Minister has taken to unify that country and include the agenda that can inspire the confidence of iraqs diverse population that the central in baghdad is looking out for their best interests. That will have an impact on the effectiveness and resilience of iraqs forces. Iraqs Security Forces backed by military air power and advice and assistance of coalition militaries from around the world has been effective in driving isil out of territory that they previously controlled. They have been driven out 0 of the Populated Areas that they controlled in iraq. That is tangible progress. And our coalition is committed in trying to keep up that momentum and continue to pressure isil while providing the government necessary resources to rebuild those areas that isil had taken over. In ramadi, isil just didnt occupy that community. They essentially destroyed it and rebuilding that infrastructure and rebuilding those communities so people feel confident in Building Back home is critical to our longer term success. So the important financial contributions by countries from around the world are an important part of our strategy but presented debated on the iraqi people and the International Community having confidence in the effectiveness and the effectiveness of the iraqi central government. Reporter [inaudible question] mr. Earnest no. I think the u. S. Troops that are in iraq are there for a reason which is to destroy isil and they are focused omissions that involve protecting the embassy and carrying out military air targets and providing training and advice and assistance to raqi Security Forces and small operators that have been rganized into these new forces that can carry out raids against senior isil figures. It has been clear about the mission that u. S. Forces in iraq are pursuing. In srir on syria, talks enyeah, does the government unintelligible] mr. Earnest too often, the assad regime are making a concerted effort to prevent the ccess thats needed for syrian populations that are caught in the cross five fire and we have expressed about the tendency to ither prevent convoys of humanitarian goods from moving into needed areas and in some cases there are reports of Syrian Forces raiding those convoys for the supplies they would like to have or prevent the supplies from reaching the intinded audience. So that is the source. And one of the reasons that the administration has worked gressively to hold the assad regime accountable is to make it easier for those humanitarian supplies to get to those areas that are badly needed. So humanitarian access for relief workers and assistance continues to be a critical concern not just for the United States but the rest of the International Community and that includes the assad regime and the commitment they have made to abide by the cessation of hostilities and aid workers to et access that they have spent years in the crossfire. Inaudible question] mr. Earnest the department of labor has been considering this change to overtime rules for quite some time. And their focus has been on making sure that people are fairly paid. Including for their hard work and by definition, this is a rule that would apply to the hardest working americans. But this is a rule that continues to be under consideration for the process. It has been for some time and i would expect a decision soon but i dont have any announcement. We could engage in the discussion. [inaudible question] mr. Earnest with the house of representatives and well take it from there. Rter on gitmo [inaudible] the restrictions on uantanamo bay inaudible] reporter your hands are tied. If you believe irrelevant is unconstitutional. Why not either have the law or challenge the law in the courts that allows you to do this work that is necessary. Mr. Earnest we have made clear that closing the Guantanamo Bay is a top priority and its a top priority because fund can be more effectively spent in housing those individuals in facilities that have already been built here in the United States and we can do that and in doing so, we could save millions of dollars in tax payroll fund. Expressed a concern that is expressed by National Security leaders that they use the prison as a recruiting tool and the president believes that the American People would be safer if we took that recruiting tool, that propaganda tool away from extremist organizations. This is all important when you consider that we have demonstrated in this country at we can effectively detain convicted terrorists on american soil in a way that doesnt pose a threat to the American People. We have demonstrated that we can bring terrorists to justice using the american criminal Justice System to hold them accountable. That would give the United States to say we are going to protect the American People and do it in a way that is consistent with our values, even if our adverse sears and our enemies arent willing to subscribe to those values. Pretty powerful statement and something that makes the American People safer. And what we would like to see, we would like to seekonk get out of the way. In some ways its not so for example, we ed congress affirmative cooperation and republicans are falling down on the job a putting the American People at greater risk because they arent working with the administration because they wont appropriate the emergency funding. When it comes to gitmo, we need congress to get out of the way. They have prevented the administration doing what is necessary to protect the American People. In closing, closing Guantanamo Bay and doing it will enhance the National Security of the American People. The restriction is unconstitutional and all the reasons you outlined [inaudible] mr. Earnest i cant speak to our legal strategy. The most direct route is not one that wind through the federal courts for years. Reporter you might as well stop it. Mr. Earnest so, initiating aiers long is available to the administration and im not going to take it off the table. Given the priority that the president has established, we would like to seekonk to remove these obstacles. That is the most direct root for. Stablishing a goal reporter inaudible] is that something you support and how much do you think that would reduce the population . Mr. Earnest i havent considered every proposal in the ndaa and let me consult with our staff and get back to you. Reporter on the talks about yria, john kerry said today if assad has reached a conclusion there is no plan b and its very dangerous. Dangerous for whom . Mr. Earnest the concern that secretary kerry is expressing there that the longer that president assad remains in power in syria, the more chaos and violence and division plagues that country. And thats why the United States and most of the International Community is strongly in favor of executing a political transition inside of syria. He has lost legitimacy. And has ordered the military to carry attacks against unarmed civilians and by doing so, he within the claim realm of reason to be able to govern the country of syria. Just as a practical matter, its hard to imagine that syrian citizens who are on the receiving end of barrel bombs would be open to president assad to leave the country. The longer he is there, the more dangerous and violent he becomes. That is dangerous. We know that isil and they are not the only one, try to capitalize to establish a safe ven and plot and carry out cks, including areas including locations that are important to the United States and including on the soil of close american allies. Reporter on the ndaa, the policy rejects a bill that would undermine president obama order for prohibiting antidiscrimation for contractors. Would the president veto that . Mr. Earnest the way it is detailed in the statement of Administration Position that you have reviewed, there are a long list of concerns that we have with the proposal that the republicans have put forward. I can single nk out any one as being sufficient vetorner up a president ial and the reason for that there are a whole lot of ropes that the bill is bad and why the president opposes it. What i can say is that the in dent has been forceful using his executive authority to prevent discrimation and the executive order is a good example and the president has protected his ability to use that executive authority in his negotiations with congress because we know there are some in congress who for reasons that are perverse to me believes that the president shouldnt be taking actions. I will leave it up to them and difficult to justify in my opinion. But the president has worked hard to protect his executive authority that can be used to prevent discrimation. [inaudible] mr. Earnest hb 2 in North Carolina so it could be quickly passed in both houses of legislation and signed into law. They have since walked back. So as pebts of that bill in the face of significant criticism and had a negative impact on the orth carolina economy. They would rather appeal to peoples fears instead of getting support for their campaigns. And thats not the approach that the administration is taking and the guidance from the department of education on friday in response to administrators, the department of education put forward best practices and good ideas with regard to how schools n implement this policy in a way that will protect every student at the school. And these arent ideas implemented, but ideas developed by stool administrators across the country and could be applied in their schools and sharing administrators is a tangible offer of assist taps that i think the majority of School Administrators appreciated. And thats not the kind of constructive contribution that we have seen from conservatives. From conservatives, you have seen the suggestion that they dont have a way of they havent put forward a construction of how the rules should be applied. Ey are suggesting that birth certificates should be examined fore someone enters a public bathroom. They are interested in politics before solving a problem. [inaudible question] mr. Earnest i looked at it today anded editorial mentioned that democrats are obsessed with sex and that is amusing and republicans passed this law in North Carolina. And republicans in the congress that have created a special Congressional Committee to look at planned parenthood and republicans who sued the administration over the Affordable Care act including as t relates to people being able to get access to birth control. Reporter getting back to the president is he making a decision to being more, you know, forceful on these issues than he has been back in 2004 when he was criticized . Mr. Earnest i dont think so. I think that at every stage, this administration that fought for and successfully this administration that declined to continued to defending the defense of marriage act as litigation contesting that law as it wound its way through the courts. As it relates to this issue, it is clear that republicans are sooking a advantage and the administration who is offering advice to School Administrators to protect the safety and dignity of every stupid at their school. Reporter [inaudible question] the president did say the national is going to continue. I wonder if you could tell us that the president warrants the action and whether sees progress on that front. Mr. Earnest lets start by saying the u. S. Government announced steps to help burma to demonstrate for the new democratic reforms and inclusive economic development. There is no denying that the process has been made in burma and the United States has been strongly supportive of the burma government as they pursue these reforms. One high profile piece of evidence is that election that was conducted just in the last few months that allowed for the eaceful democratic transfer of power. And it is indicative of the power they are pursuing. At the same time. , the United States wants to nsent ta advise and pressure entities, including the military so that the work of reforming that government continues and there is more work that needs to be done. And the sanctions that remain in place do serve to pressure those advocating t may be for rolling back from those reforms. So that the government has made important progress and we want them to build on that momentum. And thats why the recalibrated sanctions will move forward, but there are entities that are obstacles to needed reform and we continue to apply pleasure against those entities so we can hopefully nurture the continued rogress that burma has made. Eporter [inaudible question] mr. Earnest because there are reporter [inaudible question] mr. Earnest and what impact they may have had, they can walk you through, our policy towards specific entities, but most of the remaining sanctions are discouraging activity particularly those who underminor obstruct political reform in burma or propagate military trade. And for those reasons continuing to apply those makes sense. And the progress that burma has made by recalibrating the sanctions. But we acknowledge the important progress they have made and rther intensifies additional reforms. Thats the recalibration strategy in a has been applied. Reporter the white house has now issued stronglyworded warnings about the bill to members of congress. And today, when this bill passed on a voice vote, there was no opposition, doesnt that tell you there is just as strong a feeling that this is a legitimate concern and the need that these families to at least bring their claims to a court gin re important to an determine antirift . Mr. Earnest look, the administration is strongly committed to assisting the 9 11 families. And there are a variety of ways that this administration has gone to bat for 9 11 families and those who did important work around ground zero to recover and rebuild. I have the legislation that for on a number of occasions got bottled up in the congress to ensure that those who performed. Ground zero got health care lost the moft on 9 11 steadfast and our commitment to those principles will not change. The have to acknowledge significant, unintended consequence of moving forward. This is not just an expression but republicans in the senate have expressed concerns. The politics are tough. Substance, on the we need to make sure that this the we dont overlook potential unintended consequences of a bill that put the United States at risk. That is a dangerous proposition and one as the commander in chief is concerned about. Reporter there is zero opposition on this bill. They are sending a message to the white house and arent as important and what is your response to that . Mr. Earnest ill let them explain their proposition and hough admittedly, unintended consequences. Its not that somebody in song by voting this legislation is seeking to inflect harm to the United States. Our concern is that that that is an ungin tended consequence and responsibility of the president f the ines to look out for the United States and our diplomats and other counts could use the passage of this bill as an excuse to initiate their own proceedings in their own courts. That puts the United States uniquely at ritching. Reporter are you concerned that this bill . Pposed mr. Earnest we are going to engage with the bipartisan members of the house of representatives who expressed similar concerns and see if if they are aaddressed. Reporter have you urged members of congress not to proceed . Besides that it has now passed the senate, are there ramifications to that alone in terms of the relationship that scrabe or anything else . Mr. Earnest when the president went to scrabe and he had a long meeting and the issue of this legislation was not raised. Its an k it is indication of the fact that right now at least, this legislation is not interfering with our ability to coordinate with the saudi arabia government on areas of mute tall concerns. But it is the unintended consequence that the passage would bring about and giving other countries an excuse to subject the United States of america to what could be in other countries and puts the United States in a situation here we smend time, energy and resources and defending the United States in foreign courts. That isnt a good use of our diplomatic capital. This would serve as an exirble irritant with other countries around the world. Again, we believe these kinds of concerns are the kinds of concerns that should be taken into account by every member of congress. Reporter the big difference here, dissecting the arguments. The u. S. Doesnt support terrorist organizations that organizations. And you look at the arguments that these families are making, is that a huge risk that somebody would do something similar, targeting civilians on our soil . And obviously, democrats in the senate dont agree that that is, did you know dosh mr. Earnest the concern is out potential unintended consequences. There are count tries that unings. Accuse the there are count tries that make their accusation and if they have a precedent for establishing their own in bringing the United States into court and putting at risk u. S. , sets that are held at seas hats not a path we want to go down. The other concern is exactly how that system could work. I could imagine a scenario where or body whos injured wounded overseas is brought back to the United States and then they die. That could open the