Transcripts For CSPAN3 Key Capitol Hill Hearings 20150114 :

CSPAN3 Key Capitol Hill Hearings January 14, 2015

You to indianapolis the state of the state address before the general session of indianas assembly. Representative kathy richardson. Representative sheila klinker. And representative Melanie Wright [ applause ] speaker boswell president protem long. Senator lannan representatives members of the General Assembly distinguished 2k3we69s, my fellow hoosiers, tonight on the eve of our bicentennial year i stand before you as your governor, to proudly report that the state of our state has never been stronger. And if we keep faith with the character of our paem, theres nothing we cannot accomplish in our next century. [ applause ] indianas on a roll, and im not just talking about the colts, how about those colts . [ applause ] but seriously, indianas blessed. We have the best state legislature in america, and together weve made indiana the fiscal envy of the country we balanced budgets, funded priorities you can maintain strong reserves and still we were able to pass the largest state tax cut in indiana history, a win for indiana taxpayers. And here in the state that works, hoosiers are going back to work. Unemployment has fallen faster here than almost anywhere in the country. When i was elected governor unemployment was 8 , today its 5. 7 and falling weve added more than 100,000 private sector jobs in the last two years and were on track to have more hoosiers going to work in this state ever before. [ applause ]. Now, and while we maintain a strong Balance Sheet well weve also made necessary investments in education. Improved the first ever state funding for quality prek and invested more than 800 million in funding for roads in this last budget alone. The result, Graduation Rates are up. Test scores are up. The doors are already open to our prek program, creating opportunities for disadvantaged kids in the hoosier state. Indiana is now home to the largest Voucher Program in the United States of america. You know, i like to say theres 49 other governors in this country who wish they could be me. But lets be clear our state has never been stronger. Not because of our government but because of our people. They just dont come any better than hoosier ss. Hardworking, patriotic, modest and generous to those in need. Everyone knows the story of Indianapolis Police officer perry grant courageous Police Officer who squared his shoulders in the face of deadly force to protect our capital city, and he paid with his life. What you may not know is the story of two Little Heroes that followed after that story. Jason and ben, 5 and 8. They were the sons of the officers partner, they were inspired in the midst of that tragedy, to raise money to outfit the Indianapolis Police department with better body armor, those two little boys have now raised more than 20,000 to make our police safer. Would you join me in thanks lynn rand and our two young heroes who showed the courage and kindness that makes indiana great . [ applause ] now thats enthusiasm. You know but nowhere is the character of our people more evident than those who serve in uniform. The evil that came to the streets of paris last week may seem far removed but the brutal murder of our own peter kasi, an aide worker killed by isis terrorists, was a stark reminder that were all part of a global war against barberism. Hoosiers should be proud to know that on the front lines of that war are some 300 airmen out of ft. Wayne in the largest deployment of the Air National Guard in the last 10 years. [ applause ] to these airmen and their families and their leadership along with the army National Guard who are with us tonight, let me assure you of our prayers, let me assure you of the heartfelt gratitude of the people of indiana for your service, and we will pray you home more than 30 years ago at this very podium president Ronald Reagan said in words that are carved on a plaque just back in the back of this chamber, that the federal government was still operating on the outdated and arrogant assumption that the states cant manage their own affairs that day he predicted that it would be states like ours that would come to americas rescue, states like ours that would in his words offer the most Creative Solutions and most promising hopes for or nation. Well, reagan was right. At a time when Public Confidence in our federal government is at an all time low, states have emerged as a sources of inspiration on fiscal policy, Economic Growth, education and Health Care Reform and indiana is leading the way. Here in indiana weve been proving every day we can balance our budgets run our schools choose our health care and serve our people far better than the proverbial elite ever could. To whom much is given much will be required. We have work to do the. Last week i submitted my recommended budget to the General Assembly, its a balanced budget that holds the line on spending, funds our priorities with no new debt. Now, fiscal discipline has been the hallmark of the past decade. Our balances budgets have led to Economic Growth lower tax rates and job creation, indiana is one of the few states in the country that does not have a balanced budget requirement in our constitution. Its a tribute to the Public Servants in this room that indiana has adhered to that practice in recent years, even though its not required. A balanced budget requirement will assure hoosiers today and tomorrow indiana will spend wisely protect our state from an economic downturn and unlike washington, d. C. , we wont bury our children and grandchildren under mountains of debt let me commend signal david long on a balanced Budget Amendment and let me call all of us in this chamber tonight. Lets begin the process in this session of adding a balanced Budget Amendment to the indiana constitution, and send this historic reform to the people of indiana for ratification. [ applause ] over the past two years weve made lots of progress, great progress cutting taxes. Now in this session, lets continue the work by simplifying the tax code and take steps to prevent a rapid increase of property taxes on indianas family farmers. And lets remember that low cost energy is vital to our economy, we need an all of the above energy strategy, including Energy Efficiency and know this indiana is a pro coal state and we will continue to fight against the epa until we bring this war on coal to an end. [ applause ] to remain the cross roadses of america, lets end this coming budget invest another 300 million in new funding for roads, and lets give our cities and towns new resources to plan strategies for growth. Balanced budgets are a starting point to improving our economy, the key to unlocking the full potential of our state is not so much going to be found in her factories and fields, but in her classrooms. Lets agree here and now, republican and democrat alike that this will be an education session of the indiana General Assembly, and we will improve our schools for all of our kids. [ applause ] now my philosophy of executive leadership is simple, you set a big goal offer solutions but you stay open to the other ideas about how to achieve them. With that approach in mind and more than 100,000 kids in underperforming and failing schools in our state. Lets make it our goal in this session of the General Assembly to have 100,000 more students enrolled in high quality schools by the year 2020. [ applause ]. Thats 100,000 more kids in better schools by the end of this decade. To achieve this goal we must fund excellence expand choices and assure that education in indiana works at the highest levels. I propose more state dollars for k12 than ever before. Building on our historic last session lets invest 10 million a year to Fund Scholarships in our new prek program, because every hoosier child deserves to Start School Ready to learn. Now, there are those that think that improving education is just about increasing funding money alone isnt the answer. Everyone knows that its good teachers that make the difference. I should know ive been married to a schoolteacher for 30 years this year. In fact shes with me tonight. Would you join me in welcoming the best first lady in the United States of america to this chamber my wife and a schoolteacher. [ applause ] how do you get more good teachers like my wife in her career, or my fatherinlaw, up in the gallery today who is indiana state teacher of the year in the 80s. I think you get good teachers in the classrooms by paying good teachers more, thats what weve been trying to do over the last several years, we were able to award 30 million in bonuses to teachers across indiana, i believe we should provide another 63 million for performance bonuses and refocus resources on the classroom more freedom for our schools and more dollars in the classroom is a prescription for success and will pay dividends for generation s generations because all honest work is honorable work, lets continue to make sure that our schools work for all of our kids regardless of where they want to start in life and lets come together and continue to work in a bipartisan way until we make career and Vocational Education a priority in every high school in the state of indiana again. The General Assembly embraced that vision just two years ago, and together weve begun to improve the career and Technical Education opportunities for our students. We distributed millions of dollars in grants and seen innovation in schools across our states like up in la port county where the high schools and a local utility are working together preparing students for careers in electronics and income, they set up an Energy Academy academy. The driving force behind that effort is with us tonight. The indiana career and Technical Education director of the year, thank you for your great leadership leadership. [ applause ] by providing 20 20 million more a year to support career vocational opportunities and improving the way we fund those courses, i believe we can dramatically increase the number of students who graduate career ready. The number of students who graduate with an industry recognized credential by 2020. As we open new opportunities within our public schools, lets give parents the choice where their kids go to school by expanding our choice and charlotter School Programs here in indiana, it will be right for our kids and right for indiana. Kidse[ like nathan. Karen and i are friends with nathans mom, shes a single mom, and hes a wonderful young man, they live right here in indianapolis. But frankly, at age 15 not long ago, nathan was one of those kidses who was falling through the cracks. We heard he couldnt quite find a school that worked for him and his mom and us we all saw the trajectory he was on. We came along site, we talked to his mom about other choices that are available in our state. My wife managed to point them in the direction of one of our innovative public Charter Schools. Ill never forget the day karen came home and told me that nathan had visited that school with his mom after he had gone in and scene the individualized learning model where all the kids learn at their own pace. He walked out of the school where his mom was anxiously waiting on the sidewalk ringing her hands, she looked at him and sid, well what did you think . He looked eded back at her and said mom, if i go here, ill flourish. If i go here, ill be a leader. He just started a few days back, and his mom told me just this morning, nathans doing great. That really is what its all about kids like nathan and opening gores of opportunities to more hoosier kids to have more options for the kind of education that will work for them. Today some 30,000 low and middle income kids are able to have that choice. To attend the school that works best for them because of their choice scholarship program. Lets open more doors of opportunities to more hoosier familyies by lifting the cap on the dollar amount, raise the cap on the choice scholarship program. Because Charter Schools receive significantly less total funding per pupil than traditional schools, lets adjust funding to allow more communities to offer more choices for families just like nathans. Thats a win for them, and a win for indiana nothings more important than the health and well being of our people. We must care for the needs of our most viller inable. The aged the infirm and our children born and unborn. Thats why we advanced a tax credit for adoptive parents and are fully funding our adoption subsidy goingforward. Let me take a moment tough thank the speaker for putting reducing infant mortality at the very center of this coming session of the General Assembly, thank you mr. Speaker. Tomorrow well launch a campaign called the labor of love to educate new and expecting moms across our state over the next year p. M. We all need to Work Together on this let me say this if youre an expectant mom or if you have a little one on your lap, help is on the way, together we can and together we will reduce the heartbreak of infant more tagty in indiana. [ applause ] you know there is an old saying that when oefrn in your family is healthy you have lots of problems. But when one member of your family is sick youve only got one problem. From the beginning of my tenure as governor weve been committed to bringing Hoosier Solutions to bear on the challenges in health care. Weve been saying no to obama care in indiana. No to establishing a state exchange, and no to expanding a broken medicaid system, medicaid is not a system that we should expand. Its a program we need to change. Thats just what weve been doing with a healthy indiana plan. The original program crafted more than six years ago on a bipartisan basis is the basis for our new proposal, a proposal that would offer more low income hoosiers the chance to get their own health care. Weve been working hard to get it done, to get washington to say, yes ive gone to our Nations Capital engaged in discussions with federal officials, i took our case to the president on the tarmac outside air force one in evansville one day. As our discussions go forward let me assure all of you of this i will continue to stand firm for the right to expand coverage the indiana way, empowering hoosiers to take control of their Health Care Choices we will not accept terms that relegate hoosiers to substandard health care or jeopardize the Fiscal Health of the state of indian indiana. [ applause ] now, the road ahead wasnt be easy but im confident. Im confident because of the people we serve. Hoosiers have always been willing to do hard things. To embrace change to build schools of promise and policies that will advance the prosperity and safety and well being of our people. I believe if we act with resolve in this year if were bold we will fulfill indianas promise for this generation and the next well have more hoosiers going to work than ever before. We will have more kids attending high quality schools than ever before, and more kids graduating, ready for college or careers. And we will improve the health and well being of our people by empowering individuals to take responsibility for themselves and their families and well do it all the indiana way based on fiscal responsibility, personal responsibility. Selfreliance and the values and common sense that are synonymous with the hoosier state. And when we do this we will fulfill the promise not just of our time, but we will fulfill the promise first forged beneath that constitution elm in 1816 the promise of a state that would be built on freedom and that would become a beacon of hope and an example to the nation. With boundless faith in the people of indiana, and faith in gods grace to see us through, i say, the best days for indiana are yet to come lets get to work. Thank you and god bless you, and god bless the great state of indiana indiana. [ applause ] ladies and gentlemen, General Assembly, this joint session of the General Assembly is now add jourjed. Live coverage of indiana governor mike pence also today new Jersey Governor Chris Christie delivered his state of the state address well show you that later tonight on cspan. Next here on cspan3 a portion of todays White House Briefing. Good afternoon everybody, good to see you today. Before we get started the president you obviously all have an opportunity from the president as he convened the meeting with congressional leaders at the white house. I do anticipate the bulk of the meeting will be used to discuss opportunities where democrats and republicans can put aside the issues they may have on a range of issues and focus on areas where there should be Common Ground where we agree we can move the country forward. I want to hilt two examples of that. The president today will be submitting legislation to congress with specific language that would strengthen our Cyber Security protections, this is a bill that would strengthen Cyber Security would strengthen Law Enforcement tools that can be used to go after hackers and put in place protections that w

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