[inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] to explore some of the most pressing issues of the health care industry. Were focused all of the cost of medicine. And with the over rising prices. To examine the ways to reagan the drug caused. How can every entity keep medicines accessible for all americans . And to be explored with a hearing from government leaders and Patient Advocates as they explore at a price they can afford. And in addition to those here were also Live Streaming please keep your phone on silent but we encourage you to join the conversation and we will be taking questions and to please give the survey to a staff member of the way out. Good morning banks for this important conversation of today we appreciate that distinguished speakers and panelists we go this is a slow time in washington and for health care and there is nothing else to be focused on so thanks for being here but and with the rising drug prices in the impact of american in families and taxpayers
We will have votes in a couple hours. We want to make sure we move quickly through this. Before i start, i want to acknowledge that our good friend and Ranking Member of the committee, frank palone is not with us because his father died. We keep his family in our prayers. I did not personally know his father, i know he raised a good son. So we thank him for that. We will continue on from there. Next, joined today also with my colleague who is wearing Denver Broncos orange. Congratulations for a super they must be a good team, because they beat the steelers. Now on with our hearing. Good more than, wer good morning. Were reminded those that seek to do us harm through a variety of harms, including biological attacks. The threats are growing and every changing. We are ill prepared to detect and respond to the threats as rapidly as needed. We have been caught flat footed too many times in the past. We face a deadly enemy we cannot see. Our methods to find it are inadequate. We may know kno
So the Vice President is the only person that can cut through that, talk to the private sector and simultaneously talk to state and local governments. And put all those pieces together. Hes also the only person that can demand a unified budget out of the omb and across the government. This was a bipartisan recommendation. It was a bipartisan recommendation. I have to tell you, i hesitated, as someone who sat in a government agency, a powerful government agency, i hesitate to transfer power to a Vice President or to the white house in general. As you know, cabinet agencies have a certain amount of tension with white houses. But at the end of the day, this is one of the areas where you need a unified budget. The only other place we have a unified budget is actually in intelligence. So this is a parallel to that, to pull all the pieces together. And its important enough to identify the Vice President. And Vice President s always have some time to take on other responsibilities. Thank you
Next, a Senate Hearing on u. S. Preparedness for biological threats. Then Gina Mccarthy talks about the clean water act and the clean power plan. After that, new mexico governor sus Susanna Martinez gives her state of the state address. Now a house hearing on the nations preparedness for biological threats. It comes following the release of recommendations from a special panel on biodefense. This is just over two hours. Good morning. We will begin this hearing. We will have votes in a couple hours. We want to make sure we move quickly through this. Before i start, i want to acknowledge that our good friend and Ranking Member of the committee, frank palone is not with us because his father died. We keep his family in our prayers. I did not personally know his father, i know he raised a good son. So we thank him for that. We will continue on from there. Next, joined today also with my colleague who is wearing Denver Broncos orange. Congratulations for a super they must be a good team, be
No. Its not that we dont need the money. We are desperate because of certain commitments and liabilities that we have. They are promising to stick by financial obligations. The president will unveil his budget today. He wants a minimum 19 tax on future foreign earnings of usbased companies in addition to a 14 tax on 2 trillion in a stockpiled offs our offshore pilots. That is according to the near times. The Ukraine Forces have had recent setbacks. Nato is asking the United States for weapons and equipment. John kerry will visit the country on a thursday. Refineries are dealing with the biggest strike since 1980. They stop work sunday at nine sites after failing to agree on a labor contract. They had no choice. They rejected five contract offers made by royal dutch shell. After to exempt talking, they finally plate played and it was a big game. It ended with a late interception as the patriots won their fourth super bowl title. They barely beat the seattle seahawks. It couldve gone eit