Example of the bureaucracy of the government. So many levels of management and no one does anything. President obama is requesting a nearly 4 billion of emergency funding from congress to address the influx of children coming across the u. S. Border. Heres more about that. The administration has requested 3. 7 billion of emergency funding from congress for stopping some of the influx of children dealing with the situation along the southern border with mexico. Laura is with the wall street journal and writing about the story, what is in the administration request to congress . A lot of the money is to house the children and families crossing the border. That is where the crisis has been. A huge influx created children traveling alone and adult traveling have come across the border. And in each of those cases there are sort of special needs for housing them and the administration is not able to handle right now and that is what a lot of the money would go to work. The white house proposal puts the president in an awkward position. The liberalization on the laws of the white house did anything out of this request that they wanted to get even before all of the crisis started . Some say that it should be offset with other cuts and for the most part it it was open to the Republican Leaders as well as the other individuals like terri reid. However, there is a competition here which there is another piece of the request which is not funny for a change in law. And what that would do is handle weighted they have unaccompanied minors and right now the law dictates how the sponsor works and how the situation unfolds slowly create so i can take years. And that is not the way the kids from mexico or from canada are handling it. Those cases are expedited. And what the white house is doing is working with them to change the law. And that is much more controversial. It. A couple of weeks, it has to do with the obama deportation policy and terms of the surge of children. So how quickly will make its way through congress. And we are talking about this and its unclear what will happen in that house. The chairman, republican of kentucky and it is something that should the house the house should be addressing. So this could move quickly, however, if republicans try to attack this obama request of a version of a to change that 2008 law, then that will good complicated. And they tend to act very slowly, but this is a situation where i think people from all parties viewed as a true emergency. You can follow along. Laura, thank you for the update. Did you for having a. The white house has requested 3. 7 million of Border Security. On our next washington journal, we will talk with Arizona Republican congresswoman about Border Security challenges. We will also talk with the Migration Policy Institute as well. And pitchforks are coming and you can join the conversation on facebook and twitter. 40 years ago, the watergate scandal led to the only resignation of an american president. American history tv revisit 1974 this weekend, here the Supreme Court oral argument over the recordings. The president may be right on how he reads this. But he may also be wrong. And if he is wrong, then the president , of course, is free to pursue his course of erroneous interpretation. Sunday night on cspan3 on American History tv. The state Department Officials and the former Hungarian Ambassador to the u. S. Testified at a Senate Hearing about european dependence on russia for their Energy Supplies and how it has affected the diplomatic reaction to russias annexation of crimea. Chris murphy was part of a recent delegation to talk to officials about the situation. He chairs the twohour Senate ForeignRelation Committee some hearing. Welcome, everyone, to this hearing. This is not a new topic for this committee, the annexation of the crimean peninsula, it has brought a new sense of the and also focused to this debate. And we are happy to have two great panels are today. Myself and senator Johnson Wille givem some brief rocks and wel,t stll give you the summary ofreme their marks and then also have our second panel of experts. Russias status as a Regional Power is commensurate only to to th russiality to blackmail and threaten europe. Ut we have imports of about 30 of its gas and 35 of its oil, contical decisionmaking is dictated in part by the reality of running a continent and how we are supplied by one unpredictable neighbor to another. The question is how much longer real will your approach with the reality and work in the United States to and the strategy proposes action to increase europes own Energy Production and decrease demand, and pursue or noble Energy Alternatives ant its supplier countries as well. The strategy is admirable. But in todays hearing we will ask whether there is politicall will or the funding to implement it and whether and we also want to know how noneu countries,onu like the ukraine, fit into the u plan for Energy Independence. Wl and we will principally examine what role the p can play. Is is a this is a complicated issue. And it makes sense to examine what will the United States natural gas can play in weaning your above of w russian gas. Th. And even when the United States will leads, there is a question as to whether we are want tocaid area and we have the increase of this as well. Struck hen i and it struck me what comes to leadership when it comes to globalue leadership security ane let meni now recognize senator id son for t his remarks. I would like to thank the witnesses, first of all, for your thoughtful testimony. Ugh and mr. Chairman, i come from business backgrounds and therep been strategic process. You have to recognize thet reality of the situation once you have done that coming out achievable goals. And once you do that to me develop a strategy shot at it because it looks like thats what you want to talk about is lets recognize what the reality of the situation is, if were going to talk about russia, we first have to recognize what gives Vladimir Putin power is his oil and Gas Resources and europes quite honestly growing dependence on those. So lets spend a lot of time talking about the reality of the situation, then lets Start Talking about what are achievable goals and what are the priorities in which we need to address those possible achievable goals . Thank you for holding this hearing. Look forward to the testimony. No overly excessive introductions here. Were very happy to have two administration witnesses with us. Our first panel is Amos Hochstein and hoyt yi, denty assistant secretary of state for european and eurasian affairs. Both of your written statements will be included in the record. Please summarize in five minutes. We will be joined by other members of the committee. As always, a busy day here. Thankful for your testimony. Why dont we amos, why dont we start with you. Well go to mr. Hochstein and then mr. Yee. Thank you, chairman murphy and Ranking Member johnson and members of the subcommittee. I appreciate the opportunity to be here today to discuss European Energy security during this critical time. The department of state and the administration as a whole are committed to improve europes Energy Security and were working closely with our partners in this effort. Let me begin with an update on the Energy Crisis in ukraine. Ukraine has been negotiating with russia and the European Union to resolve the issue of price, debt, and future payment for ukraines gas imports from russia. Russia, unfortunately seized supply of gas to ukraine on july 16 showing little willingness to continue negotiations until ukraine pays off its debt. The situation is urgent. While production is sufficient to cover summer demand, without russian gas, ukraine will not be able to meet its consumption needs when the heating season returns. Although the United States is not party to the trilateral gas negotiations, we are working closely with ukraine and the eu to identify solutions that will bring an end to the Current Crisis and make the ukrainian and eu gas supply system nor resilient in the system. Eu Energy Commissioner, his cabinet and dg energy have done an incredible job and we are in weekly contact with him and his staff as well as with the minister of ukraine on this issue. Looking forward, part of the answer for ukraines Energy Security is its integration into the eu Energy Market. Before it th integration can happen, its essential ukraine reform its Energy Sector. If it does not, if corruption and inefficiency continue along with crippling Energy Subsidies for consumers, ukraine will be right back where we all started just a short while ago. Were working to develop and implement programs to increase efficiency. Our bureau at the Energy Resources bureau at the state department is overseeing products to boost Gas Production from existing fields. Were also working to build the governments capacity is manage the implementation of production sharing contracts for unconventional Gas Production and development. To address Energy Efficiency, the program is designed to enhance ukraines Energy Security as well as reduce and mitigate emissions resulting from the poor use of Energy Resources in ukrainian municipalities. Fortunately, flows of gas through ukraine to europe have not been impacted yet. Russia and ukraine have both promised not to disrupt transit and the shortterm impact of this cutoff has been relatively small in europe but that is because it is not in the gas intensive heating season and because weve just gone through a relatively mild winter so stocks are unseasonably high. But its critical that countries with Storage Capacity use these summer months to aggressively increase their supplies. Were working with the department of energy as they coordinate an evident to assist the most Vulnerable Countries to assess contingency plans in case of a shutoff. Mr. Chairman, the lack of immediate alarm in europe cannot lead us or the eu to become passive in addressing a longterm solution. While the media and others have focused on Energy Security in europe only for the last several months, as you stated in your opening statement, this committee, the congress, and the administration have been working on this for quite some time. As early as the late 1990s we were heavily engaged in negotiations that made the bct pipeline a reality despite the skepticism of experts who said the oil would never throw to european markets. Our European Energy security efforts intensified after russia cut off glass supplies to ukraine and european customers in 09. Weve intensely focused on Energy Security in europe advocating Energy Diversification particularly in central and Eastern Europe. We work hand in hand with the commission and with our other allies and Energy Envoys in eastern and central europe. In fact, we just returned from hungary and croatia last week. Energy diversification is critical. It includes having broad fuel mix and diversifying the roots and the sources of imports. Russia will and should remain essential player in the region as a producer and as an exporter, but alternative supplies and additional delivery roots will promote competition. Without u. S. Engagement, the southern gas corridor would not be on the verge of becoming a reality. We agree with our european allies on the critical need for europe to improve its Energy Infrastructure by constructing new pipelines, upgrading existing pipelines, upgrading interconnecters, building newl ng terminals. We applaud the recent announcement of the hundrgarian interconnector. Lithuania and poland are completing their terminals. A proposed terminal on kirk island in croatia would bring in supplies from the south. With the completion of reverse flow from hungary, coasia could become a gas import hub. Hungary can provide an important link for alternative gas supplies to ukraine from croatia. And when we were in croatia and hungary last week, we ern couraged the two countries to work more closely. Were working with our colleagues in the eu to advance in infrastructure buildout and we support the efforts to identify and help fund the most critical projects. We also commend them for their legal reforms. The passage of the Third Energy Package that made sure that regulatory frskt was in place to make sure that destination clauses were not crippling their own Energy Security were put in place and now is the time to make sure that they are implemented. As Vice President biden said in budapest, the development of secure, diverse, and interconnected Energy Market in europe is the next big step for our european colleagues to initiate in a great project of European Economic integration. Thank you, mr. Chairman, Ranking Member johnson. I welcome your questions. Mr. Ye e. Thank you, chairman murphy, Ranking Member johnson for inviting us to testify before the subcommittee on European Energy security and for the personal interest you have taken in this issue. The ukraine crisis has demonstrated security has multiple dimensions. Vulnerabilities can come in many forms. The threat of military intervention, the danger of over dependence of energy from an unreliable and at times hostile neighbor or the cancer of corruption that weakens institutions and undermines security and sovereignty. Russias provocative actions in ukraine have reaffirmed the continued importance of territorial defense. In response, all nato members have reaffirmed our collective commitment to preserve security and territorial integrity in the nato area. The United States has led in this effort. Weve deployed 750 troops to estonia, latvia, lithuania, poland, and romania. Weve stepped up our fighter jet deployment and maintained a continued naval presence in the black sea. As the president announced in poland last month, we are seeking congressional approval for 1 billion of European Reassurance Initiative to build on our current efforts. Just as the United States has strengthened its presence in the region, each of the other 27 nato allies has committed personnel and resources to natos reassurance efforts. In the run up to the nato summit in wales, we are encouraging all members to sustain this demonstration of aligned solidarity and to reverse the worrying slide into defense budgets. The United States is working hard with central and Eastern European countries and the European Union to shore up Energy Security. Weve been working to help ukraine reform its gas sector, increase Energy Efficiency, develop domestic sources including shale Gas Production and integrate more fully into European Energy markets. Were also working with our european allies to increase ukraines access to gas through reverse flows. At the same time the ukraine crisis has given new impetus for countries across europe to step up efforts to diversify their Energy Sources and supplies, boost storage, develop networks of interconnects and reverse flow capacity. As we work with our european allies, the United States is devoting greater resources to fight corruption in the region. In the wake of the situation in ukraine and russia, it is time that we treat corruption as a threat to National Security and sovereignty. Corrupt elites and oligarchic interests are reaching across International Boundaries to support each other. They hollow out Border Security and military services leaving countries vulnerable and exposed to outside interference. That is why we are empowering our embassies to work with governments, civil society, and the Business Community across centr