Changes in fiscal policy will probably be needed. Its not our job to lien those up. Its the job ch congress to decide what policy changes over time might line those lines up. First, please join me in thanking these two guys for such a good [ applause] i also want to remind everybody that all of this and more is on our website. As you know, these events dont happen automatically. Everyone for helping us make this such a success. Im no more certain about what the right answers are, but im a lot more sophisticated about my understanding of uncertainty and i hope the same is true for you. Finally, people on the hutchins advisory committee, marty phillips, others, would like to take a picture. I appreciate it. For the rest of you, thank you very much. [ applause] in about an hour, remarks from donald trump at the Economic Club of washington. Hell discuss the trump brand entrance into the d. C. Business community and his possible political aspirations. See those comments live 7 00 p. M. Eastern here on cspan. Tonight on the communicators mary gray often the ethics raised by Internet Companies harvesting users personal data and the Economic Research on that information. The creepy question. Its a great question, because i think for all of us, you know, as somebody who uses a computer every day, we have certain expectations when we fire up our computers about who sees what were doing, who were sharing information with, d at any moment if the expectations i have are shifted because i realize that there might be another party who sees what im doing, say, for example, if a message pops up and asks if i would like some help making a purchase, there are certain lines that we dont know weve crossed them until its too late. Thats true for researchers. Thats true for companies. There isnt a clear sense of whats creepy because thats so culturally specific. One person talking loudly on their cell phone in a park has no problem with somebody standing next to them on a bench and listening to that conversation. At the same time, you could have someone trying to have a private conversation and they will go to Great Lengths to be somewhere completely secluded. Were not just dealing with the cultural context but individuals different preferences and experiences around privacy and their needs for that privacy. Tonight at 8 00 eastern on the communicators on cspan 2. And tonight on cspan 3, a House Veterans Affairs subcommittee looks at Military Cemetery operations. Well hear about the expansion of the National Cemetery system to include additional burial facilities as well as improvements in grave accountability practices. That hearing was held earlier this month, and you can see it tonight at 8 00 p. M. Eastern. Tomorrow on washington journal reuters correspondent Emily Stevenson looks at federal Government Spending and a provision easing a dodd frank rule affecting derivatives, which some believe helped cause the financial crisis of 2008. Then Brad Woodhouse of americans united for change and Dallas Woodhouse of carolina rising discuss their documentary, woodhouse divided. It examines bipartisanship in u. S. Politics. After that, the partnership for Public Service representative talks about a recent survey on the best places to work in the federal government. Plus your phone calls, facebook comments, and tweets. Washington journal is live tuesday, 7 00 a. M. Eastern on span. Earlier today, president obama spoke to u. S. Troops at a military base in new jersey to express his support for their work and sacrifice. This is a half hour. [ cheering] thank you for the introduction and for your great leadership of the air force expeditionary 7. I want to thank all the outstanding leaders for coming to welcome me here today, including general maggie bore and colonel james hodges. I want to thank the folks who are the backbone of our military. Give a big round of applause for your incredible senior n. C. O. s. [ applause] now, this is one of our nations premiere joint military bases. Everybodys here. Weve got army. [ cheering] weve got naufy. [ cheering]. Weve got air force. [ cheering] weve got marines. [ cheering] and we got some coast guard. [ cheering] [ laughter] whos that one coast guard . There you go. That was loud right there. All of you come together as one Great American team. And i know that we also have some spouses and family is here today. Your wives, your husbands, your partners, your sons, your daughters, they serve as well. They make their own sacrifices especially when youre deployed. So our military families are the heroes on the home front. Give it up for our remarkable military families. [ cheering and applause] weve got some outstanding elected officials who support the mission of this facility each and every day. I want to thank governor christie for joining us here today. [ applause] weve got some outstanding members of congress who are here. Bob menendez. Cory booker. Congressman john runian. Congressman donald norcross. Incoming congressman tom mcarthur. And they were already lobbying me about the base on the way in. So theyre doing a good job. It is great to be back. I was here last year and visited some of you on my way to the jersey shore. Christie and i went down to ashbury park, spent some time on the boardwalk. E played a little frog bog his kids told mae how to hit the hammer to get those little frogs into the buckets. It was hard. And then christie beat me at football toss which really aggravated me. He bragged about it afterwards, which is okay. But i will get a rematch at some point. We werent there just to have fun. We came because after Hurricane Sandy people across this state, including those of you here at this base, had to pick yourselves up, pull together, rebuild, show that here in new jersey, here in america we are stronger than any storm. Like a friend of mine from new jersey likes to say, wherever the flag is flown we take care of our own. Thats what we do here in new jersey. Thats what we do all across america. Nd this facility exemplifies that spirit. For nearly a century, our flag as flown right here. Millions of americans pass through the old fort dix. This is where they shipped out. This was where they were welcomed home. One of them was don drysdale, hall of fame dodgers pitcher. He has the same thought as a lot of new recruits at basic training. What the hell am i doing here . Another recruit remembered, i cleaned a lot of la trins with tooth brushes. Among those who were demobilized here was a soldier from tennessee, serial number 53310761, a guy named Sergeant Elvis presley who was all shook up. [ laughter coming was a little different though. Apparently the king drove off in a limo. If it were up to me, id give all of you limos when you come home. Part of the message im here to deliver on behalf of the American People is very simple. Its just to say thank you. Thank you for your extraordinary service. I thank you as your president because you inspire me and of all of the privileges i have, in serving in this office, nothing comes close to the honor of serving as you commanderinchief. I also thank you on behalf of ore than 300 million americans. We americans may disagree and debate and argue sometimes. That is part of our democracy. It is messy sometimes. Sometimes it results in gridlock in washington. But whether liberal or conservative, democrat or republican, white, black, brown, rich, poor, no matter how we pray, no matter who we are, when it comes to our troops, when it comes to you and your families as americans, we stand united. We are proud of you. We support you. We can never thank you enough. Applause] thats especially true now during the holidays. We can gather with family and friends because youre willing to step forward and serve. After a long day, we can come home because youre willing to leave your home and deploy. We get to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries and holidays, go to soccer games, go to dance recitals, because youre willing to miss those of your family. Were free and safe and secure over here because youre willing to serve over there. Thats the noble spirit of your sacrifice. Thats the selfless character of our military. Those are the precious gifts that you give america not just this time of year but all year. Every year. You never stop serving. You never stop giving. Like santa in fatigues. Although ill bet one of those c130s is a little more efficient than santas sleigh. [ cheering] i figured id get something out of our guys on that. I also want to be here, though, because after more than a decade of war, our nation is marking an important milestone. Ever since our country was attacked, that awful september morning, 9 11, our nations been at war in afghanistan. Many people here have deployed there or to iraq. And you deployed multiple times in some cases. There are people here who have lost really good friends. Patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice, including 54 Fallen Heroes from this base who we will honor forever. For more than a year, Afghan Forces have been in the lead to secure their country and that means more of our troops have been coming home, including right here to this joint base. Let me just say to all of you who have returned from afghanistan in recent weeks, on behalf of a grateful nation i want to say, welcome home. Youre home for the holidays. Were glad to have you back. Now, this month, in just two weeks, the transition that were making in afghanistan will be complete. Afghans will take full responsibility for their security. This month after more than 13 years, our combat mission in afghanistan will be over. This month americas war in afghanistan will come to a responsible end. Hat doesnt mean everything is great in afghanistan. Afghanistan is still a very dangerous place. But i want you and every american who has served in afghanistan to be proud of what youve accomplished there. Because your generation, the 9 11 generation, has met every mission thats Blood Pressure given to you. You helped decimate the core al qaeda leadership and deliver justice to osama bin laden. He will not be attacking here anymore. You helped to prevent terrorist attacks against this country. You helped push back the taliban. You helped train Afghan Forces to take the lead. You helped make possible an historic election this year and the first democratic transfer of power in afghanistans history. Despite all the challenges afghans are now looking to the future. Thats all because of you. That makes us safer. It gives them a chance for a better future. Now, even as our combat mission ends, our commitment to afghanistan endures. Well continue to have a limited military presence there because weve got to keep training and equipping Afghan Forces and weve got to conduct Counterterrorism Missions because there are still remnants of al qaeda there. After all the sacrifices you made, we want to preserve the gains that youve made. We want want a stable and secure afghanistan. We want to make sure that country is never again used to launch attacks against the nited states of america. This year is also a reminder that even as our combat mission ends in afghanistan, there are still challenges to our security around the globe. In times of crisis people around the globe look to one nation to lead, and that is the United States of america. Even our critics, when they get into trouble, theyre calling us. When the world calls on america, we call on you. Our men and women in uniform. Because nobody can do what you can do. One news article said it best. When our forces trean here, folks who live nearby might feel the ground shake because no other military in the world is as good as you, as ready as you, as capable as you, able to go as far, able to go as fast as you do, and perform your basic mission. Nobody. Nobody in history has been able to do what youve done. Which means were leading. The Global Coalition against the brutal terrorist group isil in iraq and syria, and you are doing your part supporting the area refueling that keeps our aircraft in the sky and the airlift that moves our equipment and people into place. Some folks from this base are there right now doing incredible work. And to them and to all our troops far from home and their families for the holidays, you are in our thoughts, our prayers, and we cant wait ntil you come home, too. Look at the difference you and the rest of our military have made, rescuing thousands of innocent men, women, and children trapped up on a mountain in danger of slaughter. You saved them, air dropping food and water and medicine, saving countless lives. America led the way. Thats what we do. Along with our coalition partners, we are hammering these terrorists, taking out their fighters, commanders, hundreds of vehicles and tanks, arly 200 oil and gas facilities, the infrastructure that funds their terror. More than a thousand fighting positions, check points, barracks, were taking them out because of the work that you do. Were cutting their command and control and supply lines and making it harder for them to maneuver. In iraq local forces have held the line in some places and pushed back isil in other places. In syria, our air strikes are inflicting heavy losses on isil, fighters and leaders. Because of you, we have blunted their momentum and we have put them on the defensive. These terrorists are learning the same thing the leaders of al qaeda learned the hard way. They may think that they can chalk up some quick victories, but our reach is long. We do not give up. You threaten america, you will have no safe haven. We will find you and, like petty tirntse and terrorists before you, the world is going to leave you behind and keep moving on without you. Because we will get you. Hats thanks to you. This campaign in iraq will take time. But make no mistake. Our coalition isnt just going to degrade this barbaric terrorist organization. Were going to destroy it. Because this isnt just a military effort, were going to keep working with those in the middle east who believe in tolerance and opportunity and peace, because thats what the region needs. These terrorists only know how to destroy. We know how to do something bigger. How to build. The security and peace and justice that we can build with others. But none of that would be possible without you. Thats American Leadership. Thats a difference you make. In the same way were leading the fight against isil were leading the global fight against ebola in west africa. And youve been doing your part deploying to liberia and senegal, improving air fields, setting up the logistics and command and control, building the infrastructure, manning that air bridge, air lifting food and equipment and personnel. You have been out front. If you doubt the impact that youre having, take a look at whats going on there. With your help, we build new treatment centers, were training more healthcare workers, delivering medicine and supplies. Other countries are now willing to come in because you laid the foundation. This is still a terrible epidemic. And the world has to keep on stepping up. In liberia where we focus our efforts, cases are starting to decline. Ultimately, we will have saved thousands of lives. Because of you. As one of our american commanders said, everywhere i go, liberians are waving, hope is what were providing. Or as one west african put it, weve always loved america. And for them to come in and help at a time like this reinforces that. Thats the difference youre making. There are people who are alive today because of what you guys do. Thats American Leadership. So stepping back for a moment, were at a turning point. When i took office, we had nearly 180,000 troops in iraq and afghanistan. By the end of this month, well have fewer than 15,000 in those two countries. Weve now brought home about 90 of our troops. 90 . The time of deploying large Ground Forces with big military foot prints to engage in nation building overseas is coming to an end. And going forward, our military will be leaner but as your commanderinchief im going to make sure we keep you ready for the range of missions we ask of you. We are going to keep you the best trained, best led, best equipped military in the history of the world because the world will still be calling. Thats why it was so important that folks in congress, democrats and republicans, came together and passed legislation that im going to sign to keep our government open and funded for the coming year. That includes military perations that support the commissaries your families depend on, pay raise for you, healthcare for our Wounded Warriors and veterans. Applause] youve always been there for us. Weve got to be there for you. Let me make one other point. At this time of transition i know some of you will be returning to civilian life. I was talking about this with the two generals i rode over with. We want to make sure you can enjoy the American Dream that you helped to defend. So well keep helping you with the transition assistance and the credentialing and the licensing to help find civilian jobs worthy of your incredible talents. Well keep funding the post 9 11 g. I. Bill and keep working with colleges and universities to help you and your families realize your dream of a higher education. As many of you know, michelle, the first lady, Vice President everybody is joining forces. Were all going to be saying to every company in america, if you want somebody whos going to get the job done, hire a military spouse. Hire a veteran. Thats the difference you can make here at home. Because thats also American Leadership. The jobs and the opportunity and the country that we can build together as one american team. You understand that. Youve trained for it. When you get in the job, thats what you deliver every single time. So i want to leave you with a story of somebody who has a special understanding of the american spirit. I just met him before i came out here. Ou know, before i came out yoman kerry chavez and Staff Sergeant ashley montgomery, they did