Jewish people are once again free and sovereign in our ancient homeland. And in rebuilding our land, our state, our economy, our army, our science, our culture, weve achieved remarkable successes. But its true we also face great challenges. We are in fact today witnessing two contradictory trends. First, the positive trend everyday, highlevel delegations land at bengurion airport. They come from america. They come from europe. Increasingly, they come from asia, from africa, from latin america. As many of them confront the rise of militant islam and its accompanying terrorism, they come to israel to strengthen their security. They wish to learn from israels proven security and intelligence capabilities how to better protect their own people. But they also come to israel because they want to upgrade their economies with israels technology. And for good reason israels knowhow is powering the worlds computers, navigating its cars, protecting its bank accounts. It has led to breakthroughs in treating multiple sclerosis, parkinsons, alzheimers. It helps farmers around the world yield more crops, produce more milk, conserve more water. So, for all these reasons, the world is coming to israel. Today we have diplomatic relations with 161 countries more than at any time in our history. And by the way, there are not that many countries left. There are only about 200 countries in the world. But alongside this positive trend, there is a second, negative trend. While israel is embraced by a growing number of individual nations, there are those who seek to malign israel among the nations, and especially in the united nations. At the u. N. , israel, the middle easts only true democracy, is slandered like no other country on earth. At the u. N. , israel is subjected to consistent, systematic discrimination. Only israel is permanently scheduled for condemnation at the u. N. Human Rights Council not iran, not syria, not north korea. Only israel is hounded by u. N. Bodies expressly established to delegitimize its very existence. Only israel is condemned every year by 20 hostile resolutions in the u. N. General assembly. The un, my friends, has a shameful record of singling out israel for castigation and condemnation. So i have a question for you. Why would anyone think that the un could decide on a fair and secure peace for israel . Yet amazingly, there are some who believe exactly that. They seek to impose terms on israel in the un Security Council. And those terms would undoubtedly be stacked against us. They always are. So such an effort in the un would only convince the palestinians that they can stab their way to a state. Mind you, not a state next to israel, but a state instead of israel. A Security Council resolution to pressure israel would further harden palestinian positions, and thereby it could actually kill the chances of peace for many, many years. And that is why i hope the United States will maintain its longstanding position to reject such a u. N. Resolution. I was glad to hear the president ial candidates from both parties reaffirm this basic principle. Peace wont come through u. N. Security council resolutions, but through direct negotiations between the parties. The best formula for achieving peace remains two states for two peoples, in which a demilitarized palestinian state finally recognizes the jewish state. Now, i know theres some skepticism about my views on this. So let me state unequivocally, and heres the acid test i am ready to begin such negotiations immediately, without preconditions, anytime, anywhere. Thats a fact. But president abbas is not ready to do so. Thats also a fact. There is political will here in jerusalem. Theres no political will there in ramallah. For the last 5. 5 years, president abbas has refused to sit down and talk with me even for a minute. But that doesnt mean hes been silent. He has helped inculcate a new generation of young palestinians with murderous hatred for israel. And my friends, this incitement has deadly consequences. Palestinian children are taught to stab jews. They are taught that the goal of the Palestinian People is not to establish a state on the west bank, but in all of israel in akko, haifa, nazareth, jaffa. Now, what im about to show you is deeply disturbing. I think you have to see for yourselves what the palestinians are teaching their children. I want you to see the daily pledge of allegiance of palestinian children. Take a look. I am the palestinian child. Cities. More all hours. Ands are they preach to kill it israelis just because they are jews and children emulate the murderous videos online. This comes directly from the palestinian leadership. Welcome every drop of blood spilled in jerusalem. The results, hundreds of terror attacks in the past few months. About half of the terrorists are under the age of 18. This fuels terror and prevents peace. Prime minister netanyahu this is sick. Its inexcusable. My friends, that little girl wasnt born hating. She was taught to hate, as were the palestinians who murdered the american student taylor force, and other american citizens in recent months. Youve already heard what an impressive young man taylor was, but president abbass Fatah Movement praised taylors killer as and i quote this as a hero and a martyr. Now, thats not from hamas thats coming from abbas. And now the palestinians will spur even more terrorism by rewarding the families of murderers including those who murdered americans with a regular monthly payment. So the message they send to palestinians is clear terrorism pays literally. If the International Community really wants to advance peace, it must demand that the palestinians stop poisoning the minds of their children. If the International Community wants to advance peace, it must address the true core of the conflict the persistent palestinian refusal to accept a jewish state in any borders. So theres bad news, but theres also some good news. While the palestinians are stuck in their refusal to make peace, others are moving forward. First, israels peace agreements with egypt and jordan have weathered many storms. Second, increasingly our other neighbors recognize that we have common interests. They understand that we face the same threats from iran and from isis. Now, i can tell you from a perspective of my lifetime this is a historic change. I believe it offers a unique opportunity to advance peace. And we are working every day to seize that opportunity. Ladies and gentlemen, i am confident that over time the trend of embracing israel will overcome the trend of maligning israel, because ultimately freedom beats tyranny, and ultimately, when vigorously defended, truth beats lies. So i believe that israel faces a future of promise. I believe that when we stand together, all of us, we can overcome all the challenges facing us. And of these challenges, none is greater than irans unrelenting aggression. Iran remains fully committed to genocide our genocide. Its leaders loudly, openly, even proudly, they say and proclaim that their goal is to destroy israel. Iran sends Deadly Weapons to hezbollah in lebanon against us. It bankrolls hamas and Islamic Jihad in gaza against us. It seeks to open a new terror front on the golan against us. And it offers thousands of dollars for each palestinian terror attacks against us. So heres what i believe i believe that both those who supported the nuclear deal and those who opposed it can, at the very least, Work Together to stop irans aggression and terror and hold iran accountable for its transgressions. Since the nuclear deal, iran has continued to conduct Ballistic Missile tests, in defiance of its international obligations. As youve heard, iran recently fired a Ballistic Missile with a hebrew inscription painted on it. It said, israel must be wiped out. So ladies and gentlemen, the writing is not on the wall its on the missile. Now my friends, an arrow just like this was shot by a roman soldier at yodfat. He was fighting to end jewish independence once and for all. But imperial rome is long gone and i am speaking to you today from our capital, jerusalem, as the Prime Minister of the reborn jewish state. We have restored our independence. We have restored our capacity to defend ourselves. Iran should learn this history and it should have no illusions. Israel will defend itself mightily against all those who seek to destroy us. And iran should remember that today its not only the enemies of the jewish people who have arrows. Today, the jewish state can defend itself with powerful arrows of our own. Take a look. The arrow Missile Defense system is the product of americans and israelis working together. So i want to say again to all of you thank you, america. Thank you, aipac. Thank you for helping secure our common future, and a happy purim to all of you. Thank you. Cspan swat in journal live cspans washington journal live every day. Democratic delegate Eleanor Holmes knowlton Eleanor Holmes norton on issues involving the d. C. Metro. She will discuss the flint, michigan, water crisis. Watch washington journal beginning live at 7 00 eastern on wednesday morning. Join the discussion. After the belgium terror attacks, a House Oversight subcommittee investigates terror threats. That is live at 9 00 a. M. Eastern on cspan 3. Arizona voters are voting in their states primary. Utah is holding caucuses for both parties. Later tonight, we will bring you speeches by some of the candidates. Hillary clinton campaigning in seattle. Sanders in san diego, california. Joseph dunfordnd testified today on the 2017 budget request. Secretary carter condemned the terror attacks in brussels. We will show you as much of this hearing as we can while we wait for primary and caucus results. The committee will come to order. The Committee Meets today to receive testimony from the secretary of defense and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff on the National Defense authorization budget request from the administration. Numbermittee has spent a of weeks hearing from our military leaders, the intelligence community, and outside witnesses before asking the secretary to testify on the current budget request. What we have heard reaffirms the fact that the u. S. Faces a wider range of serious threat than at any time in our history. The director of the Defense Intelligence agency told the committee that the world is far more complicated, far more destabilized, far more complex than at any time i have seen it. Currently serving senior managers have described the ability of the military to face those threats as minimally adequate. Aviation units cannot meet mission requirements. With less than a third of army forces at an acceptable level of readiness. Another is, less than half of the air force combat units are ready for a highend fight. My own visits with Service Members recently leads me to suspect that even these assessments do not tell the whole story. We often discuss readiness, but it is a vague term without concrete meaning for a lot of americans. I have heard firsthand from service mentors who have looked me servicemembers who have ed me in the eye of getting aircraft sent to the boneyard in arizona back and revitalized in order to fly missions. Pilots who are flying well below the minimum number of hours required for minimal proficiency and flying fewer training hours. Han those of adversaries of not having enough senior enlisted people to train and supervise the younger ones and those who remain working longer and longer hours. I have even heard firsthand from Service Members who had to buy basic supplies and cleaning supplies and paper towels out of their own pocket because if they go through the military process, it will take three or four months. I expressed concern last week that there is a rise in class a mishaps which may be another indicator of a readiness crisis. Last year, general dempsey testified that the fy 16 funding thatst was the lower edge was necessary to execute the Defense Strategy and we have no slack, no margin left for error or strategic surprise. The budget request from the administration this year is 18 billion lower on meeting those basic requirements and it is less than the budget agreement of last december. It seems clear that the same strategy we assume would have out of iraq and afghanistan, where russia would be a friend, and where terrorism was confined to the jv teams does not continue to be valid. That is also the same strategy that has led us to cut troops, and training. Both congress and the administration are responsible for this state of affairs. Over the last five years, the president and congress have cut over half a trillion from defense and these cuts come at the cost at a cost. It is increased risk that a mission will fail or that we will lose a fight. Our hearings have shown that this risk is real and there is evidence to prove it is going. The military is strained to a breaking point. Our witnesses are in a unique position to help our Political Leadership and the American People understand the state of affairs and i would say we would all be derelict in our duties if we tried to sweep it under the rug. On a final note, this morning, the news brought us again stories of tragedy in a terrorist attack in europe. The administrations budget request asks for more money to fight isis in iraq and syria and that is understandable and appropriate. I do not understand that the law the administration provide congress a written document laying out its strategy to fight isis. That document was due february 15 and we have received nothing. The world is growing more dangerous, we have cut our military too much. I believe it is up to the Political Leadership in this country to take the action necessary to enable our servicemen and women to defend american lives and american interest. The men and women who serve and the nation deserve better than we are now. I yield to the distinguished gentlelady of california. I asked unanimous consent that the witness statement be entered into the record. We have received testimony from commanders, Service Chiefs, and they have given us their best military advice and it cannot be more clear. Real andts we face are growing. This morning, the attacks in brussels claimed 26 lives and dozens were injured. Our hearts go out to the belgian people. Secretary carter, you have emphasized the budget request enters on five key challenges. Dangerous north korean regime, neutralizing irans influence,. Mrs. Davis in the midst of these challenges, we are searching for budget workarounds instead of fixing the underlying problem. The department of defense needs fiscal certainty to perform critical missions. You have asserted the fiscal year 2017 shortfall risk can be mitigated, but the dod is a comprehensive budgetary solution. We must remember the devastating harms inflicted by sequestration , years of budgetary standoffs, one actual government shutdown, and congressional overreliance have produced debilitating fiscal uncertainty. It is unclear whether the house will off a budget resolution this year, the resolution passed last week raises more questions than answers. Offer a net increase of roughly 18 billion to the defense based budget. It would do so by assuming that 23 billion of overseas Contingency Operations would be used for based budget purposes. It would not increase the top line of 74 million. My first question, which beneficiary would end up paying the bill . With the money come from the person requested from dod what the money come from the portion requested from dod . What it come from the state department would it come from the state department . Posesdget resolution another openended question. It appears to allow the chairman to adjust funding levels Going Forward on the basis of new information. At some point, supplemental funding could be used to circumvent funding levels. The dod, the congress have to make hard choices especially when it comes to balancing forced modernization to sustain readiness. Harderhese issues become or easier . How would the dod prioritize its needs . Most importantly, what poses the greatest risk to National Security, provided funding levelsng funding at base or providing funding levels lower than requested . When he to carefully we need to carefully consider the proposal as we work to build this years Defense Authorization bill. We must give the Department Additional flexibility to adjust the health care and benefits structure. The president came to us with a budget that focuses on adapting to the threats we face today and it follows the law by conforming to the bipartisan budget act of 2015, including 582. 7 billion dollars in Discretionary Budget Authority for the department of defense. We must uphold our end. Thank you for being here today. I look forward to your testimony. Committee is pleased to welcome ashton carter, the secretary of defense, general joseph dunford, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. German, welcome to the committee gentlemen, welcome to the committee. Mr. Secretary, you are recognized for any comments you would like to offer. Thank you to all of the members of the committee. I want to begin by condemning this mornings bombings in belgium. Our thoughts and our prayers are with those affected by this tragedy. In the face of these acts of terrorism, the United States stands and strong solidarity with our ally. We are continuing to monitor the situation, including to ensure that all u. S. Personnel and citizens are accounted for. We stand ready to provide assistance to our friends and allies in europe as necessary. Brussels is an International City that has been host to nato and the European Union for decades. Together, we must and we w