host: fantastic. thank you so much for taking the time to be with us. we appreciate you. [applause] [cheers] announcer: vice president pence laid out the trump administration agenda friday while speaking at a gathering conservative students. the vice president insisted the administration was not giving up on replacing the health care law. despite this and a failure last month to pass a partial repeal bill other topics included rebuilding the military, immigration and tax policy. this is 30 minutes.

♪ ♪ [applause] vice president pence: thank you all. [applause] vice president pence: thank you for that wonderful warm welcome. thank you to my friend for that overly generous introduction. frank knows me well enough to

know the introduction i prefer is a little bit shorter. i'm a christian, a conservative and republican in that order. [applause] vice president pence: and it is a great honor to be here tonight to address the rising generation of conservative leaders. men and women of the young america's foundation here at the 39th national conservative student conference. give yourself surrounded applause, you are going to be making the difference in america for a long time [applause] so welcome back to washington, d.c. and before i get started, i bring greetings this evening from a friend of mine. a man who has been fighting everyday for common sense conservative values from the very heart of the white house in the oval office, i bring greetings from the 45th president of the united states of america, president donald

trump. [applause] vice president pence: thanks to the support of so many young conservatives like you here today, all across this country, last november, president trump won a historic three. more counties than any president since ronald reagan. 30 of 50 states, states no republican had carried in a generation. the truth is with your support, president donald trump turned the blue wall red. [applause] vice president pence: i came here tonight just to pay a debt of gratitude to all of you who helped elect a president who is fighting everyday for the values and ideals that unite us and fighting every day to keep the promises he made to the american people.

for my part, it is a privilege to be at the young america's foundation. i have worked hand-in-hand yaf from when that picture was taken. in 2005, my family had the privilege to visit reagan ranch, where yaf has preserved the wisdom and legacy of my second favorite president of the united states. president ronald reagan. [applause] i have to tell you is i ran into ron and frank backstage and all of the years we spent together, i just can't tell you how genuinely humbling it is for me to think that i am standing before you today because of their encouragement and support them because of folks like you

all over this country, because of the confidence and generosity of our new president that i stand before you today as the 48 vice president of the united states of america. on behalf of my family, thank you for the opportunity to serve. [applause] vice president pence: you know, it is remarkable to think about the young america's foundation history and contribution, not just to my small life at the conservative movement itself, and to this entire country. since its founding in 1960, yaf has been a bulwark. you fight for the constitution and those timeless principles of individual freedom, strong national defense, free enterprise and traditional moral values.

let there be no doubt, because of the work of all of you all across this country, conservative values are winning on campuses and winning the hearts and minds of america one student at a time. [applause] vice president pence: you know, today, yaf has more than 300 chapters active on 2000 campuses across the united states, reaching 400,000 students every year. you are in so many noteworthy projects and programs i especially like to thank you particularly for your heroic work promoting and standing for freedom of expression and the free exchange of ideas on the campuses across this country. [applause] vice president pence: as i said in an address i gave at the university of notre dame a few months ago, we live in a time where free speech and civility are winning on campuses across america, but yaf is committed to changing that and are making a great difference.

you have spoken out against safe spaces, speech codes, political correctness. you defend conservative speakers and students who want nothing more than to exercise their first amendment right to freedom of speech. so tonight, i want to say thank you to the young men and women of young america's foundation for your strong stance for our freedoms. and thank you for all you do day in and day out to bring the conservative message to the public square. [applause] and i can promise you that as you labor, i see everyday, the young america's foundation finally has a friend back in the oval office in the white house. [applause] vice president pence: president donald trump has been fighting everyday for the conservative vision and values you and i hold

dear. president trump has given voice to the aspirations and frustrations of the american people like no leader since president ronald reagan. our president has gone right to work putting men and women into a cabinet into this administration who have been advancing that agenda with consistency and with courage. and i've got to to you, i think president donald trump has assembled the strongest conservative cabinet in my lifetime, bar none. [applause] vice president pence: i mean, think about it. how about ambassador nikki haley the united nations? [applause] vice president pence: how about dr. ben carson in housing and urban development? [applause] vice president pence: in fact, i know you are going to hear from dr. carson tonight and he is just an incredible member of

this cabinet, right along with others like secretary of defense jim "mad dog" mattis. [applause] vice president pence: you go around the cabinet table, people like betsy devos and others and truly, it speaks volumes about this president's commitment to surrounding himself with extraordinary men and women as a part of this administration's team. and i couldn't be more proud to be a small part of it. so as i stand before you today, i stand before you today, i am deeply humbled to be able to report to you that not just in assembling this team, but since day one of this administration, this president has been putting her but if principles into practice to strengthen america at home and abroad so that your generation can live in a country that is prosperous, safe and free and is built on the highest

ideals of the american experience. [applause] vice president pence: i mean, just look at what our president has done to get the american economy moving already. president trump kobani pleased to report, has signed more laws cutting to federal red tape than any president in american history. president trump kobani pleased [applause] vice president pence: he has been releasing american energy after years of frustration by a liberal administration, like when he authorized the construction of the keystone and dakota pipelines -- [applause] vice president pence: and began to roll back the clean power plan the truth is, under president donald trump, the war on coal is over. [applause] vice president pence: and this president has been putting america first, like when he announced at the united states of america officially today

notified the united nations that we are withdrawing from the paris climate accord. [applause] vice president pence: in a word, president trump has been keeping his house to make america prosperous again. this morning the news came in, over one million new jobs have been created across this country by businesses large and small since president donald trump took office. [applause] vice president pence: more americans working than ever before and unemployment hasn't been this low 16 years, and as the president tweeted this morning, we have only just begun. [applause] vice president pence: but as

important as our prosperity is, this president knows that security is the foundation of our prosperity. serving with him everyday, i can assure you, president trump has no higher priority than the safety and security of the american people. our president has traveled across the wider world reaffirming historic alliances, challenging those who cherish freedom to confront the forces that threaten our way of life. president trump, i am pleased to report -- we have a president who stands without apology on the world stage as leader of the free world. [applause] vice president pence: and i do to you, more personal to me, as the proud father of united dates marine, i couldn't be more grateful to serve as vice

president who cares so deeply about the armed forces of the united states, their families. [applause] vice president pence: the united states of america has the finest armed forces in the history of the world. the minute women who wear the uniform in this country are the best of your generation and i am inspired whenever i am among them. today at dover air force base, two heroes of this generation came home. these two heroes fell defending our freedom in afghanistan this week. we honor their service and sacrifice. their names will be enshrined in the hearts of a grateful nation and their families and loved ones will remain in our prayers. for no greater love has a man than this, that he should lay down his life for his friends. these two men were heroes.

we honor them tonight by standing with all of those who at this very hour stand a far distant posts on the rampart of freedom. god bless them all. [applause] vice president pence: and we are them through our tributes, but we also honor them through our actions. i will make you a promise. president donald trump is going to be the best friend the armed forces of the united states will have ever had in the white house. [applause] vice president pence: i mean, think about it. our president has signed the largest increase in military spending in 10 years. he has called on congress to pass one of the biggest

investments since the cold war. under donald trump, i make you a promise, we are going to rebuild our military. we are going to restore the arsenal of democracy and we are once again going to give our soldiers and sailors, airmen, marines and coast guard's resources and training they need to accomplish their mission and come home safe. [applause] vice president pence: with the leadership of this commander-in-chief, improper report our armed forces are taking the fight to our enemies on our terms on their soil. and with president donald trump and our brave warriors in the field, in iraq and syria, we will not rest, we will not print until we hunt down and destroy isis at its source, so it can no longer threaten our homeland or threaten our allies around the world. [applause]

vice president pence: when it comes to security at home, and our president has been busy as well, securing our borders come enforcing our laws, removing dangerous criminal illegal aliens from our streets, gained members, drug dealers and violent criminal gangs. i am pleased to report under donald trump's leadership and the efforts of our homeland security, illegal immigrant crossings on our southern border are down more than 60% since the first day of 2017. [applause] vice president pence: but president trump is keeping his promise to makes america safe

again. and i couldn't be more thankful to serve with him. but let me say from my heart, how meaningful it is for me to serve with a president who stands without apology for the sanctity of human life. [applause] vice president pence: in one of his very first acts in office, president trump reinstated the mexico city policy to keep taxpayer funding organizations that perform and promote abortions abroad and our president has expanded the policy to cover nearly $9 billion in foreign aid. [applause] vice president pence: and president trump has empowered states to withhold federal funding from abortion providers like planned parenthood and i am able to say under the president's direction, i was able to cast the tie-breaking vote in the senate to allow states to defund planned parenthood.

[applause] vice president pence: this president has been standing for the god-given liberties enshrined in our constitution, and has been making sure that his appointments to the courts of this land will adhere to the constitution as it is written, to strictly construe the constitution. men and women that fill our federal benches will uphold our highest traditions, like the newest member of the supreme court of the united states, justice neil gorsuch. [applause] vice president pence: so, it is about jobs and prosperity, it is about security at home and abroad. it is about our fundamental liberties and strengthening america each and everyday. president trump has done all

that and more and it has only been more than six months. as the president likes to say, at this white house, that is what we call a good start. [applause] the truth is, we got a lot more work to do. let me assure you, job one for this administration going forward is we are going to fight every day to keep the promise we made and we are going to repeal and replace obamacare. [applause] vice president pence: now, last week, it was clear that the senate wasn't quite ready to keep the promise to the american people when they fell one vote short of moving forward on a bill to repeal and replace this disastrous policy. the truth is, every obamacare survives is another day the american people struggle. when obamacare past, we heard a lot of promises, you remember? if you like your doctor, you can keep him, not true. you like your health insurance, you can keep it. not true. the cost of health insurance is

going to go down, that sure wasn't true. we were promised families would save up to $2500 in health insurance premiums if this thing became law about seven years ago. the truth is, the average obamacare planted a cost nearly $3000 more than he planted in 2013. while premiums are soaring, choices are plummeting. next year, 40% of american counties, including nine states, will have only one choice of the health insurance provider. they will essentially have no choice at all. even worse, many counties will have no providers whatsoever. in 2018, all across this country. it is not just about the statistics. it is about real people. it is about small business owners, family farmers all across this country that are struggling to make ends meet. behind every number is a name, behind every name is a story. i have heard these stories as i traveled across this country and so has the president. small businesses that talk about the heartache of struggling to

keep their homework force in place, people that have worked for them for years and years, but with skyrocketing costs of health insurance, they have to choose between keeping the business going and keeping people on the payroll that they have known for years and years. i have talked to working families, a woman in wisconsin told me she had to take a pass on paying her health insurance premium for three months just so she would have enough money to buy christmas presents for her grandkids. we know the truth. america knows the truth. obamacare has failed, and obamacare must go. [applause] vice president pence: now, the president and i were disappointed when the senate came up short, finishing with house of representatives had started. the president said every democrat in the senate and a handful of republicans, in his words, let the american people

down. and that is the truth of it. but my fellow conservatives, let me be clear. this ain't over. [applause] vice president pence: not by a longshot. president trump and i are committed to keeping our promise to the american people. we were not elected to save obamacare, we were elected to repeal and replace it and you can do with confidence that president donald trump and i are going to fight every day until we and the obamacare nightmare once and for all. [applause] vice president pence: when that day comes and rest assured, it will come, we will begin to the store health care system based on the timeless american principles of personal responsibility, free market, and state-based reform. that is the conservative way to

meet the needs of the country in the 21st century when it comes to health care and that is the american way to improve 21st century health care for this generation and the next. [applause] vice president pence: and while we're working with this congress to act on health care, i'll make you another promise. president donald trump and i are going to roll up our sleeves and sit down with lawmakers and we are going to pass the largest tax cut since the days of ronald reagan. [applause] we're going to cut taxes across the board for working families, small businesses and family farms. [applause] vice president pence: and president trump is going to cut business taxes in america so american corporations can compete with companies around the world that create good paying jobs right here in the

good old usa. [applause] vice president pence: it is about health care, it is about tax cuts and under this president's leadership and with the support of this congress, we are going to keep rolling forward. we will make those historic investments in the national defense to make america stronger and safer than before. we will keep raining in those unelected bureaucrats so they can't cripple our economy from those taxpayer-funded metal desks. we will give families more choices and make it possible for every child to go to the school of their choice and have access to world-class education. every child deserves. there is a lot of work to do and i know i am looking at a lot of young people who are interested get to it. to this rising generation of conservative leaders, i tell you, you picked a great time to show up. [applause] vice president pence: this is

the time. finish what we started, the president and i are counting on all of you, this rising generation. we need your voices, we need your values, we need your energy and vision as never before. has this rising generation of american leaders, you know that your future, the future of this country depends on what we do in the days ahead. no one has more stake in it than you. freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. this rings yesterday as half a century ago when it was said. i came here tonight to encourage you to keep standing up, keep speaking out. let your voices be heard, with your peers and your colleagues.

go out there and keep advocating, without apology, with cheerfulness and common sense conservative message that this country longs to hear. the president and i are going to have to count on every ounce of your energy, enthusiasm, conviction and passion, and i know we will have it. but there is one more thing i might ask of you if you are so inclined, this is a very challenging time in the life of our nation, widening and unknowable threats throughout the world, too much division here at home. an economy that is now beginning to get on its feet after years of struggling under the weight of the government, and i would say as you leave this great conference energized, hearing all of these speakers that you heard this week, and you go back to your homes and schools renewed in your determination to make a difference for conservative values, i encourage

you if you are inclined to bow the head and bend the knee, it would be a good time to do that too. it is good time to pray for america, because america matters, far beyond our shores. i mean, and when i to you to pray for america, i am not so much talking about an agenda or a party, but really just pray for this country. abraham lincoln, i thought, had it pretty right. he was asked in his time if he thought god was on his side and he said, you know, i rather concern myself more with we are on god's side than whether god is on our side, so just pray for this country. pray for all who serve her in every capacity, because i truly believe those ancient words a millennium ago are as true as

today, words americans have clung to a more challenging times than these, if his people who are called by his name will humble themselves and pray, he will hear from heaven and he will heal this land. this one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [applause] >> usa, usa, usa, usa, usa!

vice pres. pence: men and women, have faith. have faith in the principles you hold in your hearts that brought you to this place today. have faith in each other and fellow conservatives, the ability to make a difference as conservatives have ever sense of the movement was born. have faith in this president that i promise you the whole team is fighting for you every day. and above all else, have faith in the american people. and in him who has placed this miracle of democracy on this wilderness shores, that he will still do as he has always done. he will bless america. and so i say to this rising generation, with your support, with the leadership that we have an president donald trump, and in our majority in the house and senate and all across this land and with all of your shining

faces, i am confident together we will make america safe again. together, we will make america prosperous again. and together, to borrow a phrase, we will make america great again. thank you very much. god bless you. and god bless the united states of america. [applause] [cheers] ♪

>> c-span, where history unfolds daily. in 1979, c-span was created as a public service of by america's cable television companies and is brought to you today by your cable or satellite provider. here on c-span this morning, is nextton journal" with a look at today's headlines. at 10:00, a discussion about combating isis in iraq. and later, a look at the threats encountered by lone wolf's. former new york police officer eugene o'donnell talks about the comments from the president about policing and the use of force by those in custody. and later, jared denzer talks of u.s.e rights citizens detained overseas. and later, a person with inside

higher education talks about affirmative action in the college admittance process. ♪ host: good morning. it is saturday, august 5, 2017. the headlines focus on the economy as newly released data shows the jobs market on the rebound and unemployment at a 60 or low. are rising, consumer confidence has improved and even wages are growing steadily. tosident donald trump how these economic numbers yesterday, although some experts question whether the president can take full credit. today, we are asking our viewers for your views on the economy. if you are optimistic, you can call 202-748-8000.