Transcripts For CSPAN2 Values Voter Summit Opening Plenary Session 20140926

Freedom veterans, talk about their experiences in iraq, isis and the use of american force. And saturday night at 10 on after words, matt ricket el on the distractions of technology and its impact on society. And sunday at one p. M. Eastern, the ninth annual brooklyn book festival. Tonight at eight on American History tv on cspan3, former chiefs of staff and advisers to recent president s talk about the relationship with the commander in chief and how he makes important decisions. And saturday night at 10 p. M. Eastern, author Jonathan White on the role of the union army in abraham lincolns 1864 reelection. Then sunday afternoon at 8 p. M. Eastern, author iowa net dunlap explores the evolution of first ladies fashion. Find our Television Schedule at cspan. Org and let us know about the programs youre watching. Call us at 2026463400. Email us or send us a tweet cspan. Like us on facebook, follow us on twitter. Throughout the fall election cycle, were bringing you coverage of races from all over the country. You can watch the debates weve covered on our web site, cspan. Org. Heres a look at the candidates for the arkansas governors seat where two former congressman democrat mike ross and republican Asa Hutchinson are facing off. Let me just come back to what mr. Ross is speaking of. You know, i have been positive, and hes talking about an ad from an outofstate group which we dont have any control over. But you played an ad in which mr. Ross attacked my character. Whenever i look at that happening, im thinking does this encourage any 18yearold to vote . Does it encourage people to participate in the political process . To me, thats a test for us. We have an obligation as candidates to to make sure were encouraging people to say Public Service is good, and we ought to encourage that, and i think negative advertising doesnt work that way. So im not cant control the senate race, i cant control outofstate groups. I can control my own message, and thats what i want to do. And mikes right, i mean, its about our vision for what were going to do for the middle class, tax cuts, our veterans, so thats what were now, wait a minute. Asa wants to say, poor me. He says he cant control ads that are being run unfairly, untruthfully attacking me when, you know, he came out with this ad. My wife is a pharmacist. She spent 14 years building a successful business. Shed get up at midnight and go out and get medicine for six kids. Yes, its america. She sold her business for a profit in america, imagine that . He attacked her for that. And for him to say, oh, thats not me, thats the republican governors association, do you know when that ad began airing . When the chairman was in arkansas raising money for congressman hutchinsons campaign. He could have said this ad is not fair, the democratic gazette has done three stories, the House Ethics Committee has reviewed this and said theres no truth to it, but he didnt. He kind of winkwink and let em continue to go ahead and go after my wife, and i think he owes my wife an apology right here, right now. Well, mr. Ross, do you control the democratic governors association, the ads that they run attacking me . You know better than that. Of course, i have no control over those ads. Its illegal to coordinate those. And i dont know anything about the facts of the sale of your pharmacy. Ill let you answer those questions. Ive never, never attacked you on that issue. If you remember me attacking you on that or in any way, you tell me right now, because i have not. Cspan2, providing live coverage of the u. S. Senate floor proceed examination key Public Policy events. And every weekend booktv, now for 15 years the only Television Network devoted to nonfiction books and authors. Cspan2, created by the cable tv industry and brought to you as a Public Service by your local cable or satellite provider. Watch us in hd can, like us on facebook and follow us on twitter. Well, this morning the Family Research council is kicking off its ninth annual values voter summit here in washington. Among the speakers this morning, jim yo jordan, michele bachmann, this afternoon former senator rick santorum, and louisiana governor bobby jindal. The Family Research council says about 3,000 people are attending the summit. It should get under way in just a moment. Live coverage here on cspan2. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Our program this morning is about to begin. Please take your seats at this time. Once again, wed ask that you kindly take your seats. And also if you have empty seats next to you, please make those available to folks as they come in. Our program is about to begin, please take your seats. [inaudible conversations] hello, im the executive director of Family Research council action. Here at frc action, we are pleased to represent thousands of our members in defending faith, family and freedom here in washington d. C. For over 20 years, frc action has led one of the largest christian organizations in the nation, making a Significant Impact in an arena where our voices are vitally needed. Frc action is mobilizing and educating christian conservatives on their constitutional right to vote and their christian obligation connecting people with resources and information, allowing them to make informed decisions. Our congressional scorecard is the trusted standard for conservative voters. We hold our elected lawmakers accountable by providing members with the voting records, backgrounds and positions on policy issues relating to the family. When people know how their elected officials really vote on the issue, they can take them to task at the ballot box. Standing alongside our grassroots leaders, many of them are inspired to run for office, support campaigns or volunteer to make a difference and join the fight. Frc action is training candidates and leaders on the key issues facing our nation, using concise messaging thats both relevant and empowering. Frc action hosts the values voter summit every year in washington d. C. Leaders and grassroots activists gather for what many call the premiere conservative event in the country. This threeday Event Features governors, state legislators, radio and Television Personalities along with other well known leaders. The values voter summit is a great place for activists to share ideas and be inshired. Frc action is leading the conservative movement forward, connecting Leadership Back to the people. Your voice can make a difference in standing together with thousands of others from across this great nation. We can and we will continue to stand. I hope youll join frc action as we continue to defend faith, family and freedom across america. Go to our web site at frcaction. Org and click on the take action tab to learn more about what is going on right now and how you can be involved today. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage your master of ceremonies, mr. Gil mertz. [applause] values voters around the world, i salute you. [laughter] ms. [applause] seriously, ladies and gentlemen, we are delighted to welcome all of the values voters for our ninth annual values voter summit here in washington d. C. As all of you know, were just about a month away from one of the most critical midterm elections in our lifetime. Actually, its 38 days, 14 hours and 55 minutes, but whos counting . Weve seep their logos all around, but give me just a moment to give our special thanks to our major sponsors and cosponsors for the values voter summit. Let me read through them, and then well applaud at the end. They include frc action, the American Family association, Liberty Council and Liberty Council action, liberty institute, american values, Family Research council and our cosponsors, the heritage foundation. We also have some firsttimers were delighted to have onboard, that includes the National Organization for marriage and the National Religious broadcasters. It was also sponsoring radio row this year. The Media Research center is back as our new media row sponsor and, of course, the Washington Times serves as the official newspaper of the values voter summit. And now would you join me in thanking all of our great sponsors for our event. [applause] thank you, folks. Well, i do have some housekeeping items i need to run through quickly. First and foremost, we want everyone to be participating in our straw poll which goes nationally and help you walk through those easy steps of voting, lets bring back josh duggar to walk you through that. Hey, its josh duggar, and im backstage here. Were so glad youve joined us, and i want to remind you of one very important thing if you have a smartphone, open up your qr code app, take your lanyard, flip it over, and scan that qr code. Its going to bring up your personal ballot. You can then scroll to make your selections for who youd like to see in 2016 and a number of issues that are important to you. Be sure to tap that little green button at the bottom that says vote. Thatll cast your ballot. When youre finished, reach over to the person next to you in their pocket, get their phone out, pull out their lanyard and make sure they do it too. Also share your experience using the hashtag vvs14. Enjoy the rest of the summit. All right. Thank you, josh. And if you dont want to do it that way, do it old school. Just go right to our registration desk, and voting hours are from noon until seven today and from seven a. M. Until noon on saturday, and you can vote at our registration table. Unauthorized taping will not be allowed or violaters will be forced to read every one of lois lerners missing emails. [laughter] [applause] you know, if the spanish swords match from the movie the Princess Bride heard barack obama say there is not a smidgen or corruption at the irs, hed say i do not think that word means what you think it means. [laughter] but who knows . With eric holder stepping down, perhaps the president [cheers and applause] perhaps the president will appoint a new attorney general who will investigate the irs. Im sorry. [laughter] i tried to say that with a straight face, and i just couldnt do it. [laughter] seriously though, folks, we do have a great movie tonight called unfair which deals with this very serious subject. Well be talking about that later throughout the day. We appreciate your understanding with our enhanced security. All bags are subject to search by our Security Team and, of course, your name tags are required for admittance to all sessions. The distribution of Campaign Literature is prohibited. In fact, the values voter summit is cosponsored by numerous organizations and features a wide range of speakers. Each speaker and each organization speaking at this event or distributing its literature speaks and acts solely for itself and not on behalf or as a representative of the Family Research council action, Family Research council or any other sponsor. The views expressed by each speaker and organization are solely those of the speaker and or organization and do not necessarily represent the views of frc action, frc or any other sponsor. Sponsoring organizations do not sponsor the appearance of any candidate for Public Office or political party, nor do they support, oppose or endorse any candidate for Public Office. All those in faye say aye all those in fave say aye, the opposed, no. Carried. [laughter] ladies and gentlemen, please find complete bios of all of our speakers in our programs. Be aware that sometimes it becomes necessary to shuffle our speakers as this is a very fluid situation here, and we will do our best to keep each on time and keep the program on schedule. In fact, youre here this morning and you plan to heckle one of our speakers, why dont you go ahead and raise your hand now so we can escort you now and save a little bit of time. [laughter] [applause] seriously, guys, in the name of freedom of speech and out of just human decency, dont be an idiot, okay . [laughter] complimentary wifi is available for attendees in the ballroom, and vvs meeting rooms. Not your guest rooms. Just connect to frcssid. And finally, were pleased to have members of our media as our guests. Ladies and gentlemen, please be respectful as they cover this event. They are doing their jobs as best they can. In fact, would you join me in welcoming all of our friends in the National Media who are covering this event and thank them for joining us. [applause] thank you, folks. Now, in just a moment im going to ask you to stand as we begin our values voter summit by honoring the one where we get our values. Were going to begin in just a moment with a word of prayer, a special invocations by dr. Steve branson, Senior Pastor of Village Parkway Baptist Church in san antonio, texas, who has emerged as the leading voice and defender of u. S. Air force airmen against religious hostility. We are honored to have him open up the values voter summit in prayer and then please remain standing for the presentation of our nations colors by the American Heritage girls, troop number 1010, from woodbridge, virginia. Please remain standing for our pledge of allegiance brought to us by brooks hanby whose graduation speech about god and his faith was censored three times by the School District in california and is now being defended by the liberty institute. And when brooks gets to that part in the pledge where he says one nation under god, folks, lets let em hear us back in raleigh. And then finally, remain standing for the singing of our National Anthem as sung by grammynominated singer juanita williams. Ladies and gentlemen, would you please stand. Join with me as we pray. Father, what an honor it is to be here this day with all of these people in your presence. In your providence can, you have brought us all together. Every one of us from the speakers on to all who will be listening. For this very day, for this very purpose. And, father, we pray that you would open the eyes of our hearts so wed understand the hope, the calling that we have in christ jesus, that we would understand the inheritance that we have in our lord and save savior, jesus christ. That youd help us to understand even more the power in which you work. For we know that our horde and savior our lord and savior is above all authority and power, that hes in control of all that goes on around us, and we look forward to seeing all that he has in store for us in these coming days. I pray for each speaker, that you will bless them with wisdom, insight and understanding as they speak to us. Give us hearts to be able to listen, to weigh carefully all that we hear. But our prayer is mainly that, father, you would be glorified, that christ would be uplifted. And, father, we ask for grace upon our nation. You have given us the amazing privilege to be able to possess this land. You brought us as a people many, many, many years ago here, a nation built under the great truths of your word. Weve strayed far from that over these past years, and there is much trouble within the land now. But, father, we pray that this day and in the days that follow you will raise up people to be sought in light and that we would realize that even when persecuted, we are blessed and that you would give us courage and strength to be able to speak the great truths that you have given each one of us through your sob son. You be glorified, and may christ be uplifted. May every knee bow and tongue confess jesus christ is lord. And its in his name we pray, amen. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance. Ready, begin. I pledge allegiance to the federal of the United States of america and to the republic for which it stands. One nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. O say can you see by the dawns early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilights last gleaming. Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight. Or the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming. And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. O say does that starspangled banner yet wave oer the land of the free and the home of the brave [cheers and applause] thank you, ladies and gentlemen. You may be seated. Our very first speaker is the president of frc action and the Family Research council. Hell be preaching on sunday morning, by the way, in the load yum room. For now he comes to wring the 2014 values voter summit to order. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome tony perkins. [applause] good morning [cheers and applause] thank you very much. Good morning. Good morning. Well, on behalf of the Family Research coup ill and all council and all our sponsors and partners, we welcome you to the ninth annual values voter summit, and we welcome folks from across the country who are tuning in by television and the web. Now, one might be tempted to think that this is a goingaway party for erik holder, but its not for eric holder, but its not. [laughter] the next three days are designed to challenge you, encourage you and equip you to return home and redouble your efforts to take our country back. [applause] now, im happy to announce this morning that we have a strategy. [laughter] [applause] we will continue building a conservative cohesion, a win coalition, a winning team that despite occasional setbacks like the last six years [laughter] we will never, Never Surrender to the forces of statism and Political Correctness. [applause] now, we hear almost every day that conservatives are on the wrong side of history, that we want to turn back the clock. You know, i see it differently. We stand for what the clock cannot measure, for that which is is timeless and eternal. You know, todays left has developed a genius for division masquerading as unity. They have heralded an age of diversity while championing a stark uniformity of opinion and politics. And so bold are they in this strategy that in order to stifle their opponents in the political arena, they are even ready to rewrite and limit the First Amendment of our constitution. What they propose to do in this area of Campaign Finance goes hand in hand with what they have been willing to do and have succeeded in doing in the civic sector. They have attacked gifted individuals in the Communications Industries and universities and silicon valley, every from chickfila to Gallaudet University and dozens of others, tarring and feathering them just for daring to disagree with them. In fact, there was a smattering of leftist groups who took out an ad in the Washington Post this week calling on elected officials to refuse to speak to you, the values voters. Why . Well, remember, these are the same groups that support harry reid and his efforts to rewrite the First Amendment. But its real simple the truth stands in their way as they seek to fundamentally transform america. So they want to silence you and millions of americans like you. But heres the difference between the left and the right, we welcome the debate, we support their right to speak, we believe in the First Amendment. In fact, many in this room have put on the uniform of our nations military to defend their right to speak. I submit to you that it is not time to rethink our principles or shrink back from the conflict. No, now is the time to reaffirm our beliefs and redouble our efforts and to stand for the values that made america an exceptional nation. Yes, mr. President , america has been an exceptional nation. But in so doing, we must renew our Mutual Respect and reaffirm the necessity of each component of true conservativism, a free and growing economy, a National Defense that is second to none and traditional values are indispensable and mutually reinforcing. What unites us as conservatives is that we understand the meaning of liberty and the price that generation after generation has paid for it. We understand the irreplaceable role of character in the human drama. We understand the dangers of government that grows ever larger while becoming ever hungrier and each more jealous of and each more jealous of any institution that rivals or diminishes its influence. We here today as the value voters, we will are defend the American Dream, and we will define the future. Thank you for being here and for being a part of the values voter summit and for being a part of taking our nation back. America is worth fighting for, and we will stand for the truth. [applause] well, i am so excited to introduce to you our first speaker of the 2014 values voter summit. This is a guy who keeps me glued to cspan every time hes on. Maybe its because he is a twotime Ncaa Division i wrestling champion, because he knows a few moves. Ive watched him. He puts it on those bureaucrats. [laughter] congressman jim jordan represents ohios fourth congressional district, and he sits on the House Oversight and government reform committee. As a member of that committee, youve probably seen him several times grill the irs commissioner on the disappearance of lois lerners emails. [laughter] and last week as a member of the important select committee on benghazi, he asked, quote whats it going to take for the state department to put in place the practices that are going to save american lives . [applause] i am so glad that we have men and women like him on capitol hill working hard to to get answers and to get justice for the American People. Please welcome my good friend, congressman jim jordan of ohio. [cheers and applause] thank you. [applause] good to be with you this morning. Youve had to listen to me a few times here at this wonderful event. Thank you for what you do. I learned a long time ago that good things dont just happen. If you want to accomplish anything of meaning, anything of significance, it takes work, it takes effort, it takes sacrifice, and most importantly, it takes a willingness to get off the sidelines and get in the game. So i want to thank you for doing just that. And, frankly, for accepting the risk thats associated with getting in the game. Youre always going to be criticized when you do this. You get called all kinds of nice things by the mainstream, elite national press. Just par for the course, just part of the deal can. I love the line that cal thomas has when he talks about the way normal people see things and the way the New York Times sees things. He says i get up every morning, i read my bible and the New York Times so i can see what each sides up to. [laughter] theres a lot of truth to that. So thank you for what you do, and thank you for supporting an organization as fine as the Family Research council. When you think about the institutions that the good lord put together, the very First Institution wasnt the church, i want wasnt the state, it was moms and dads and kids. And the strength of that institution [applause] the strength of that institution ultimately determines the strength of your entire culture, your entire society and then our great country. And so it is, it is a special organization near and dear to my heart, and tonys been doing an outstanding job leading that, as you all know, and thats why you support it. In fact, speaking of family, we are when i get dope with this speech done with this speech, im flying to ohio, and we start the drive to georgia to see our second grandchild, katherine grace [applause] who is four weeks old today. And were looking forward to spending the weekend with them down there. I got some good news and bad news. Im going to do the good news tell me if im wrong. Im convinced that today the average family, the average middle class family thinks this town is completely rigged against them. They see bailouts for corporation, they see handouts for people who are able but unwilling to work, and theyre stuck paying the bill, and they are fed up with it. They see companies cozy up to government, get special deals, special loans at the exim bank, cozy up to government and get special tax treatment. If youre in the favorite industry of the administration, the green energy industry, you get all kinds of loan guarantees and special breaks from the government. Seven of the ten wealthiest counties are, guess where . Right here in the washington, d. C. Area. So the average family thinks the whole game is rigged against them, and theyre stuck paying the tab. And i would agree with em. And theyre looking for folks in washington to stand up and represent their values, the values that made our Country Special in the first place. [applause] one of my favorite, one of my favorite lines is from a baseball player, hershiser, pretty mucher for the dodgers. Pitcher for the dodgers. Great things can happen to ordinary people who are willing to work hard and never give up. And i like that statement mostly because of one word, the word ordinary. If you stop and think about it, were all just regular, ordinary people. Nobodys any better than anybody else. One of the things that bugs me is when someone thinks theyre special and theyre better than the rest of us. Were all in need of gods grace. But the amazing thing about this nation is ordinary people have been able to do extraordinary things if theyre willing to work hard and never quit. But today for the first time in American History, lots of middle class families are doubting the accuracy of that statement. And theyre looking for people to stand up and fight for them. Now, the good news is there are folks in the house of representatives doing that. Hopefully, were going to have a few more folks in the senate when this elections over. I think its going to happen. I think the party i belong to [applause] the party i belong to, i think were going the take back those six seats. And that will help us begin to frame things. But its worse than what i just described. Its not just that your money gets used for things you dont like, its also your fundamental values and the liberties you cherish, your freedoms are under attack. I mean, you think about, think about your First Amendment liberty, religious freedom. Thank goodness the decision was 54, but it was only 54, right . The hobby lobby decision. Your Second Amendment rights are under attack. Respect for human life, respect for the institution of marriage and family. All those things are you should attack from this administration are under attack. But probably no better example, and tony referred to this in his introduction, probably no better example of your freedoms being attacked than what the Internal Revenue service did where it systematically targeted people just like us for exercising your most fundamental rights, your right to free speech. You think about the First Amendment. This is why ive been so focused on this issue, because it cuts to what americas about. You think about the First Amendment, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of association, freedom of assembly, but your most fundamental right is your right to speak and to speak in a political nature against your government, to petition your government. And that is what this administration set out to systematically and sustain period of time target and harass people for. And it is as wrong as it gets. I just want to walk you through how serious this was and how it all started. Remember in 2010 when the president at the state of the Union Address called out the Supreme Court right after the Citizens United decision, called out judge alito and the court right there . Thats when it began. That whole year the president week after week would say things about shadowy tea party groups, right . Remember, folks just like you. This Strange Group with greatsounding names who were doing all kinds of dangerous things. And it was not just the president , it was all kinds of democrat leaders; durbin and schumer, and all these folks were saying things like irs, youve got to do something about this. This was in 2010. You know what happened in that election, right . We said the heck with nancy pelosi, and we changed who was running the house of representatives. So this goes on for that entire year. Lois lerner gives a speech at Duke University in october of 2010, just weeks before the election. And in that speech she says everybody is after us to do something now. Now think about that sentence. This is a direct quote from her speech. Whos the everybody in that sentence . Not everybody. The everybody is the president and her political heroes, democrat senators who are calling the irs and calling on the irs to do something. Everybodys asking her to do something now. Whats the now . Before the election. Same time frame. One of the emails we do have from ms. Lerner, she writes in an email we cant fix it now, but next year were going to launch a c4 project. We have to be careful and make sure it doesnt look per se political. Which is a fancy way of saying it is political, were just going to try to hide the fact. Right . And thats what they did. And they denied it all along. We started hearing from conservative groups who were being targeted. We actually brought lois lerner in. People sat down with her in 2012 after this had been going on for a while but hadnt yet become public, and we confronted her. She said, no, no, this is just the normal course of doing business and, frankly, we didnt believe her, so we called for the Inspector General to do an investigation which they did. About that same time, doug shulman, thencommissioner, said, no, no, he can give assurances theres no targeting going on. But the Inspector General did his investigation and found that wasnt the case. And they got a draft report, the irs got a draft report before it went public, and lois lerner three days before that gives a speech to the Bar Association meeting here in town and has a friend, planted question, asks her about this situation. And she blames doesnt take responsibility for it blames people in cincinnati. Remember this, right . Lying agents in cincinnati. Two rogue agents in cincinnati. First they denied it i mean, the whole patterns as old as the hills. They got caught the with their hands in the cookie jar, and were trying to hold them accountable. Theyve tried every excuse, blaming some other people, then going after the Inspector General saying his report was not accurate. The truth is they did it, and its so egregious, what took place, and they know they can not really get a good real investigation from the Justice Department. Lois lerner even this week was willing to talk to the press. Think about this she can talk to the press, she can talk to the Justice Department, but she cant answer Congress Questions and the questions the American People have. Unbelievable. And the reason shes willing to do all that, doing an exclusive with politico, the reason shes willing to do that is because she knows what the Justice Department their investigations a sham. January 13th of this year excuse me, of this year, fbi leaks to the wall street journal no ones going to be prosecuted. The president made his famous statement super bowl sunday, think about it. The head of the executive branch prejudges the entire case, says theres no corruption, not even a smidgen. And the lead attorney assigned to the case, thousands of lawyers at the Justice Department, the lead attorney assigned to the case is a maxedout contributor to the president s campaign, and were supposed to believe this is a real investigation. Eric holder cant go fast enough, right . [laughter] [applause] now, heres some good news. We did pass a resolution calling for a special prosecutor. I dont think eric holders going to do it. Maybe the next guy, next lady will, whoever the next ag is. But every single republican in the house of representatives voted for it, more importantly, 26 democrats. 26 democrats went against their president , their administration and said, yeah, this is so egregious, so wrong [applause] so i think things are starting to move in the right direction, i think were going to see it in a few weeks when the party i belong to takes back the United States senate, and then we set the context for whats going to happen in 16. [applause] let me finish with this, let me just finish with this, and i speak all over our district, all a over the state, frankly, all over the country, and one of the things i sense is the left always wants you to think youre in the minority. There are millions of people just like you all over the country who are doing what i said earlier, getting off the sidelines and getting in the game because they care about this country. And our nation has always risen to the occasion. Polly and i were traveling, we have a daughter that goes to school in iowa city, a son in madison, and we were driving that triangle over easter weekend, and were coming across route 88 across illinois, and pollys driving, im kind of half asleep in the passenger seat. Were driving along, and she sees this sign that says dixon, illinois, hometown of Ronald Reagan. And she just whips the car, whips the car off the road. I said what are we doing . Many were going to reagans boyhood home. You pull in this little town kind of like where we live in rural ohio. You pull in this little town, and one street off the main drag is reagans street, and you saw what made this guy such a great leader, his Humble Beginnings and the values he possessed and how he was able to articulate what made our Country Special. And it was just a neat if youre ever driving, do it. Go see it. Two little old ladies. You give em 5, and they take you on a tour with the local historical society. Its well worth it. But it took you back to what made this guy so special and whats truly great about this country. I may have shared this with you last time, but its a story thats stuck with me. A couple years ago we had some friends, again, capturing the kind of leadership reagan had and what this countrys about and the makeup of its people. We had some friends a few years ago, summertime two summers ago call us up and say want to go to dinner, and theyre down in the dayton, ohio, area, and we had the evening free, so we said, yeah, well go down. We were going to they said before we go to dinner, were going to tour the Wright Brothers home. Sure, wed like that. The house we live in is built in 1837, so we like that kind of stuff, old homes. Yeah, wed love to do that. And you go down, you go through the tour and, again, its the same kind of thing. Historical society, you go all the way through it. The last room they take you to, its one of the brothers bedroom. I cant remember which brother. Its about an hour tour, and in this last one they show you two pictures. The first picture is that first flight, kitty hawk 1903 in this contraption they called an airplane. Flew like 101 feet. You were like how did they get the thing off the ground . First flight. And you say, okay, i remember that, you know . I remember from whatever grade in school you learn those kind of things. They put that down. The next picture they hold up, 44 years later, 1947, chuck yeager breaking the sound barrier. Now think about that. This country with people just like you in 44 years, two guys flying 100 feet in a contraption they called a plane to chuck yeager breaking the sound barrier. Its an an amazing place. [applause] it is an amazing place. They put that down [applause] they put that picture down, and im walking out the door, and literally it hit me. Im, like, were in ohio. I represent new knoxville, ohio. Why in the heck did they stop there . They should have had the third picture, right . Because 22 years later, 1969, another american another ohioan stepped on the moon. So you think about this country in 66 years two guys flying a hundred feet to putting a man on the moon. It is truly the greatest nation ever. [applause] and there is nothing [applause] there is no policy, no crazy, goofy thing that this administration can do that we cant overcome if were willing to remember the values that made us special in the first place. And there is an attitude that has always characterized this nation. God bless you. Have a great day. [applause] lets pray for those men. Is right on the cutting edge of this panel in washington, d. C. Doing a fantastic job for us. Ladies and gentlemen, if you dont think this crisis with isis and some of these other terrorist groups is a threat to the United States of america, let me remind you that the twin towers and our pentagon was attacked and brought down by 19 terrorists. Here to talk more about that and some of the other issues making headlines including in gaza, isis terrorism, we have assembled a panel of leading experts to discuss these issues, which includes by the way three generals with seven stars between them. Coming up to moderate is Lieutenant General jarret boykin. [applause] who was one of the original members of the u. S. Armys delta force and ultimately commanded all of the armies green beret. Today were proud to announce he serves as executive Vice President of the Family Research council. Ladies and gentlemen, as these men come to the stage which are not just welcome them would you also think them for their service to the United States of america. [applause] thank you all. Thank you for much. Please be seated. My name is jerry boykin, and as you know, tony perkins is a marine and a number start my presentations here with a marine joke. Having said that, general conway is a retired commandant in the marine corps some going to skip that part of it. [laughter] out of fear for my life. And were going to go right into it. Listen, i know it all as americans are very concerned about what we see today unfolding really across the globe with the chaos that we see with the evil that is rising up in so many places around the world, and particularly what we see in the middle east right now. So ive asked our three panelists today, which i will introduce, to make a very brief Opening Statement and then as our time permits well ask them some specific questions. I will, that ive are selected with regards to the situation. Our first panelist today is really a man who is being a supporter of the Family Research council for a long time. He is a representative from the 11th district of north carolina, congressman mark meadows. We have a least one tarheel out there. Thank you very much. He was actually, grew up in a military family. His father was an army officer and he was born in france and eventually move back to florida, but he start a Small Business. Is what a Small Business for 27 years, has an extensive resume. What you need to know about him is hes a freshman in congress. He will be back next term for his second term in congress. He is one of our staunchest allies and supporters, and he is a man who worked with tony perkins to be able to bring this woman thats going to come tomorrow night to be honored, million abrahamic. He was right there with tony bringing her back. [applause] now, my favorite marine here, lectured used to be my neighbor at fort myer, virginia, and im not just so you know, im not going to use any multisyllabic words because youre on the panel today. [laughter] im going to be very careful. But look, this is a soldiers soldier so to speak. And extraordinary men. Came in the marine corps in 1970. He came from Southeast Missouri state university, into the marine corps, infantry officer in the marine corps, beginning in 1970. Ultimately, rising to become and not. You need to know his commanded at every level in the marine corps and, in fact, this is the guy the commanded the u. S. Marine troops, the First Expeditionary element there at the battle of fallujah in 2003. [applause] and then finally an old and different, and now not only kind of a minister in his own right but also a prolific author, Major General retired bob dees. And bob has written three books. One is called resilient warriors. The second one is resilient leaders, and the third is resilient nation but it is a trilogy. Bob isnt a good officer, west point graduate 1970 do. You would want to commend the Second Infantry Division and ultimately for those of you those of a great passion for israel as i do, ill actually commanded a task force they are called a combined task force for Missile Defense in israel from 20002002, and hes just been a great friend. He and his wife have resettled in texas, and so in your case, i dont know what you have been spelling down in the plains of texas, so im going to give you a break today give you some words that we dont understand. That said, id like to start with general conway who, by the way, has to leave a little early for another event is doing here at the hotel so im going to ask them to make an Opening Statement here, and then from right there. Thanks for the nice introduction to my mother would be happy with the introduction. My motherinlaw was to be skeptical but thats another story. It is great to be with you this 40. I apologize for having to leave early because i think its going to be a great session in its banality. The chinese have an old expression, may you always live in interesting times. I think we are there. Just to cover quickly, weve got turmoil in the middle east, of course in seated with a four sided fight that is has taken place, the establishment of the caliphate, which has always been the islamic extremist brand strategy. Moving feast, you have a situation in iraq that hopefully will get better in the near term as the new government starts to take shape, as they revitalize their army, include the kurds who are pretty tough guys in this fight, and our old friends the sunni tribal leaders i think of a direct conflict now thats going to open itself with isis. Because isis is going to attempt to consolidate this caliphate. They were committed conflict with the sunnis in the Anbar Province that dont bide their we need to get involved in that. Time is an issue. Sooner really the better. Iran just for the west is a real problem for us. In many ways, but not least of course which is the nuclear issue. And we should not lose sight on that. If i were still advising the president i would have to elegance of advice for him on iran. One, we dont need them with what were going to do in the middle east. We are powerful enough to do it without them and to involve them only makes us look weaker and them look stronger. So please dont do that, mr. President. [applause] the second thing is, dont lose sight of the longterm objective to make sure that iran does not want a possessed Nuclear Weapons. It will cause tremendous instability in the region of the world. They are seen as the major power already, to have been of Nuclear Weapons Assembly Going to cause weapons to proliferate in countries like egypt and turkey and perhaps even egypt. We just dont need that. Russia, in my mind, Vladimir Putin is a very dangerous man. We are all products of our experience, but his experience when the wall came down was that he was a Lieutenant Colonel in the kgb. For most of the rest of us it was the introduction of a new world order. For him it was abject defeat. Now hes in a position i think he believes to do something about that. Hes very narcissistic, which makes them in some ways unpredictable, but he also has the advantage of location, a powerful nation we should never forget. If theres one nation on the face of the earth that could destroy us tonight, and thats mother russia. And i think intent in this case, to poke us in the eye every chance he has for as long as he has the opportunity to do that. If you move all the way out west to the pacific, china. China concerns me. Theres a little history of Major Trading partners actually come into conflict, and yet in the case of china, it concerns me for the longterm. Part of that is because the most bombastic people in china with their newfound military and power projection capability, are there admirals and generals. Normally its the politician whos hammering the table, but in this case it is the admirals and the generals. The last time we saw that, folks, was pretty world war ii japan. Preworld war ii japan. I will finish with these thoughts. There are lots of challenges out there that require u. S. Leadership. Some of these issues i think exist not because of the vacuum that are absence of leadership is caused in the past. So i would offer again we need to stay involved. We need to be in the leading role in virtually all of these with our partners and allies. And to do that we need a Strong Department of defense that is able to respond to our commanderinchief. Thank you. [applause] thank you, general conway. Congressman meadows. Ill keep it real breathe. We need to be a country that means what we say and mean what we say. It is time that we could apologizing for americas greatness and start celebrating. [applause] you know, we have a National Security risk, and the general said it well. Right now weve taken our eye off the ball because of what is happening with isil and horrific things that have been reported. But iran, a nuclear iran, is the greatest National Security threat we face, not only for us, but for israel. And what we must do they stand up to that. This morning there are reports coming out of the state department that we need to meet iran halfway, meeting iran halfway is a major, major mistake and its something we must not stand for. Im going to close with this. We need a Foreign Policy that truly makes a clear objective of what we stand for and what we will tolerate and what we will not tolerate. Teddy roosevelt said walk softly and carry a big stick. This president walks softly and gives a good speech. And we need to make sure that we stand with the men and women who fight and protect our country, and honor them in their service. Thank you. [applause] general dees. Thank you, and i think thats a very good strategic overview by general conway and thank you for the call to action and the clarity. Its what im hearing you say, and you saying its important and that would be my first comment come walk softly, very carry a big stick is about deterrent. How do we deter. Thats the answer prevention worth a pound to exactly the importance of strategy. We have an expression in the army at least thats his strategy eat pancakes for breakfast. The point is what were doing in syria and a few other pin point places is tactical reflects responses rather than a strategic Broad Perspective that goes towards an end state that is worthwhile and discernible. Im going to make four points very quickly. If you aim at nothing you will surely hit it. [laughter] we must be clear about the threats. We talk to about a number of different threats. I will identify three additional threats with laser focused the first of all, before the obama administration, it was called gwot, global war on terror. It is global. Our military is in 100 nations plus around the world today and theyre not twiddling their thumbs. They are resisting evil and lots of forms, and thats all rooted, largely rooted in this islamic fundamental terrorism. Global war, it is a war and it is terrorism. So lets call it what it is. Lets be sure we know what we are aiming at. [applause] we have a lot of external threats. Thats the primary one because its like a cancer. Its death by 1000 cuts, but the two other threats that i would identify briefly is our internal apathy is a National Security issue. More people like you need to stand up to be counted. [applause] and then the third one is that we have been infiltrated. The enemy is within. I came back after 9 11, a few days later i was in europe at the time, to check out the intelligence. And about 30 seconds i saw the deal. I saw liquid displaced upon this though. Issued cell phone calls coming from kandahar afghanistan going to places like lackawanna, new york, greenville, north carolina, nashville, tennessee, dearborn, michigan. These are all islamic sanctuaries in the United States within which to our fundamentalist sleeper cells. All those calls lit up and and 30 seconds i saw that we had been infiltrated badly. We can talk about that more lately, but weve got to figure out how to observe National Security inside our borders. Secondly, International Affairs and Domestic Affairs are inseparable. Youve heard talk of the tree of liberty that is said by the blood of patriots. Well, the tree of liberty is not just on the International Side or on the domestic side. It is both. Within our country today we have a pervasive culture of appeasement. On the domestic side it looks like entitlements but it looks like tailoring to special interest groups. It looks like tailoring to our Illegal Immigrants coming across the border and not securing our border. Thats what appeasement domestically looks like, and then internationally we know all about Neville Chamberlain and we continue to appease the day as the Competence Center we appease iran, we a piece the red lines that we make and then for it. So you get the point. Those are our three threats. I think its critical that we recognize this enemy and we deal with it, and that our domestic situation, our moral erosion, our internal apathy under on infiltration our part and parcel to our National Security. American exceptionalism mission in a brief for them we are an exceptional nation to get driver of washington, d. C. , you look at the monuments biggies a look at all the grandeur. But if you go to moscow, if you go to beijing, you see the same grandeur. He said this is impressive, and yet that grandeur hides murder of millions of people. It hides totalitarianism. And so what makes america different is not the grandeur. It is americans are very heart and soul into what god himself breeze on high. [applause] we are an exceptional nation and then finally so what. Were all asking the question, so what. Ill be brief. Francis schaeffer said how then shall we live . If the foundations are destroyed, what should the righteous do . You men and women of america, you great patriots are the righteous. Weve got to stand up to be counted. I would say it is a great time to be alive but if you have a Warrior Spirit within the depth of your soul, it is a great time to be alive because greatest is he who is in us and he is in the world, so lets get to business. [applause] thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you all. All right, im going to go to general conway. General conway now really dedicates his life to this whole issue of National Security and he speaks about it and he is now working with an Organization Called securing americas future energy. And general conway, i want to give you an opportunity to speak about the criticality in terms of National Security of our energy resources. You know, and i would argue its not just National Security. You can make the case its interNational Security. Look at whats happening with russia and ukraine and sort of leverage that putin is exhibiting there. But my concern, folks, is that its not as bad as it was. At one point we were importing 60 of our total petroleum requirement. Of that 60 , a large portion goes to transportation, and our transportation industry, the cars yo you and i tried editing mode important the purposes our economy, the trucks of the over the road require 92 petroleum products. And my concern is that the justification is not there, and today this year, well import about 30 of that requirement. And the countries that are controlling this Global Market which is by no means a free market, we have a free market in this country, but the Global Market is very much contrived and is controlled largely by nations in opec who then in many ways control our destiny. Our islamic extremist enemy has said they will defeat us eventually, not in the field. They cant beat our armies in the field but they will destroy our economies through control and or manipulation of this oil supply. So we consider it a National Security issue. Our production in recent years is better. It gives us more of a buffer if theres a fire refinery or bad weather of something else, we dont see prices jerked up like they used to. But we cannot achieve Oil Independence simply to our production. Its small, it goes through the Global Market. And so the answer is both supply and demand. Weve got to do more drilling, weve got to open a federally mandated areas. But at the same time we need to i think develop alternative Energy Sources that will reduce the requirement, that 92 that we rely on so much. Not by investing in companies. Thats been tried and failed obviously, but through investing in national laboratories, University Laboratories that can come up with products that will then go to the free market in america and make us stronger i think and safer in the long term. Thank you very much, general conway. [applause] congressman. Congressman meadows, would you talk to us for a minute about our southern border and how you see that being an issue of National Security . Do you think that we have been infiltrated with anything other than day workers are people that are just here to sell marijuana or cocaine . Is anything else thats come across that border . What is your assessment and what should we do about it . Our southern border needs to certainly be secured. Some 9000 in may of on some 9000 young people came across the southern border all of us saw that we were somehow shocked and surprised that that was happening, and yet it made not been is because were taking the kids and were buzzing all over the United States to take it of them. The bigger problem is the National Security problem that if we have isil and other terrorist groups, which hezbollah is all over latin america. You know, when you really look at that, they have cells and active groups in colombia and panama and other areas. And to have that open border just allows the terrorists to be among us. And for many of you, im from north carolina. Many of you think that, well, you live in relative peace and thats not happening because you will see the threat in your neighborhood. But i can tell you north carolina, as the general mentioned, not only in greenville, north carolina, but we have convicted in charlotte, north carolina, a hezbollah cell. They actually were there. They were convicted. So that wasnt enough. They came back and they said what theyre going to do is kill the prosecuted. Theyre going to blow up the courthouse. You can google it. You can find out all about. So for us to think that an open southern border is a secure border is the tragedy going to be when the headlines become one of these terrorist groups take advantage of it here in the United States and weve got to address it. Thank you. [applause] general dees, let me ask you a question that i didnt prep you for backstage here, but i like messing you because we are old friends. Would you please talk to us about the current state of our military. That is a very series National Security issue. Can we rise to the occasion . Are we prepared to defend this nation against the threats that we see on the horizon that our Intelligence Community tells us we should be focused on . What is your assessment . My assessment is that our military has been at war for over a decade. If you think about general boykins time in the military, weve been in this global war on terror as well as Everything Else going on in the world since 1979, 1980. So come and then of recent. I was yesterday at fort meade. I was with folks that have been deployed seven years out of the last 10 years. So theyre digging deep. They are digging deeply into the well of courage, but what depletes their wealth of courage the most is that they feel perhaps lack of support, lack of coherence from their commander in chief and national strategies. Our military people have committed themselves to serve and even to die. Thats the contract that they have signed. And the thing that really takes the wind out of their sails is if they think they might be not utilized in the proper way, or the commander in chief does not have the backbone to stay the course. So thats a problem. And then another issue i would mention is that for the troops in the foxholes, faith makes a difference. When theyre getting ready to go on adventures patrol in afghanistan or iraq, they will hold hands and say, god, you are our raw, our fortress, the strong part of whom we can run. They are not worried about Political Correctness when theyre getting ready to take artillery. Now conversely when you get inside the beltway of washington, d. C. , we have a lot of political correct games that are being played that simply mayor our culture. Many of you our culture warriors day in and day out. Those same games, those same wars a flick our military. They take from their well of courage. They reduce our readiness. So our military is committed to clear and noble causes will perform admirably are still the best military in the world. And i will make maybe later a comment, when we are outsourcing military task of very urgent military nature to a jv rather than employing the own american varsity and very precise surgical ways, then we are not doing the right thing. Thank you. [applause] thank you very much, general dees. Congressman, let me turn to you and ask you for your personal assessment on the concept of arming and equipping the Free Syrian Army. What are your thoughts on that . You know come anytime that you look at putting men and women in harms way, it is probably the toughest vote that you will ever take. And recently we made a vote in the house to do just that. I was one of the ones that voted no. I felt like it was [applause] you have to ask yourself a few questions. We spent billions of dollars training iraqi troops, only to see them turn and run when isil came in. We had in benghazi, we had libyans that were supposed to be helping with the security of the consulate there, and yet what happened we know all too well, for dead americans. We are now in the process of training five to 6000 series that are supposed to go up and take on a Battle Tested army of over 31,000, maybe closer to 40,000 by the time that they are trained and ready. And some that we think that these 5000 syrians are going to be able to do the job. The general said it best. We have the best fighting men and women and national Security Team in the world, and yet what were doing is were putting it out for bid with syrians somewhere else. And for me that was very troubling, and it is not something i believe that it will have a Clear Strategy for success, and something that i know that we will be having to come back and address again. And that is the way to avoid casualties, not produce casualties which this long slog will in fact do. The second thing, i will use this as a bit of a segue, we have greater priorities in the region. Im very concerned that the United States continues to sound an uncertain trumpet about the support of the nation of israel. [applause] just a brief vignette, i was in israel as part of my duties and i was pulled out of bed one night by israeli general staff. They had taken down a ship trying to infiltrate into gaza strip. It had high technology. They would drop these shipping containers that would float 10 feet under the water. Fishermen come out from gaza strip. Take it into underground caves and next day shooting them toward israel. The reason they woke them up, israel called u. S. State department at this moment in time, we have this issue and this and this. This state department, guys are hyping it again. Go back to sleep. That illustrates that the culture that permeates our state department at present and at that time. So we need to be very clear about our support of the nation of israel. If israel goes down, we all go down. Israel are gods people. It is a moral issue as well as a practical issue. [applause] let me break protocol here and make a statement. I want to reinforce and support what the congressman said and i want to thank you for voting no on this. Look, there are people in here that believe the right way to go is to arm and equip this thing called the Free Syrian Army but there are some things that you need to think about and you need to understand and well just have to disagree on this, on the prudence of this, but you need to understand that there are no redeeming features to bashar alassad. He is an evil despot. You know what he has never done . He has never been a threat to christians. When you look at realities what is happening to the Christian Communities in egypt and syria and iraq and libya and all of these islamic countries, the reality is, he has never been a threat to christians of the other thing is, he has never been a threat to israel. Other than rhetoric he never really made any serious attempts to invade israel and get the Golan Heights back. When we Start Talking about arming and equiping 5,000 people that we havent vetted, we also need to reflect on the fact that we did this in other places like afghanistan and iraq and many of those people that had been vetted turned on us and killed our troops in their own bases. So why would we invest more blood and treasure in arming and equiping people we dont know ultimately what theyre going to do with the arms and the equipment, and then in the case of the iraq army, they have already given theirs to isis, the very people that were now trying to stop. Were trying to stop by destroying americanmade equipment that we left in the hand of the iraqi army. So i think that, if you can get beyond the emotion of this, weve got to do something, weve got to do something to top isis, by the way, i dont call them isil. When you say isil what youre really doing, youre failing to recognize the existence of israel, because the levant that does not include, now meese people dont know that. I understand that. I say isis. That we really need to get beyond the emotion of it and think in terms of what is the practical side of and arming and equiping these people we dont know what ultimately theyre going to do. We already know there has been a pact made with isis, a nonaggression pact made with isis. I know senator mccape denies that vehemently but my sources and many other sources are saying it is absolutely true. I will go to the congressman now. I want to ask you another question question congressman. We are yet to have accountability on benghazi. What is your assessment of what the long term impact of never getting to the answers on benghazi . What is the longterm impact of that . How does that affect us as a nation, as a society, if we dont do the right thing with regards to benghazi here . Well, if we dont get to the bottom of it, which i believe that we will. My good friend trey gowdy is [applause] he is a true patriot. He is, regardless of what you may read, he is not political. What he wants to do is make sure that the American People get the truth and that we hold those that are responsible responsible. And we can be very thankful that chairman gowdy is over that. So we will get to the bottom of it. However in the meantime when the truth does not come out, we repeat the mistakes of the past. Were starting to see that right now in this strategy that we have, in my opinion, or the strategy or nonstrategy that we have with regards to addressing the terrorist groups that are trying to kill americans and, our allies every day. The other part of that is, is that, when, when we start to look at a false narrative, that comes from our government, it undermines the very trust that we have in those that are elected, in our overall government operations. And all of the American People want is the truth. We know that the truth always prevails. It will always ultimately come out but if we do not, if we suppress it, whether it is that or the irs or anything else, then what ultimately happens is we continue to undermine the credibility and we create a more unstable situation. So i have great hope that justice will prevail and that chairman gowdy will get to the bottom of it. Thank you very much. [applause] general dees, same question. Thank you, congressman. I would gain altitude just a second. I think, i have written about spiritual infrastructure as an element of National Power and one of the elements of that spiritual infrastructure of the United States of america is the proper retention of National History instead of historical revisionism to fit a convenient narrative. Okay . [applause] the historical revisionism that we see in benghazi is symptommic of historical revisionism we see across our country, across the world of politics and even in the common core curriculum for instance of the obama administration. [applause] lets change the truth. In war, truth is the first casualty. Lets change the truth to fit our liberal agenda objectives, our narrative, we see it happening left and right. Weve got to resist that stringently and tell what happened the way it happened. Thanks, jerry. Thank you. [applause] were down to about three minutes left. So i will go to the congressman and ask you for a brief assessment of the strategy that has been laid out by our president to deal with this threat of isis. Well, there is not a strategy and, and i think even he admitted that he didnt have one. So as we see that, there is a real desire on the part of almost all americans to make sure that we deal with it. The threat is real. It is a threat against american interests and against American People. We need to understand that. And yet what we need to do is to make sure that we have a clear, decisive objective, one that is strati can call and focused as general dees. Was indicating what happens is a lot of dollars spent, billions and billions of dollars spent, a camouflage doing something to protect the National Interest and yet it doesnt. When you have people at the state Department Says our greatest National Security threat is climate change, you got an issue. I mean in the morning, how ridiculous is that, when you have our fighting men and women, they get up, man its a little chilly. Maybe today is the day we have to worry about climate change. It is just ridiculous. General dees. Same strategy, thank you, congressman. What strategy would be the question and i would offer that we are in a very complex environment and reality is complexity requires strategy, whether youre in business or any endeavor to include the employment of National Power both internally and externally. Were playing chess, not checkers and our Administration Needs to recognize that. Thank you. [applause] im going to close this out and some of you may have seen it. I was asked last week to do judge jeanines program last saturday night. I went to a studio in atlanta, the question came up of how can we put 3,000 troops on the ground so quickly to fight ebola when we cant come up with a strategy to deal with isis . And heres my answer. And america, remember we got what we asked for. This president is thinking like a Community Organizer, not a commanderinchief that takes the lives and futures of his soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines seriously. Weve got a Community Organizer that has surrounded himself with people that know everything about climate change, everything about marxism, everything about the lgbt agenda you about virtually nothing about National Security and he is unwilling to listen to his real professionals. That is the military professionals because he doesnt trust them. Because they represent something that he has never been able to understand. And that is a love for america. May god bless you. Give our panel a hand. [applause] lets hear it for them. Great job. Thank you, men. [applause] and to clarify two things. Number one, i gave them seven stars. There were nine stars between them. Tony perkins told me you will see stars if you do not correct that. And a few stripes. So we needed to correct that right away. Also, brahm obama says that the i in isis does not stand for islamic but were proud to say that the v in vvs here stands for values. Folks, our next speaker is from the whoser state of indiana. And beliefs the best way to strengthen america is to strengthen our families. Defend the unborn, provide health care that works and improve education and produce efficient, effective government. What a novel idea. Ladies and gentlemen, would you please welcome indiana congressman, marlon stutzman. [applause] good morning. Great to be here with you this morning. Glad to see this room so filled this morning. It will be a great day. Im excited to be here with you all and of course want to thank Family Research counsel, tony perkins,frc action, josh duggar, great warriors for the conservative cause and appreciate all they do, not only for us here in washington, fighting the fight in congress but getting the word out across the land in so many different ways to make a difference. I was looking at the lineup this morning and it is a little intimidating. You look at ted cruz. , rand paul, michele bachmann, oliver north, i kind of feel im just the warmup act at A Tim Hawkins show. Or better yet, i think i now know what it feels like to be a chapter rohn on a duggar date. What a great family. Josh is such a good friend and their family and testimony they have and work theyre doing, so appreciative of them. Were here together because we want to provide such an important voice, a needed voice here in washington for american values. I am marlon stutzman. Im from the great state of indnan im first of all in this order. Im a christian. [applause] im a husband to christie stutzman. Father to peyton and preston. Im a conservative and im a republican. So before i entered into politics i was a whoser farmer. I grew up on a farm in the small town of howe in northeastern indiana and i learned many lessons in life from my grandfather andrew and my father albert. Working on a family farm it is hard work but i enjoyed it. I can tell you i never fully understood values i learned while cleaning out cow manure from the cow pens. God knew, god knew i would need that lesson when he sent me to congress. [applause] i have to brag a little bit about indiana. Good things are happening in indiana. Our economy is growing and we were listed by George Mason University as the third freest state in the nation. It also doesnt hurt that we live next door to illinois. In illinois the politicians philosophy is quite different. Just like obama, they love big government. And in fact illinois politicians they arrange with their executors to bury them in chicago because they still want to be politically active after they die. [laughter]. You know, our values are under threat today and recently it is only become much worse. Big government progressives are interested in marginalizing, dividing and silencing critics who provide a different point of view. They believe that the solutions are found in the federal government. We believe the American People have the answers. There are three institutions that i believe in. That god has ordained. First of all the family, second of all the church, and third the government. Each one of these institutions play a very significant role. And if theyre out of balance, things can go wrong. The family has to be strong. We have to have fathers in the home. Divorce rates need to be lowered. We need love and support single parent families. The church has a Critical Role in our communities. They need to have Community Awareness and involvement. Supporting the family, building character in young people. If those two are fulfilling their appropriate roles, the government will then fulfill its appropriate role. National defense, infrastructure. So when i think about what makes america great, we can think of a lot of things. Our history, our culture, hard work. Entrepreneurship, all these qualities make us unique to the rest of the world. Sadly theres a new formula here in washington, d. C. About how to start a Small Business. Have you heard about this . Well take your hardearned money, start a large business, and then wait one year. After one year you will have a Small Business. [laughter]. America has never been a mindless mass. We have always been one country that celebrated and encouraged the power of each individual to dream, to work, to live his life in peace. When the left makes it easier for people to lose their individual dignity by convincing them to trade their dignity for dependence, it is a height of disrespect. Many on the left forget quickly that the United States government would not exist without the people. It is quickly many abouting a government above the about the people, and without the people and against the people. For proof of that, look no further than the acronyms, nsa, epa, and irs. The nsa, above the people. Epa, without the people. And the irs, against the people. Id say we would be better off if the nsa, epa and irs were mia. [applause] its time that we cut the federal Government Back down to the size of the original piece of parchment it was written on. In spite of everything, i still believe in america. When i think about american greatness, i dont think about inside the beltway. I think of the American People. Since our founding we have grown from 13 colonies to a country that now stands as the worlds lone superpower. We are that superpower because our government, because our people have had the freedom to create, explore, innovate and invent. We us must protect this individual freedom and make sure the government doesnt squeeze anybodys ability to grow, or succeed or live the American Dream. You see it is important that the first three words of the constitution are reminder to every politician. It is not we the government. But it is we the people. We all come from different places and have different stories. Yet our belief in the American Dream is what unites everyone of us. This is my vision for a Strong America. I believe that a Strong America is a place where religious liberty is embraced and no longer threatened by overreaching federal health care mandates. I see a Strong America [applause] i see a Strong America as a land where families decide where their children attend school, whether its a choice among public schools, voucher for a private school, or the protections to homeschool. Education is critical to a free society. The federal government that overtakes families and individual states responsibilities is out of line. A Strong America is a place where people dont need to depend on the federal government because opportunities exist for all who work and embrace personal responsibility. I believe in an america that stands shoulder to shoulder against tyranny with our friend and allies around the world and never ever, apabandons gods people in israel. [applause] i also firmly believe that a Strong America is one that protects the lives of the born and the unborn. [applause] i want to share with you a story. There was a young lady, who was 17 years old. All of sudden found herself in an unexpected pregnancy. She was actually the daughter of a pastor, large family, very involved in the community and found herself in a very, very difficult situation. She didnt know what to do. She, didnt know who to talk to. She didnt know where to go. On top of that, her family, her father and mothers home where her and 10 children lived burned to the ground. She had lost everything. She actually found herself laying on a floor one night in a neighbors home, crying and sobbing because she didnt know what to do. She knew if she could get to kalamazoo, michigan, there was an Abortion Clinic there. She knew if she could just find a ride, find a car, to get to the Abortion Clinic, she could take care of this problem. She was sobbing, she was crying. One night some of the other people in another room heard her crying and she knew that the secret was no longer, she wasnt going to be able to hide the secret much longer. Since she couldnt get to kalamazoo to dot abortion, she finally decided she would have to tell someone. So she told her mother. She didnt want to tell her boyfriend. She didnt know what he would say. She didnt want to tell her father, he was the pastor. Of course he would be embarrassed. But her mother was a lady she finally decided to trust. And my grandmother, grabbed my mom, and told her it was going to be okay. [applause] we are all, we are all going to mess up but we have to reach out in love. We have to reach out with a helping hand. We have to be willing to say, im going to stand beside you and i will help you get through this time. Because if we dont, government is going to try to. We have to be the ones to reach out and help. Just like my mother, just like my grandmother. Just like my father and my grandfather. They fully embody what it means to believe in each other and that all life has value. It is because of that belief today, before more doctors, teachers, athletes, scientists, and even small town farmers, lose their opportunity to live their own story, let this generation be the one to stop abortion in america. [applause] so we need each and everyone of you, thank you for being here today. It is critical, because if our voices arent heard, many across the countrys voices will not be heard in washington. We need to build relationships. Never hurts to smile when youre talking with your liberal friend. Just keep smiling. It makes them nervous. We need to be happy warriors, willing to go out and show up at places where they dont expect us to show up. Build relationships with our officials in office. And you know what . If you have the opportunity, take the opportunity to run for office, if you feel that is what youre led. America was founded on freedom and liberty and we are the guardians of that legacy. Lets stand together and fight to keep our nation strong. Lets stand together and fight for a Brighter Future for generations to come. Thank you for being here. Thank you for supporting Family Research counsel frc action. Thank you for making a difference in peoples lives. God bless each one much you. And god bless america. [applause] thank you, congressman stutzman. Senator cruz is in the house. [cheers and applause] and, coming to introduce him is one of our great sponsors every year at the values voters summit, and that would be the Media Research center. The tracks and reports on overwhelming liberal bias in todays media. Im so thankful for this organization because they weed through hours and hours of liberal Media Coverage so we dont have to and report to us. We appreciate that so much. Coming out to introduce our next speaker, ladies and gentlemen welcome and also thank the president of the Media Research center. Brent bozell. [applause] thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. How yall doing today . How is it going . Okay, im going to, senator cruz is backstage but i would talk for 45 minutes first. Actually, very quickly. First thing i want to do is introduce you to my grandson. [applause] Maximillian Leo bozell is, i just met him yesterday. His father is stationed, is in the marine corps, captained in the marine corps and stationed in okinawa. They came back last night. He and his lovely bride brought us the baby and have been having fun ever since. There is second reason. There are three reasons why i brought him. The second reason to ask you all, as you listen to people like senator cruz, to focus on children like this. Focus on future. This isnt about you. This is about this generation and to ask you, get off defense. Have our movement get off defense. It is time to go on offense. [applause] and, along those lines, finally, max wanted to say something. No, what he was asking me before is, if this was a 50c 4 and, i said, it was. Then he said, that he wanted to express his own opinion, his personal opinion, and i said, oh, okay. And, oh. He said, run, ted, run. Thank you very much. [applause] thank you so very, very much. And i want to thank especially max. I think that the youngest introducer i ever had. God bless the value voters summit. [applause] one year ago this week i stood on the senate floor and said i intend to stand until i can stand no longer. [applause] 21 hours later, together, a great many men and women across this country had elevated the debate about the disaster that is obamacare. So, in honor of that anniversary, sit back, relax. Well be here a while. [laughter] but, dont worry, you know, you will know were nearing the end if and when i bring out and begin to read the cat in the hat. You flow a lot of yall have gotten to know our daughters, caroline and catherine. Caroline is six, catherine is three. Caroline the sixyearold is a cynic. Absolutely nothing ive done in the u. S. Senate has impressed her at all. Except, for reading green eggs and ham. And i will tell you, when i came home, caroline, she was five then of the she had her arms crossed and she looked at me. Okay, dad, that was kind of cool. Which, when your kindergartner gives you that kind of reassures its pretty good. Now look, we all saw the news, how many of yall saw the news that a man was stopped after he climbed the fence at the white house . Yeah, the secret service stopped him. They said, im sorry, mr. President , you have two more years left on your term. [laughter] that one actually came from jimmy fallon. But you know, we do actually, we should actually hold the media to account i will say their reporting on this person who broke into the white house, they have really not used the politically correct term and we should insist, abc, nbc, cbs and refer to the term that is politically correct, an undocumented white house visitor. [applause] im so grateful, that yall are here today. Standing up for our country. You know, the word tells us, weeping may endure for a night but joy comeseth in the morning. We are here today, because every man and women in this room knows and understands morning is coming. Morning is coming. [applause] we have seen that abroad. Weve seen that in our lives. Weve seen that at home. You look at abroad, this conference is particularly blessed to welcome in our midst an extraordinary hero, Meriam Ibrahim. [applause] i just had the opportunity to visit with meriam and her son martin and her little baby girl, maya, and her husband daniel backstage. What an incredible peace and joy radiates from meriam. A young wife, a young mother, imprisoned, thrown into a pit, giving birth to her daughter with her legs in leg irons. Sentenced by a cruel and oppressive government to receive 100 lashes and then to hang by the neck till dead. For the crime of being a christian. And the government of sudan told meriam, if you will only renounce jesus we will spare you this terrible fate. And meriam looked at her captors and she said, i can not, and i will not renounce christ. [applause] how many of us have ever had our faith tested like that . How many of us have face ad question like that . If you start to feel hope and despair for what is happening in this country, remember that prison cell in sudan. I asked meriam just a few minutes ago, in the dark of it all, how did you not lose faith . How did you not give up hope . And she responded very simply. She said, god was with me. Anyone who forgets the promise simply remember joy cometh in the morning. Millions of believers across the world lifted meriam up in prayer, spoke out in support of her and that attention, the he, the light, was too much on the government of sudan and they were forced to release her, free, free at last [applause] im reminded of the book of acts where paul and silas were thrown in prison just like meriam. And god brought an earthquake that broke the prison open and their jailer, afraid for the consequences, began to take his own life. And paul stopped him. And the jailer asked of the apostle paul, what must i do to be saved . Were seeing modern days pauls and silases across the world. In iran, after saeed abedini, tomorrow not is values voters summit you will hear from nagmeh, his wife. Who i visited with several times. A woman of incredible faith. She is an american. Her husband is an american. Their two little kids are American Children living in idaho. You havent seen it, she recorded a simple video of their children saying, please, send our daddy home. Today is the twoyear anniversary of the Republican Guard showing up and throwing pastor saeed in prison for professing his christian faith. Two years. You know one of the incredible things talking to gnawing maydnagmeh, hearing the story, while mass store eye seed, in iranian prison, led dozens of fellow prisoners and their jailers to christ. [applause] just as with paul and silas, the jailers are turning to pastor saeed and saying what must i do to be saved . God is present in the darkest corners. And we are standing on the promise of the word. You know right now this week the government of iran is sitting down with the United States government, swilling chardonnay in new york city, to discuss what Prime Minister netanyahu rightly describes as an historic mistake, a very, very bad deal, tragically is setting the stage for iran to acquire Nuclear Weapon capability. We so desperately need a president who will stand up and say, these discussions do not even begin until you release pastor saeed and send him home. [applause] oh, the vacuum of American Leadership we see in the world. We need a president who will speak out for people of faith, prisoners of conscience. We need a president who will stand up and say to the over 200 nigeria schoolgirls, held captive by boko haram because theyre christians, little girls, sold into slavery. We need a president who will speak out for prisoners of conscience, like kenneth bah in north korea, like lopez in venezuela, like heck mahdi in iran. Like alan gross in cuba. Like Sergeant Tahmooressi in mexico. [applause] abroad we see a lot of weeping that may endure for the night but we stand on the promise that joy is coming in the morning. And part of the reason we can stand with such confidence, with such optimism, with such hope, is we understand it in our own lives. This is not something abstract and theoretical. This is something each of us has lived. Many of yall have gotten to know my father, pastor rafael cruz. [applause] he is very, very shy, very softspoken and beloved by the media. [laughing] but, or even the folks are cracking up at that one. But you know, my dad as a teenager experienced that same captivity. He was 14 when he began fighting in the cuban revolution. He was in the student council. The revolution in cuba came from the student councils, from high schoolkids and from college kids, when my father turned 17, my grandparents bought him a brand new white suit. And he went out partying, enjoying the town because he was 17 and then he disappeared. And my grandfather went searching for him because he knew his son had been in the underground. He searched from jail to jail to jail. Father had been thrown in a cuban prison and tortured, beaten, hour after hour. He had his teeth crushed in as his head was stomped into the ground by an army boot. My grandmother told me, when she saw my father again, that white suit, you could not see a spot of white anywhere on the suit. It was covered in mud and blood and his teeth were dangling from his mouth. And yet, even when he was in that cuban jail god was with him. By all rights my father should have perished there. But gods hand brought him from captivity to freedom. Gods grace brought hem to the United States of america. [applause] you know when i was a young child my parents were living up in calgary. They were in the oil business. And neither of my parents were people of faith at the time. Neither of them had a relationship with christ. Both of my parents drank far too much. Both of them had Serious Problems with alcohol. And when i was three years old, my father decided, he didnt want to be married anymore. And he didnt want a threeyearold son. So he got on a plane and left calgary and he flew back to texas to houston. And he left us. Now when he was in houston a colleague in the oil and gas business invited my father to come with him to clay road Baptist Church. And my father accepted that invitation. He went to clay road Baptist Church and gave his life to jesus. [applause] and he went and bought an airplane ticket and flew back to calgary, to rejoin my mother and to rejoin his son. So when anyone asks is faith real, is a relationship with jesus real . I can tell you if it were not, for my father giving his life to christ, i would have been raised by a single mother without having my dad in the home. Everyone of us, we have seen firsthand that in utter darkness hope remains. The words of Amazing Grace put it, how sweet the sound that saved my soul. I once was blind but now can see what an incredible story everyone of us knows and understands in our lives. And we see it at home. We see it in our nation. There is today in america an urgency, that none of us have ever seen before in politics. You know polling today shows that 76 of americans dont belief that our children will have a better life than we did. That is unprecedented. And it is fundamentally unamerican. The american idea that this country was built on, every generation for centuries has believed with freedom, with standing for our values, that our kids will have a better life than we did and their kid will have a better life than they did. This is a time of great crisis but it is no greater than the crisis Meriam Ibrahim faced in that cell in sudan. It is no greater than the crisis so many of us have faced in our own lives. You know last night i had dinner with an israeli friend of mine for rosh hashanah. And he made a remarkable observation. He said, america begins with the fundamental premise of religious liberty. It is the very first thing in the bill of rights. It is the very first freedom upon which all our other liberties are built. This country was built on a revolutionary idea that our rights dont come from government, they come from almighty god. [applause] as the declaration said, we hold these truths could be selfevident, that all men are created equal and are endowed, not by a king, not by a queen, not even by an all powerful president. Endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights and that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Were seeing fundamental challenges and yet were seeing victory such asfa nominal victory for religious liberty that was the hobby lobby case. [applause] now by a vote of 54 the Supreme Court said the federal government can not force people of faith to abandon their faith. Think about it for a second, that at that was 54. One vote difference and the outcome is different. Now there are people in washington who say republicans to win, have to abandon values. Youre exactly right. Look, our values are who we are. Our values are why were here. [applause] and our values are fundamentally american. This country remains a centerright country. This country remains a country built on judeochristian values. This country remains a country that values and cherishes our constitutional liberties. [applause] and anyone who he tells you differently is lying to you. You know, every american should know about the Little Sisters of the poor. [applause] you want to talk about values, right now the federal government is suing the Little Sisters of the poor to try to force catholic nuns to pay for abortioninducing drugs. You know what . The modern Democratic Party has become an extreme, radical party. [applause] we ought to invite Hillary Clinton to spend the day debating the Little Sisters of the poor. [applause] she can embrace, yes, the federal government should be suing and fining catholic nuns to force them to pay for abortioninducing drugs, as for me, i will stand with the nuns. [applause] and a pretty good rule of thumb by the way, if youre suing nuns, youve done something really wrong. Look, just a few weeks ago following hobby lobby the democrats introduced legislation in the senate to repeal the protections on religious liberty in the religious freedom restoration act. That act passed just two decades ago with almost unanimous support, signed in law by a democrat, bill clinton. There used to be bipartisan agreement regardless of our differences over marginal tax rates. We used to come together and say, were going to respect the religious liberty of everyone. When the vote came to strip hobby lobby and christian companies of their, of religious liberty rights, when the vote came to strip the Little Sisters of the poor, and Catholic Charities of their religious liberty rights, do you know how Many Senate Democrats stood with religious liberty, stood with the Catholic Church . Zero. It is heartbreaking. Two weeks ago democrats in the Senate Introduced a constitutional amendment to repeal the free speech protections of the First Amendment. To take away the rights of the people in this room to speak out, to give congress the authority to determine whether your speech and my speech is quote, reasonable. Or not. You know how Many Democrats stood with the First Amendment against that effort . Zero. These are dangerous, exradical times. You know in 1997 the democrats tried something similar. And that samefamed rightwing activist, ted kennedy, spoke against it. He stood up and said in over 200 years we havent amended the bill of rights. Now is no time to start. I gave a floor speech on the senate floor with a giant poster of ted kennedys face and that quote next to it. [laughter] scared my father to death. He turned on cspan and said, good god, my sons gone native. [laughter] how do we turn this country around . We offer a choice. , not an echo. How do we turn this country around . We dont paint in pale pastels. We paint in bold colors much. Were 39 days away from a pivotal election. If you want to defend the First Amendment, our free speech, our religious liberty, vote harry reid out. [applause] if you wan to defend our Second Amendment, our right to keep and bear arms, vote harry reid out. [applause] if you want to defend the fourth and fifth amendments, our right to privacy, if you want to defend the tenth amendment, then vote harry reid out [applause] how do we win . We defend the values that are american values. We stand for life. We stand for marriage. We stand for israel. [applause] we bring back jobs and opportunity and unleash Small Businesses to make it easier for people to achieve the American Dream. [applause] we abolish the irs. [cheers and applause] we repeal common core [applause] in 39 days i believe were going to retake the United States senate and we are going to retire harry reid as majority leader. [applause] and in 2017, with a republican president in the white house, we are going to sign legislation repealing every word of obamacare. [applause] each and everyone of you is here because you believe in our nation, you belief in our values. And i will tell you why im optimistic, from the founding of our nation, america has enjoyed gods providential blessings. At every stage in the revolutionary war, a ragtag bunch of colon its had no prayers of defeating the mightiest army on earth but with gods blessings we did so. In the civil war that pitted brother against brother, spilled blood upon our soil, to expunge the original sin of this nation of slavery, that should have rent this country apart forever. And yet with gods blessing, this nation came back together after that bloody conflict. In world war ii, standing against the grotesque, evil that was the nazis, the American People rose to the occasion and saved the free world. In the cold war with leadership from america, the American People rose up and we won the cold war without firing a shot and tore the berlin wall to the ground. [applause] im optimistic because of you. Im optimistic because i believe in the American People. And im optimistic, because i am convinced, god isnt done with america yet. [applause] we stand on the promise of the word. Weeping may endure for the night but joy comeseth in the cometh in the morning. Thank you and god bless you. All right. Thank you. Thank you ladies and gentlemen. We often seem to really gauge just to the abortion issue but its so much wider and broader and deeper than that. The Family Research council was right on the cutting edge of the whole Stem Cell Research movement. Wed like to show you some progress thats being made that will encourage you and bless your heart. Lets look at the screen together about a true story on Stem Cell Research. Jackie is very caring, love helping people. I think i got the better end of the deal trade jackie is just a happy person no matter what happens in her life shes always really happy, outgoing, just a lovable person. I got to college and i was 21, and i started to get little red bumps on my fingers. I could barely walk. At my ankles were just little blooms and i couldnt even bend my goals to block. I had a face rash. Not only was it red, but it was scaly and peel he and plaque. I could peel off a huge layer of skin. So i went to the doctor and told them those two things and he kind of had a hunch as he said you have lupus. That is my body attacking my body. If you have a cold your body attacks the cold. My body attacks my kidney. It doesnt know the difference between a cold or my kidney or my skin or my blood. Its attacking it. Well, they give me a help and it failed. Theyd give me a pill and and a field. Theyd give me another pill and i didnt tolerate it very well. I went through every single medication that they have, and nothing nothing is working. Was working. Its frustrating especially with lupus because no one has answers. The doctors dont have answers, i certainly didnt have answers. Youre almost helpless. It was hard for me because i didnt know why she had to go through this, but they didnt know what to. They didnt know how to treat me she had gone through all the drugs. When they mentioned the adult stem cell transplant, it was kind of a last resort. It all happened quickly. They put a port in your neck and your jugular vein and they take out your stem cells. You get admitted to the hospital where they give you five days of chemo and it was intense chemo. So after they wipe my body completely clean of all of the lupus cells they gave me my stem cells back. So its a brandnew indian system. Its the immune system of a newborn. It took about six to seven months for me to really feel better. Ready set go. We are definitely outdoor people. We love hiking. Because of adult stem cells, i can walk long distances. I can walk on the trails and bike and go hiking with my husband. We love nature. It was pretty rough for a while being told that we may not be able to have a child. I wanted something so bad my whole life. And i read online that i might not be able to have it. I asked doctor burke if its okay but i try to get pregnant and he said you have an immune system that doesnt know you have lupus, so we are going to try. I am an adult stem cell patient and it gave me a better chance to be a mom. Isnt that a great story . You are part of that when you support the work such as the Family Research council. With all of the news dominating the news about isis, we hardly hear anything more about the crisis on our own border, and yet the crisis continues but we need to hear more about that answer coming up next is the Lieutenant Governor of texas who will be addressing this issue among others. During his time in office he has worked hard to make texas the National Leader in job creation and the best place in america to do business. Lets take a look at the monitors for a little bit more about the next speaker. I remember last summer when many of you rode buses and drove your car is up to austin because we had a group of people who literally took over the Senate Chambers and kept our senate from doing business. And so, we decided that we would all show up so that we could face them. He was the visionary for hb2 and women and children over him a great gratitude of debt that is simply difficult to really explain to people. [applause] i want to tell you why i asked him to come, this little baby right here who came up for adoption. The little girl who was pregnant and didnt know who the dad was, she couldnt get an abortion because this little baby just turned 20 weeks old. [applause] the next time someone says to you this is about politics, i want you to remember, i want this to be etched into your mind that this is what its about right here. [applause] this is a massive bill. It brought people in from all over the country. They pay people to come in from all over the country. That is how big and massive bill was. That is what david dreamed up for us and put together and helped to shepherd through. No one else offered to do that for us were was able to do that. Not patrick or anyone else. It was dated and that is what makes him here replaceable to the prolife movement. The sacrifice that you and the staff and other legislators need, we have our son today. [applause] when there is a time that here we stand today with the fruit of that, this little baby come at the seneca governor ought to get the credit for his leadership. So i want you to think them. Ladies and gentlemen, from the great state of texas would you please welcome Lieutenant Governor david dewhurst. [applause] thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, its a great pleasure for me to be here this morning. I get to be in a room full of fellow conservatives, public christians dedicated to life and talk about texas and it doesnt get any better. [applause] ive been a conservative all my life and i remember as a youngster, i read a very goldwaters code the conscience of a conservative, and when i got done reading it i said, thats me. My most important northstar is my christian faith, my belief in christ. My family is a very close second meaning they are really great. Growing up, my dad was killed minus 3yearsold in a car wreck. My mom was our rock. She taught us our christian values and we had her unconditional love just like we have christ unconditional love. Ive come to realize that the core essence of conservatism is the unshakable respect for the dignity and liberty of every person. Seeing a second ago that baby continues to be very emotional for me. You and i know that life is a gift from god and im proud to defend it any time i can. Anyone to try to harm you or your family. [applause] thinking about that baby before i was elected Lieutenant Governor, only one prolife bill in the history in the state of texas had ever passed out of the texas senate. Since then, i led in passing parental consent, a womans right to know, a 24 hour coolingoff period, making it a crime for the first time in the history of texas if you harm an unborn baby, d. Funding planned parenthood. [applause] the sonogram bill and a lot more including what you just saw in the 2013 blockbuster bill when we had the protesters chanting hail satan. That bill has saved a little over 10,000 lives in one year. [applause] today i dont know anyone more socially conservative than texas. I want everybody to be socially conservative. I dont know a state more fiscally conservative than texas. I want everybody to be fiscally conservative. Now im pretty independent i proud republican but im independent. I do whats right. I started my business from scratch and i knew then as i know now that the government takes too much of our money. Its your money. Thats why over the years i build a consensus in the legislature to read a consensus in which we cut taxes 54 times for 16 billion. We have eliminated 57 state agencies because i hate to waste your money ive made job creation a priority because that is part of the American Dream and i remember trying to start my business and how hard it was. That is the key on that is if you are willing to work hard. You know, if america were not a great country, Border Security would not be a problem. Tony asked me to come up from texas and talk about a subject that i am involved with everyday, and thats Border Security. Its a situation that i regret that we are in the middle of the texas, but we are in im proud of what we are doing and i want to make a Statement Today about how proud i am for the men and women in texas who are standing up and standing on that line, because ladies and gentlemen i will probably say it again if we dont stop the bad guys at the border today, they are going to be in your neighborhood tomorrow. [applause] now, most of us if not all of us in the room are fed up with washington and fed up with the federal government. I immediately told more mad at anyone of you because i know what could be done if the federal government would just listen. I feel very strongly about this. Border security is a huge issue in texas and around the country. The democrats have tried not to talk about Border Security but about immigration. They tried to talk about the humanity and at your heartstrings and i understand. But i think in the last year is soon on the that means. And literally come at the president opening up to come here and been talking about amnesty by executive order has made millions of us all over the country really mad. The bottom line again if we dont stop the bad guys at the border, they are going to be in your hometown tomorrow. I believe weve got to do five things. Weve got to secure our border. Number two, weve got to stop dangerous drugs that are coming into texas and the rest of the country because they are killing our fellow americans. [applause] number three, we ought to do something about the transnational gangs operating working with the cartels. Number four, human trafficking, awful. Weve got to stop human trafficking. The trafficking of Young Children turning into sex slaves in the United States and number five, we have to secure the border against potential National Security threats that are crossing the border. A lot of the Border Patrol signs are in english, spanish and chinese. Theres an unconfirmed judicial there is an unconfirmed Judicial Watch story about isis activity in the city south of el paso. A very liberal democratic congressman come and of course that is redundant debated and made light of the border for saying the fbi and cia told him there are no known confirmed terrorist threats along the southern border at the present time. At the present time clicks that isnt the question. The question is is their isis activity there isis activity targeted against the United States and the answer is yes. Every message that we have seen coming out of isis focuses on mobilizing the terrorist islam against the United States. The leader has sent us prayer rugs that have recently been found on the texas side of the border in the brush. Again we are facing another tsunami and that is the transnational games working for the cartels in every city. If you dont remember anything i said today please bear with me to remember this one thing. In texas since 2008, over 640,000 crimes have been charged against people illegally in texas including over 3,000 murders. When your friends say the border doesnt hurt, it appeals texas. It hurts texans and kills americans and hurts americans. [applause] i respect mexico and i certainly respect the efforts of the previous president in the fight against the drug cartels, but mexican president was wrong on 9 11 and issued a press release saying that texas was put in the National Guard on the border for politics. Now, governor. And i are i are both conservative republicans, but we run absurd completely independent of each other. And i didnt just wake up yesterday yesterday ended yesterday and it bombed on me that we need to do something about securing the border. I started eight years ago. I said id do that with the federal government. They are not going to do their constitutional responsibility to defend our sovereign border and when that happens, i belief that the states have not just a right but an obligation to step in and act independent of the federal government. [applause] did you know there are almost twice as many cops in new york city as guns we have in the whole Border Patrol, the northern border between alaska and canada lacks and theres no way they can do this. They need more people. Again as a conservative and a believer in the tenth amendment iv the fact that states must act independent of the federal government and the federal government fails to do their constitutional duty. [applause] thats why in 20078 years ago i started appropriating the texas tax dollars, not federal dollars for adults to secure the southern border with our state beliefs. We have the aircraft and helicopters, we have boats. The cartels dont shoot at us. Each one can fire a thousand rounds a minute. We put the Texas Rangers in the brush. Weve now spent over 800 million of texas tax dollars and not a penny of federal tax dollars trying to secure our border and this increase, this recent increase is because obama put out the red carpet for people to come to texas with the help of the drug cartels. These cartels are horrible. Some of the people that the cartels smuggle are left to die and others are put into service as sex slaves. I cannot sit by and not to do everything in my ability to stop that. These are are humans, these are people made by god like us and we need to stop this horrible practice. [applause] lets me be quick and i noticed that my time is almost up. Last fall we ran into was successful. A thousand of our state police when we activated a thousand of the National Guard. Now, we havent militarized the border. The Border Patrol our eyes and use but when they spot illegal activity they immediately called the Border Patrol and state police and its working. We target of to 120mile zone where most of the cartels are and we reduce we reduced to the illegal immigration some 65 and we are working to get it down to zero. [applause] i want to be careful when i say our intercepts tell us the cartels are talking back and forth at each other saying when are these guys going to stop clicks you know what my answer is, never until we finish the job. [applause] it is not within the cost. Its costing us in texas, and texas tax dollars 18 million a month. That is a lot of money. But i ask myself how do you put a price on saving the lives of a texan or american clicks as the price. My goal is to be able to show washington how to do that committed and increase the size of the Border Patrol. Weve got problems we need to face right now. Washington needs to change the 2008 law that allows the apprehended aliens up to two years to have a final hearing on their being in the United States. That is back nuts. [applause] if it happens in 24 hours we also need for the nation in and mexico to tighten their own Border Security. [applause] and eliminate free train rides across mexico. What can you do . Support, pray, change the 2008 law. Pray for us as we stand up for the life of every texan and every american. Pray for our Law Enforcement. They are in a dangerous position. Pray for the Law Enforcement and the National Guard as we do our part to protect americas border and pray that we let a good conservative president in 2016. [applause] who is a leader and will do the right thing for america. Ive told them many times texas doesnt really exist. Its more of a way of thinking. If you saw the movie america which i recommend [applause] and i normally dont quote me the singers but if you saw bono in the movie, he said its always been a lifelong issue and americas always been on the side of the right. [applause] he said give us liberty, dignity and justice and we will handle it from here. Let me end by saying i love america and i know that you love america. This its offered this poor boy from texas and opportunity of a lifetime and that is the biggest opportunity in my life second to by wife tricia saying yes. We try to honor the lord in my acts and my words and to help protect life and to protect our liberties to try to make this a little better place to live. America has fallen. Our leaders have failed us that as christians, we know america is in gods hands. And with our strong prayers, every day, several times a day, i know in my heart there is a hero of yours and mine that once had americas best days are in front of us. God bless you. Thank you, Lieutenant Governor. Now to set up the next speaker we have a video we would like to show so whats look at the with the monitors together in preparation for the next speaker. I have a question. Can a nation conceived in liberty carry its head high if it denies protection to the youngest and most vulnerable of its citizens . Can a country founded on god given rights continue to drive without understanding that life is a precious gift from our creator . I believe that great nations integrate civilizations straight from the people that have a moral compass. I dont think that the civilization can long endure that doesnt have respect for all human life. [applause] as a physician, ive looked into the eyes of 1 pound babies and i cradled their small bodies in my hand. I defy those that are careless, who would disregard life. Look at these tiny Little Miracles and say we are not going to protect that. But i believe there will come a time that we are all judged on whether or not we took a stand in defense of all life from the moment of conception to our first breath. I gave a speech at my church. My hands shook, my heart pounded. I thought to myself i cant do this but because i wanted to talk about things that were important, i persisted. I didnt seem to care about the not the not yet born, for looking the other way and not taking a stand. A i will not equivocate and i will not excuse or retreat and i will be heard. A one thing i promise i will always take a stand for life. [applause] ladies and gentlemen the of the senate is valued to welcome the National Religious broadcasters. Coming out to introduce the next speaker would you please welcome the president doctor jerry johnson. [applause] he is courageous. Hes not afraid to stand up. Hes not afraid to speak out. Hes not afraid to vote no and hes not afraid to mount a filibuster when necessary. Senator rand paul was elected in 2010 to represent kentucky in the United States senate. He is a champion for constitutional liberty, fiscal responsibility and for the sanctity of innocent human life and he is a warrior against government overreach. In particular, hes been a vocal advocate for term limits, a balanced budget amendment, a read the bills act, and that is a good idea and an audit of the federal reserve. [applause] he serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as well as the Health Education labor and pensions committee, the Homeland Security Government Affairs committee into the Small Business committee. Senator paul is also a practicing ophthalmologist. And even now as the u. S. Senator, he continues to provide pro bono by surgery to kentucky and most recently in guatemala and others in need of care. Senators, i want to particularly thank you for your National Leadership in defense of the constitution, especially the very first freedom in the bill of rights religious liberty. Last fall he voted against the kennedy and on the senate floor and this summer you helped senator harry reids attempts to gut the 20yearold religious freedom restoration act. He is on the edge, he has an edge. It gives him the edge, it is an honor to welcome you to this assembly, senator rand paul. [applause] thank you. What a glorious moment it is outside. Its a beautiful day. Thank you for coming. America is not just experiencing growing pains. America i believe is in a fullblown crisis. A spiritual crisis. Voices seek to reassure us and say that everything is okay. Everything is just fine. All is well until one day all is not well. The problem is not cool that the door, its termites in the floor. Our foundation is cracking. Its not that we have chosen the politicians although there is some truth to that. [laughter] [laughter] is more fundamental. We have arrived at a crossroads. We have arrived at a day of reckoning where we alter or thrive and we rediscover our mojo. America has much greatness left and im convinced if we leave in ourselves and in our founding documents, if we believe in the system that made us the richest, freest most humanitarian nation ever the cracks are evident. It is wavering when he makes the plaintiff point that the only proper restraint for freedom is so free strained. What does that mean . Those of us that love freedom must realize it is not a license to do as you please. It can only be realized when citizens no selfrestraint or put another by virtue. This parallels what George Washingtons with George Washingtons belief that a democracy requires a virtuous people. Think American Revolution versus the french revolution. The laws do not restring people. 98 of the people will follow the virtuous course with or without walls. This isnt to say that we shouldnt have the law or that we dont need them, but when we needed something more than the law we need something that supervises and that is virtue. What America Needs is not just a politician or more promises what america really needs is a revival. [applause] 200 years ago thomas payne wrote these are the times that try mens souls. The question as important as it was then, will you be sunshine patriot shrinking and gone when the going gets tough tough or will you stand shoulder to shoulder to defend the republic . As your representative i swore an oath to defend the republic against enemies foreign and domestic. Now that ive seen the belly of the beast i can tell you ive met the enemy and the enemy is too often right here in this town. [applause] in congress and many times in both parties in the bipartisan fashion, congress defines its own rules. They are supposed to publish the bills in advance so we can read the bills. Reading the bill shouldnt be too difficult, showed it . The president acts like hes a king and ignores the constitution and says if congress will not act, then i must. These are not the words of a great leader. These are the words that sound more like the explanations of an autocrat. President is just as arrogant arrogant and stupid coming as to those coming to congress heat illegally acts on his own read we are faced with a crisis that does require action. Though i am one that is hesitant to be involved in the civil war in the middle east, isis is now a threat to the consulate. They are a threat to our embassy in baghdad. We should act but within the will of law. The constitution says that only congress may declare war yet this president has in libya and this week in this area committed our sons and daughters to a war that isnt authorized by congress. Had i been the president i would have called for a joint session of congress. I would have laid out the threat and i would have requested Congressional Authority to respond. By failing, he missed the chance to galvanize the country and to become a Great American leader. How did we stray so far from the constitution . And how do we find our way back to the traditions of the founders. Hes a friend of mine that worked in the administration and wrote in a book recently about how freedom and tradition are intertwined. He wrote freedom means tradition for law, order and inspiration, but tradition tradition needs freedom to a skate for stagnation, coercion. The great achievement of the constitution framers was in providing the means for synthesizing freedom and tradition. America needs to provide a virtue. America needs to revive the hope from the teaching who died in front of the cross. The government can surprise the bread but not mend a broken spirit. We do this for jesus. Though government or social worker can claim the same motivation. No government, no law for the people to be virtuous. Our parents must fill that void. This isnt the norm now. Speaking of the revival and of the values come its sadly considered nonconformity in this day and age. In other words we must do something the world tells us not to do, seek god. Weve left no room for the seeker. Maybe the revival depends on seeking and rediscovering the synthesis of the demand tradition. To believe is either liberty or virtue but to be virtuous you cant have much freedom. This is exactly wrong. Liberty is essential to virtue. Its our freedom to make individual choices that allow us to be virtuous. The government cant impose virtue we must impose it upon ourselves. This doesnt mean the government shouldnt or cant reflect our values. It must. The First Amendment isnt about keeping religious people out of government its about keeping the government out of religion. [applause] some seek to separate the issues of the day from the issue of life and a charity from education and values from our government. This doesnt work. Obamacare tries to force us to separate our faith from our business area fortunately, the Supreme Court thought otherwise. Reagan understood the unity of the message when he wrote we do not have a separate social agenda for a separate economic agenda and a separate for an agenda. We have one agenda as we seek to put our financial house in order and rebuild the nations defenses so to speak to protect the unborn to end the manipulation of schoolchildren by the utopian planners and to permit the acknowledgment of our supreme being in our classrooms. We should always stand with the most defenseless and no civilization can long endure that does not respect life from the not yet born to lifes last breath. The debate isnt about whether the government has a role in protecting life. The debate is on when life begins. I have held one and a half pound babies in my hand and ive seen them sucking their thumb on an ultrasound. Dont tell me that five or 6pound babies have no rights simply because they are not yet born. [applause] im one who will march for life and will continue to stand up in defense of life as long as im privileged to be in office. Another way that we as christians should stand up to this current status quo and policy, Ronald Reagan and the first speech to the un said the record of history is clear citizens of the u. S. Resorts to the force reluctantly and only when we must. Ronald reagan believed in strength but also in peace. He said as for the enemies of Freedom Committee will be reminded that peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. A Foreign Policy has too often accepted the war instead of peace and intervention instead of strength leading to a host of unintended consequences. Toppling secular dictators in the middle east but by the time and time again to chaos and embedded device of radical islam. As a secular dictators fell in libya and egypt and iraq and now serious, the radical jihad and christians have been forced to flee. Where will they go when it breaks down their door clicks across the middle east the story is the same. Christians are either persecuted or on the run. In sudan i understand she may be here today is that right . [applause] she was sentenced to death by the muslim courts of sudan. Raised by a christian mother and married a christian man. At the time of arrest she had a son who was pregnant with another. Her and her young son were taken to prison and shackled to the floor. She replied that she repented returns to the islamic faith than we are a family. But if she refuses, she should be executed. After her conviction, she was given a chance to recant her christianity and save her life and refused to declare im a christian and i will remain a christian. That is true bravery. [applause] she was granted asylum and she is now here in the United States. But there are many more like her across the flow christians are under attack as if we lived in the middle ages or as if we lived under the early roman rule many were tortured and one would be tortured. A christian sits on death row for blasphemy and she says it will begin from the muslim village as well when she was filling the bowl of water chanting death to the christian, she pleaded for her life and she was pelted with stones and punched in the face, drug through the streets. The crowd descended on her beating with sticks and finally the Police Stopped the attackers finally only to arrest her. As for several years now shes been on death row for the alleged crime of blasphemy. [applause] not a penny should go to any nation. I cant imagine why we would do this. And you would think and i believe the American Public believes this there is no way that we should do this. And you think that your representatives appear should get it, but they dont. This summer i introduced legislation to stop foreign aid to any country that has the Death Penalty or life in prison for christians or other religions for making religious freedom choices. Theyd voted against this amendment overwhelmingly. The committee voted to 16 through code to to continue these indiscriminate aid regardless of whether they persecute christians. I dont think anybody out in america agrees with that and thats why you have to stand up and send a message to them up here because they are not listening. Our Foreign Policy also must let us stand with israel. Thats why i introduced a bill to cut off all aid to the Palestinian Authority and hamas until they lay down their arms and stopped firing their rockets and publicly recognized israels right exist. [applause] the irony is impossible. Our tax dollars from your tax dollars may well do they do end up funding hamas allowing them to buy more missiles with your money. My bill was opposed by republican and democratic leaders. Instead this week the congress voted to arm the islamic rebels in serious. The socalled moderate rebels stated publicly that when they are done, next they are coming for israel. That is next on their list. I asked on the senate floor last week i said to those of you that wish to arm these islamic rebels, tell me who among tommy who among them would recognize the right exist. No one answered because not one of these islamic rebels would argue against recognizing israel. In country after country, the mobs burn the American Flag and chanted death to america. The congress responds. Not 1 penny more in any nation. Halt only to the islamic radicals and see the outcome in egypt and elsewhere and take a good hard look at what the Foreign Policy has done. We should stand with our fellow christians around the middle east and around the world but that doesnt necessarily mean more. As christians we understand the right to life and the freedom of religion to preexist all government. These rights are not granted by other men. These rights are granted to us by our creator god help us in these troubling times to make wise decisions and moral decisions and to listen to the voice of god that lives and breathes and resides in us all. I try to remember each day corinthians 317 with the spirit of the lord there is liberty. I hope christians everywhere will remember that the reverse is true. Where there is liberty there is always plenty of space for god. Thank you very much for having me. [applause] i have the courage to look Hillary Clinton in the eye and say if i would have been president he would have been relieved of your duties. [applause] and when later asked about that he said even bill clinton would have fired Hillary Clinton. Well, folks in 2006 the next speaker would become the first republican woman to be elected to represent minnesota in the u. S. House of representatives. You know where im going. A 2010 she followed the House Tea Party caucus that helped via nancy pelosi indicated barack obama his biggest defeat. In 2012 she ran for president of the United States of america. [applause] and in between these milestones, she has become a tireless worker for issues that we all hold a secret in america. And after eight courageous years of service time she is stepping down from the house of representatives and so folks, this is your chance to not only welcomed the next speaker but to say thank you to a true warrior for your values. Ladies and gentlemen please welcome michele bachmann. Hello everyone. Thank you so much and god bless you. Thank you so much for that warm introduction. And as you know im not running again for my seat in the United States congress. And so the first question everyone asks me is this, michelle what is it that you were going to do when you leave office . The most important thing i need to do is take a vacation so im planning to find the most secluded spot i possibly can and thats why i decided on going to msnbc primetime. [applause] it has been an absolute incredible privilege for me to serve in the United States congress. It really has been the thrill of a lifetime. That is why im so grateful for that opportunity. And when i came to congress i took the dice and rolled them for everything that there was because i was a normal real person when i came to congress. I am still a normal real person today. [applause] because when i came here and was sworn in in 2007 i decided i was going to get absolutely everything i had and that is what i did because i think why else come here to serve the public in office if youre not going to put absolutely everything on the line . Because i absolutely believe as everyone in this room does in the greatness of the United States of america. And what do i mean i got greatness . Is an idea that the nation responded upon. I talked about it before from this podium and im in love with this idea. The fact that there was a creator who thought so much of the individual he created us in his image and likeness and he created us equal. Thats what the declaration of independence says and so anderson isnt the government or some politician that gives us our rights come its the creator who gives us our rights so basic and foundational. And since it is the creator that gave our inalienable rights, the good news is no one can touch them. They can never take them away. [applause] it is a phenomenal philosophy upon which the nation was founded. Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness. Those are not just nice sounding words. It is the ultimate social contract the governments were instituted among them why . To secure life, to secure liberty and to secure your rights to the fruits of your own labor, not a bad deal. What a concept. [applause] thats why i decided whatever issue came my way i would stand for those founding principles and i did. I kept the faith during these last eight years and so thats why i dont know whether nancy pelosi is going to miss me more or john boehner. One of the two but along the way came the wall street bailout and i helped put together a group that said no to the bailout and we brought down the very first vote. Then the automobile bailout. I gave a speech view to 2 million times. We have the pink slips to the privately owned automobile dealerships. Then there was a trolley a truly another stimulus. Trolling another stimulus. I guess that didnt work so well. And of course obamacare. I introduced the first bill next morning the bill passes at midnight and at 9 00 in the morning i am introducing the repeal bill. [applause] and four years into my term i was privileged to be appointed to serve on the select House Committee on intelligence. We deal with classified secrets and also terrorism and during the course of these last four years i did a dive into the leading foreignpolicy and National Security issues of the day and during my time on the intelligence committee, i had a front row seat to a world of set on fire from Islamic Jihad and what we have seen is one disaster after another from the Obama Clinton Foreign Policy team and in their fantasy world, a smaller diminished less powerful United States is somehow supposed to bring about global tranquility. Well, mr. Obama, mrs. Clinton, we want our 1980s foreignpolicy back. [applause] we dont want your failed russian recess. We dont want four americans dead in benghazi. It was a tragedy to release the top five taliban leaders from guantanamo bay. [applause] perhaps nothing will change the world more than your foolish lifting of sanctions on iran as they are racing to completing Nuclear Weapons. And they will if we stay the course as president president obama and Hillary Clinton have lead forward. And unthinkably we have the first antiisrael president in American History. That is the Obama Clinton legacy. Its no wonder Hillary Clinton couldnt think of an answer when asked on her book tour to name her accomplishments as the secretary of state. Quite simply she basically fails to inspire confidence in anything and never forgets she will forget she will be Barack Obamas third and fourth term as president of the United States. Stay the course. What an exciting message for her 2016 campaign. But one slogan that she wont be able to use, ill qaeda is on the run. Remember that in 2012 . The rise of radical Islamic Jihad although thats redundant dominates the headlines we are seeing this enemy as pure evil as they are cutting off the heads of innocent people. In august buried literally women and children alive. These are Christian Brothers and sisters. Tonight they are on the mountain continuing to suffer. I recently got an email from a pastor this week who told me there is a missionary working who are barely clinging to life. They are sleeping in the cold fountains, they dont have blanket. Its a different world now and we cant forget them. We cant forget the others who are persecuted around the world just because of their religious beliefs and why is that . Because we have geologists subscribing to this radical ideology who believes that the dieting in the name of islam gets them to have been. This is a spiritual warfare and what we need to do is defeat the Islamic Jihad. [applause] sadly our president has the wrong prescription. He even failed to acknowledge the motivation for bringing about jihad. Yes, mr. President , it is about islam. [applause] and i believe that if you have an evil, the order of this magnitude, you take it seriously. You declare war on it. You dont dance around it are just like the Islamic State has declared war on the United States of america. You kill their leader, you kill their counsel, you kill their army until they waive that right wave the white flag. Thats how you win the war. [applause] you dont preemptively take anything off the table. You dont advance signal your enemy what your intention is. The president asked congress to follow him in the vietnam style slovak response and i said no. Either the United States chooses to decisively choose to defeat this with every resource we have or we are going to have answered to the next generation y. We failed to defeat the chicago area and evil of our day. And i also believe the president s decision to train and arm the socalled vetted moderate rebels is a tragic mistake. [applause] because here is the