WEBVTT 1 00:00:13.413 --> 00:00:19.653 SECRETARY JOHNSON: Good afternoon. I am privileged to be here standing 2 00:00:19.653 --> 00:00:23.857 between two great Americans, two of my predecessors as 3 00:00:23.857 --> 00:00:27.728 Secretary of Homeland Security. I guess in this group, 4 00:00:27.728 --> 00:00:30.597 I am known as number four. 5 00:00:30.597 --> 00:00:36.337 Number three, Secretary Janet Napolitano could not be here. 6 00:00:36.337 --> 00:00:42.709 She is in California. She has issued a statement in conjunction with this event, 7 00:00:42.709 --> 00:00:46.079 which those of you in the press should have. 8 00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:50.884 I also want to acknowledge the presence of two other great Americans. 9 00:00:50.884 --> 00:00:56.924 Judge William Webster, former director of the CIA and the FBI, who is the 10 00:00:56.924 --> 00:01:01.561 chairman of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, with us here today. 11 00:01:01.561 --> 00:01:04.598 Deputy Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas 12 00:01:04.598 --> 00:01:08.869 and former Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute. 13 00:01:08.869 --> 00:01:13.941 I am pleased everyone could be here. I am particularly pleased to be here with 14 00:01:13.941 --> 00:01:16.510 Secretaries Ridge and Chertoff 15 00:01:16.510 --> 00:01:23.683 to, with them, stress the importance of reaching agreement in Congress 16 00:01:23.683 --> 00:01:31.692 so that we have a fully funded Department of Homeland Security in fiscal year 2015. 17 00:01:31.692 --> 00:01:38.265 As I have said repeatedly now, for weeks, today, on Capitol Hill, meeting with 18 00:01:38.265 --> 00:01:42.736 Republicans and Democrats, and with the press and the public, in these 19 00:01:42.736 --> 00:01:48.509 challenging times, it is critical that the Department of Homeland Security 20 00:01:48.509 --> 00:01:57.384 receive a full year appropriation. There are concrete dramatic consequences for the 21 00:01:57.384 --> 00:02:03.557 homeland security of this nation if we allow the funding of the Department to 22 00:02:03.557 --> 00:02:12.098 lapse. There are consequences if we have to exist on a continued CR, 23 00:02:12.098 --> 00:02:17.204 another continuing resolution past Friday night. There are huge drawbacks to that, 24 00:02:17.204 --> 00:02:23.277 which I have talked about repeatedly, over the last several weeks. So, we need, 25 00:02:23.277 --> 00:02:29.816 on behalf of the American public, a fully funded Department of Homeland Security. 26 00:02:29.816 --> 00:02:33.987 Now I want to turn it over to my predecessor number one, 27 00:02:33.987 --> 00:02:37.891 Secretary Tom Ridge. Thank you for being here today. 28 00:02:37.891 --> 00:02:41.928 SECRETARY RIDGE: First of all, let me say, Mr. Secretary, I am grateful 29 00:02:41.928 --> 00:02:45.132 that you gave me an opportunity to participate in this press conference. 30 00:02:45.132 --> 00:02:49.836 Because I think your goal is one that I am proud to say, and as you indicated, all 31 00:02:49.836 --> 00:02:55.676 four Secretaries of the Department of Homeland Security embrace. 32 00:02:55.676 --> 00:03:02.482 Let me say at the outset ladies and gentlemen, that I personally believe, as a 33 00:03:02.482 --> 00:03:05.485 former member of the Congress of the United States 34 00:03:05.485 --> 00:03:11.224 that the President has gravely overstepped his constitutional authority. 35 00:03:11.224 --> 00:03:16.530 That is my strong opinion. And I do think that from a political of view and a 36 00:03:16.530 --> 00:03:23.203 legislative point of view, there's opposition - the Republican party has 37 00:03:23.203 --> 00:03:27.941 has every right to challenge that. But I don't think we right 38 00:03:27.941 --> 00:03:32.112 that wrong on the backs of the patriots that go to work every day to provide 39 00:03:32.112 --> 00:03:34.848 safety and security at the Department of Homeland Security. 40 00:03:34.848 --> 00:03:38.852 They may not like what has transpired but the solution that they seek 41 00:03:38.852 --> 00:03:44.791 in my judgement is unfortunate. From a policy point of view 42 00:03:44.791 --> 00:03:52.532 it's wrong; it's folly. I would say that we would no more 43 00:03:52.532 --> 00:04:00.506 ask the men and women in harm's way in Afghanistan or the three thousand boots 44 00:04:00.506 --> 00:04:08.615 on the ground combating ISIL to go out to provide safety and security 45 00:04:08.615 --> 00:04:12.185 in the interest of national security, without pay. 46 00:04:12.185 --> 00:04:18.925 I think it is a very appropriate analogy. There are many people in many 47 00:04:18.925 --> 00:04:22.128 departments and organizations in this government that have a 48 00:04:22.128 --> 00:04:28.168 responsibility for our safety and our security. Whether you work at ICE, 49 00:04:28.168 --> 00:04:33.373 customs and border protection, Secret Service, or the United States Coast Guard 50 00:04:33.373 --> 00:04:37.510 they wear the uniform of public service. And we would know more think of not 51 00:04:37.510 --> 00:04:41.448 funding our soldiers. But these are soldiers. They wear a different uniform. 52 00:04:41.448 --> 00:04:45.018 The goal, the mission, the objective is the same. Keep America as safe and 53 00:04:45.018 --> 00:04:52.392 secure as possible. I would encourage a full and complete funding for the 54 00:04:52.392 --> 00:04:56.796 Department of Homeland Security, no more additional continuing resolutions. 55 00:04:56.796 --> 00:05:00.133 I would also say this as someone who is proud to serve in the Congress 56 00:05:00.133 --> 00:05:03.770 of the United States for 12 years. I think there are legislative ways, 57 00:05:03.770 --> 00:05:09.475 not only to express your dissatisfaction with the president's Executive Order. 58 00:05:09.475 --> 00:05:14.447 I would recommend strongly a concerted effort in that regard, a bill or series of 59 00:05:14.447 --> 00:05:17.884 bills or a Bill, let's engage it in the right form. I think the right form is the 60 00:05:17.884 --> 00:05:21.087 traditional battle you have between the Executive and the Legislative branch. 61 00:05:21.087 --> 00:05:25.191 Send the President some measures that we can elevate the debate. 62 00:05:25.191 --> 00:05:29.529 You don't elevate the debate and you don't send a message 63 00:05:29.529 --> 00:05:34.134 by refusing to compensate the men and women who go to work every single day 64 00:05:34.134 --> 00:05:39.773 in a uniform of public service, where the mission is frankly to keep us safe and 65 00:05:39.773 --> 00:05:44.343 secure. By the way, that includes the members of the House and the Senate. 66 00:05:44.343 --> 00:05:47.580 Mr. Secretary, I am grateful for the opportunity to share these thoughts with 67 00:05:47.580 --> 00:05:53.653 you. It is my great pleasure to introduce my successor, Secretary Chertoff. 68 00:05:53.653 --> 00:06:00.393 SECRETARY CHERTOFF: First of all, I am delighted to be here, both with my 69 00:06:00.393 --> 00:06:03.095 predecessor and one of my successors. 70 00:06:03.095 --> 00:06:07.466 And I can't imagine anything more important to talk about, than the need to 71 00:06:07.466 --> 00:06:09.836 continue to fund the Department of 72 00:06:09.836 --> 00:06:13.272 Homeland Security fully, as we go forward this year. 73 00:06:13.272 --> 00:06:19.412 I understand, as Governor Ridge said, there are some deep concerns many people 74 00:06:19.412 --> 00:06:24.183 have about the Executive Order that the President undertook with respect 75 00:06:24.183 --> 00:06:27.954 to people who are in this country without authorization 76 00:06:27.954 --> 00:06:30.657 That matter, as it turns out is likely to be 77 00:06:30.657 --> 00:06:33.459 dealt with by the courts. What I don't think 78 00:06:33.459 --> 00:06:37.096 makes sense is to hold the entire set of 79 00:06:37.096 --> 00:06:38.898 operations of the Department of Homeland 80 00:06:38.898 --> 00:06:43.703 Security in abeyance, as a hostage as the legislative 81 00:06:43.703 --> 00:06:47.106 branch starts to play a game of chicken with the President 82 00:06:47.106 --> 00:06:50.309 And I think at this particular moment given what is going on in the 83 00:06:50.309 --> 00:06:53.746 world and even in this country in terms of the security challenges we 84 00:06:53.746 --> 00:06:58.184 face, we cannot afford to be distracting the men and women on the 85 00:06:58.184 --> 00:07:01.187 frontline of our homeland security with 86 00:07:01.187 --> 00:07:02.955 concerns about whether they will get the 87 00:07:02.955 --> 00:07:06.359 administrative support they need, the equipment they need 88 00:07:06.359 --> 00:07:08.861 and even their salaries and their paychecks 89 00:07:08.861 --> 00:07:12.398 I know there has been a little bit of discussion on the Hill about whether a 90 00:07:12.398 --> 00:07:17.803 shutdown would really be that much of an impact on homeland security. 91 00:07:17.803 --> 00:07:20.139 I have had the experience over the years that I have been in 92 00:07:20.139 --> 00:07:22.441 government, in dealing with shutdowns. 93 00:07:22.441 --> 00:07:24.043 Le me talk for a couple of moments 94 00:07:24.043 --> 00:07:27.013 about the practical effect. 95 00:07:27.013 --> 00:07:28.815 First, there will be some people, 96 00:07:28.815 --> 00:07:31.650 about 15%, who will be sent home. 97 00:07:31.650 --> 00:07:35.121 And although they may not be the people at the tip of the spear, they are 98 00:07:35.454 --> 00:07:38.858 the people providing the administrative support, the managerial support, 99 00:07:38.858 --> 00:07:42.928 working on acquisitions, and helping to deploy equipment. 100 00:07:42.928 --> 00:07:44.430 All of which is necessary to support those people who man the frontlines. 101 00:07:46.799 --> 00:07:52.304 Our ability to help state and local law enforcement with grants will be suspended. 102 00:07:52.304 --> 00:07:55.808 And in many cases as we have seen, some of what we worry 103 00:07:55.808 --> 00:08:00.012 about from a security standpoint occurs in the cities and towns around this country 104 00:08:00.012 --> 00:08:04.317 And without the support of the United States government, local law enforcement 105 00:08:04.317 --> 00:08:07.987 is going to be overstretched. The ability to prepare for and deal 106 00:08:07.987 --> 00:08:09.722 with disasters and we are dealing with some rough 107 00:08:09.722 --> 00:08:13.492 weather now will also be suspended while this goes on. 108 00:08:13.492 --> 00:08:17.529 So for all of these reasons, having a shutdown for the Department of 109 00:08:17.529 --> 00:08:20.332 Homeland Security is going to cause a lot of pain 110 00:08:20.332 --> 00:08:23.436 and a lot of difficulty for American citizens as well as 111 00:08:23.436 --> 00:08:27.506 for the hundreds of thousands of people who work for DHS. 112 00:08:27.506 --> 00:08:30.909 So I am delighted to join with Secretary Johnson and Secretary Ridge, 113 00:08:30.909 --> 00:08:33.946 bipartisan approach, in saying, 114 00:08:33.946 --> 00:08:39.418 let us fund DHS. And let them do the job that's most important to all of us, 115 00:08:39.418 --> 00:08:42.288 protecting America. Thanks a lot. 116 00:08:42.288 --> 00:08:45.290 SECRETARY JOHNSON: Okay. We have time for a few questions. 117 00:08:45.290 --> 00:08:47.593 The gentleman in the middle. 118 00:08:47.593 --> 00:08:59.405 REPORTER: Hi, John Hudson. The fact that all of the former Department heads have to 119 00:08:59.405 --> 00:09:04.443 and speak to the whole vulnerability of the Department right now which many still 120 00:09:04.443 --> 00:09:09.248 see as an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy atop our national security state, 121 00:09:09.248 --> 00:09:13.186 how do you respond to that dim and what has become kind of a lasting view of the 122 00:09:13.186 --> 00:09:16.956 Department of Homeland Security overall, more broadly? 123 00:09:16.956 --> 00:09:20.993 SECRETARY JOHNSON: Well, I couldn't disagree more strongly with 124 00:09:20.993 --> 00:09:25.364 that characterization. First of all, you've got to remember that this 125 00:09:25.364 --> 00:09:29.401 Department, which I have the privilege to lead and which these two gentlemen had 126 00:09:29.401 --> 00:09:32.605 the privilege to lead, is responsible for counterterrorism 127 00:09:32.605 --> 00:09:36.775 cybersecurity, border security, aviation security, maritime security, port security 128 00:09:39.678 --> 00:09:43.916 protection of our national leaders protection of critical infrastructure 129 00:09:43.916 --> 00:09:46.418 and responding to natural disasters 130 00:09:46.418 --> 00:09:51.890 all under the rubric of homeland security. When you look at where all of those 131 00:09:51.890 --> 00:09:58.497 functions existed prior to 2003, they were spread over at least 10 different 132 00:09:58.764 --> 00:10:00.365 agencies or departments of the government. Many of whom did not have law enforcement 133 00:10:03.803 --> 00:10:08.407 or homeland security as their as their core mission. And so they were brought 134 00:10:08.407 --> 00:10:15.981 together in 2003 in the wake of 9/11. And in many ways, and Mike and Tom can 135 00:10:15.981 --> 00:10:21.953 testify to this. In many ways, resembles the ministries of interior of a lot of our 136 00:10:21.953 --> 00:10:27.025 foreign counterparts who have some of the same missions. Just in my 14 months 137 00:10:27.025 --> 00:10:32.497 I have seen the efficiency brought about by having, in one department 138 00:10:32.497 --> 00:10:37.302 at one conference table, the persons responsible for aviation security 139 00:10:37.302 --> 00:10:43.442 border security, security of our seaports and so forth. And dealing with various 140 00:10:43.442 --> 00:10:47.513 situations that we have had to deal with over the last year. 141 00:10:47.513 --> 00:10:54.453 We have, in the department, also, a unity of effort initiative to more centralize 142 00:10:54.453 --> 00:11:00.659 as the department becomes more mature. How we go about the business of budgets 143 00:11:00.659 --> 00:11:07.700 acquisitions, so that we look at those things from a more strategic, centralized 144 00:11:07.700 --> 00:11:10.669 point of view. I think that is necessary. 145 00:11:10.669 --> 00:11:15.774 I'm sure my predecessors would agree with that. 146 00:11:15.774 --> 00:11:21.480 SECRETARY CHERTOFF: I'm in total agreement with what Secretary Johnson said. 147 00:11:21.480 --> 00:11:24.983 By the way, I want to applaud him for the focus he has on bringing 148 00:11:24.983 --> 00:11:29.154 about greater cohesion. It does take a while to mature a Department. 149 00:11:29.154 --> 00:11:32.824 Let me give you a concrete example of how the Department works and 150 00:11:32.824 --> 00:11:36.728 the value it brings. Let me bring you back to August 2006. Many of you will 151 00:11:36.728 --> 00:11:40.633 remember there was a plot uncovered in the United Kingdom to blow up between 152 00:11:40.633 --> 00:11:44.736 10 and 12 airliners headed to North America. When that was uncovered, 153 00:11:44.736 --> 00:11:49.040 we had to deal with a whole series of measures, necessary to make sure that 154 00:11:49.040 --> 00:11:52.844 parts of the plot didn't actually get carried out. That required a unity of 155 00:11:52.844 --> 00:11:58.316 effort with respect to aviation security border security, maritime security and 156 00:11:58.316 --> 00:12:02.487 intelligence. And because we had brought those functions together at the Department 157 00:12:02.487 --> 00:12:06.891 of Homeland Security, we were able to, in the course of a single day, to make sure 158 00:12:06.891 --> 00:12:11.363 all of these elements of the plan were executed. If someone had had to convene 159 00:12:11.363 --> 00:12:15.100 a committee of department heads, it would have been weeks. And that would have been 160 00:12:15.100 --> 00:12:19.104 weeks in which airplanes were not flying and commerce was not moving. 161 00:12:19.104 --> 00:12:23.475 That would have been a real disaster. With all of the fits and starts of growing 162 00:12:23.475 --> 00:12:29.280 a new agency, the proof of the pudding is what we have actually seen accomplished. 163 00:12:29.280 --> 00:12:32.150 SECRETARY JOHNSON: Next question. Yes sir, right here. 164 00:12:32.150 --> 00:12:37.022 REPORTER: Eric Katz with Government Executive. Yesterday, at the White House 165 00:12:37.022 --> 00:12:47.398 press briefing, the Press Secretary said that DHS is taking very specific steps to 166 00:12:47.398 --> 00:12:54.439 prepare for the shutdown and to mitigate the impact that it would have. Can you get 167 00:12:54.439 --> 00:12:58.243 into the specifics of what those steps are that you have taken? And is has any of 168 00:12:58.243 --> 00:13:03.081 that involved communicating with rank and file of the workforce? 169 00:13:03.081 --> 00:13:09.054 SECRETARY JOHNSON: We actually have been pretty forthcoming with the workforce. 170 00:13:09.054 --> 00:13:14.193 I have sent out several e-mail messages to the entire workforce over the last couple 171 00:13:14.193 --> 00:13:17.595 of weeks, updating them on the progress 172 00:13:17.595 --> 00:13:23.235 including a report this Monday when I really didn't have anything new to report, 173 00:13:23.235 --> 00:13:28.506 just to let the rank and file, the men and women of our Department know 174 00:13:28.506 --> 00:13:35.313 what is going on. I think it is important that we when men and women of our 175 00:13:35.313 --> 00:13:40.652 department are faced with the possibility of being required to come to work, 176 00:13:40.652 --> 00:13:46.057 but missing a paycheck, and not knowing when and if you're going to be paid, 177 00:13:46.057 --> 00:13:51.896 then we are talking about working men and women here. That is material information 178 00:13:51.896 --> 00:13:58.804 for them. And they are entitled to know what the status of the negotiations in 179 00:13:58.804 --> 00:14:02.775 Congress are because their paychecks are hanging in the balance. 180 00:14:02.775 --> 00:14:09.414 The only other thing I will say about that is what I said this morning. We did a 181 00:14:09.414 --> 00:14:18.489 press conference with the senior leaders of DHS. And Craig Fugate is very upset 182 00:14:18.489 --> 00:14:23.895 about all of this. He is very much into advocating for full funding 183 00:14:23.895 --> 00:14:29.867 of our Department. Craig Fugate is a national asset because of his leadership 184 00:14:29.867 --> 00:14:34.107 with FEMA. I asked him "Why are you so upset about this?" 185 00:14:34.107 --> 00:14:37.041 He said "Because I feel as though my people are being treated as pawns." 186 00:14:37.041 --> 00:14:45.016 "As if they don't matter." I think it is important that we continually emphasize 187 00:14:45.016 --> 00:14:49.319 we continually get information to our work force. We are in the midst of planning 188 00:14:49.319 --> 00:14:53.625 right now for a possible shutdown. We have gone through the list of who can 189 00:14:53.625 --> 00:15:01.666 be furloughed, and who has to come to work. We have begun informing people 190 00:15:01.666 --> 00:15:06.237 of that, on an informal basis. Because I think they are entitled to know what is 191 00:15:06.237 --> 00:15:12.544 going to happen next week in their daily lives. So we have begun that process. 192 00:15:12.544 --> 00:15:18.182 I remain optimistic. I remain optimistic that Congress is going to work this out. 193 00:15:18.182 --> 00:15:21.886 But we have to plan. We have to prepare. 194 00:15:21.886 --> 00:15:26.958 SECRETARY RIDGE: I can't say it any better than that. I want to give you another 195 00:15:26.958 --> 00:15:35.232 dimension to this whole public debate. The breadth and the depth of threat streams 196 00:15:35.232 --> 00:15:43.941 and threats directed to the United States of America today in 2015, in my judgment 197 00:15:43.941 --> 00:15:51.884 are far, far greater and more complex than as of September 12, 2001. That is a fact 198 00:15:51.884 --> 00:15:57.254 of life. It is not just al-Qaida, in Pakistan and Afghanistan. 199 00:15:57.254 --> 00:16:03.027 It has metastasized into North Africa to the Arabian Peninsula. 200 00:16:03.027 --> 00:16:06.497 We have all of the other terrorist organizations and the look-alikes 201 00:16:06.497 --> 00:16:09.800 and the wannabes. You have ISIL. 202 00:16:09.800 --> 00:16:15.940 We need to remember that this was an aggregation of people that worked in 203 00:16:15.940 --> 00:16:22.747 different departments some had traditional some related to the border and some not. 204 00:16:22.747 --> 00:16:28.519 On top of everything else, these people were doing before 9/11, we added another 205 00:16:28.519 --> 00:16:36.761 responsibility. They take that sense of mission in their head, in their heart, to 206 00:16:36.761 --> 00:16:44.835 work every single day. And I want somebody up on the Hill, as much as I disagree with 207 00:16:44.835 --> 00:16:49.840 the President, to look into the eyes of the man on horseback or an ATV along the 208 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:54.579 southern border. Look into the eyes of that Coastie who is being dropped into 209 00:16:54.579 --> 00:16:59.319 30-foot waves to rescue some crab fishermen outside of Alaska. 210 00:16:59.319 --> 00:17:03.587 I want you to look into their eyes and say "We appreciate what you do, but we don't 211 00:17:03.587 --> 00:17:09.460 appreciate it enough to fund you." It becomes very personal for the three 212 00:17:09.460 --> 00:17:14.899 secretaries or the four secretaries. Because what you are saying to the good 213 00:17:14.899 --> 00:17:18.135 men and women whom we have had the privilege to work with and represent, 214 00:17:18.135 --> 00:17:19.903 "We care about you, but we don't care enough about you enough to fund you." 215 00:17:21.505 --> 00:17:25.545 And in order to show our disagreement which may be legitimate politically with 216 00:17:25.545 --> 00:17:30.381 the President of the United States, we are not going to fund you. So the tuition 217 00:17:30.381 --> 00:17:34.451 payment is due. The mortgage payment is due. You just have to figure a way 218 00:17:34.451 --> 00:17:39.523 around that. I think it has become almost for me, it has become very personal. 219 00:17:39.523 --> 00:17:42.827 These people go to work every day trying to make us more safe and secure. On top 220 00:17:42.827 --> 00:17:47.931 of that, they do a lot of other things. We need to recognize that. This is not 221 00:17:47.931 --> 00:17:51.468 the way you deal with it. You think it is wrong, fine. But this is not the solution. 222 00:17:51.468 --> 00:17:54.071 This is not the way you right that wrong. 223 00:17:54.071 --> 00:17:57.141 SECRETARY JOHNSON: We have time for one more question. Yes sir, right here. 224 00:17:57.141 --> 00:17:59.243 REPORTER: You were talking of keeping people abreast of action on the Hill. 225 00:18:00.477 --> 00:18:02.279 Do you have any reaction to the news that the 226 00:18:02.279 --> 00:18:04.948 Senate may actually start voting on a way forward? 227 00:18:04.948 --> 00:18:09.687 I mean this afternoon, GOP Senate Majority Leader McConnell 228 00:18:09.687 --> 00:18:13.557 said they will allow a vote on a clean bill. 229 00:18:13.557 --> 00:18:19.496 SECRETARY JOHNSON: I'm not going to get in the middle of Hill politics. 230 00:18:19.496 --> 00:18:26.437 I think we are all hoping and counting on Congress to come to agreement on a clean 231 00:18:26.437 --> 00:18:29.873 appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security. 232 00:18:29.873 --> 00:18:38.715 I remain optimistic. I hope, and I don't believe the men and women of Congress 233 00:18:38.715 --> 00:18:44.322 would allow for the Department of Homeland Security to be shut down because 234 00:18:44.322 --> 00:18:50.527 our funding lapses. Given, for all the reasons that Secretary Ridge laid out. And 235 00:18:50.527 --> 00:18:56.867 all of the other reasons right now. That they would allow the Department of 236 00:18:56.867 --> 00:19:01.305 Homeland Security to simply run out of gas and hit E. 237 00:19:01.305 --> 00:19:08.478 I remain optimistic. And I believe we will come to agreement sooner or later. 238 00:19:08.478 --> 00:19:12.482 I hope it is sooner rather than later, so that we can get on with the business 239 00:19:12.482 --> 00:19:17.721 of homeland security. And the men and women of this Department, in this building 240 00:19:17.721 --> 00:19:22.526 a lot of other buildings in Washington and all around the country and the world 241 00:19:22.526 --> 00:19:27.330 can get their minds off of this and go back to the work of protecting the 242 00:19:27.330 --> 00:19:32.269 American people. So thank you all very, very much. Thanks for being here.