Earlier this month president obama awarded the medal of valor to 13 recipients, all Law Enforcement officers recognized for Outstanding Service while on duty. He was introduced by attorney general loretta lynch. This is about half an hour. Ladies and gentlemen, the recipients of the 20132014 medal of valor. [ applause ] the recipients of the 20142015 medal of valor. [ applause ] [ room noise ] ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States accompanied by attorney general loretta lynch. Good morning, everyone. Good morning. And welcome to the white house. All right. Thank you all so much. I love to have a musical accompaniment. I dont get that all the time. I need to hang out with you more often. Please be seated. To everyone here today, it is such a pleasure to be with you all today. And its such a privilege, really truly an honor for me to join so many outstanding Public Servants and distinguished guests and particularly our courageous Law Enforcement officers as we gather to honor the newest recipients of the Public Safety officer medal of valor. And bestow upon them the highest recognition for their exceptional bravery. But of course, we have a special thanks for the friends, the colleagues, and the family members who have traveled here to join us for this very special ceremony. Its really one of the best ones that we do here in the white house. We are so grateful for your support. And we are really inspired by all that you have done to support our honorees. Because we know that so often its because of your sacrifices that theyre really able to serve. Today, we pause to salute a truly Remarkable Group of Public Safety officers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to seven their communities and protect their fellow americans. In the face of terrible violence they have displayed extraordinary courage. Confronted with imminent danger, they responded with uncommon valor. And encountering wrongdoers with no regard for law or life, they sought to defend the vulnerable and to do justice. Now, these medal of valor recipients hastened towards the cries of help that rang out. They ran towards the sounds of gunfire that were in the air. They responded to School Shootings, armed robberies, to hostage takings and kidnappings, acts of arson and incidents of domestic violence. Some of these heroes met danger in the course of their patrols. Others were off duty when they were called into action. But we all know its not the hour on the clock or the color of the shirt that determines a hero but the heart of the guardian. And like the guardians that they all are, all of our medal recipients today acted without hesitation, placing others before self time and time again. And one of them of course made the ultimate sacrifice, giving his life in alg un effort to sa others. I know that no words or medals can begin to repay the debt we owe to these exceptional officers and to all of the policemen, the firefighters, federal agents, sheriffs and emts who go to incredible lengths to fulfill their oaths to protect and to serve the american people. It has often been said that the price of freedom is constant vigilance. Know this. They pay that price on our behalf. Their vigilance keeps our community safe. Their devotion keeps our nation secure and their patriotism makes our country strong. And on behalf of my colleagues at every level of the department of justice i want to thank each and every one of you for all that youve done and for all that youll continue to do. I am so proud to count you as partners in the law and guardians of justice. And i congratulate you on this welldeserved honor. And now i have the other single honor of the morning. Its my distinct privilege to introduce to you someone who truly needs no introduction but who is deeply devoted to our nations Law Enforcement and Public Safety officers. Someone who works tirelessly for their wellbeing all day and well into the night. And whom i know is profoundly grateful for your service. Ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, please welcome the president of the United States. [ applause ] thank you. Thank you and good morning. Welcome to the white house. Thank you, attorney general lynch, for your words and leadership. Weve got a couple of members of congress here, Fredrica Wilson and Chris Collins we want to acknowledge. And also i want to recognize director comey, members of the fraternal order of police and all the outstanding Law Enforcement officials who are here from around the country. Im proud to stand with you as we celebrate police week. And most of all, im proud to be with the heroes on the front row and with the families who have supported them. And the family of one who made the ultimate sacrifice. Its been said that perfect valor is doing without witnesses what you would do if the whole world were watching. The Public Safety officers we recognize today with the medal of valor found courage not in search of recognition. They did it instinctively. This is an award that none of them sought. And if they could go back in time i suspect they would prefer none of this had happened. As one of todays honorees said about his actions, i could have very well gone my whole career and not dealt with this situation and been very happy with that. If they had their way, none of them would have to be here. And so were grateful that they are. And our entire nation expresses its profound gratitude. More important, were so grateful that they were there. Some on duty, others off duty. All rising above and beyond the call of duty. All saving the lives of people they didnt know. That distinction, that these 13 officers of valor saved the lives of strangers, is the first of several qualities they share. But their bravery, if it had not been for their bravery, we likely would have lost a lot of people. Mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, friends and loved ones. Thankfully, they are still with their families today because these officers were where they needed to be most at a critical time. At a gas station during a routine patrol. In the middle of a busy hospital. In a grocery store. On the campus of a community college. Near an Elementary School where a sheriffs deputys own children were students and his wife taught. In all of these places in each of these moments these officers were true to their oaths. To a person, each of these honorees acted without regard for their own safety. They stood up to dangerous individuals brandishing assault rifles, handguns and knives. One officer sustained multiple stab wounds while fating off an assailant. Another endured third degree burns to his arms and face while pulling an unconscious driver from a burning car on the freeway. Each of them will tell you, very humbly the sam thing, they were just doing their jobs, they did what they had to do, what they were trained to do, like on any other day. The officer who suffered those terrible burns, he left urgent care and went straight to work. He had to finish his shift. That sense of duty and purpose is what these americans embody. Truth is, its because of your courage, sometimes seen but sometimes unseen, that the rest of us can go about living our lives like its any other day. Going to work, going to school, spending time with our families. Getting home safely. We so appreciate our Public Safety officers around the country from our rookie cadets to our role model of an attorney general. Not everyone will wear the medal that we give today but every day so many of our Public Safety officers wear a badge of honor. The men and women who run toward danger remind us with your courage and humility what the highest form of citizenship looks like. When you see students and commuters and shoppers at risk you dont see these civilians as strangers, you see them as part of your own family, your own community. As scripture teaches us, you love your neighbor as yourself. You put others safety before your own. In your proud example of Public Service you remind us that loving our country means loving one another. Today we also want to acknowledge the profound sacrifices made by your families. I had a chance to meet some of them and they were all clearly so proud of you, but were very proud of them. We know that you wait up late and youre worried and youre counting down the minutes until your loved one walks through the door safe after a long shift. We know it never gets easier. We thank you for that. Of course, we honor those who didnt come home including, one hero we honor posthumously today, Sergeant Robert wilson iii. He gave his life when two men opened fire at a Video Game Store where Sergeant Wilson was buying his son a birthday present. To his family whos here, his grandmother constance, his brother and sister, please know how deeply sorry we are for your loss, how grateful we are for Sergeant Wilsons service. We also honor the more than 35 who have given their lives in the line of duty so far this year. One of them, an officer in virginia named ashley marie gwinden, was taken from us on her very first shift. Ive seen the sacrifice when i joined some of you at the national Law Enforcement officers memorial not far from here. We read the names carved on these walls and we grieve with the families who carry the fallen in their hearts forever. Weve been moved deeply by their anguish. But also by their pride in the lives their loved ones lived. And in those moments were reminded of our enduring obligation as citizens that they sacrificed so much for that we do right by them. And their families. And medals and ceremonies like today are important. But these arent enough to convey the true depth of our gratitude. Our words will be hollow if theyre not matched by deeds. So our nation has a responsibility to support those who serve and protect us and keep our streets safe. We can show our respect by listening to you, learning from you, giving you the resources that you need to do the jobs. Thats the mission of our Police Task Force which brought together local Law Enforcement and civil rights and faith leaders and Community Members to open dialogue and built trust and find concrete solution thats make your job safer. Our country needs that right now. Were going to keep pushing congress to move forward a bipartisan way to make our criminal Justice System fairer and smarter and more Cost Effective and enhance Public Safety and ensure the men and women in this room have the ability to enforce the law and keep their communities safe. A few minutes ago i signed into law a package of bills to protect and honor Law Enforcement officers including one that will help state and local departments buy more bulletproof vests. Emerson once said there is always safety in valor. The Public Safety officers we honor today give those words new meaning. For its your courage and quick thinking that gave us our safety. So we want to thank you for your service. We want to thank your families for your sacrifice. I had a chance before i came out here to meet with the recipients, and i told them that although this particular moment for which you are being honored is remarkable, we also know that every day you go out there youve got a tough job. And we could not be prouder of not only moments like the ones we recognize here today, but just the daytoday grind. You doing your jobs professionally, you doing your jobs with character. We want you to know we could not be prouder of you and we couldnt be prouder of your families for all the contributions that you make. So may god bless you and your families. May god bless our fallen heroes. May god bless the United States of america. And its now my honor to award these medals as the citations are read. Officer mario gutierrez. Medal of valor presented to officer mario gutierrez, Miamidade Police department, florida. For bravery and composure while enduring a violent attack. Officer gutierrez sustained multiple stab wounds while subduing a knifew50e8ding assailant who attempted to set off a massive gas explosion that could have resulted in multiple fatalities. [ applause ] patrolman louis cioci. Medal of valor presented to patrolman louis cioci, Johnson City Police department, new york. For courageously resolving a volatile encounter with a gunman. After witnessing the murder of his fellow officer, patrolman cioci pursued and apprehended the gunman at a crowded hospital, thereby saving the lives of employees, patients, and visitors. [ applause ] officer jason salas, officer robert sparks, and captain raymond bottenfield. Medal of valor presented to officer jason salas, officer robert sparks, and captain raymond bottenfield, Santa Monica Police department, california. For courage and composure in ending a deadly rampage. Officer salas, officer sparks, and captain bottenfield placed themselves in mortal danger to save the lives of students and staff during a School Shooting on the busy campus of santa monica college. [ applause ] major david huff. Medal of valor presented to major david huff, Midwest City Police department, oklahoma. For uncommon poise in resolving a dangerous hostage situation. Major huff saved the life of a 2yearold girl after negotiations deteriorated with a man holding the child captive at knifepoint. [ applause ] officer donald thompson. Medal of valor presented to officer donald thompson, Los Angeles Police department, california. For courageous action to save an accident victim. While off duty officer thompson traversed two freeway dividers and endured first and seconddegree burns while pulling an unconscious man to safety from a car moments before it became engulfed in flames. [ applause ] officer coral walker. Medal of valor presented to officer coral walker, omaha police department, nebraska, for taking brave and Decisive Action to subdue an active shooter. After exchanging gunfire officer walker singlehandedly incapacitated a man who had killed and injured multiple victims on a shooting spree. [ applause ] officer gregory stevens. Medal of valor presented to officer gregory stevens, Garland Police department, texas, for demonstrating extraordinary courage to save lives. Officer stevens exchanged gunfire at close range and subdued two heavily armed assailants, preventing a deadly act of terrorism. [ applause ] mrs. Constance wilson, accepting on behalf of Sergeant Wilson iii. Medal of valor presented to fallen Sergeant Robert wilson iii, Philadelphia Police department, pennsylvania. For giving his life to protect innocent civilians. Sergeant wilson put himself in harms way during an Armed Robbery drawing fire from the assailants and suffering a mortal wound as he kept store employees and customers safe. [ applause ] [ applause ] officer niel johnson. Medal of valor presented to officer niel johnson, north miami police department, florida, for swift and valorous action to end a Violent Crime spree. Officer johnson pursued a man who had shot a Miami Police Officer and two other innocent bystanders, withstanding fire from an assault weapon and apprehended the assailant. [ applause ] special agent tyler call. Medal of valor presented to special agent tyler call, federal bureau of investigation, for his heroic actions to save a hostage. Special agent call, who was off duty with his family, helped rescue a woman from her exhusband who had violated a restraining order and held the victim at gunpoint. [ applause ] deputy joey tortorella. Medal of valor presented to deputy joey tortorella, Niagara County sheriffs office, new york, for placing himself in grave danger to protect his community. Deputy tortorella confronted and subdued a violent gunman who had shot and wounded his parents inside their home, and by doing so prevented the gunman from threatening the safety of students at a nearby Elementary School. [ applause ] lets give one last big round of applause to the recipients of the medal of valor. [ applause ] thank you all. Thank you for your dedication. Thanks for your service. You are continuously in our thoughts and prayers, and we are continuously giving thanks for all that you and your families do. Thank you, everybody. Our campaign 2016 bus continues to travel throughout the country to recognize winners from this years student camp competition. And recently, the bus stopped in massachusetts to visit several winning students from that state. They went to the sage school in foxborough, where all the students in first through eighth grade attended a School Ceremony to honor seventh graders annika osterland, cory and sasha bates for their Honorable Mention video gunning tomorrow safety. The bus will be stopped to Baird Middle School in ludlow to honor eighth grader sedona wicca and her wning video called veterans services. And James Elliott won for his video called lgbt rights stop the discrimination. The two were honored in front of classmates, family members and local officials, receiving 250 for their winning video. Thanks to Comcast Cable and Charter Communications for helping coordinate these visits in the community. You can view all the winning documentaries at studentcam. Org. Join us tomorrow when washington journal looks at the news of the day and takes your phone calls. Our guests include montgomery county, maryland, police chief and president of the Maryland Chiefs Association tom manger. Hell talk about rising homicide rates in american cities. Also, the washington examiners Joseph Lawler will discuss puerto ricos debt crisis. Washington journal, live tomorrow and every day starting at 7 00 a. M. Eastern on our companion network cspan. Last Year Congress passed the medicare access and c. H. I. P. Reauthorization act that changes the way the government reimburses medicare providers through valuebased health care initiatives, rather than through a feeforservice payment system. Next, the house ways and means subcommittee on health looks ks into the proposed rules for implementing the law. This is just over 90 minutes. Subcommittee will come to order. Good afternoon, everybody. So, were going to begin. Im really excited to finally be having this hearing. When i came to congress back in 2001, the Sustainable Growth rate, or sgr, as we all know it by, provision in the balanced budget act of 1997 was in the process of being implemented. And under this payment formula, any