Our borders from other transnational threats, our operation is based on layered security where we attempt and i have described earlier some of the partnerships that we have with regard to Port Security to inspect port facilities for their security regime overseas. With regard to specifically the source and transit zone for narcotics we also have significant partnerships with countries in south and Central America that allow us to board their flag vessels on the high seas, recognizing that many of the nations dont have robust coast guards or navies with the kind of off shore capability that we have. So those partnerships allow us to detect and interdict drug shipments far off shore. In the case of one interdiction i made, over a thousand miles west of the galapagos islands, with drugs destined for mexico and then ultimate i will for the United States. So we use using our long range aircraft and cutters and detection monitoring capability of the department of defense and other partners w
Information officer at the pentagon on cybersecurity. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier this week had a confirmation hearing. Tennessee senator bob corker chaired the hearing. Its an hour and a half. Foreign Relations Committee will come to order. Senate Foreign Relations committee is meeting this morning for a confirmation hearing on nominations, including state Department Counselor Thomas Shannon, to be undersecretary of state for Political Affairs. If confirmed by the senate, he would replace Wendy Sherman who helped to lead the u. S. Negotiations for iran. And as i said to him when he came into our office and im sure, ben, you said the same thing, all of us are gratified when people who commit their life in this way end up ascending to these positions. You oversee africa, east area and the pacific, europe. The nearest, south and central asia, the western hemisphere and International Organizations just to note to staff, we could see the world. It would be easier. Thank
Before we fill the rest of the room. End to here at the qn day starts. I would like to welcome john bassett iii. [applause] and looking forward to hearing from you tonight sir it can i also particularly with like to welcome any spokesperson here from henry county has you share the spotlight as well. I can tell you about all the amazing words beth macy has won from her writings. But the real mark of her gift as a journalist asks eight simple question how many of you remember her story . By a show of hands how many remember young selena with all the patrons and cheering her on at harvard . [applause] or award wedding stories witting stories about the refugees living in our community but then children were going to buy stocks with 12 languages spoken . Or her series about teenage mothers. Or how families were navigating caregiving for their elderly loved ones or maybe one of her columns printed with precious think that instructed from 2005. [inaudible] [laughter] friends of bill i bet we
Do you still write your songs down with paper and pencil . Yes, i do. I have always carried a little recording device of some sort. They used to be pretty big, but now they are quite small, and i always carry a pen and paper, and i am ready if something occurs to me. You mentioned merle travis. What other musicians . Ry cooder is my favorite guitar player, but there are many others to choose from. There was an album that was a formative for me. Paradise and lunch. There was a guy coming up called tom rush who played here at the cellar door, and he played in boston at the 47. I really pattern myself after, just a guy with a guitar, full position, unapologetic. Falcon musician. Unapologetic folk musician. And i would say wouldtwo and the beatles. What do you think of current pop music . You know, i guess i do not like it a whole lot. [laughter] [applause] i guess i dont like it a whole lot. What would we find i sound just like my dad. There are great people out there, i know it. And i do
Do they enroll their children in the school where they are now or assume theyll be confirmed by then and look at enrolling them in the country in which theyll be serving . Why are we putting people who are serving their country through that type of uncertainty and anxiety . But we are. We are, by failing to move in a timely way the nominations that have been brought forward to us. Ill just mention one other example. I started with the hearing that i chaired today on behalf of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee dealing with four nominees. One was the ambassador to vietnam. I was just recently in vietnam. I met with our current ambassador, ambassador scher. I mention that because hes been nominated to be assistant secretary of defense for asia so hes leaving vietnam. We had a hearing today on the next ambassador to vietnam, a wellqualified career diplomat. The question is, are we going to have the orderly change of command in vietnam, a country critically important to u. S. Interests