Could speak with her child and expect a response and issues encouraged to reach to her child in that chance child had a chance to go to kindergarten ready to learn. Thank you for calling me. [applause]. Robert dobby is an awardwinning actor, screenwriter and director who spoke earlier this year at the annual conservative Political Action conference in washington describing the origins of his relationship with President Trump and his support for the president s agenda. [applause]. Good evening. I have to tell you, i got the invitation to come here and from seatac and acu and i said i aint showing up. There Something Else i have to do and im thrilled to be here with all of you. I have to say how moved i am to see how many young people are engaged. [cheers and applause] you are the future of this country and you have to be engaged and yet understand how important this moment is because this nation belongs to you. I would ask a question, how many of you on the day doubletalk came down that escalator where you tromp supporters . Brazier hand. How many support him today. [cheers and applause] i write for bright part breitbart. Have done that since its inception. I met him on the uss Ronald Reagan. I also have a radio talkshow now. You get danger in politics at the same time. I called my show part of a cioppino. For those of you that dont know what that is, its a italian fish stew in politics can be very fishy sometimes and i like to know before my show if its edible not this particular week, but i went to read something to you guys that i wrote june 16, 2015. The day donald trump made his interests entrance down the escalator. Donald trump could be the president ial candidate who finally provides america with the message most grassroots conservatives have been waiting to hear. The commonsense populace men dust message of donald while not as poetic as Ronald Reagan does go right to the guts of an American Population that has been ripping its hair out while watching the destruction of our republic from within. [applause]. [cheers and applause] the compliance and lack of imagination from some in the Republican Party along with that aggressive takeover by progressives who are bent on reshaping america into the image of europe have brought us to the point we are now in. I have not in my lifetime seen such a disparity, portrait of america as we see today and it will take a leader who understands how to build, not just govern. We have had years of tired blood of the lid political elites that have dismantled american individualism and we do not need another politician at this time in our history. [cheers and applause] that was my Opening Statement on the breitbart article i wrote the day our president announced. You see, these are all great political figures and people and i respect them all, but i remember watching and we love all of them, but there are a couple benchmarks for me. The media is one of them, the culture is another. We will get to the media in a second. Being in hollywood since 1977 i did my first film with frank sinatra, 1977, so i have seen hollywood. I have seen Ronald Reagan, 1980. [cheers and applause] and im going to bring to mind something that i talked with a friend of mine a couple of times we discussed this and when Ronald Reagan was president of the United States mr. Corporation which offcamera down this wall. The wall came down. Peace through strength coming prosperity. In 1988, his right hand was a guide name george bush. We respect the bushes. We respect george bush, but there was a shift, there was a shift that is absolutely stunning. After being the right hand of Ronald Reagan for eight years and seeing the bold choices in the bold moves that he made an much like what weve seen with donald trump at least i wasnt on the left and right have attacked a donald trump throughout this whole thing, would this george bush run on . With his slogan in 1988 . No, that was 92. In 1988, he said a kind of gentler nation. A kinder gentler nation, right after he saw what Ronald Reagan did. Now, george bush is a good man, but that was a globalist put in the ground. That was the beginning of it all after reagan we have had bush, clinton, bush number two, obama. We need a force of nature to take the shift back, generated by you, the people. Its your campaign and is donald trump says over and over again. How do people when mitt romney ran we thought he would win, another good man. Good man, but here he is doing a debate remember that second debate . Im an actor. Im sitting home watching the media, but i see the second debate and candy goes like this and theyre talking about them gauzy and at that moment mitt romney was not able to go this was on cnn by the way, the media im going to tease you a second about tnn. Whos the Parent Company of cnn . Who is it . Time warner . Is time warner the Parent Company . Remember that. On a cnn, he or she goes, she holds it up, candy crowley. Candy, get the paper. Instead of mitt romney looking at candy crowley, looking at the present saying did you rehearse this and then saying wait a second American People knew. They were misled about the gauzy mr. President. We cannot mislead them any longer. Thats the stance that should have been taken at that moment. [applause]. For some reason that elites are afraid to rock the boat. I called the campaign and said please come of the third, have them bring it up to bring it up at the third debate. I also said when Hurrican Sandy happened, please have them go i never got to mitt romney to tell him that. He may not have ever heard that i said that to the campaign people. When you are going to be president of the United States, acting like president. Three months from election, after like it appeared donald trump did just that when hurricane came in louisiana. He understands the media and how to bring a message or to the people. [applause]. Do you remember the night he won the election . [cheers and applause] my 16year old boy, nicholas, for four hours locating, he ate his sandwich like this. It was pizza dad, im not doing it until they call for him and he was placed off they didnt call florida early. 16year old kid and finally when it was called he released and he didnt give a concession speech because i know what happens backstage. I know what happened you have to realize what happened. Everyones hair had to be on fire. Of the phone in hollywood had to be calling him every hollywood elitists had to be calling, whats going on. George soros, wait a second. What happened there . They probably called george and he was probably saying what happened. Doesnt give the speech for whatever reason. There is a book supposedly coming out about it, but heres what she said in her speech and to the millions of volunteers, community leaders, activists and you know Union Organizers who knocked on doors, posted on facebook even in secret, private facebook sites i want everyone coming out from behind that to make sure your voices are heard going forward. To the young people in particular, i hope you will figure this, i have as tim said stuff like entire adult life fighting for what i believe in. I have successes and setbacks, sometimes painful one, many of you are at the beginning of your professional and public political careers and you will have successes and setbacks also please never stop believing that fighting for what is right is worth it. It is. It is worth it and so we need, we need you to keep up these fights. A couple of hours later there was the first right, first marches. That was the trigger. Whats happening right now in our country from the elite in hollywood, and that evenly in hollywood can fly anywhere and work anywhere. I traveled the world. Im a pretty darn good singer, but i traveled and i can go anywhere, but the Makeup Artist cant get on the plane. The dry cleaners, they have lost touch the Hollywood Community has lost touch with bluecollar america and thats why they think [applause]. So, now just a few Little Things more. The Parent Company of cnn is time warner. Now, we know the media, the fake media or the very fake media, we know ive known for years and seen it manipulated and they are good people. I respect everyone point of view. Thats what america is about, but i understand what i see the misrepresentation, the continued misrepresentation of certain things or the exaggeration of certain things carried it to a point that they shouldnt be and thats what we see happening right now. Even every media says the first 100 days. Hes only been in office 30 some days and look whats been accomplished. Look whats been accomplished. [cheers and applause] and look at what the future is going to be. Anyway, i have two wrapup. On going to have to finish this speech tomorrow, but i want to go because of mike pence alike to mention another son of indiana indiana. Coming over at skelton . [cheers and applause] red skelton on his tv show january 14, 1969, talked about the pledge of allegiance. Do you remember that . Some of you dont, but i would like to read what he said, when his teacher said to him about the pledge of allegiance because the kids werent saying it with any meaning behind. The last message Ronald Reagan gave to the American People in his Farewell Speech was the american patriotism to educate the youth with a new american patriotism. My article was wrote in november, on breitbart, please read it. Its important and President Trump during his inauguration address brought up patriotism. That is what lacks, the simulation of it in madrid that doesnt know what america stands for, has not been taught it in a youth that has not been, so the pledge of allegiance before we all say it, i me, an individual, a committee of one pledge, dedicate all my worldly to give without selfpity, allegiance my love and my devotion to the flag, our standard oh glory, a symbol of freedom wherever she waves with respect because of your loyalty has given it a dignity that shouts freedom to everyone and im sanctified by the blood of our most grave took united that means we have come altogether, states, individuals, communities that have united into the 50 greatest dates, 50 communities with pride and dignity and purpose are divided with imaginary boundaries yet unified to a common purpose and that his love of country and to the republic, a state in which sovereign power is invested in representing its chosen by the people to govern and government is the people and its from the people to the elitists, not the elitist to the people, for which it stands one nation under god meaning so blessed by god, indivisible and capable of being divided with liberty which is freedom, the right of power to live ones own life without fear or some form of retaliation. Justice, the principle of quality of dealing fiercely with others for all. For all which means boys and girls, its as much as your country as it is mine. Now, boys and girls, lets stand for the pledge of allegiance. [cheers and applause] lets hear it. 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. [cheers and applause] god bless all of you. [cheers and applause] former california governor and actor Arnold Switzer necker spoke at a summit earlier this year after School Programs where he criticized a proposed federal spending cuts. He is the founder of afterschool allstars, a Program Based in los angeles. He spoke about his activism on the issue with cnn commentator. Me ask you couple tough questions. Arent you spoiling these kids . Be honest. You call yourself come from modest background. No one give you a big Afterschool Program. You get out there and figured out a way. You almost invented bodybuilding a menu transform the whole field you didnt need a program. Arent you spoiling these kids . Should you make them do it like you did . Guest i know exactly what you what your question is, but i have to tell you that i was spoiled myself because the day we have to organize afterSchool Programs because like i said most parents are working in most households. I mean, i grew up such as an austria it was very uncommon that both of the parents are working. I didnt even ever sure that. Very rarely, maybe 5 at the time, but most of the mothers estate home my mother was a traditional mother and from morning to night was providing for the kids gardening, court growing vegetables and cooking up a storm. In the afternoon when we came home she was there and she made sure we did our homework and she was tough, you know, really really tough. She was the ruler there and said if you didnt do your math, i mean, you cant do it, but that was the old days. I tell you, she helped us with the homework and was a very well read woman and educated so she could help us with the homework all the time with tutoring and stuff like that in than in the afternoon at 5 00 p. M. My father was a Police Officer and he then went to the sports field, soccer field and he worked with coaches and soccer and in the wind they would winter they would go ice skating with us and a literally from morning till night with coaches and teachers and parents and everyone, someone there 24 hours a day and this is why im here today because i had that kind of upbringing and this is why i became a fanatic when i was the chairman of the president s council on fitness and even before, i went outside, i mean, to the states promoting health and fitness in the schools. 3 00 p. M. I saw hundreds of kids sent outside and they were standing around. What were speaking to those kids because the parents are working in knowing therefore those kids, so i was thinking about this and i feel sorry for those kids because they dont have someone there helping them with homework. I feel sorry for those kids because theres no one to pick them up and take them to the sports field, no one helping them with painting or musical or whatever they want to do. Thats where the idea came from. The onetwo if i want to give anything back to this country thats one of the things i can do to get back to my community, state and country by starting Afterschool Program and at the same time he started showing me the way and how to do it. Host beautiful. My dad was born poor and he said the liberals and conservatives kitted out wrong. He said the liberals think you can give someone money and stop them from being poor, but if you are still poured your heart and your skills and selfesteem you might not be broke, but you will be broke again tomorrow because you really have to climb that ladder yourself and at the same time the conservatives get it wrong because even though every kid has to climb that ladder out of poverty on their own efforts, the grownups have to make sure the latter is not too high. You started the letter and we appreciate that. Guest thank you. I cannot stress enough and you and i talked about that of how important it is to Pay Attention to our kids. Is a need the help i mean imagine how many kids falling behind education, can keep up with the school because everyone has different abilities and they dont have anyone to help them to give them a push and what we do with our afterSchool Programs and white so important is to give them tutoring so in the afternoon they come to Afterschool Program and if they are falling behind in that they can get tutoring in math. May be their english because they are from a foreign country, germany or latin country and they fall behind them they need help, so we need to help those kids all the time is the bottom line. Host i have a couple more questions for you. So, the first time you got involved in politics i was angry with you and jealous because ive been in politics for nolan long time and i never passed one bill. I never got one thing done. I would go to meeting after meeting and he stepped out and you get 60 of the vote, move half a billion dollars, embarrass the professionals. It was terrible for us, but it wasnt just that you did it, but the way you did it, you have the civil Rights Groups and the cops together. We have been fighting with each other throughout the whole 90s we have been fighting because of rodney king, whatever. You got us together and got republicans, democrats, young, old, how . Its not fair. The rest of us have been trying to get some like we didnt show up to work. How were you able to pull this off . How were you able to get republicans and democrats to Work Together . Guest i think the way we did it was an there was a lot of people working on this, but the way we did it was it it was known that Law Enforcement was very adamant about getting the kids off the streets and finding a way to get them to the Community Center to play basketball because they always talk about the danger zone which is three and 6 00 p. M. So it was as much the teachers union. I went to them and said can you endorse this. They looked at our initiative and said its fantastic. They were in and so this is how we went from Community Organizations to democrats to republicans, Law Enforcement and everyone involved and on top of all of that im an inclusive person, so i dont ever try to do anything thinking i can do it myself. I felt everyone thats really interested in having these kids get afterSchool Programs i went to get in touch with them and endorse the initiative and so there were up i went up and down the state and spent a lot of my own money, millions of dollars of my own money to put on tv and advertise and promote the initiative and we also raised millions of dollars and thats how we pushed it over the top, but i felt passionate about it because for years ive tried to get touch with the legislators in california and always told them its about afterSchool Programs. No one wanted to meet and then i got touch with the governor and he didnt want to meet. No one had interest in the subject because it was kids, so they didnt give money to politicians or anything like this because there was nothing in there, so they didnt understand the value, so i said to myself i think the next best thing we can do when you have the great political system you can go direct to the people through the initiative process, i said thats the route am going to go. Thats what we did and when we saw the poll numbers they jumped on top and said we would endorse it. It was great, i mean, i dont hold any grudges. It was great and everyone worked together and we got it done and what almost 60 of the vote during a recession. It was amazing and they have been the last great bipartisan moment. Since then things have gone into a pretty interesting direction. I knew about you because i read his stuff and learn stuff about you. You seem to be a sponge, wherever you go it seems you are just learning and learning and learning. You have gotten a chance to meet folks in this room. You met bunch of the kids through these programs. What is this community taught you that you want to reflect back . I think every time you do something, it doesnt matter if it is ive been in International Coach for Special Olympics, for instance, for the last 40 years. Most people dont know that, but, i mean, i came from the Special Olympics in austria because we hosted for sports and people always say you are really pumping up the sky. People in special olympic so pumped up when you come around, but the fact of the matter is, when i watch them and see them with the obstacles they have to overcome to perform an unbelievable ski races and ice skating in skating, whatever the sport is and you watch them and its spectacular. With all of those obstacles. That, to me, is inspirational. They dont look at it as an obstacle. They grind it out and train every day, so i get inspired by them in the same is also here when i go around to the community and i see the way kids grow up and the lack of money a lot of times an opportunity, it inspires me. It creates a fire in the barrel belly where they say i have to collect do something about it. I was very privileged because i got a lot of help from my parents early on in late on. The publish of fitness magazine and he was the king of body building. You gave me the opportunities and brought me over here. Opportunity to create movies and all that stuff so i want to do the same thing and i won all those kids to have the same opportunities. This is why when you see the way they live and the lack of opportunities they have, it inspires me and turned to go out and to help and do something about that because im a person that doesnt like to sit in front of the television and complain because i hate that. Thats a national sport, dude. I know. I have a lesson for people. Instead of complaining about something, it is better to go and have a solution and to go and [applause]. Do something about it because you sit there and say kimberly was going on in washington. This is terrible. Every time i turn on the news theres another problem and they complain, but that i say to myself wait a minute, i mean, congress has a 15 Approval Rating which is worse than herpes or colonoscopies or any of those things with a low popularity. I say to myself thats 98 that got reelected in this last election, so you are the problem. Instead of complaining and from the television set, do something about it. Listen carefully what they say and think about reform because the whole political system is fixed in the first place. [applause]. Nbc correspondent Maria Shrivers founder of a group called the Women Alzheimer Movement she testified earlier this year before the Senate Special committee on aging, not congress to roll back proposed cuts to alzheimers research, a wry mind or you could watch this hearing in its entirety on a website, cspan. Org. Good afternoon and thank you, chairman collins, Ranking Member casey of the members of the committee for inviting me here today. Its an honor to be here with so many extraordinary people. Every Single Person behind me could actually be testifying until incredible stories, so im honored to be here speaking on behalf of all of these approval people. As the chairman mentioned and as some of you may know i have been here before. Eight years ago, to be exact work in march 2009 i sat here and testified about how alzheimers had taken up residence in what has been my fathers beautiful brain my father was an idealistic, intelligent, optimistic and dedicated public servants. s mind was as a sharp as they come, a beautifully tuned instrument that left people amazed and inspired. He was an expert in sharing his passion for the general public, with a thought leaders and with people like yourselves are key often came to the hill to advocate for increased funding for his blood to peace corps in the war on poverty programs he created including head start, job corps and Legal Services for the poor. He loved working this building and he was really good at it. He knew every senator and congressman by name and if you he were here today he would know everything up thing about each and everyone of you you, about your careers, your interests, your politics, your families and yes, your soft spots. He would know a lot about that. So, imagine how painful it was to watch when this walking encyclopedia of a man went from knowing every fact about everything that had happened in the history of this country to not knowing what a spoon or a fork was, to not knowing what my name was for not knowing his own name. Two years after i testified, my father died of alzheimers disease and now i am back. Back again to testify, back again to sounding nine 911 alarm about the biggest crisis facing the world today. I say it is a world crisis. Back again to focus your brain on this killer ravaging brains for other families across this great country of ours. Believe me, i wish i did not have to come back here to testify. It wasnt on my calendar, but when i learned the funding for nih and Alzheimer Research might be in jeopardy and practically ran here to say this just cannot do. Wait a minute, there must be some mistake here. I know that this committee is well aware of the crisis unfolding in homes across this country i know you know about it first hand and i know you know about it from the people that you represent, but let me use this moment to remind you here on the committee and the American Public just with uptodate fact really is and trust me, these are real facts. Every 66 seconds another brain will develop alzheimers disease. Two thirds of those brains belong to women, two thirds of them and no one knows why that is a woman in her early 60s is twice as likely to get alzheimers in her lifetime then she is to get Breast Cancer and the statistics are even more alarming for women of color. Africanamerican women are twice as likely to develop alzheimers as caucasian women and latinas one and one half times more likely. On top of that more than 15 million americans are caring for someone with alzheimers or other forms of dementia while they are also parroting and holding down fulltime jobs. Just so you know, two thirds of those caregivers are also women. All of that is why i founded the Womens Alzheimers Movement to educate all of us about the disproportionate effects of this disease on women. I believe that that determining why women are more affected by alzheimers will help with a mock some of mysteries of this disease. Instead of focusing only on the formation of plaque in the brain lets also start focusing on womens brain and other body, on their chromosomes, on their hormones and on the way they process information. Of this could help us learn more about alzheimers progression and about its prevention in fact, i believe studying women and getting more women into Clinical Trials could possibly lead to the cure for all of us. I dont believe this is sexist. I believe its just plain old smarts. Its smart. Thank you. [applause]. Its smart because alzheimers is the most complex, mysterious and expensive disease in the United States. More expensive than Heart Disease and cancer and is the only one of the top 10 diseases without a means to prevent, qr or slow its progress. In fact, since 2000, the number of our disease, stroke is down, but alzheimers that this up , up by a breathtaking 89 . It is bankrupting families and its on its way to bankrupting this country. This year if you had family outofpocket expenses to the money to care and medicaid will expend on alzheimers the projected total during the economy of 259 billion and if our government does nothing the cost is projected to explode to an astounding 1. 1 trillion dollars. I hope we can sit for a minute with those incredible astounding figures. I want to take a moment to thank you, chairman collins, for introducing a bipartisan resolution declaring achieving the primary goal of that National Plan to prevent and effectively treat alzheimers disease by 2025 is indeed an urgent and i say Urgent National priority because right now its the most seriously underfunded disease in our country. This, at a time when every alzheimers scientist will tell you we are at a critical and potentially groundbreaking moment in the history of the research of this disease , so much extraordinary progress has been made, but now its stalled. The only thing many of them say keeping us from pressing on to finding a cure is the federal funding to move us forward. For instance, my friend at harvard one of the scientists at the womens Alzheimer Fund actually is a top alzheimers researcher who discovered the first of june for the disease at 35 years ago and his lab has found a two dozen more in the last decade. He says we learned from studying these genes important clues about what needs to be done to prevent alzheimers a decade or so before any symptoms arrive, but he said laboratory Budget Constraints c researchers like him are able to follow up now only had about 10 of the new clues and information that is available and that is just one lab. The United States government is better than this. We are letting down the millions who have this disease, the millions who are caring for them 24 seven and its a 24 seven job and the millions who will get alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia as we, the baby boomers and our millennials continue to grow older. Right now 10000 people are turning to 65 every day. Remember, i said the brain develops alzheimers disease every 66 seconds, well by 2050 someone in the us will develop alzheimers every 33 seconds, every 33 seconds. We have to fund this disease at the level it deserves before it levels all of us and our healthcare system. [applause]. We have to fund it at the level we funded aids and that we funded cancer because this absolutely is an equal opportunity crisis, a soon ill be back in crash into any and all of us, republicans, democrats, independents and make no mistake without a federal commitment like you have spoken about we will lose this fight. You know, over the years ive wracked my own brain wondering why alzheimers doesnt get funded at the level of these other diseases. Ive asked myself is it not being marketed properly . Is it not sexy enough, hip enough . I wondered is it because we think its a normal part of aging, which, of course, it is not for is it that because our country is so obsessed with youth and none of us want to grow old and then i thought to myself maybe its sexism. Maybe its because it disproportionately affects women his wifes docketing funded. I cannot tell you how many people even doctors have said is that just because women live longer, no thats not why women are getting it so, what is it i said to myself. Is it because deep in our hearts we are also terrified of losing our own mind that we want to push this disease out of the field of vision or try to deny that it even exists at all . Well, the truth is we cannot denied awaiting more. Alzheimers is everywhere and it can develop in your brain for 20 years before a single symptom ever shows up telling you that you have it. What is that mean . Its means that the chances are that several of us sitting in this room right here today have it right now and we dont even know it. Think about that for just a minute. Imagine one of you up there, imagine one day turning to someone that you served within this office for years and not knowing who they are. Imagine looking at the person in your home who you have loved for decades and you cannot remember their name. Imagine your family being unable to care for you physically, financially, emotionally or spiritually, imagine, imagine that scenario. Well, millions of americans do not have to imagine it, probably most of the people in this room dont have to imagine it because they are actually living it. One of them that i asked to join me here today in this room is a 61year old pam fontana. Shes right there. Shes sitting behind me took i wanted her to come here today because it she was diagnosed with alzheimers or could diagnosis forced her to lead a successful career at intel and forced her husband, bob, to quit his career as well to care for her. They face an uncertain future and a scary one at that, but i wanted you to see pam because she is the face of alzheimers, a woman in her prime, a mother, a wife, someone who had a successful career who was earning money, this is the face of alzheimers. She and her husband along with all of the people in this room have come here to capitol hill from all over this country to use their voices to advocate for increased funding, to tell you what its like to live like this every single day 24 hours a day. There are so many Brilliant Minds focused on this issue, so my forcible advocates like those of you on this panel and the 1300 Alzheimers Association advocates that are fanning out across the hell today, so many ones like the ones in this room who can no longer accept when they are told we just dont know what causes this disease or what to do about it. For them, that is plain old unacceptable and for me as a child of us alzheimers is also unacceptable and as someone who is pams age its terrifying. The statement we just know needs to be repealed and replaced. It needs to be repealed and replaced with this, we do know and here is what you can do. Because it wasnt so long ago that hivaids was a certain death sentence and cancer pretty much was on curable and now so many of them are curable. Science and investment in science has turned all of that around, but no one, no one who is ever been diagnosed with alzheimers has ever survived it. We can and we will do better than that. You know, when my uncle john f. Kennedy was president he challenged this country to put a man on the moon took it had never been done before. Well, today i challenge you to also do something that has never been done before, give us the first person who survives a diagnosis of alzheimers disease. Im asking [applause]. [applause]. Im asking this congress to do what it takes to get our brilliant researchers back up and working at full capacity in their laboratories around this country doing what they do best, which is finding solutions, finding answers, finding cures and not only that until we find a queue where we have to do a better job as we talked about today educating the public on ways to live healthier lifestyles. We now know through science and technology that the brain never stops developing, believe it or not that is new, so we need to educate people on the connection between brain health and healthy diet, physical activity and stress reduction and how they can expand their brainpower with Lifelong Learning and social connection. This is a priority for the Womens Alzheimers Movement, which is why we partnered with Equinox Sports Club engines across this country for a National Program called move before mind. We are determined to get this message out to mainstream america that they can control their brain health, that their genes are not their destiny. We also need to get support to the millions of caregivers. We have spoken about them today. Of the ongoing stress on these families is unimaginable. Of a need the resources to help them care for their loved ones while also working and we must also ensure that theres a welltrained professional workforce ready to provide quality care to the increasing number of People Living with alzheimers and other dementia and who will need services at home and in facilities as they grow older. I know you might be thinking that this is quite a to do list, but ive never met anybody and ive never met a woman whose not good across not her to do list and i strongly believe that this to do list is something we can actually do even in this current climate and perhaps more so in this current climate the American Public is desperate to see democrats and republicans worked together. They are desperate to see success here in washington and this is a great place to start, so am i asking all of you with the brains that you do have today to come together, democrats and republicans and make a commitment. Lets do what we need to do to stop the onslaught of this mind blowing disease because america should be the leader in solving this Global Medical crisis. We are the greatest country on the planet and finding a cure for this disease will make us the smartest one to boot. Thank you very much. [applause]. Thank you so much. [applause]. Thank you. Actor Ryan Philippi joined Elizabeth Dole on capitol hill earlier this year for a hearing on military caregivers. Mr. Philippi served as ambassador for the Dole Foundation initiative called hidden heroes. He testified before the Senate Special committee on aging. My experience growing up in a military family helped prepare me for this role, this moment. Both my grandfathers fought in world war ii, when it the Pacific Theater and the other a bronze at winner for fighting on the ground work my dad was in the navy during vietnam and my uncles were both seabees and infantrymen during the same time. All of the members of my family have served thankfully returned, but each and everyone were affected one way or another. I have had the opportunity as well to work with countless veterans and those currently enlisted on various film intelligence projects and all of this adds to my deep respect for veterans in the understanding they are a nation of true. These days i have recently worked with Elizabeth Dole foundation and thats how i learned about a different kind of hero, our military caregivers who are hidden heroes, family members or friends caring for warriors who return home from service with physical or emotional scars and today we are asking for your help to take action. If you know anything about senator dole, which you must, she doesnt take no for an answer. She will hold you accountable and she will hold all of us accountable because our nations military and veteran caregivers deserve it. Over a lifetime of care military caregivers face tremendous challenges and right now they have very few resources to help them. Its on all of us to fix that right now military caregivers are shouldering this responsibility of care peer they dont expect or asked for help, but they work they do merits more than a display of gratitude. We our military veteran caregivers are purposeful action lifelong support, something struck me that i want to emphasize the Foundations Research on a military caregiver plate essential role in the Recovery Process of our veterans and improving their quality of life. I quote the best chance for a Wounded Warrior to recover and thrive is having a strong well supported caregiver. Get this role in poses a substantial physical, emotional and financial told on the caregivers and their families can be better and thats why we are here. We need to sign into law import legislation. For starters im speaking specifically about the recently reintroduced military and veteran Caregiver Services improvement act , Bipartisan Legislation introduced in the house and senate to make expanded Resources Available to military and veteran caregivers in all areas of this bill strengthens and expands vital programs with supporting of caregivers nationwide and ensure the caregivers will recognize for their service in tangible ways. For example, if the past pre911 military caregivers would have the same support we give to our post 911 caregivers. I mean, bob dole served before 911. We are talking about caregivers were the heroes who served with him and the generations that followed. Their caregivers not only need, but deserve our assistance took the Va Caregiver Program should be available to all caregivers during for all veterans regardless of when they served. The bill also supports caregivers for veterans with Service Related invisible injuries like tbs in the same way we help caregivers for veterans with visible wounds. Is should not matter if we see this car not to give the veterans the resources they need. It also provides assistance with child care, financial advice, legal counseling and education which are all currently unmet needs. Ultimately by signing on to this bill you will have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of our nation veteran and military families were longtime to time to come. As a hidden hero and master ive had the privilege to meet with military caregivers across the country and as i speak before you know i cant help but think about megan and her husband matt marine corps veteran who honorably served two tours in iraq. Of making a our High School Sweethearts and when you meet them you know it. They live in connecticut now. They are young couple in love, yet they have a long road ahead of them. As a result of injuries received during his combat service, match suffers from a traumatic brain injury and pts. Megan his wife and primary caregiver is by his side everyday hoping him as he struggles with wounds we cannot see, and visible wounds most of us cannot imagine. Megan explained it to me that she never pictured herself as a caregiver for her husband especially so soon into her marriage, but matt needs are. Is a day in day out 24 seven responsibility managing doctors appointments, juggling medications and always on alert to see what might trigger mats pts and walk all while raising three young boys. She makes the most of things, but needs our help and there are 5. 5 million military caregivers like megan quietly serving in communities across america and they can no longer go it alone. They need us. They need you. I ask you again, members of the committee and all of you here today, to give your full support to the military caregivers of serving our. Senators, please sign onto the military military Caregiver Services improvement act and each of the pieces of the legislations outlined. To everyone here today watching across the country, please seek out military caregivers in your city and town and direct them to resources at hidden heroes. Org and ask how you can help. Thank you. The final speaker in our celebrity activist program is law and order actress who testified earlier this year before a Bipartisan Task force looking at Sexual Violence and the large backlog of untested rape kits at the nations crime labs. She is founder and president of the joyful heart foundation. A good morning. I just want to start by saying thanks so much for your heartfelt comments and your passion to this work. I am speaking to you today as president and founder of the joyful heart foundation. I just want to thank the task force for making the rape kit backlog of the topic your first briefing by elevating this issue you send a powerful message to survivors of Sexual Assault that their cases matter, they matter. You are demonstrating to Law Enforcement and prosecutors that we must work to do everything we can to hold offenders accountable and keep our community safe. You have my full statement on record, so i would like to use my time today to focus on how far we have come in addressing the untested rape kit backlog in recent years in that discussion cannot begin without acknowledging a significant change that is happening across this country. In 2014 congress created a Sexual Assault Kit Initiative to provide jurisdictions with critically needed resources to test backlog kits, create multidisciplinary teams to investigate and prosecute related cases and address the need for victim notification and re engagement with the criminal justice system. The impact of grants cannot be overstated. We have heard from Law Enforcement and prosecutors at the funds as well as the requirement to create a team to undertake systemic reform are bringing communities together like never before. Visa focused resources are helping Law Enforcement get serial criminals off the streets, easing the burden on personnel, facilitating Community Engagement and making neighborhoods safer. We have heard the same feedback from victim advocates. Funds are helping agencies already stretched thin to implement reform and catalyze positive changes. I first testified in congress about the rape kit backlog back in may, 2010, and the National Landscape today is very different. Then, we had no idea how many untested rape kits were sitting on shelves in police Storage Facilities and crime labs. Advocates best guess is an estimate of 400,000, but now that number is disputed. The reality is that because most jurisdictions do not have systems for tracking or county rape kits we cannot be sure of the total number took however, through Public Record requests Investigative Journalism , grassroots advocacy, the state legislative reform we are beginning to understand the scope of the backlog nationwide. Since 2010, more than 200,000 untested rape kits have been accounted for and 21 states and washington dc have passed laws requiring audits of untested rape kits. When i testified in 2010 , there were no state rape kits reform laws on the books. Today, that trend has shifted. Since january 1, 2017, 71 rape kit reform bills have been introduced in 32 states and penn state laws. Joyful heart has launched a National Campaign to pass comprehensive rape kit reform legislation in all 50 states by 2020. Since 2010, 30 states have enacted some type of rape kit reform and last week texas can the first estate in the nation to enact all six pillars of our National Best practices. Through these grants we also see a change in Law Enforcement understanding of the impact and trauma on survivors. Jurisdictions now understand that important perspective and they are implementing trauma informed and Victim Centers notification practices that seek to avoid re victimization and further harm. Although, we have seen progress there is still much more work to be done. Today, only eight states have laws requiring testing in both current or backlog kits that means in most states the decision to send kits for testing is left up to the discretion of an individual. We must reverse that trend to ensure that every kid connected to a reported case is tested. Of the numbers dont lie testing all kits solves crimes and saves lives. Survivors legislative district should not determine the outcome of the case or their right to information. On behalf of all thank you. On behalf of all survivors across the country, i thank you for your attention on this issue and i look forward to continuing this dialogue. I know you join me commending the jurisdictions that are taking responsibility for reform and together we are committed to raising awareness around those who have not. Thank you. You are watching the tv on cspan2 with top nonfiction books and authors every weekend
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