Welcome to the National Press club. My name is john hughes. I am an editor for our breaking news desk in washington, and i am the president of the National Press club. Our guest today is actor humanitarian given sunnis gary sinise. He will discuss challenges facing americas servicemen and women and what can be done to improve their lives and support their loved ones. But first, i want to introduce our distinguished head table. This Group Includes press club members and guests of our speaker. From the audiences wright, president of d. C. Media connections publisher of stars and stripes, defense reporter for politico and cochair of the National Press clubs young members committee. Amy fickling, editor with one communications news, the staff writer for marine corps times. Jim livingston, a medal of honor recipient and guest of the speaker. [applause] john hughes the chairman of the press Club Speakers Committee the Washington Bureau chief for the buffalo news, and former National Press cl
And a 7 percent increase they gave themselves early this year. They were split on the panels recommendations to stop receiving mileage reimburse million for workrelated travel. It took three days of word work at sea but a hump bag whale is free with video showing the crew trailing the whale that was entangled spotted near moss landing in monterey landing crab pot wrapped around the whale. The effort to save the whale continues as it moved up the coast. The crew successfully freed it yesterday. A. C. Transit could run double decker buses on the east bay to San Francisco lines to handle growing numbers of riders. The agency tested the buses in february and march and passenger feedback was good enough to recommend buying the 800,000 doubledeckers. Passengers have to get used to changes including less standing room on the lower level and less head room on the upper level. They hold 80 passengers compared to 32 on a standard. We get a preview of what the drivers face when doyle drive reopen
Youre within three miles away usually. But its not just the physical convenience of being on these best course of america but its the ours. Many of our pharmacies are open 24 hours. If youve got a Young Children weve got drivethrough pharmacies. We have over 400 retail clinics. Nurse practitioners can write prescriptions or treat illnesses. So the idea of convenience after hours on the weekend usually an advantage when perhaps the primary caregivers, providers like your primary care doctor is not inevitable. The second thing is we can find some Important Services for caregivers and seniors. Things like medication management. While the average senior today is on four or five or six medications, and keeping them straight see you can stay healthy is important are these connect interactions. They can be lifesaving but they can enter actions which make it more likely to fall were to be confused and our pharmacies really help support they caregivers, the patients and doctors sort that out th
An alternate they are foye pair with their cessation of opiates. I would like you to respond to something that weve heard the secretary say and read about in the press that he has 28,000 positions to fill in the vha. Its something it was reiterated in the hearing here. Then when the Ranking Member and i and some other members of congress in the senate were in your command and control center on the eighth floor a few weeks back, weve heard that number was not 28,000, that it was 50,000 positions to be filled at the vha. Could you confirm that number and could you tell me how youre prioritizing those hires . And obviously im getting to if we have a crisis in Mental Health and were treating all hires the same, we have a problem. If youre prioritizing Mental Health, heres a chance to tell this committee and the public at large. So i did not hear the number 50,000. Ill have to check on that and get back to you drekly. I think that would probably be the easiest way to say that. With 300,000
Irma could strengthen back to a category 5 as it makes landfall on florida. The Hurricane Center according to the national Hurricane Center. Irma should be making landfall tomorrow into sunday. Steve harrigan is on the miami shores with our report. Reporter irmas unwelcome debut in the United States expected overnight with the first rain and wind aimed at the florida keys. The thanks taking a track due north. Empty neighborhood, empty store shelves. Most of residents and tourists heeding the call to evacuate. Others hunkered down in shelters. One concern is stubborn floridians staying put in their vulnerable homes. Sloughing off the threat of the big one. I dont know anyone in florida who has experienced whats about to hit south florida. Jammed airports and highways. Stunned residents of the crib, espanolla and cuba witnessing irmas overnight march. This woman in barbuda preparing to bury her child after the storm surge dragged the boy away. With those images fresh in mind, u. S. Offic