We are going to have a great night tonight. We are honoring literary liens, emma white will be honored, a big night for the Massive National Book Foundation for literature, culture, a big night for all of us. When i have the ability to stand in front of people i mention my mothers name jean christian. She is the reason i like to say about my mother i am the man that i am because she is the woman sheis or was. My mother was my first teacher. My mother graduated from college at the age of 17, the first person in her family to go to college. For me to be a wellknown literary advocate in this nation, a place where only a scant few generations ago it would have been illegal for me to read is no small thing. [applause] literature is the birthrightof every single one of us, no exception and if you can read in at least one language youare in my definition free. That is to say , no one can pull the wall over your eyes. No one can give you a set of what they want to call alternative facts and co
On your important oversight role thank you very much for. I think a director. Would you agree that the whistleblower complaint alleges serious wrongdoing by the president of the United States. The whistleblower complaint in involved that the allegation of that i did it is not for me the Intelligence Community decide how the president conducts his Foreign Policy for his interaction with leaders of other countries so im not asking you to opine on how the president conduct Foreign Policy im asking you whether as the statute requires this complaint involved serious wrongdoing in this case by the president of the United States an allegation of serious wrongdoing by the president of the United States is that not the subject of this complaint. Yes that is the subject of the allegation of the complaint and 2 things mr chair and let me ask you about that. The Inspector General found that serious allegation of misconduct by the president credible did you also find that credible i did not critici
Obviously its really in a different sort of concrete. And different environment. In a b c news much to the tensions. Between the governments with the Supreme Leader supported endorse the idea of discussions about resolving the fate. Of americans held in iran and iranian nationals detained in the United States. Well you know. We had a where. And different occasions and the past. We have talks with american officials. Aimed at. Freeing present prisoners in both countries a time we did succeed meaning that americans. Were freed if you recall and on the other. Indians hell here. Missed the trumps administration. We we we started. These talks with mr trumps administration. But once the americans and that. One individual in iran is freed they will take that and as a good gesture in it did happen in iraq and that their citizen was freed. Was released and instead of the american fulfilling their promise. To reciprocate. They only thanked iran. And made an expression so weve always been ready t
Transportation. You may have thoughts on funding, you may have thoughts on specific road projects or mass transit, or other things that would better the way we get around. Your thoughts on the best way to improve public transcription, for democrats 2027488000 republicans 2027488001 and for independents call 2027488002 or tweet cspanwj or send us email journal cspan. Org. Transcription goes to funding and the hill newspaper here in washington, d. C. Has a look at looking to the i. R. S. To fund projects. Bernie writes to push taxes out of outstanding mortgages in states comes at a time when republicans are looking to seek the i. R. S. Budget, a dynamic thats not lost on the agencys top officials. The i. R. S. Commissioner told reporters thursday the agency would implement whatever law Congress Throws its way just as it did with the Affordable Care act but suggested implementing tax changes from the highway bill wouldnt come out without some pain and after the agency absorbed more than 1
My case in maine. I think thats an important principal and its how i start when i approach the analysis of any nominee to any position put forward by the executive, whether the executive is donald trump, barack obama, or anybody else. Thats a kind of starting point. And thats how i started this january. And, indeed, thus far as we voted here on the floor, i have supported five of the seven nominees that have come before us, plus ive supported two additional nominees in committee, which have not yet come to the floor but who i will support on the floor. So i am not total opposition, dont vote for any nominees. I dont think thats the way our system works, and its certainly not the way i intend to approach these issues. I have a i have approached them one at a time, looking at the positions of the nominees, their views, their hearings. Ive tried to follow the hearings as closely as possible, their answers to questions. Again, i start with a bias toward approval perhaps because of my exper