Acting director. This hearing on the 2020 census is available on cspan. Org. Leaving the last few minutes for a conference on countering violent extremism in qatar, iran, and the Muslim Brotherhood, featuring lawmakers and former intelligence officials. House Homeland Security Committee Chair mike mccaul, david petraeus, and former white house strategist steve bannon. Coming up shortly, former defense secretary leon panetta. From the beginning, it has been devoted to the freedom, security, and prosperity of the United States and the health of its institutions. Its work is especially focused on strategies for the long term, strategies that thus deal with our most abiding challenges. In its research, it draws upon a wide variety of perspectives and opinions, and it will do so today. And it covers a wide variety of policy areas. Domestic, foreign, and National Security. Let me first of all in addition thank you all for being here and participating in this conference. I said before that th
You know who served his country with honor in iraq and had served in afghanistan. And i remember our meeting last spring with senator corker. My democrat counterpart Elliott Engle and i had put together a bipartisan house version of the Taylor Force Act which we will be marking up in a few weeks. And i want to thank him again for taking the time to address us here today. Ladies and gentlemen, mr. Stuart force. [ applause ] good afternoon. And thank you for chairman royce. And to the Hudson Institute. As youll notice very quickly, im not an xapt in any of the subject matter today. Im here as an unofficial representative of a group that no one ever wants to be a part of. Families of victims of terror. We lost taylor in a palestinian terror attack in israel about a year and a half ago, and we immediately became members of that horrific club. He was a west point grad and as chairman royce said two combat tours in iraq and afghanistan and brought his troops home safely from both tours. Comp
Los angeles. Congressman johnson as well. What i thought i might do here say a few words of introduction if i could on behalf of mr. Stewart force stuart force. I wanted to share how much we admire his work, the work his wife has done to try to ensure that no other family has to endure the pain that their family has and ordered. , was the, taylor force Great American patriot, a west point graduate. He served his country with honor in iraq, and then served in afghanistan, and i remember our meeting last spring with senator corker. Counterpart and i put together a bipartisan house version of the Taylor Force Act, which we will be marking up in a few weeks. I want to thank him again for taking the time to address us here today. Ladies, mr. Stuart force. [applause] force good afternoon. Thank you, chairman royce, and to the Hudson Institute. As you notice very quickly, i am not an expert in any of the subject matter today. I am here as an unofficial representative of a group that no one ev
Courtesy that brings about constructive change. Grant our senators a tolerance so that they may not be quick to condemn ideas that differ from their own. Lord, give them such integrity so that their work may be their best whether there is anyone to see it or not. Bless and keep us all. Shine your wisdom upon us, doing for us more than we can ask or imagine. We pray in your great name, amen. The president pro tempore please join me in reciting the pledge of allegiance to our flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of america, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mr. Mcconnell mr. President . The presiding officer the majority leader. Mr. Mcconnell as we all know, the senate has been quite busy. Legislatively, weve been hard at work on everything from budgets to Disaster Relief to Consumer Protections to tax reform. On the nominations front, weve taken strong action to strengthen the judiciary, in
Church, over 25 dead another still clinging to life. We were barely passed their stage of grief as more than 50 people were shot b dead and 500 injured at a Country Music concert in las vegas and of course every single night in this country parents and brothers and sisters go toingl d having lost their loved ones, 90 people every day die from guns in this country. I just think its worth stating that this happens nowhere else other than the United States. This is not inevitable and not something that we should accept. We are not impotent or helpless to try to change the scope of tragedy that is crippling for families that have to go through this. I just want you to take a quick look at this Pretty Simple chart chart. The United States has more guns and more gun deaths than any other developed country and its not close. We are not even in the neighborhood of any of our other g20 competitor nations. And while the president told us the other day that its a Mental Illness problem, you canno