Welcome to the Heritage Foundation. Im the director for the center for free markets and regulatory reform. The Heritage Foundation. I would ask for those of you in the audience to please make that last little check now of your cell phones, to make sure that they wont interrupt proceedings today. And we will get started right now. The event today is really designed to celebrate the special report called a Government Policies that hurt the poor and how to address them. The United States is a very compassionate country and we have an awful lot of government activities that affect poorer members of our population in one way or the other. We have welfare programs, welfare spending of one kind or another that adds up to well over a trillion dollars tuesdays. That can be in things like health care, direct income supporters of one kind or another. We are not here to talk about those policies today. We want to talk about another set of Government Policies. Those that are put in place offense fo
[inaudible conversations] onto order i will apologize for being late we have to coowners also was in the Armed Services committee for the troops side appreciate your patience. We meet today to look at drug cartels. Recognize myself for an Opening Statement. First and newest member of the subcommittee from florida. Wheel afford to working with u. S. The began the 115th congress over the course of this congress we can engage in thoughtful conversation. One of the goals is to drill down on the threat of be a secure border poses but the next hearing listening to the task force authorized last congress to examine the Counter Network approach protecting borders is a multifaceted effort primarily to the Border Patrol redo have Field Operations to secure more than 300 ports of entry and that to detect and intra decked unlawful cargo. Also supporting National Security threats and responsibilities. These are not simple or easy tasks. The border is a dynamic place with desert clefs kenyans and a
[inaudible conversations] onto order i will apologize for being late we have to coowners also was in the Armed Services committee for the troops side appreciate your patience. We meet today to look at drug cartels. Recognize myself for an Opening Statement. First and newest member of the subcommittee from florida. Wheel afford to working with u. S. The began the 115th congress over the course of this congress we can engage in thoughtful conversation. One of the goals is to drill down on the threat of be a secure border poses but the next hearing listening to the task force authorized last congress to examine the Counter Network approach protecting borders is a multifaceted effort primarily to the Border Patrol redo have Field Operations to secure more than 300 ports of entry and that to detect and intra decked unlawful cargo. Also supporting National Security threats and responsibilities. These are not simple or easy tasks. The border is a dynamic place with desert clefs kenyans and a
Audience at to please make that last little check of your cell phone. Make sure that they will not interrupt the preceding today. We will get started right now. The event today is really designed to celebrate the publication of a new heritage special report on Big Government policies that hurt before and how to address them. Is a very states compassionate country and we have an awful lot of government activities that affect poorer members of our population in one way or another. We have welfares programs shall welfare spending that adds up to well over a trillion dollars these days and i can be in things like health care, direct income support at one time or another. We are not here to talk about those policies today. We want to talk about another set of the Government Policies, those of that are put in place for what seemed to be on the surface very wellmeaning purposes and in fact they made the necessary policies of one kind or another for government they may be necessary policies of
United nations and the world bank and we hope to track to expand the generation transmission and distribution all key sectors. As an active participant in the team focused on the policy framework to improve the enabling environment and reduce the risk for investors through the consistent diplomatic engagement through the embassys and with the embassies in washington, the state department is working to ensure that the transactions that have the emphasis needs to structural policies and governance changes that will encourage even more investment. We have positioned a senior Career Foreign Service officer in the region who is working with our embassies to enhance and focus our diplomatic efforts while minimizing the cost. We are also Planning Regional training sessions sessions the world created the Energy Knowledge and skills of our economic officers in the embassies and in the region. We are very excited about the beyond the grid and and initiative that of the sub initiatives have as pa