We want to hear from you. You can also make a comment via twitter cspanwj is our twitter handle. Alex rogers is with the National Journal. Mr. Rogers, can you explain what is going on in the senate and what is going to happen today and perhaps over the weekend as well . Alex the send it is in a race against time. They are trying to figure out a few matters. The first on the schedule is a trade legislation that is not time sensitive but that the Republican Leadership wants to pass before leaving for memorial day recess. After that, there is going to be a time sensitive deadline. The end of the month, the nsa bulk collection of telephone meta data will and by midnight, may 31. The administration has there could be some lapses if the senate does not pass a house passed bill by the end of today. Then, of course, there is a third item. A Highway Trust Fund authorization the house has passed a temporary two month bill there as well. So, they have a lot on their plate. The jet fumes, the senators are starting to smell them. Theyre trying to get home for the parades this weekend. Host alex rogers, what kind of negotiations are going on right now to get these things past . Alex well, what has happened so far is the senate has pushed for this trade bill and got it advanced only with some lastminute maneuvering on the Chamber Floor yesterday. You had a aband of senators who really want to get the Export Import Bank passed. That also has a time sensitive deadline at the end of next month. They got mccollum got the senators on board. That bill was advanced. And so now they are trying to push through today a bunch of amendments and maybe final passage on this trade Promotion Authority which would pave the way for future trade pacts by limiting congressional debates congress is not going to be able to tinker with these major trade bills down the line. After that is going to be the debate on the nsas bulk collection of telephone meta data. There are two Different Things that are going to go through. First a vote on the house usa freedom act which passed overwhelmingly in the house. Theres going to be a vote on that. We are not sure if that has 60 votes. It seems they could be nearing 60. Right now does not seem like they have enough votes. If that fails then theyre going to go to a clean twomonth extension which the gop leadership wants to increase their leverage later so they can come back and have a compromise with the house. The house is already gone. The house has already left. So they are going to have to be called back in session if there is going to be a reauthorization of this nsa authority. So what is going to happen after trade is these two votes on the nsa bulk Collection Authority to the question is up in the air if either one can pass. Host this is all happening today and potentially saturday as well, correct . Alex yeah. Although senator mccain told me yesterday theres a new spirit of reconciliation and compromise. He said the day of the week determines the degree of bipartisanship. They are hoping the senators of the able, all be able to consent and move forward on these bills in quick order. As you saw with senator rand paul earlier this week, some senators may be will take up floor time and talk about these issues. That was not an actual filibuster because it did not delay the schedule. But maybe some of these senators will actually do that when push comes to shove and we may be here through the weekend. Host alex rogers final questions. What is the role of the Export Import Bank in some of these negotiations . Alex sure sir. That was a kind of a latebreaking twist to all of this. Yesterday on the senate floor, you had washington senator Maria Cantwell patty murray, and South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham in a tight circle formed around Senate Majority leader mitch mcconnell. And then rings of other senators around them. It was quite a sight to see. What they have been pushing for us to try to get assurances from the leadership that theres going to be a vote in june on the Export Import Bank,w whose charter expires at the end of the month. What that bankd does, it helps ensure loan guarantees for American Companies exporting their goods abroad. Those three senators all have boeing as a Major Company in their state. They want to be able to see that companys success continue into the future. And boeing thinks the Export Import Banks updates to be reauthorized. The problem is there are house conservatives and some of the gop leadership who would not mind it all of this chart expires and think the bank is an example of crony capitalism. So there has been a debate on whether or not there is going to be a vote to let the charter be reauthorized. So what happened was after mcconnell gave his assurance to these three senators they all started voting one by one to advance debate on trade. Boom, boom boom. You had six senators in a row all vote aye. The trade bill advanced and now we will may be see this trade Promotion Authority passed today. Ior maybe into the weekend. But the Export Import Bank was a key factor in getting these senators on board and moving this major trade legislation going forward. Host alex rogers, National Journal. Thanks for the update. And, of course, the senate will be on cspan 2 throughout the day and perhaps over the weekend as well. We want to hear what is on your mind public policywise. 202 is the area code. Well begin taking your calls in just a few minutes. New york times editorial rand pauls timely takedown of the patriot act. He may have annoyed Senate Colleagues on wednesday but senator rand paul did americans a Singular Service by forcing attention to the fact that their civil liberals remain at stake as congress drifts toward a renewal of the patriot act that is likely to do little to rein in government surveillance programs is the opening sentence in that editorial. Lets begin with a call from larry in mississippi on our democrats line. Good morning. What is on your mind . Larry iraq is on my mind. I would want to know why some democrat did not understand what sneiorenior bush and colin powell did not kick hussein out of iraq. Dictators earl over the place over there. Dictators are all over the place there. Our dictator was mubarak. When i was in the military, i remember him about all that stuff. What is going to happen over there, the middle east and colin powell and senior bush knew exactly what they were doing when they did not kick them out of there. Look what is happening. Host that is larry. Here is the washington times. Obama considers more military advisors for iraq. It would consider sending more military advisors to iraq, although president obama does not believe the Usled Coalition is losing the war against the Islamic State here is how the New York Times. Defending issa policy, obama acknowledges flaws. Peter baker writes that that is the New York Times. The president spoke at the coast guard Graduation Ceremony in connecticut. Here is what he had to say. President obama constitutes a serious threat to global security. A risk to our National Security. Make no mistake. It will impact how our military defends our country. So we need to act now. After all, isnt that the true hallmark of leadership . When youre on deck stand in watch, you stay vigilant. You plan for every contingency. If you see storm clouds gathering or dangerous shoals ahead, you do not sit back and do nothing. You take action to protect your ship to keep your crew safe. Anything less is negligence. It is a dereliction of duty. And so, too with Climate Change. Denying it or refusing to deal with it endangers our National Security. It underlies the readiness of our forces. Host that was the president talking about Climate Change and National Security when it comes to the military. Senator john mccain responded to what the president had to say on the floor of the senate. Senator mccain the secretary of state of the United States of america said ramadi was a mere target of opportunity. Have we completely lost are we completely lost our sense of any moral caring and concern about thousands and thousands of people who are murdered, who are made refugees, who are dying as we speak . And the secretary of state says that we should not light our hair on fire. And what does the present have to say today . The president says, well, its Climate Change we have to worry about. I am worried about Climate Change. Do we give a damn about whats happening in the streets of ramadi and the thousands of refugees and the people, innocent men, women and children that are dying and being executed and their bodies earned in the streets . Host that was senator mccain this week on the senate floor. George is calling in from san antonio, texas, on our independent line. George i got a quick email from richmond, california. From the Surveillance Organization represented by derek robertson. Dr. John hall and also a few other concerned individuals. My question is why are cities and states adopting the Dennis Kucinich act of 2001 . Why is that still in existence . Why is Social Security given to people who are being torchedtured and if the preservation act is a true thing . Host this is jimmy in florida another independent. Jimmy i just got a comment with the question. I think i kind to figure out the Republican Campaign strategy. We all seem to know the Republican Party represents the party of exceptionalism, which represents whirtete america. Not the view of all immigrant countries, what unites us as america. My strategy, you know they got latinas, they got black, and a female, but they all got the same republican agenda. They are in bed with big money. It has corrupted this government. We need government. To keep civil order. Without government, there is no reason for our capitalism, free market to exist within the boundary lines without overstepping the smaller worker, the low wenend wage worker. The one that produced all the wealth or receive. My my question is, is it me or am i being too cynical figuring out the Republican Campaign strategy for this election . Host jimmy brought up the fact about money in campaigns. And that was doug hughes cuaseause when he flew his gyro copter to the capital. Here is a picture of him in todays Washington Post after his arraignment. You can see them holding up a fake stamp of himself. M. Rr. Hughes will be joining us for a call in and 45 minutes. If youre interested in talking to doug hughes known as gyro copter man, you can call in and 45 minutes. Joe, virginia, republican line. What is on your might . Joe first of all, does anybody on earth actually believe that Climate Change is more important to National Security and world peace than isis rampaging around the middle east and committed christian genocide . That is absolutely ridiculous. My second point would be that first caller was absolutely correct. We have a completely failed policy in the middle east starting with senior junior george bush when he took out Saddam Hussein and ending with Hillary Clinton and obama taken up qadhafi in libya and destabilizing mubarak and destabilizing assad in syria. We have replace secular dictators that cap control in the middle east and were not murdering the minority population. We replace them with isis. We have enabled radical islam to grow and gain power and try to establish their islamic caliphate. It is ridiculous. Host next up is peggy in morsel, pennsylvania. In morrisville pennsylvania. Peggh y i totally agree with the man on the phone. There are some problems in this world cannot solve. You cannot block people from doing things. And present obama is blocking things that should not be blocked. He should. You know, sometimes you have to fight for what you want. You have to fight for world peace but we cannot solve the problems of the World Without solving small problems. If everybody in their own home did what they were supposed to be doing, there would be no problems. And first off if the parents took care of the children instead of letting them run wild in the streets. Then when there would be no problems. If everybody did with they were supposed to be doing. Host what is one thing that everybody in your view should be doing . Peggy they should zero in on their own education. And not depend on everybody to pay for it. Host that is peggy in mi orrisville, p. A. John is next. In gatlinburg, Tennessee Republican line. John on this tpp trade deal, there is no trade deal to ever works in america with other countries. You trade with the country wanted a time. You do not do multicountries to get the better for our country. If we want another half million jobs lost in this country, this tpp bill, it goes through, that is what is going to happen. Peoples got to understand something. Usda stickers on meat in this country. Were going to have meat coming in from all over the world and we are not going to know what we are getting. They are going to say it is beef and its not going to be. As far as this caller from virginia you had, he hit it on t he head. America created taking care of business like we should do now and come home. Host one of the issues around the trade bill and trade treaty has been lack of transparency, the fact that nobody can read it. You have to go into a private room in the senate. The senate cannot bring phones or take notes if they want to read the treaty itself. Here are senators mansion and hatch talking about the transparency issue. Senator manchin the view of the documents they are technical in nature. Oftentimes without a trade staffer with out appropriate clearance. Here i am, i am not able to take staff are only staff with security clearance. It might not be the staff on my. Staff that had the expertise in this so that takes that equation away. We are unable to take any notes to consider what we saw unless we have a photographic memory. I do not. I tried the best i can to remember and look at things i knew i was looking for, but still yet it is almost impossible to walk out of there having the ability to evaluate what you just saw. Then were unable to talk to anybody about it. Even to my staff that i would like to get their input since i have them basically looking at the details. Especially the public, too, have no idea about any issues that concern them. The secretive nature of the largest freetrade deal in americas history lacks common sense. Senator hatch we need to keep in mind that every senator complaining about the secrecy associated with tpp has had an opportunity to read to the current text of the agreement. And the agreement has not concluded yet. They will not be until we pass tpa. I would be surprised if the same senators decrying the secrecy of the negotiations also believes that contract negotiations between unions and management should be made public or that it would be a wise negotiating tactic for a private citizen negotiating the sale of their home to post all the offers they received on the internet. My point, mr. President is that in the midst of any high stakes negotiations some level of confidentiality is essential to getting a good deal. Host from the health. From the hill. Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell is turning up the pressure on senators to make a deal on three bills, vowing to keep the chamber in session until its work is done. The senate is approaching a weeklong memorial day recess but it still has to finish work on a fasttrack trade proposal, expiring provisions of the patriot act, and highly legislation. I want to remind everybody we are going to finish the bill before we leave,he told senators on the floor. We are going to deal with fisa and highways. The senate could be in session over the weekend. They will be in today at 9 30 on cspan 2. If they are in session over the weekend, of course, we will carry that as well. From baton rouge a. J. Is on the line. Independent, go ahead. A. J. good morning, cspan. It amazes me how the liberal press lets old ldayady clinton get away with anything she wants to do. She answers how many questions and said she would run for president. How many questions has she answered . 25 or 30. If i was peter spicer, the guy who wrote the book cash clinton, i would get me some bodyguards and let other people start my car in the mornings. Youre dealing with the clintons. Theyre strange mean folks and she is now the head of the clan. Host ramona is in georgia. Democrat. Ramona good morning, cspan. It amazes me that mccain and all the government officials host turn down the volume of your tv. Otherwise you hear a delay and it stopped the program. Ramona better . Host go ahead and start talking. We are listening. Ramona it amazes me how passionate mccain is about people in israel, passionate about people here that pay his actual salary. They have not written any kind of laws that killed black men in the streets. But they mention the people dying in the streets in the middle east. I think that is detrimental to us. On our elected officials. Host sam is in manassas. Sam is a republican. Sam most of the peo