Purposes that continually crown our years with goodness. Today, enable our lawmakers to see with faiths eyes each blessing that comes disguised as adversity and each temptation that hides beneath the mask of prosperity. Make them grateful for disasters averted and advancements made. Lord let your love touch our world because of their labors, as you make the ambassadors of your purposes. Protect our senators and teach them your paths. Prosper the work of their hands, as you keep them from stumbling or slipping. We pray in your great name. Amen. The presiding officer please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to the flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The presiding officer the clerk will read a communication to the senate. The clerk washington d. C, april 21 2015. To the senate under the provisions of rule 1 paragraph 3, of the standing r
That i really didnt have much choice. Sunday night 8 00 eastern and pacific, on cspans q a. Here are a few of the book festivals well cover this spring on cspan2s booktv. This weekend we will in be the maryland stayed capitol for the Annapolis Book festival. Well hear from former attorney general alberto gonzales. In may we revisit maryland for live coverage of the gaithersburg festival. With former Senior Advisor to president obama david axelrod. And then close out may at book expo america in new york city. Where the Publishing Industry showcases their upcoming books. In june were live for the Chicago Tribune printers row. We have pulitzer prizewinning author Lawrence Wright and your phone calls. That is this year on cspan2s booktv. Former president bill clinton spoke about the importance of life in Public Service tuesday. The 42nd was at George Town University in what is called the clinton lectures. Wresident clinton graduated from the universitys Foreign Service school this 1968. Th
Condolences to the families of would two hostages one american dr. Warren weinstein and an italian, giovanni lo porto, who were tragically killed in a u. S. Counterterrorism operation. Warren and giovanni were aid workers in pakistan, devoted to improving the lives of the pakistani people. After warren was abducted by al qaeda in 2011. I directed my National Security team to do Everything Possible to find him and to bring him home safely to his family. And dedicated professionals across our government worked tirelessly to do so. We also worked closely with our italian allies on behalf of giovanni who was kidnapped in 2012. Since 9 11 our course terrorism efforts have prevent terrorist attacks and saved innocent lives, both here in america and around the world. And that determination to protect innocent life only makes the loss of these two men especially painful for all of us. Based on information and intelligence we have obtained we believe that a u. S. Counterterrorism operation targ
Exercise that kind of intellectual leadership on technological questions that deal with future threat. I think its part san that the pentagon is much larger. It has ever service dealing with new dock frin. I dont think congress is that inclined to challenge fundamentally the kind of weapon 178 that Defense Department proposes. I think you know, congress clearly does say we dont like certain things. But its often at the margin. We dont want this, we do want that. Its too early to cut the a10. Im not sure we see too many cases. So theres certainly the possibility for events to dramatically change thinking. It might act through the Defense Department and through the military to step up to the plate. Im not a defense expert, but my experience in agencies across the government is congress is much more likely to cement adherence to the past and change things to the future. All of those members have districts. Its more common than forcing in business. Other questions . Yes, sir . Yes, i have
We have these two binding obligations. To make sure that when they go out there, they have the best equipment. We want to satisfy both all of the time. But were increasingly at the point where its muscling out those other parts of the budget. At an event, recently, undersecretary of defense for president obama. You know she talks about it through her own personal experience. The benefits there are important. And she says that concerns me far more. Im much more worried about having all the right equipment and all the things they need to accomplish the mission and survive and i am about a marginal decrease in the benefit. Thats not often what a congressman is going to hear because theres a huge amount of pressure. They dont want to have their benefits cut. Well leave it on that provocative note. Thank you for getting our conversations started today. My colleagues fpi s around to all of you for joining us. [ applause ] i believed in you. I believed in the power of millions of courageous c