Transcripts For CSPAN2 Key Capitol Hill Hearings 20150416

Would. Out 1st ladies he paid nothing. There is clearly not equal pay in the white house but before i wanted to make sure we michelle get paid is much as she could. I want a big paycheck from michelle. That was in a womens issue. That made us able to pay the bills. While what i want my spouse her daughter is not paid . That does make any sense. We will keep on pushing into labeled goes on. I i would like to see some hands from people in the audience. Please stand up. Yeah. [inaudible conversations] i think we can hear you. Are you guys hearing about your . Why dont we work on that mike. Hold on a 2nd. It stretches. [laughter] i, mr. President. It is an hour to me you. My question my question is 1st of all, i believe that the key to Economic Growth and the key to any cycle of poverty i think what can the government do on a federal level to increase wages and teachers . Traditionally and stereotypically a female profession. My husband is a a Public School teacher. I am a blogger. Our business, we make significantly more money is on a blog that he makes is a Public School teacher. For three years for three years we were on government aid, and i am thankful he had that. There are teachers that are leaving the profession because they cannot afford to feed their families. I want the children are country never get education. Females, you know my husband is a male female so the females who are single women supporting themselves in a teacher salary. What can the federal government do to put pressure on the state is to increase teacher income . First of all, three daughters, two, four, six. You are busy. [laughter] two, two, four, six. Did you bring them hear . This is pretty nice. I love those days when melia and sasha were that age elected coming out. You can go you can go to all the movies like monsters incorporated. I love those movies. Great story and people didnt think you will be watching them. Too little kids. Your. About teachers is absolutely right. And you are also right that historically this has been a state issue. Schools are generally funded through the state and typically through property taxes. The federal government total education budget accounts for about 7 percent of total education spending. And one of the things that we think is really important is making sure that the federal government in providing assistance to School Districts encourages states to do their fair share as well. In fact, there was a debate taking place because House Republicans were talking about changing the formula were federal and state ages resided so that it will be okay to take federalaid in the reduce the amount of state dollars going to education. Paying for tax cuts for somebody else and teachers would be no better off. But ill be honest with you the primary way we can have an impact of the federal level is to. Out states that are doing better in states that are doing worse and to talk about the importance of teachers in our Economic Growth in our society my sister was a teacher. So i no how little she had paid. It is hard to support a family. A lot of young people who are really talented who want to go on to teach in places like korea and finland with the Education System is doing well. Teachers are paid at the level that doctors and engineers are paid. And respected as a profession. Frankly we have to put more pressure on states. There are not that many levers we have to encourage days to change the pay structure. I we will editorialize a little bit. This used to be a state in which the promise of education was understood at the State Government level and the reason North Carolina did better economically than many of the other Midatlantic States was because of the Research Triangle and the emphasis on education. My good friend the governor who used to play such a big emphasis on the funding now here in the state and teacher pay is ranking as low as it gets. And so part of it is just pointing that out. Hopefully understanding that this should not be a partisan issue. It should not matter whether your republican or democrat. You should want to make sure the schools are successful which require teachers that are motivated, have professional training also making an upward living so they can afford a a middleclass lifestyle. [applause] picking up on that, aaron mentioned you have two four, and six yearolds we surveyed 57 57 different moms here in australia greater area. Their primary concern was familyfriendly policies. They feel that they are particularly struggling with Early Childhood. The question online from somebody you said you know the us is behind other countries have been successful in developing paid Maternity Leave in some cases paternity leave. We. Were not investing in the 1st five years of childhood to the same tuna some of our International Economic competitors. What is the solution . The solution is for us to expand access to Early Childhood education. Here is what we know all we know that this is the smartest investment we can make as a society. Every dollar we put in in the high quality Early Childhood education we 7 back in reduce teen pregnancy, improve Graduation Rates to improve performance a school, reduced incarceration society as a whole is better and this is not just a problem for the poorest of the poor although that obviously is a very important factor busy have a lot of single moms out there. If we want to get them into the workforce they have to feel like there is reliable childcare. We also want to make that childcare high quality so that those kids now having letters opportunity that are available. But it is also this is a middleclass this is an american issue. When michelle and i when our dollars or five six we are one of the Biggest Challenges we had was finding good childcare and being able to afford it at a a time we were still paying off debt , trying to my house for the 1st time generally all those things command we were making a lot more money and a lot of people did. I no if it was hard for us i can only imagine what its like for someone making 40 50,000 a year less. And the good news is that at the state level we have actually seen some recognition. Im encouraged by the fact that is not just the traditional states you expect but also a lot of socalled red states where the governors have said this is important. Oklahoma has outstanding Early Childhood initiatives going. Excuse me. I was fighting on for a while. Georgia is doing some excellent work around Early Childhood. No we have been doing is providing Early Childhood education grants through the department of education to try to help put together publicprivate partnerships to get state and federal money so that we can develop funnels of outstanding Early Childhood education and show what a difference it can make, in the make commander can make a huge difference in terms of longterm performance. We know that a very poor child when they show up at kindergarten they are already behind millions of words. They just heard so much less that they are the gap that needs to be closed, but we also no there is a high quality Early Childhood Education Program that even apparent shooting graduate my school is talking to the child and getting support a child is at a high quality Early Childhood level that gap can quickly. It may soak up like a sponge what we are were trying to do is put together coalitions of the state levels and city levels, and i hope is that by showing that this can work in a variety of places that eventually congress recognizes this is a competitive issue for us globally as well. France the Early Childhood programs are so good at everybody, the wealthiest as well as the poorest all send their kids to Early Childhood Education Programs the the teachers there are just babysitters but professionally trained in Early Childhood development and it pays off. It it is a great way for us to make sure every child gets opportunity and to relieve some pressure from parents who have to work. Thank you. [applause] other questions . In the red. Lets get a mike next line. My name is colette barnes. Im a single parent. I used to receive the childcare voucher, so voucher, so i no how important it is. We lost it and the lot of sisters of the help made choices whether or not to pay for before school care of our afterschool care because we had to work and needed it. This was not a plan but it so happens that we are actually proposing is part of my budget package to triple the child credit which would translate to potentially an additional 900 per year per child command thats going to make a big difference. You know, so at the federal level at least this should be one of our top Budget Priorities and serve. Its in everyones interest to make sure that our kids nsa our because the one thing i really believe is that even if youre single single, even if your kids are going community if your kids are like mine on the way to college soon become boring and not want to hang out with me as much as they used to your kid is important to me to. And that is not out of charity. That is because your child son or daughter when eight yearold son. Your son, if he is doing well that means is paying taxes, contribute to society busting in trouble. That is a good investment for me. Want to make sure that those families who are working hard for doing the right thing, the vegas and actually. And the one thing i want to emphasize because sometimes only talk about things like Early Childhood people said say that will be nice but cant afford. Well, if we closed a few Corporate Tax loopholes that are not contribute to the economy right now and we can afford it without increasing the deficit. And i want to make this. Even though its a little offtopic but it often times the backdrop against which these debates take place a party to this irresponsible. Let me say this. The federal deficit has come down by two thirds. It has not gone up. Has come down by two thirds. So when bill clinton was president budget balanced and we had low deficits. Then somebody else can i inherited a user session that drove up the deficit even is really spending programs because part of what we didnt say lets did say lets make sure the tax code is fair to make sure were eliminating programs that dont work to help middleclass families. There are ways to afford my budget what needs to be done but it does require us making some choices which is why when i here puzzle to reduce what we call the trust fund and paul so that the top one 10th of 1 percent i getting a tax break by now the way it works is you dont even pay this tax until you have five and a half million dollars. We forgive those folks at tax break for 270 billion. All that money we could be spending they could provide tax credits for childcare work is when you go to college. You have to have some priorities. It turns out that a lot of people including a lot of rich people. Some of them are big supporters of mine. Warm buffet designated taxpayer. He really doesnt. He has too much money spent. He can spend so. Even with all the money is giving away his still gets medical. Why would we be giving him a taxpayer with our budget families who need help . And this is something that we really have to focus on. It should not even be a partisan issue. Its its just a matter of common sense of fairness. Mr. President , you were just talking about some of the nations wealthy and also a little bit of corporate responsibility. I i want to ask you about the private enterprise. Im visiting from Silicon Valley where for the past year unfortunately it seems the valley has become a poster child for the challenges women are having penetrating the leadership of some of our best technology companies. Women are lacking venturecapital firms for not running as Many Companies plan on the leadership pipeline is in fact we are getting as many stem related majors as we used to. So when i think about some of the responsibilities you are saying the government has i would ask you what is the economic risk in Silicon Valley or here in the entire American Economy competitive to having fuel women empowered in leadership positions at home and in corporate america. What are we giving up . Pilot benefits . Insight . Let me use a sports analogy. This is pretty good basketball. And perhaps some. It everyone catch that . You know you are not feel the team with half the players. You wouldnt go in the game the other side has 12 and you decided to step six. You you want all the team, the entire team to be available. The same is true for the country. He mentioned engineers. We have a shortage of engineers. We need more but the fact of the matter is that because of how we structure Stem Education way restructured often times girls get discouraged early going into this feels. And we no actually from experiments and data and what happens in the classroom the some of it is just making little changes in terms of how things are top that some of it is just making little changes in terms of how things are top. They have just as much talent. And that and that unfortunately is still through and a lot of our country. There are certain things that we dont encourage our dollars to do. They start making choices because they dont see representation of themselves in certain fields. Really interesting story chief Technology Officer who came over from google told me when csi came on the phone and i have to admit i dont watch a very often. No offense to csi. It seems like a popular show apparently there was a woman all women who were involved in forensics in the show. It shows up finding hair fibers or something. And was the show came on the number of young women going into the field skyrocketed because all it took was girl saying i didnt no i could be that. So we as a society have to do better. Public sector, private sector, we are putting emphasis emphasis on Stem Education specifically for girls. The same is true for underrepresented minority groups and that requires us collectively parents community, churches, others encouraging people because these are the fields will be going. The solid has to do with companies wanting to make it happen. They have to be intentional. And those companies that Pay Attention to end up succeeding in recruiting promoting more in this Companies End up being more successful. And i. And i am trying to set an example in the white house right now. Guys level guys level of advisor i have is assistant to the president. We have more women than men right now. But that wasnt always the case. When i 1st came in we had to say we have to do better. How do. Natalie make sure were promoting talent . And it is true that companies can make a big difference. I will give give two examples of how companies can make a difference. Slightly different issue but it shows the Power Companies have. We started this minimum Wage Campaign one of the places i went to was cosco is not only did they pay their workers matter wage they paid him a living wage and provided Health Care Benefits and work is the preferable. We want to show that could be done and you have other Companies Like announced that they were going to raise wages on their employees. Most recently walmart came in. You no somethings happening. So you can change attitudes and culture through a corporate example the issue of paid leave. There are 40 plus million americans who are working and dont have sick leave. They dont have sick leave. They get sick theres nothing they can do. They either go to work sick or lose her job. Family leader still unpaid. A a lot of women cant take advantage of it. Well, recently microsoft Just Announced that only does it make sure that it has a strong sick leave and paid leave but it is actually only going to do business with contractors and do the same thing. So big company like microsoft i can start influencing some other subcontractors and suppliers down the chain, that could end up having a big impact. For companies that are brand names and set the standard for them to show were doing more women to promote women to put them in positions of authority that sends a signal to our dollars and to the companies that we do. A a number of the women and men here are Small Business owners and it will be interesting to hear your thoughts and how we could encourage those businesses to get some of the support that doesnt exist. If there are federal policies from which we can benefit from showing good faith im assuming am right was Small Business Administration Level programs are available in a Small Business when you dont have a safety net for dont have an Hr Department and dont have the ability to call on a our larger power. Its important. The examples i use time they didnt get a federal benefit they just they just thought it was my business sense. Lower turnover, higher productivity for greater Employee Satisfaction and the companies and that doing better. For Small Business sometimes thats tough. Trying to figure out how to keep the doors open. Really our focus the sba people are taking advantage because there are a lot of programs focused. The biggest problem is in financing. Small businesses but once you hit the worst been a great recession. The actually eliminated the actually eliminated fees and made it easier for Small Business to get loans which helped a lot of Small Businesses get back on there feet and their continuing to try to expand our reach to a small a Small Businesses no how they can take advantage of financing. And to try to reduce the paperwork and the hassles involved in taking a long. That is usually important. They are also focusing specifically on womenowned businesses and how we can make sure that they are networked and able to access financing. Think about the pentagon annual budget for well over 500 billion for the Largest Organization on earth. That means it has some purchasing. Portable we have been doing is working with the heads of our agencies saying we have to do more to make sure that opportunities opened up. A lot of times breaking of contracts so that there in bitesize pieces. They put out a contract propensities. It will be like 40 million pencils. A Small Business can bid of 40 million pencils. Small businesses can do. I tried to encourage more womenowned businesses. We want to make sure that we are continuing to innovate. Hi. Hi. My name is jen at harper. There are a lot of people in our group including myself who started out life young he thought everything was going to go their way. You are so young. Thank you. Its a lot of people in the group who want to do big things and is sick. Invisible chronic illness. A lot of companies cant tell by looking at someone. So a lot of mothers as well as partners because men get it also a lot of them are put aside given jobs that they know they cant the forced out of the workforce. My question to you is there a will there be any opportunity to give Companies Added tax credits for something that will encourage them to hire people were on disability for their families break up the children worry about college because mom cant keep a job because shes always sick. Can there be a way to encourage companies so that even though people may only be able to work 20 minutes for 20 hours a week 20 hours a week that might be the best 20 hours of that company gives. First of all, let me just say that this is an example of why have always felt like healthcare can be a privilege. It has to be a right. We Start Building your Healthcare System is that of the disease care system. Focusing on prevention empower people to take care of there Health Better get regular checkups, mammograms to all of the things that we know contribute to longterm health. And i am very proud of the millions of people are being held. It is working. For all the criticisms for political ups and downs and all the me getting beat up for the fact of the matter is 16 Million People who have Health Insurance that didnt happen for, uninsured rates have gone down drastically and the cost has been lower than anyone projected. Healthcare inflation has gone up at its lowest rate in 50 years. If the trajectory of healthcare inflation had kept going up at the same pace it was before even those of you who had Health Insurance and still have it, youd be paying 1,800 more on average and premiums. You are saving that money even though you dont know and your protected from preexisting conditions so if you lose your job you can always assure yourself that you will get Health Insurance coverage. Insurance can discriminate against you because you have a chronic illness. Now, in terms of somebody who does have a chronic illness and disability for each case is going to be different. There are laws in place to protect people who are officially disabled from being discriminated against. Employers have to find accommodations were possible but what we also need to do is see if we can work with companies to identify some of these illnesses and get them educated. Sometimes it is just misinformation in terms of them knowing what a person can or cannot do. One of one of the transferred want to encourage companies is because of the power of the internet people having a little more flextime to make a huge difference particularly important for women. No matter no matter how enlightened your husband may pretend is women still often times bear a disproportionate burden when it comes to childcare. The more we are able to structure flexibility of the workplace the better off women are going to be better off children are going to be in a better off everyone will be. That obviously could have some application to somebody with a a chronic illness but otherwise very productive. [applause] thank you for that question. It echoes a lot of what we hear from american women were eager to work dying to work even when they are stuck at home. And i think that i got a great question from teresa. The importance. She is your somewhere. What can we do as individuals to encourage involvement in chapter in which issues in our community . We talked about government responsibility. We talked about enterprise responsibility. What is the individual responsibility that we as americans have to pursue these issues . Well, i have always said the most Important Office and democracy is the office of citizen. And i was recently in selma celebrating the 50th anniversary of the march. The world was transformed because needs and home young priests and rabbis decided to march. To highlight issues. And so Community Participation is critical. Im going to play the role of educator here for 2nd. You taught me you have this huge network to you is that it was set up. That is part of the power of the internet for being able to make sure that people dont feel alone on these issues. The key is once you connect like that millions of people how does that then translate into action in specific cities are communities . I dont know i dont know the degree to which people have the opportunity through your site not only to share stories but also potentially act on the. Well, thank you. We we started this company in 2,005 we were trying to answer the question where the women who blog and you social media. The question was easily answered. Over millions doing it. We pulled together a conference in an opportunity for women to get together regularly online. Facebook was born twitter happened to Start Connecting their blogs to community members. She knows media today we reach 82 million women a month. A hundred and 65 million across social media. And it has everything to do with the power of the 20000 experts our community. Women are Inspiring Women every day and its interesting to see the use of the and social media to look for the lean into what they care about. And and we mainly in so hard to follow, but it does not mean that we are not there everyday. For example the appear working with today have had questions commend for you and each other of priorities it is interesting. For a long time people wanted to make us a mommy network. Parenting is just one of the many things i see American Woman caring about. A young person here. You cant do that. Trying to drop in a system where. Was the team . Johnson and wells university. Okay. This must be your. Guard. One of them. She took the ball. Being that will be graduating from the college we will have a lot of Student Loans. My question to you is there something that will be done to alleviate the bonds pushed back after we graduate they can help students economically. What you are you . Am a junior. Okay. How many juniors and seniors . Freshman, seniors. Junior senior. Three juniors and everyone else for. A young team. Thats good. First year. Along with childcare the college and retirement for those three things that people feel so much pressure on. Sometimes the pressure at the same time. We we had so many Student Loans we got married the paying back Student Loans was more than a mortgage. At a time that we were already starting to try to save familiar and sources education. Families feel like even if up saving a a little bit of a popular for the this is part of the reason why the expanded pell grants to try to get more grants and fewer loans. The way we did that was when i came into office banks with a passthrough for all student loan programs and they were taking out a couple billion dollars every year. The thing was, the loans were federally guaranteed. Why dont. Whether we just cut out the middleman and give the those directly to the students. They can expanded which is exactly what we did. Did. The 2nd thing we did was the Interest Rate for students and Student Loans. The 3rd thing we did which i wont people here to here about. We set a program called income based repayment citizen if you are graduating you can make an arrangement whereby you never pay more than a certain percentage of your income with a 10 percent which is especially important if you decide to go into teaching and you love teaching but you have all these loans. Make sure make sure you can stretch out your loan payments on your. But in the end most important thing is reduce the cost of Higher Education which is why this proposal were put forward making the 1st two years of committee college free is so important. It is one way that we can reduce cost because for a lot of young people the committee college may be the best option either because they did not need Technical Training to get a job in which case after two years they worked with an Associates Degree and have very little that are even if there going to a a fouryear university you can go for two years 1st and transfer to get your fouryear degree is the amount of tuition and potential that in half. Now, this is something that we put forward. We will continue to push in congress. There are the things were doing trying to pull together University President s to the committee College President s, others to try to find other ways to reduce the overall cost of Higher Education. Using Online Learning can make a difference. Making sure your people and they come in our counsel so that they graduate on time because a lot of time debt increases because kids that are supposed to graduate in four years take six because they started out the 1st two years taking classes that had no application to things that were interested. Helping to educate young people on Student Loans work and Interest Rates no before you all because i we will tell you when i 1st got into college and basically get through grants and loans in school was much less expensive. I didnt have much debt undergraduate. By the time i have for law school once you were admitted people just kind of said dont worry about. Read before you get out they say civil reset is to advise the person before the wall so they can start planning ahead of time and in some cases maybe they dont spend quite as much money as they need to. Making textbooks cheap. The whole bunch of things that we should be doing to reduce the cost of Higher Education and then we work with colleges and universities to throw me to. I think this is our last question. Here in the front. If i can get. Hello. My name is ashley taylor. Im a registered nurse you. A clinic that is currently benefiting from obama care. I wanted to ask you mother of two daughters, how would you suggest i best empower them to work hard, study hard, get a good education if they know from the outset they will be paid less than their male counterparts . In my 2nd part of the question from an addition to the paycheck fairness act is there something you can do on a federal level as far as executive action goes Direction Congress continue to stall . On the 2nd part of your answer would probably exhausted what i can do through executive actions because basically what i can do is impact federal contractors but it is hard for me to go beyond federal contractors. My executive actions dont apply automatically to the private sector who are not doing business with the federal government. But i think what we need to do is just build the movement of the political pressure, educate people make sure that women know and has been snow that this is a family issue and an economic issue. The thing is if you ask anybody i dont care of their democrat or republican, asked them what is fair and so of women should be paid the same as men. But it becomes somehow this political issue. This issue. This is not political. There are some areas that are tough when it really is differences of opinion in this country about issues. When it comes to issues like gun safety laws their passions on both sides that sometimes are not completely reconciled, but on this one i guarantee you the majority of republicans to voters support equal pay for equal work. But when it gets to congress somehow it becomes a political issue. Weve got to stop the. In terms of your daughters you have to remind you dollars things are not always perfectly fair. The people who are determined can make more fair. You know america is not perfect but it is a lot better than it was when my grandmother was trying to and to come up and i think it had that glass ceiling. Today she would have probably been to get a College Education and would have been more likely to run that she was 30 years ago. So the way things get better is by the next generation taking ownership and being inspired and seeing them homework a tough shift in and going out there and still have for us. That is what that is what we want. We want all these young people on the Basketball Team young ladies were in attendance here want them to feel like the world is wide open to at some. You will be in charge. We we want to not send a message to the somehow limited. We we want to tell my family and social issues there is nothing you can do. They are already smarter than me as well as better looking which is why i married michelle to improve much in. This is been great. [applause] thank you, mr. President. On the next washington journal rhode island congressman david sisley will join us to talk about federal protections for the lg bt community. Based on original interviews with more than 50 preeminent historians are biographers the details of all 451st ladies. Lives,. Lives, ambitions, and unique partnerships with president ial spouses. The book provides a lively stories of these fascinating woman survived the scrutiny of the white house sometimes at great personal cost of supporting families and famous husbands and even change history. And illuminating, entertaining, and inspiring read and is now available as a hardcover or ebook for your favorite bookstore online but so. Cspan2 providing live coverage of the u. S. Senate for proceedings in key Public Policy events in every weekend book tv for 15 years the only Television Network devoted to nonfiction books and authors. Teewun created by the cable tv industry and brought to you as a public service. Local cable or satellite provider. Watch us in watch us in hd like us on Facebook Follow us on twitter. After formally announcing her 2016 bit for the presidency Hillary Clinton travel to monticello iowa her 1st official campaign event. She held this hourlong education roundtable the students and educators at Kirkwood Community college. So andrew, the start with you. My name is andrew warner. Ive been taking classes here for three years now. I started when i was a sophomore. Just across the hall right now i am a junior. I started taking classes my sophomore year. Im currently by the time i graduate a while 48 48 credit hours done. Really . Well. Thats great. Okay. Diane. Last 21 years of been a High School English teacher has been six of those years your great. One of the eight schools partnering to send kids. Thank you. Thats good. Am currently taking a biotech program. Plan to go on. Thanks. And what they call a nontraditional College Student taking Business Administration management and im also doing the continuing program. Well, 1st to want to thank you for having me here in a few of my friends in college. I just had a terrific tour of the advanced Manufacturing Laboratory thing at the top of the instructor for the students who are doing what you have described as the great opportunity to make sure High School Years of College Learning in College Credits as you move forward. I am really pleased to be at a a committee college that is so visionary ineffective in trying to serve as a bridge for people who are nontraditional but coming back to add to their skills on the weight way to High School Students were taking advantage of the opportunity the cooperation between the college and high school is something you want to see a lot more of. This is a model a model for how we can provide more Continuous Learning to help better prepare not only young people but all people for the economy that is awaiting us. Before we get started because i want to hear from each of you i want more information about what you see as the challenges that you face in your education both the students and as educators and the opportunities that you hope to be overtaken manager. I just want to tell you a little bit about my here. I think we all know that americans have come back from some pretty tough economic times. Our economy and country and much better off because American Families had and basically done whatever it took to make it. But i think its fair to say as you look across the country the deck is still stacked in favor of those already at the top. There is something that. Theres something when ceos make 300 times more typical worker is something wrong with American Workers keep getting more productive as they have, have and as i just saw two minutes ago very possible because of education and training but the productivity is not matched in their paychecks. There is something wrong when Hedge Fund Managers pay lower tax rates the nurses on the truckers that i saw as i was driving here over the last two days. Theres something wrong when students and their families have to give deeply into debt to be up to get the education and skill that they need in order to make the best of their own lives. And i looked at the figures. The average i o graduate from a Fouryear College comes out with nearly 30,000. And that is i is i think the 9th highest debt load in the country. And people are struggling. I met earlier today with a young student who is piecing together work and loans knowing full well he is going to come out showing a lot of money. So we have to figure out in our country how to get back on the right track. I am running for president because i think that americans and their families need a champion kind of want to be that champion. I want to stand up and fight for people so that they cannot just get by but get ahead and stay ahead. A lot of people in the last few days have asked me to what you want to do this . What motivates you . I thought a lot about it and i guess the short answer is have been fighting for children and families my entire adult life probably because of my mothers example. She had a difficult childhood, was mistreated neglected but she never gave up. She had to basically be on or all around the time she was 14 and just kept going. My father who was a Small Businessman and believed you had to work hard to make your way and do whatever you had to be successful and provided a good living for a family. And then i was thinking about the lessons ive learned from my church. You are supposed to get back supposed to do what you can do help others. And that is what i try to do. We will have more time to talk about that as we go forward. I i had a law school, worked for the childrens defense fund. One of the projects was literally going doortodoor in the 70s 70s when kids with disabilities were basically shut out. Thanks to your great former senator tom harkin that is no longer the case. But i was knocking on doors saying is there anyone school is not in school and finding blind and deaf kids in 5th in wheelchairs i was able to work to try to improve education and give more kids chances. As 1st lady to fight for Health Care Reform and keep fighting until we get healthcare insurance for kids. And then as senator dealing with the problems that face new york after september 11 and trying to help people get whatever they needed the victims families, the 1st responders. It was an incredible honor to do that. And then and then as secretary of state standing up for country. I like and where we are as a country and just so absolutely convinced that there isnt anyone anywhere you can outcompete us has better values, and can do more to provide more people the chance to live up to their own godgiven potential. With that what i would love to do is ask a few questions and hear about your experiences and try to learn what you think are ways to help young people get the education they need without having the personal bank the broken to be put at financial risk. You were going to the Naval Academy . That is a great opportunity. This sounds like you are well prepared with young friends of midshipmen and i know it is challenging. But you feel this says kidvid you literally the handson experience that you can transfer . To rectify could come explain the idea how the high schools coordinate with Community Colleges. Part of the reason i am here is it is of model. It is not an accident i ended up at kirkwood in monticello because we looked for these models of Lifelong Learning to connect highschool essay and colleges. So give me a sense of your experience with that. Is still very rural and small class. The biggest ones are monticello. It is pretty small beach looked at each other. Had we have this lab in our school . But at the end of the day basically kirkwood commence to sending those kids then together we were collaborative flee to share information one thing that is created is the rigorous course work as is cant add those teachers so that is the perfect baja model because it gives the kids more options if you have that for your career from that course work we could help you save money it is also a segue i can still have oneonone conversations with you and then we hope they make it on the other side with the same fashion the kids are directed to the career. There really get a focus of what they want to. And the constants. Absolutely. Then they say no i of certified now i want to go one to do the for your honor sorry get certified now i can get a job. Civic that is what i was going to ask to be at the high school is free. Gas mileage does the great job it is the great opportunity when they are here their bridge other to another level. Every once in awhile it isnt just collectively but social and emotional the kid to know each other and learn from each other but now they know what it is like to be in college. I was so scared. I called collected in those days. [laughter] i said i want to come home. We have the counselors are there to help prepare i of an example that i did not have that support system so it is a nice segue. Live learn how to manage their time. You get a career at of this. But also across United States when you try to increase that without hiring 10 new teachers this is a great model. I really believe that and tell me about your experience for you are still in high school and you have another year . How did you end up here . Did a counselor tell you . So they come back with different glasses but also we were going to highschool. So everything in here we work with. Redo everything hands on with the first day of class were working on cars. It is great to get out not just learn about and then maybe go later but. Is your experience similar to do it trieste manufacturing you have to understand math and computers and computerized merrick control to do use the math skills and upgrade them to deal with the computerization . Cars are controlled by computers now. That is all hands on and it is valuable. If you want to go into the autumn of the automotive field. Kellogg you been teaching . Thank you. That is what i really liked about the coordinated a and cooperative model because young people might be in high school if they can get handson what they love that will motivate them to learn the math or the composition or the skills that i have seen in different places. For ever bettys benefit this was the first one and we had such Great Success thinking of the partnerships we have formed with business in this area but throughout the whole area of this is the first that proved so successful we went for the seven county area to approve to build more. This is the first for the second is in cedar rapids then washington the fourth will be the first in the nation where a Community College bills on the for your campus so it is a Great Partnership. The issue of free will serve over 5,000 vice coolers. Think about that. High schoolers. Images of first generation for many to experience something at a different level because that is what we are all about. Not only for collegeage but also k through 12 partners there widely supported it. But we also send into the high school so they did do will credit. Last year alone if they came to kerr scored then those parents will save 3. 2 million in tuition if they came to kirkwood. If it was iowa it would double or triple if you go to a private. She will have a year and a half talkedabout student debt that will vote below word but it gives them experience. But on the friday they all come just on their football uniforms and take a picture. So they will compete on the field but here they are together. I think they have really grown a lot of the courses are nationally certified so when they leave here they will have day certificate i just talked to were young man in washington he is a senior that will graduate with a certificate in welding and his head five job offers. He will make 40000 his first year out of highschool. So you get Community Support you get that because she provided the services and members of the community can see the results. We have to rebuild that connection because there has been a lack of appreciation and to be a creative about more opportunities. When did you start taking courses your . Give my sophomore year with post secondary enrollment option that i was that the Kirkwood Academy but the main course scitech at the high school with english credit and also i will get College Credit. C will already have College Credit when you graduate high school. And then i will take a course out here in the summer. Are there any other students doing what you are doing . Yes. There are some better in the Kirkwood Academy but not a lot to summer classs on top of that. So there is the online class so i can get more credits civic the substitute for highschool courses . The english credit is of little different you get a highschool english predator may with kirk wide you have to take your english class is that the high school so you get to will credit. Whats next . I plan on going to mount mercy to major in business but i will have two years done almost in have an Associates Degree. Thats terrific role they have to pay two years of a four year college. The partnership is great with the monticello highschool and we are fortunate. You are a walking advertisement. [laughter] but as an instructor ha reduce the the benefits of these splendid programs . What issues had you see the rise or to make them better . Jason manchin to what comes out of the classroom what i see all the way understand the promise of no child left behind i feel by focusing to make sure everyone is proficient we dont stretch those higher achievers and that is where kirkwood is fantastic for those that need an extra of a challenge. So that is a gap. That is the important point because i have been involved with education reform for a long time. And i do agree that we have to do more to open up our Education System so were beating individual students where they are and where they could be with the right to motivation end the opportunities and we have to have Accountability Measures but not at the expense of the individualized alerting stowe how we do that you can see how well works on the school by school basis Lake Monticello agent and kirkwood to provide them into more people but perhaps shot the same exposure but how many years have you taught . Predominantly highschool . How would you characterize your students from when you for started as the teacher . To direct another very good question of. [laughter] i think the students are bolder and willing to take risks in their more apprehensive about their future 20 years ago they believed there would go to college and others said i wont get a job and work on the family farm. We have seen more pressure to pursue an education in of course, that comes from financial gains the with a highschool education this is how much you make with it to your or for your this is how the hell looked can change. If i want to live the american iran after go to college and now they feel that pressure in that they want to challenge and sells their becoming aware that these jobs once they conceive highschool now they dont have that trading trading and that they need. I would piggyback i had been during this about 15 years and what i see is you are right for one thing that is different bed kids have to be more precise about their traces. 20 years ago to jobs were plentiful parker respects i remember. [laughter] it was easy to get of four year degree banality is college alone and thats why spend a considerable amount of time to be focused with what were doing to save them money and then find out where they want to go. I have to get this corrected what happens if you were a junior and dont know we were going . We were having this conversation in eighth grade but we have to be precise to find out where you were going because rooms like this are nationally certified we need to do a better job to get kids through the process spirit that is another thing that kirkwood does. As i understand you do a lot of financial counseling for the students and of reach. But a lot of people will not know what they want to do but then they need continuing help. Search and they. Think about the value of Community College a couple come to mind. We are a lower cost so if you dont have a clue what they want to me they can start to that is the vantage to come in as a sophomore or junior if they find out they dont like that then i will try something else. There is a lot of those opportunities but we are focused on those jobs where there isnt enough to take those jobs and academies focus with over 20 soap free dental, reengineering, sc n a there is a lot of opportunities to serve in the of all does Something Different but it is that a Great Partnership that we have with k12 in the service area everyone is involved with enrollment for pro we do one thing in eighth grade we bring in every eighth grader to do Financial Literacy have all given to that but they come in for one day to see what they want to be when they grow up forever betty castor have a plan for i have a plan is what its called. This is where you talk about being precise this is what you have to do is. There are a lot of families that our just as confused and apprehensive as the kids are. So the college supports that conversation. Tell me about you coming to school. What did you do before . So i decided to come to kirkwood as a single mother of three children. I was allowed to work the Work Study Program and i also received a telegram that has helped me tremendously. With the pell grant. I have a high schooler getting ready to come to kirkwood next year i have learned so much because now it is more than it ever has before. Which is why i came back to be proficient in a skill in a broad variety of ways. Does the work program and the pell grant pay for it . Been iraq so far i am getting to the point i may have to take no lowes then i am trying to avoid at this point. I would like to continue for my four year degree. That is a great goal. I support the president s plan to make Community College free but even if we were successful to make that cost directly associated there are other costs that people have to figure out no way to pay. So we have to look at this from the perspective of the students and the students families. What can you afford iran would be willing to take on . And that you can pay back based on your income sarah not pledging to the untenable situation right out of school but whether books or online materials to actually go to the courses in some have told me that is the bigger problem that pell grant covers almost all Community College cost but a lot of students are working or Single Parents and they have other experiences expenses. That is where the work study has come in for me because allows me the opportunity to work it is not enough to raise my family obviously but eventually i will get there. Looking at education and it truly does remain not only the best pathway but to get the nationals certifications to make 40,000 because you are the of autoworker but do get that education in those credentials is important for todays coble economy. We have to make it affordable and open for everybody. In many parts the cost is so high. Some of the forprofit schools and the scandals where they take all this money to put the familys into debt even if day graduate but they cannot continue so they drop out then they have the debt put but no degree or credentials. We have to take on those interest that want to keep that system and instead give back to basics to make that opportunity system. I think we have to have more kids to get ready to realize you were growing your babys brain like pork granddaughter her first words will be stopping it. [laughter] but neurons are firing and connection want connections are made by the time a child lives in kindergarten much of the vocabulary is formed every development has occurred committee that system through birth through lifelong adult blurting and we should be embracing that to come up with the best ways to take a vintage by not providing much in return howard you feel . But let me comment we have students take continuing education is a with Lifelong Learning theres a lot of opportunity to keep their brain active. I have been an educational long time. And i have always thought if were not doing enough to provide those opportunities systems not everybody will fit into that mold we will need different pathways we need to provide that in the most economical way possible if you think collaboration that is no free get it done. It is on a statewide basis. And then to focus on the advance manufacturing. So with the power of all that together you can make a difference. And we put together a proposal to make it possible for what we have here is handed. Has some to put the opportunity with the entire state. If you are in mint timbuktu or in monticello you could take the courses through the career academy. Were moving ahead in being deliver it. That is what it is all about we cannot let the boundaries to finance. You are singing my song because we does a new paradigm and how to get people excited again that is of battle with the arguments with ideology with Research Done in education and good data about what works and we should focus on that in the models of the partnership is what will guide us because there is the role but the real work has to be done at the level. And i believe the country is right. Mentioning no child left behind there were a lot of goals though relearn what has worked in to focus on the former houri taken as system that has so much potential of and then just to sort out how we Work Together instead of arguing so then we try to sort it out. It is clear if you look at Community Colleges they are uniquely American Education talk abroad innovation to create jobs Community Colleges is something nobody else in the world did for pro meet sarah looked at our is but people have not caught on to the secret so lets make sure it is available and affordable and i am thrilled cruz start to campaign to learn from all of you what you are concerned abroad and what the problems are in and to be exciting for the future. How we respect each other again work with each other again. In then to say here are the goals we should have. For all of our people all the way through in the education irina that mattered to the middleclass families. Saw i. M. Grateful you have taken time out to spend with me and i want to give anybody of a chance to talk about any lastminute concerns or issues . How qc security and issues around your service . I was there for one week last summer i mitt the midshipmen that were there some were just finishing their last year about to go out. By havent seen the lot of it yet but spinach youre ready to serve your country. I have been for of why all. Could for years. What about you . One thing that comes to mind my sister has a disability. In school it is harder for virtue grasp concepts that others grasped more easily so i am wondering what your policies for children with disabilities . Because i think that would be beneficial for her to continue her education so she doesnt have to start over again spin the fed is a really important point. For many students there is research for those that have difficulty learning whether disabilities or other circumstances. They lose the grounds that they gained during the school year because in the summer they dont have that constant stimulation to give them the chance to keep learning. We should do much more to realize the promise that tom harkin was the champion to make sure young people with disabilities have those learning opportunities that they need. Non everybody learns the same way or at the same pace. Students learn by listening or with their hands or need a relationship with the teacher or on line we have to figure this out and with students with disabilities we want them to have the place in society that gives them satisfaction and provides an opportunity to make a living or a contribution so i would like to c. S. Explore more ways to use the existing system whether a community your four year college or a local School District that people come from other districts those children with disabilities have the one on one continuing support that they need to like your sister. Diane . I think we are blessed with education starting very young through high school. We have all these opportunities but i worry that not all of america and gets to experience this treasure that we have. The common core is a step in the right direction as improving American Education but it is painful to see then attacked. What can you do to bring fell hard to back to education . Lecter redo so businesses believe in American Education and teachers are respected in schools and colleges are respected and we offer a quality education to all americans throughout the United States. That is a powerful and a touching comment that i absolutely embrace. When i to think about the unfortunate argument around common core is very painful because it started off as a bipartisan effort and it was nonpartisan and not politicized but to come up with a core of learning we might expect students to achieve across the country no matter what School District, no matter how pour but there wouldnt we tucci years of education but everybody looks at what was to be learned and tried their best. Part of the reason why iowa may be more understanding is you have had the system plus the iowa assessment test i think i write to say that i took those in elementary school. So i of what has had a testing system based on a core curriculum for a of long time you see the value and understand why that helps you organize your Education System and states a lot of them have not had that so dont understand the value of the common core that you can figure out the best way to reach. But your question is larger how do we end up at a point where we are so negative about the most important in on Family Enterprise of raising of the next generation of power our kids are educated . There are a lot of explanations i suppose that we need to get back into a broad conversation where people will listen to each other to come up with solutions because problems here in monticello is not the same as in the innercity ever been areas. That is a given but that should be driven by the same commitment to make sure we do educate every child per car was the senator and voted for the unknown child behind because i thought every child should matter for. If you are for or disability dont show up bond test debris dont want to mess up the scores. Notes for every child should have the same opportunities we have to get back to basics in we have to rely on the teachers to lead the way. 21n and 46 years of experience. [laughter] you make up important observation and what i hope i can do in this campaign. I keep wondering what the government or the schools can do to help people like myself like single mother said a struggling to better themselves or their families but what types of advantages can they help with . I will tell you about a program that i started in arkansas when i was teaching at the university. I got to know a lot of the students who were Single Parents predominantly women mostly and were trying to raise their families and work and go to school in was very difficult for our started this singleparent scholarship fund. Weve raised first in the county where ive lived now it is the statewide program and people give money to use supplement the needs of Single Parents. That is what i was talking about if you are a single parent and your car breaks down we urge you get the money to buy a new car . Or maybe you can tell it here to fix the. [laughter] or you have child care and it falls apart. The person you trusted is moving where does that money come from . Supervise emergency Financial Assistance packages the last time i checked it has helped 35,000 parents go to college to get their associates or bachelors and it has been a lifesaver because for so many people you were on your own but it is not easy. Barbara like to see that kind of programming available in every stage is all donations people contribute because they want to help in their free county runs its own version. Even if you get a fulltime job and still go to school into employers or rolling to work the route your School Schedule if there were willing to help out it would be an advantage to people like myself. And also create more loyalty among its employees. To rollout a lot of different policies about how to help families balance work and Family Responsibilities but this is is also have to step up because i will not say all but then they could be more flexible and understanding and supportive of the stresses on modern families. We should try to incentivize those behavior so they get some support for doing it for the approach different from what they prefer but one of the challenges we face right now is a lot of places there is no predictability for schedule at all. So put yourself in the position to go to work can go to school then you work at a place that calls to of the night before that says dont show up so you dont get paid your they say the one you to come tomorrow and then next day from 3 00 to 11 00 but i have a class. Too bad. People say that is not right there should be some predictability and flexibility with their employer. We have to address that. Aware just like to comment how great the program is because you can experience different career fields if you take a different one you think this is better and you know, your options and figure out what you want to go to school as long as john shadows in internships it gives us a chance to get handson experience to get a good education on what there is as well as those programs themselves. You really feel it helps you to have a better idea of what you want to do in the future. Good for you. We were talking about that on the way over. I just have some statements. Were really happy to have you isnt iowa. Were pretty pragmatic leader just regular people. We appreciate that you came here as the first job to come to kirkwood remember the students at the end of the day if you are a lawyer or doctor but everybody has been in school they know what it should be but stemming there is a problem when you try to make change and it is the key to everything you do. You teach some about what is coming on. Then you help everyone to remember that we need to do a of a good job of that a relief think education and should be a big part. Absolutely. Both of you mention in the heart with education and it is what we need to stand for and the values to pursue. I want us to trust and respect our teachers so we can get where we need to ago for the pathways for opportunity. Real live in a fastmoving world what you decide to do when you get out of highschool may not be you when you decide when you are his a juror it may not be the same when he comes out of the academy or you may use your education for something else. That is the beauty with that flexibility. Not many others. But with that comes a responsibility to make sure a real people are prepared so they can be on a church dree to make those choices better best as they grow lot. I never doubted that. Growing up bin illinois if i got a good education i didnt know what i would be doing. Never thought id be sitting here getting ready to run for president but i do i had to do my part and not just sit around but that this country held a so much promise for me that it would be up to me to find our way for word to make those decisions that our best for me and my family. I want this for everybody. I have a new granddaughter i want her to have every opportunity by one every child to have every opportunity that is one of the main reasons i decided to run because i know its not going to be easy and work hard to get every caucus gore and every vote will count but i just felt i could not walk away from what i see as the challenges we face per car want to build on what we have done to get out of the terrible recession to get back on her feet but i dont want peoples views how we run the race that i dont believe for in the best interest of our country to be making decisions for i am here and looking forward to traveling around the state. And i will go to a few more than 80 colleges and will burn more twoseat what theyre doing to find ideas that not only worked in iowa but anywhere. Thankyou when what went spec the subcommittee will come until order. Thank you for being your tier tear justify weight of issues to discuss today but first to reflect your address the recent announcement of a Framework Agreement with each passing day conflicting reports emerge about the perimeter of the deal i have serious concerns about promises may have been made to lift sanctions i hope you can address this today. The agency has day interval role to play real though irans record to cooperate in is not good. Help the committee and a stand why we should have confidence of iran will live up this time to allow us see access required. I am deeply disappointed by the high style actions with the International Bodies over the last year there are steps that put u. S. Assistance to the palestinians is in jeopardy but Administration Officials suggest United States is reevaluating its approach to the Peace Process and that they may support a u. N. Consultant dash Security Council to establish deadlines. They must send a clear message that the only path to statehood is through negotiated settlement with israel. Concerns remain about the human rights council