks will be for you. You will be pushed in the agreement. All i can save you all know already in the end the best you can do is decide in the privacy of your own conscience what you believe is best for the security of the American People including your constituents. Because this is a decision, and you and we will live with the rest of our lives. This is a vote whose consequent as will reverberate and the lives of our children, grandchildren and beyond. Thank you mr. Chairman. I look forward to your questions. Thank you senator. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Mr. Deutch thank you for the opportunity to discuss an important topic and thank you for allowing me to be in the company of such distinguished witnesses. When i was at the Agency Behind on the terrorism terrorism we discussed a variety in the iranian Nuclear Program was a central issue. I mentioned that to remind us all as important as the nuclear question is, is part of a larger piece. To paraphrase mr. Kissinger, iran still has to decide whether its a country or cause. We have been negotiating the past year and a half on the premise that it wants to be a country in irans actions suggest they still consider the cause for the revolutionary power whose identity and domestic survival has to be john from a narrative of unrelenting hostility between itself and legitimate agent of shia islam and the rest of the world. We put all the other issues aside two years ago when we decided to isolate and focus on Irans Nuclear ambition. I get that. I understand that decision. Diplomacy is the art of the possible, not the ideals. During the Bush Administration was focused on Irans Nuclear efforts to understand the focus doesnt make those go away and even if we get to a Nuclear Negotiation the others have remained indeed the possibility that the nuclear result will make the other issues more difficult to deal with. To oversimplify a little bit the issue is not just irans Nuclear Program. We need to be careful to resolve this issue that does that work in the other dimensions of the problem. Let me focus on the nuclear portfolio. If i were here trying to charge as to how you get from here to there what theyve been a Nuclear Weapon on the part of the iranians, id have three critical paths. One would be delivery vehicles of the iranian list missile program. Another path of the weaponization, make it small enough rugged enough reliable enough. A third path is fissile material to his is unique to actually have a bomb. We have chosen to do a farm on brock onepass appeared weve chosen to bet the features on blocking the path towards creation of fissile materials. The other two paths Ballistic Missile and weaponization are off the table. Even here i think we have reduced our margin for error. Mr. Deutch, mr. Chairman, we mentioned when they speak in secretary cleary and clayton do with not conceited and that was the premise, the fray we paid. Let me just point out the winnings claiming that this Nuclear Program for the eventual production from the nations so rich i think we have a right to mention it. Let me concede that. Even conceding the point does not create a case for iran to be able to be allowed to enrich uranium. Today there are 20 countries around the world have relied Nuclear Power that do not produce their own fissile materials. To drive home this point, we have put considerable pressure on irresponsible and trusted government in south korea not to do what this Nuclear Agreement allows the iranians to do. Similarly, you heard him mention they did not need the heavy water reactor of iraq from a peaceful Nuclear Program. Although the agreement suggests the facilities have been modified they continue to exist for overall the iranian keep centrifuges have an older time but should the administration said always keeps 12 months away from having enough fissile material. Im concerned about how Much Research and development the ukrainians will be able to do one centrifuge technology. Well have to look at the fine print of the agreement at the last public announcement by our side has been the phrase limited rad which could mean an awful lot of things to many people. Im also concerned about our failure to demand accurate accounting of the military dimensions of the iranian program. Mr. Chairman, this has special significance. It is not just what theyve done in the past to position themselves to weaponization. The iranians have been stiffing the iaea for years on this issue. And now we are going to rely on the iata for verification of the new agreement. After seemingly having taught the iranians if you stick these up the requirement to canseco go away. Given past uranian behavior, will the agency combat anywhere anytime conceptions is always a concern and already been well handled. I know the government was to manage inspections are like. Let me give you a way ive begun to think about this. Its factions should have been at the technical level. Inspections should have been driven by an iaea decision that the International Body had a technical reason for visiting facility and eight drc. A mannish Inspection Program puts the decision at the political level and i just dont see a happy outcome that would involve that has that kind of arrangement. Theres a lot to talk about, mr. Chairman. I dont have to deliver all of these issues that have very been raised. But i do want to bring up one point. In discussing the new agreement many have tried to bring in inspections with the soviets under the s. T. A. R. T. Treaty and missile treaty. One of the Administration Officials said we dont based on being able to get into the military side because the United States of america would not allow anybody to get into every site. Mr. Chairman that suggests an equivalency here, the kind of equivalency we did have with the soviets but after all were entering into into a voluntary arms control agreement. This is iran trying to get out of the penalty box for violating multiple resolutions. This isnt a mutual playing field. The burden of proof should be on the ukrainians. They are adhering to an agreement to prove that they are not. As i said inspections, managed books in the sense that equivalency i dont think is an accurate reflection of what is really going on here. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you. Ambassador burns. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Congressman deutch, thank you for the invitation to be here. Im with friends and people i respect very much. Mr. Chairman, we all start from the presumption, all of us who have looked at the issue for a long long time in the National Security interest of the United States to deny iran a Nuclear Weapon. An agreement where congress is going to play such a central and directing will as to whether we go forward or whether we dont go forward. I worked on iran policy for president bush and secretary rice for three years as undersecretary of state. I helped to sanction iran. I believe weve got to contain the threat in the middle east and stop them, but i believe president obamas policies were the of your support. Im going to support it because i think its the best alternative. If i could have designed a perfect alternative it would be 100 to zero victory in the United States in the submission of iran. That is not available to the United States. And whether we oppose it or whether we support it we got to think in the real world about what the alternatives have been. Heres the alternative that president obama and sector carry have followed. They think this agreement will effectively freeze irans Nuclear Program for the next decade. It will deny a Nuclear Weapon because it will have the fissile material a mike hayden talked about, for the next decade. It closes out the route towards fissile material. Irans plutonium reactor at arak will be effectively put off line. The court will be dismantled spent fuel will be taken out of the country. It will be able to develop a Nuclear Weapon through plutonium. Enrichment program at fordo fordo would be closed completely. They will still have five, 6000 centrifuges but of a lower power. Then the advanced centrifuges for the next 10 years, but their store of enriched uranium will be 3. 67 at 300 kilograms, stored terrain. That is not weapons grade. They will not have the weapons grade uranium to make a Nuclear Device because of the restrictions of the plant. Right now the Obama Administration has said publicly that iran maybe two to three months with from a Nuclear Weapon. With a steal and theres no dispute about this, for the next 10 years as the program is frozen iran will be a year away from a Nuclear Weapon. Something the administration can make a case whether you agree with him or not on the ultimate deal that the program is going to be frozen. The plutonium and uranium enrichment programs and that i think is an important attribute of this deal. Second, iran will now be subjected to inspections that is never been subjected to before, 25 years under the Additional Protocol of the iaea inspections. Third, should iran cheat, i assume they will try given the past record where they have lied to us, to the United Nations in the past, then we have the ability to impose sanctions congress would, but then it would have the opportunity any future president , to form a coalition much like the present coalition to sanction of them. Fourth, this does give the United States the chance to resolve this problem dramatically, peacefully through a tough minded negotiation. I dont say that lightly. Because im so and he believes we should keep the threat of force on the table and that any american president would be justified using it if you iran was close to breakout come close to a Nuclear Weapon. But we are not at that point. Know when anywhere in the world missing iranians are actually close to Nuclear Weapons or the use of force is really right now not pertinent to this discussion also its an option in a future if we have a chance to avoid a third major conflict in the middle east since 9 11 and if we can stop iran in the process i think it is a good course for the United States. But let me tell you i dont think this is a perfect deal. And ive had trouble just as a private citizen trying to weigh the risks on both sides and way the pros and cons. I would want to focus on some of the questions mr. Lieberman and general hayden a focus on because i agree with her skepticism. I would want to look at the facts of the program, grants program will be suspended and frozen in effect and mothballed 14 years but when that 10 years is over, the superstructure of the program will be intact. Iran would have a theoretical right to build back up plutonium or uranium route to Nuclear Weapons. That is a weakness of this agreement. Thats the trade off. This was a real world negotiation where we receive some benefit, the freezing of the program for changes, but the program is not being entirely dismantled and we have to understand that. Second i think its important that the iaea past 25 years of insight into irans program but would have a clear line of sight . Will they have unfettered access . Want in practice does managed access to Nuclear Plant mean . I think it means iran will write some of the rules about how its plans are inspected and survey questions have to be asked about that as well as about military dimensions. Third, would we actually be able to reimpose sanction should iran cheat a fundamentally violate the agreement . None of us know. We are talking about a hypothetical situation some years perhaps into the future but it would require a toughminded american president whoever we elect in 2016 they would require us to a; should continues to build. I think the europeans will be with us. I wonder if the russians and chinese well. As i look at this honestly these are real tradeoffs. This is not a perfectly designed agreement. We had to compromise and we had to give and thats where as general hayden described and i agree, thats when we make the compromises. But, trying to i see this. The only way to look at this is not what is the ideal solution because the ideal solution is not available to us is this the best alternative president obama and secretary kerrys route but i can think of two other alternatives. One which a lot of people talk about is should we have just walked away . Should secretary kerry and argued that they should solicit this is not good enough . Should be left of the negotiation . Should he have withdrawn their support for these negotiations . We could have done that but as someone who helped put the p5 together, both the first three in Security Council resolutions, i think i know what wouldve happened. Our coalition which is global which contains every major country in the world i think would have framed and ultimately dissolved, countries wouldve gone to away without the leadership of the United States. I know what wouldve happened to the sanctions regime and thats our leverage. Thats what brought them to the table. It would have dissipated or dissolve over time because the chinese would want to go for Energy Contracts come and the Indian Government would want to import more oil. Even our friends in east asia, our allies would want to go back to a normal trading relationship. So than no deal option that we walk away and just sanction further, the United States kensington all at once and respect what congress has done and it was important but what got iran to the table with the global sanctions. It was japan, south korea and india not buying as much oil and gas. It was the european oil embargo. It was the european financial sanctions. If you walked away and the coalition assault there goes the leverage of the sanctions. So for me if i have to wait out walking out no deal option versus president obamas option, i favor president obamas option. One more option able to the United States we couldve gone directly to the use of military force. General hayden would be a far Greater Authority than i wouldve on this issue as a military person but i believe the United States has the capacity to effectively destroy irans Civil Nuclear facilities. That might bias three to four years. I dont know what the numbers are. That might give us a grace period but you cant bomb the scientific knowledge that their engineers and their scientists have. They know how to mine uranium. You know how to convert it. And not to enrich it. And how to assemble a Nuclear Warhead we think, we fear. And so that military option is not a strategic option. Its a tactical option. It buys you time. President obamas option bytes is 10 years where we can be reasonably assured that the program is frozen to so i dont think these other options work for the United States in the real world of International Politics and international diplomacy. And thats what i look at the alternatives i think president obamas is worthy of your support and i am certainly going to support them. Mr. Chairman, two quick points. At the same time that the Obama Administration will pursue this very difficult agreement with iran on the Nuclear Issues i think were going to have to push back against the iranians in the middle east, because they are on a tear. They become a kingmaker in serious. They are the most unfortunately the most influential country in iraq. Theyre running arms to hamas benghazi, to hezbollah in lebanon, or supporting and instigating the revolt of the who they drive in yemen that is for the country apart. If you will come to making a big play for power in the heart of the sunni world. Thats against the interest of all of our air defense commanders israel and against the United States. I think were in a position i served and, supporting a nuclear deal and yet hoping and believing that president obama needs to push back through a Strong Coalition with the arab countries against iranian power. And to help president obama would make up with israel would end the war of words between the white house and israeli Prime Minister. We be giving force our military relationship with israel as well as the gulf states so that we can contain iranian power in the middle east. I think thats a very important is racing right alongside the debate on the Nuclear Issue as we speak. And, finally let me say some who served in both democratic and republican administrations i would hope that we could have a bipartisan debate in our country among citizens answer but on capitol hill. There are obvious differences between the bush and Obama Administration, but both thought negotiation both wanted to and ago shape outcome. Thats what were aiming for in 2006seven. When i ran tonight if we turn to sanctions thanks to the congress for the sanctions. Very important that we will need bipartisan unity and support for our president if we are going to contain and ultimately defeat this threat by iran that is in front of us. Thank you very much. Thank you ambassador. Dr. Takeyh. Thank you, chairman royce Ranking Member deutch, for inviting me back to this particular forum as a genuine on the table i will stay within my a lot of time especially since [laughter] especially since i dont the judge usually cuts me off but he is not here right now. The ever vigilant judge all i should say. Since the advent of the Iranian Nuclear crisis in 2002, two principles have gotten the United States to negotiating position those two positions were what kind of a civilian Nuclear Program iran is entitled to an opposition was given its practical needs and iran has no practical need for richmond. It should be allowed only a symbolic Nuclear Program. Such a Symbolic Program would allow the iranians leadership to save face while at the same time the with the assurances that such a Symbolic Program would not be used for military purposes. The second position that guided the United States policy from 20022013 wasnt that iran can rejoin the npt community once it established the trust and confidence of the International Community. These are position of the Obama Administration endorsed embraced and persuaded the p5 1 country including russia and china took separate it is these two principles that the administration has jettisoned in 2013 interim accord framework and codified in the recent comprehensive joint plan of action. The notion of practical needs of the replaced by something called a one year break it to you with acknowledgment that has been made that at one year is now static and will alter zero in the concluding stages of this agreement. And a notion of trust and confidence of the International Community has been replaced by a counter clause whereby an arbitrary timeclock would determine when iran can proceed into an industrial sized program. Andinternational sized program not that different from japan. Should they want one. Japan can be trusted with such technology, i rented that japan doesnt want a bumper iran does. All the significant issues aside, this deal and is the location has to be articulated in the context of the changing nature of Islamic Republics foreign policy. It is important to note that the Supreme Leader today stands as the most successful persian empire was in modern history of iran. In the 1970 at the height of the talk to sean about control of iraq. Unified command influence of syria. The lebanese factional politics always alluded him come and the gulf states rebuffed his his potential. Today as nick and others have suggested the Islamic Republic has a commanding position in iraq and deep penetration it is the most significant external power in series of the hezbollah it has a lethal toxin that can employ also various forefront in the middle east and, of course, in the gulf and other aspect of americas fractured alliances give him ample opportunity. There is a debate and a rather curious one can what would Islamic Republic spend its money on. Imperialism has its costs, and some of that money undoubtedly will go to attempting imperial opportunities but i do believe that the administration has one case. Some of the money will undoubtedly be spent on domestic concerns and domestic needs. Hassan rouhani belongs to politics which is a bit of us and the china model whereby you can purchase domestic dissent by offering economic opportunity. So in that particular sense, you can make case come and to think around the possible one, that the Rouhani Administration has been one of those repressive in the postrevolution or state. It would require some sort of a relief and a by granting them a measure of economic rewards you can purchase domestic consent. And its particularly the case because the Islamic Republic continues to be halted by the green revolution. Without any hope of succeeding in his name, Hassan Rouhani needs an arms control agreement as much as khameneis imperialism. In the end this deal may not rest on trust but it does rest on help. The hope that a decade from now the Islamic Republic will be a different machine. At ease with global norms, inclined to live in peace with its neighbors. A power that is no longer fueled come enemy by antiamericanism and antizionism that has so long fueled this engine. It is a hope that i difficulty share. Thank you. Thank you. Id like to just go to the question of the arms embargo. And you know this was doctor this was a last minute addendum to this agreement. I demand in the negotiation that the u. N. Lift the arms embargo as it related not just to conventional weapons that iran could better arm aside and hezbollah with, but also goes to the issue of irans capability to get access to the International Technical assistance that it seeks to improve the icbm program. And last week sector of the fence carter and chairman of the joint chiefs of staff dempsey both sounded the alarm about what this would mean if they get this capability to have an icbm reach the United States, clearly the russians taken a last minute of the negotiations. Clearly russia wants to transfer this Technical Assistance to iran. This is the most recent issue that i think is by surprise, and i think the other element of surprise was the discovery that in the middle of this negotiation, about a month ago that iran had committed to transfer to hamas, not just the funding to rebuild the 35 tunnels that have been built before under israel, but also a new generation of rockets and weapons. And then most recently, the additional discovery, or announcement, that iran was going to transfer precision guidance systems to the 100000 rockets and missiles that hezbollah has at its disposal and renovate israel but not quite as effective obviously because of the iron to as they could if they had these precision guidance systems. The fact that iran is willing to do this in the middle of the negotiation, and to demand the up front payment of his signing bonus which evidently theyre going to use for this purpose is something that really drove the attention youre of a number of members of congress over the last few days as this information surfacing. And i would like ray your comments on this, or you know, general, you might have some insight as well. Nick can talk about the conventional prohibitions of the human because they were negotiated in 2006 Security Council resolution. As i understand it, those embargoes on conventional arms had to do with irans regime behavior and nothing to do with the Nuclear Dispute that was ongoing at the time. I do think a respectable what happens to the arms embargo come and they think its unfortunate its going to be sustained, iran has developed a robust industry that additional money uses can certainly enhance in terms of alyssa perturbatent so forth. There is always going to be a problem of iranian transference of Missile Technology and other forms but on this particular prohibition once it expires that access to most now typical both ways. Now not only will they be able to export their technology that theyve developed, more easily to the allies but to also be able to import from russia and china the technology they need for icbms or surfacetoair weapons and so forth. Ambassador burns . Mr. Chairman, there was no question the rings were trying to split the p5 in the last week of the negotiation. There is no way we could have accepted this. And so i was trying to dive through the details coming over here. If we can maintain these embargoes for both import import and export provide the ages, thats good for the United States. Called on. Five to eight years . In 10 years theyre going to have the capability for undetectable nuclear breakout. 10 years plus under this agreement. Why would we want to the great to five years lifting in eight years for the russian transference of that capability . Why would the United States sign off on such an agreement ambassador . Im not your of course to represent the administration. Im just a private citizen to this is a painful trigger. I wouldve hoped we could have defeated it completely. Its a trade off that apparently our negotiators felt they had to make. How would we then work once these embargoes are lifted five six, seven, eight years from now . Will have to use our power to work on countries to prevent the sale to iran because iran has been violating the other part. They have been giving arms to insurgent groups throughout the middle east. Very briefly, mr. Chairman, i find it incoherent. In my prepared remarks i tried to describe from abroad to the specific. Weve got an awful lot of complaints about broad iranian behavior. Thats the arms embargo. Theres lots of ways of stopping the Nuclear Program. We dismissed the Ballistic Missile part focus on the nuclear. So to get i ran down to this agreement, we have simply taken a whole bunch of things off the table that we legitimately could have included. Now we get to the agreement and the iranians are now walking back up that ladder and now including concessions to them things that they had refused to discuss with us into the negotiations. I dont understand why the Ballistic Missile sanctions or the conventional weapons sanctions are even in an agreement on the Nuclear Program. General come as i mentioned in my Opening Statement, the administration was once on the same page as congress on this issue of anywhere anytime inspections. But the iranians pushed back very hard for i remember the deputy, boasting to not even be permitted to inspect the most normal military site in their dreams. So now we are signing up for something called managed access. And a report overnight says that inspectors will get access to critical sites only after oscillation with the iranians, with the russians, with china. And other world powers in this negotiation. We wanted to get this within 24 hours but that was the original idea. Inspectors could get in within 24 hours. This agreement, if we are lucky, would give inspectors access in 24 days after all of the steps that iran has insisted on. But thats a predicate on the idea that we have cooperation from russia and china in backing the access. So my question here, as you said in your testimony, we never believed that the iranians at declared the cells wherever they go into weapons that we always believed that the work would be done somewhere else in secret, as you said. So how confident are you in any sort of managed access process that includes iran on the committee that determines whether or not we have access . Mr. Chairman, ive got several issues ive mentioned what about the conventional arms. Snapback sanctions, not sure how that happens. This is the one i am most concerned about. Because he can we eliminate our margin for error. Its all about fissile material. A couple of core point. Number one, i would never come to you and tell you that American National technical means will be sufficient for verifying this agreement. Without an invasive inspection regime, i would not tell you its okay we will know enough to keep sufficient warning. That really puts the weight of effort on the iaeas ability to go anywhere at anytime. As suggested in my remarks we have taken that from a technical level that the International Body has an issue, it just needs to resolve right were taking it from the tactical level and put it at the political level. I just think thats a formula for chaos, obfuscation ambiguity, doubt. And, finally, we are just not going to be able to tell you for sure where the iranians are. Thank you. Mr. Lieberman, final comment . Thanks mr. Trebek. Very briefly this question really in my opinion highlights thanks, mr. Chairman. The specific weakness of the agreement announced today. We are doing with a country that is proven over and over again that they will not play by international rules. They have constantly deceived, not from the United States. So now we are taking a risk of making this trade where we in sanctions on them in return for them essentially temporarily freezing their Nuclear Program, if they for the first time in the last three decades actually do on to say what they say they will do. And the one guarantee our hope that we could have that they would do it was the anytime anywhere airtight inspections. The agreement that came out today is the greatest disappointment in this regard. Because it is basically its thats a highly bureaucratic process that goes at least 21 days, during which iran can remove anything covert and in violation of the agreement that they want to. So i think this is the point i urge members of this committee, members of congress focus in on the second of this agreement on access. This is one that iran one hands down, and the consequences for this over all agreement are really devastating. Thank you, senator. Mr. Ted deutch from florida. Thank you, mr. Chairman. First i want to thank the witnesses for every thoughtful presentation, and i think the establishment of really important tone for what i hope will be a very meaningful and serious discussion over the coming weeks and months about this crucial vote. I raised earlier my concern about access, mr. Chairman, and i appreciate exchange that just took place. But ambassador burns, id like to ask you you walk through, he gave an excellent presentation on what our negotiators were able to accomplish and a trade off that they need to make, and the skepticism that you have about some of what is in this agreement. I want to focus on we believe this hearing at this point to go live to the u. S. Senate. A quick reminder you can see this and any cspan Program Online anytime at cspan. Org. The senate will be working or a sixday on education policy. Lawmakers have been trying to update the no child left behind law. Well see an attempt to move the billboard at 10 30 a. M. Eastern. Now live to the senate floor on cspan2. The president pro tempore the senate will come to order. The chaplain, dr. Barry black, will lead the senate in prayer. The chaplain let us pray. Answer us when we call, o god, and bless our nation. May our lawmakers work to do your will, remembering that you have set apart the godly for yourself. Inspire our senators to find refuge in you and to discover blessings and joy in your favor. Lord, continue to supply our needs according your riches in glory, encouraging us to learn contentment by trusting the unfolding of your loving providence. Keep us from stumbling or slipping, as we find safety by walking with integrity. Eternal god, to your precious name we ascribe glory, majesty and might, dominion and power, now and always. Amen. The president pro tempore please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to the flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mr. Mcconnell mr. President . The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell mr. President this morning were all thinking of the many kentuckians who have been impacted by severe flooding over the past couple of days. Eastern kentucky has been especially hard hit. Governor beshear has declared a state of emergency and the kentucky delegation stands ready to assist in this effort. The tragic flooding has already claimed two lives in Johnson County six remain missing others were forced to watch as homes and Cherished Memories were swept away. We can only imagine what these kentuckians and their families must be going through. This has been an especially trying task for our First Responders as well. They have had to battle against debris and downed power lines. Theyve worked to rescue kentuckians from trees. It hasnt been easy, but it reminds us again of why we owe these men and women so very much. I join kentuckians in thanking them for all theyve done and all they continue to do. Now, mr. President on an entirely different matter, i said yesterday the senate would thoroughly review the white house deal with iran. I said wed hold hearings. Wed call witnesses and ultimately vote to approve or disapprove of the deal in accordance with the iran Nuclear Agreement review act. Thats what weve long planned to do, and once the Administration Fully transmits the text, its just what we will do. Senators already are taking a close look at what they have been able to get their hands on thus far. But the senate eagerly awaits the full transmission of that text and the required certifications. We await the beginning of a comprehensive review process premised on a simple question can the agreement meet its essential test of leaving our country and our allies safer . And finally turning to the business currently before the senate the bipartisan education debate were having in the new senate is good for our country and it was long overdue. For too long bureaucrats in washington tried to dictate topdown onesizefits all education policies to millions of students and families across our country. It was hurting our kids and it needed to change. And so a new senate thats back to work for the American People decided to Work Together to do something about it. We thought it was past time to place more education decisionmaking power where it truly belongs with parents with teachers, with states and with school boards. Not with the distant federal bureaucracy. The pundits said washington could never address these challenges but the bipartisan every child achieves act actually received unanimous support from every democrat and every republican in committee. Just think about that for a moment. Its an impressive achievement. And it wouldnt have been possible without a functioning senate and a lot of dedication and determination from the bills primary sponsors, the republican senator from tennessee and the democratic senator from washington. This debate may be years overdue, but republicans and democrats are certainly having their voices heard today. They are working across the aisle. They are representing the views of their constituents. Theyre offering amendments. The new senate has processed over two dozen amendments to this bill already and weve adopted quite a few of them. In fact, weve now taken more roll call amendment votes this year in the new congress than throughout the entirety of the last congress combined. Thats an achievement both parties can celebrate. It represents progress for our country and this afternoon we have a chance to make more because with cooperation from our friends across the aisle, we can continue to advance the every child achieves act later today and set up final passage soon. That would mean another bipartisan achievement for our country and a long overdue win for our kids. Mr. Reid mr. President . The presiding officer the democratic leader. Mr. Reid mr. President my heart goes out to the people in Eastern Kentucky with the devastating floods. Mr. President , the issue before our entire country is that we have storms like this appearing from nowhere storms that weve never had before. I dont know the history of kentucky but i watched and have been briefed on whats going on around the rest of the nation, and these storms are coming all the time, untoward. It is too bad that my republican colleagues have denied climate change. We have to do something and we have to do something very soon. I was in meetings just a few days ago at the white house where the president announced that with climate change, we have to do something now. He said by the year 2100 Scientists Say the seas will have risen 16 feet. What does that mean . It means that much of florida will be under water. We have things happening that have never been recorded before. In the sierras some bears are not hibernating. We have an average rainfall and snowpack in the upper colorado, none of it gets into the river. So mr. President , i would hope that my friends would join with us in doing something positive in regard to climate change. Mr. President , there are more than 62 million vehicles im sorry. Ill start over again. More than 62 million vehicles were recalled last year in our country, twice the previous record. The number of safety complaints, the national Highway Traffic Safety Administration doubled. Over the past year, for example faulty ignition switches led to the recall of 2. 6 million cars. 124 people died. Almost 300 were injured by this ignition switch problem which did many difficult things, one of which stalled a car in traffic and during the process disabled the air bags. The manufacturer was aware of the defect for more than a decade; did nothing about it. Exploding air bags is another problem, claimed the lives of at least eight people and led to the recall of 34 million vehicles. 34 million. The largest recall of any Consumer Product in the United States ever. Once again it appears that the manufacturer knew of the defect years before notifying federal regulators. Given the number of recalls congress should be investing resources to improve Public Safety and give regulators the tools to keep us safe. But it appears Senate Republicans have learned nothing from the many recalls just this year recalls. The republican Highway Safety bill which is being considered in the Commerce Committee today does not increase funding for federal traffic programs. In fact, it cuts them back. Why . The bill does not provide any new resources to address the record level of safety recalls and consumer complaints. Under the republican bill that is being considered, automakers that cover up defects will continue to face the same very limited penalties. Then executives will be able to continue to escape accountability. But that isnt all of it. The highway bill the republicans are pushing forward is loaded with harmful provisions that roll back efforts to strengthen Public Safety. The bill would allow 18yearold young men and women 18 years old to drive commercial 18wheelers across state lines. Think about that. Despite studies that show these Young Drivers with a fatal crash rate almost 70 higher than older drivers the republican safety plan would allow these inexperienced teenagers to drive the largest trucks that appear on the road. If this odyssey of the republicans in the Commerce Committee is signed into law, it will lead to more crashes and sadly, more injuries and more deaths. Every day 30 people in our great country are killed by drunk drivers. 30 killed by drunk drivers. I just learned a couple of days ago a person who worked for me, was a tremendously great employee of the senate, brotherinlaw was killed by a drunk driver. It is just so sad mr. President , that we are not doing more to not only stop drunk driving but punish them. The policy republicans propose today hurts our efforts to combat drunk driving. Listen to this one. The republicans bill would lessen incentives for states that develop programs for people who have been convicted of drunk driving from being able to start their cars if they have been drinking. For example just a simple inexpensive device in a car if someone is drinking too much, the car wont start. But republicans are going to take care of this and get rid of it. No longer will states have the ability to do that. The federal government should not be involved in programs like that. Republicans plan also undermine Safety Measures that protect passengers and trains and, of course the safety of all of us because of the problems we have with freight trains. There is a program that was designed by scientists thats been available for a long time called positive train control which overrides operator error. A perfect example look what happened in philadelphia. If that had been in effect, that accident would not have occurred. But republicans fix this. Theyre going to stop the program for three years. Under the present law these programs had to be implemented by the end of this year. Not with the republicans in the Commerce Committee which will be part of any highway bill we have. They will stop it for three years and that will lead to more deaths more injuries and more terror. The republicans proposal, i cant understand why they would do that. Delay the deadline for positive train control by more than three years. I said three years. It is actually more than that. There is no reason to roll back deadlines for important Safety Measures for our passenger trains. Is this the best republicans can do . I ask that. For americans, for example that live near rail lines trains are increasingly carrying more and more inFlammable Materials oil ethanol and other explosive products. In february of this year, a train carrying oil derailed in west virginia, sending exploding fireballs into the air. Causing large evacuations that were necessary. This and other crashes led the department of transportation to require the installation of a simple new device for any train moving Flammable Materials requiring better brakes when carrying these materials seems like a commonsense safety measure. What did the republicans do . Their bill repeals important freight rail provisions, jeopardizing communities across the country with tragic spills. We dont need more accidents. We need less accidents. We need to move forward and continue the minimal programs we have not roll them back. Its clear that republicans have not learned anything from auto recalls or train crashes. The senate can do better than adopting the republican attack on republican safety. If the republicans choose to put those measures in the highway bill that i am told is coming forward, it will not survive the senate. We cant have stuff like that. It will be just untoward and wrong. Mr. President , i note no one on the floor and i would ask the chair to announce the business of the day. The presiding officer the leadership time is reserved. Under the previous order the senate will resume consideration of s. 1177, which the clerk will report. The clerk calendar number 63, s. 1177, a bill to reauthorize the elementary and secondary education act of 1965 to ensure that every child achieves. The presiding officer under the previous order the time until 10 30 a. M. Will be equally divided in the usual form. Mr. Reid mr. President is the time under this quorum call were now in equally divided . The presiding officer the time is not equally divided. Mr. Reid i would ask consent that the time be equally divided. The presiding officer without objection. The clerk will call the roll. Quorum call quorum call