Juliana Stratton's Illinois Senate primary victory highlights her father's civil rights legacy and her push for Medicare for all, while military analysis reveals Ukraine's cost-effective drone strategy neutralizing Russian and Iranian threats with 90% interception rates against $4 million missile alternatives. The episode also notes National Counterterrorism Center head Joe Kent's resignation protesting the Iran war and outlines upcoming testimonies by Senator Mark Wayne Mullen and Prime Minister Kier Starmer, underscoring shifting geopolitical alliances and domestic policy battles. [Automatically generated summary]
The United Kingdom sees these opportunities clearly.
Our agreements are always solid and I am glad that today we have signed a declaration with the Prime Minister.
Thank you very much, Kir.
Armies in the Middle East and Gulf region have good protection against missiles, including Iranian ballistic ones.
Patriot and SAD systems work well, though they are expensive.
But terrorist regimes always look for ways to break through defenses and make killing cheaper.
Iran began producing Shahid drones years ago, attack drones that are now after upgrades even more dangerous than missiles.
In Ukraine, we had to learn how to defend against them.
About three years ago, Russia received Shahids from the Iranian regime.
These are drones designed for the low-cost destruction of the expensive critical infrastructure targets.
Iran taught Russia how to launch them and gave it the technology to produce them.
Russia then upgraded them and now we have clear evidence that Iranian Shahids used in the region contain Russian components.
So what is happening around Iran today is not a faraway war for us because of the cooperation between Russia and Iran.
And we do not believe we have the right to be indifferent, even if we are separated from human suffering or shared danger by an ocean.
An ocean, however big and beautiful, or by anything else.
Ballistic missiles can strike at thousands of kilometers.
Drones can do the same.
But if evil wins, the evolution of war will cross any distance on us.
No ocean will help.
No desert, no mountains.
That is why it is worth helping protect life.
The regimes in Russia and Iran are brothers in hatred.
And that is why they are brothers in weapons.
And we want regimes built on hatred to never, never win in anything.
And we want no such regime to threaten Europe or our partners.
Can we just live alongside regimes like this?
Ukraine tried to live in peace with Russia.
And two invasions in ten years.
This is the result.
The Middle East has not had a single year of real peace while this regime has been in Iran.
And we are entering a time when such regimes are gaining new ways to kill cheaply, over long distances, using AI, and as before, simply because they want to destroy you and can force their own people to work for war.
One Iranian Shaheed costs about $50,000.
To shoot it down, partners often use missiles, some costing up to $4 million, or combat aircraft, which is also very expensive.
Iranians knew that no air defense in the world would be enough to stop such drones, such number of drones.
And we were the ones who changed that.
In Ukraine, we stopped one such drone with two or three interceptors, small interceptors, costing less than $10,000 in total.
So our approach is far more cost-effective than anything our partners use today.
Dear friends, we must build security the way so that the evolution of security stays ahead of the evolution of war.
And it is not only about a state launching attacks.
We must be ready for any kind of strike, including from non-state actors, criminal networks, terrorist groups, and even loan attackers who can gain access to such technologies.
With the spread, with the spread of drones, mass attacks no longer cost billions, they cost far less.
It is no longer only a wealthy madman like Putin who can afford this, unfortunately.
But even now, and even he is still being given money as sanctions on his own are lifted.
And of course, I thank you.
Thank you that the UK is not doing this.
Thank you so much.
And we see these the same way.
Strong support for Ukraine, strong sanctions against Russia, and strong joint defense projects are the only basis for effective diplomacy to end this war.
Aggressors don't end wars because they suddenly want to.
They stop when they can no longer continue.
That's why pressure is crucial.
I thank you that Britain understands this.
Thank you.
Right now I have proof that the evolution of security can be fast and cheaper than old defense systems.
This is an iPad with software that lets us control our security in real time.
It's true.
We have these iPads.
I have one.
My Prime Minister has one.
Our Minister of Defense and our top military commanders have it.
It lets us see the front line in Ukraine and even every enemy killed with video proof.
Right now, 90% of Russian losses on the front are caused by our drones.
That's why it's so important to know who has the advantage in drones and to be fast and strong in defending against them.
iPad also shows every strike in our skies, our sea area and our long-range strike against Russia.
It gives us real-time control over people's safety and our infrastructure and energy sector.
And I believe the evolution of security will make it possible for every leader, every defense minister and even ordinary people to have tools like these and with them and with them a high level of protection of life.
Leaders and ministers work for people.
And if the leaders have power, it's only because people trust them with their security.
With tools like this, people will not only trust, they will be able to see for themselves what is being done for their security in real time.
We see every we see these examples.
Yeah, you can see.
We see every large-scale Russian attack on our cities in detail.
Launch, points, flight, pass, likely targets.
The system lets us analyze each attack and how our defense responds as a whole.
In real time, we see what is happening in the sky and what resources are being used to protect us.
It's a clear way to keep control and to adapt to real-time situations.
And there are almost no nights in Ukraine, and it's true, no nights in Ukraine without Russian Shakid attacks.
Sometimes hundreds of attack drones and dozens of missiles in a single night.
But interceptor rate is around 87-90%.
And this number would be higher if we had enough investment in our defense production and enough missiles against ballistic threats.
And these are our two main shortages: funding and Petro missiles.
That's why we are working to involve our partners in production and to help Europe build all the air defence it needs.
Here is the massive attack on the night of March 14.
In total, there were, can you imagine, there were nearly 500 Russian air attacks weapons, 400 sortie drones and 68 missiles of different types.
And we shut down most of them and in real time on this iPad, in our system, we could see how our aircraft were working, where electronic warfare was used, and how interceptors were deployed.
And of course, our mobile air defense teams are also working.
And we see it all on the iPad across the whole country and down to each individual strike.
How the defense worked, what needs fixing, which solutions in which areas will bring the best results.
We do this after every Russian attack.
It means each day.
It is this led defense that ensures Russia cannot destroy us from the air.
Every part of the system must be used.
Our newest element is interceptor drones.
When conditions and weather allow, we use hundreds of them every day.
This works thanks to our production in Ukraine and with our partners, Sting, Mirops, P1 San and others.
And I'm glad we have a joint project with the United Kingdom, the Octobus drones.
This is successful decisions.
Successful interceptions depend on well-placed positions of our soldiers, set up to cover as many drone routes as possible.
And it is constant hunting at night and now even during the day.
And you see how many Patriot systems and other air defense systems there are in the Middle East and the Gulf.
But there is still not enough security.
Why?
Why not enough security?
Because the Iranian regime's weapons have evolved faster than defense in these countries.
This is a problem that must be solved and can be solved.
And as soon as possible, we all understand what comes next.
AI is already in many devices we use every day.
Soon almost everything will run on it.
And weapons will too, becoming even more deadly because they will act faster than any human.
By building protection against today's weapons, by investing in the evolution of security, we are also preparing for the weapons of tomorrow.
Perhaps we are preventing a problem.
And if the world has stopped Putin back in 2022, we would not be thinking today about how to defend against drone warfare.
Without his war against Ukraine, the world might have avoided mass drone warfare cheap and deadly for many, many years.
And if together with partners in the Middle East we build a system like Ukraine, they will be able to track attacks from Iran or from the Houthis in real time, analyze them, keep improving their defense, giving people critical infrastructure and trade routes real security.
Today, just a few Shahids can disrupt oil shipments at a scale that affects entire regions or destroy desalination plants and hit millions, millions of people in the most painful way.
The cost of living is rising everywhere and terrorists around the world are learning what they too can do.
And we all know the solutions that can prevent this.
Some may think it is enough to just buy interception and protection is guaranteed, but it's not that simple.
The key is the system.
The system matters.
And there have already been cases when partners bought interceptors but still had no ask for help because they did not have a system to use them.
And without a system, any interceptor is just a toy, not a real defender.
So what do we have?
First, we are capable of producing at least 2,000 effective and combat-proven interceptors every day.
We can produce more.
It depends on investment.
We need about 1,000 interceptors a day and we can supply at least another 1,000 a day to our allies.
Second, we know how to build radar and acoustic coverage to respond to how Shahids and other drones approach.
Third, we have software that allows radars to keep working even under electronic warfare, jamming in real time.
We analyze enemy frequencies and respond to them.
And because of this system, we understand how effective our defense is against almost every, every attack drones.
And we can move our positions and air defense to get better results.
This iPad gives full control of the situation because we have a system for using our defense tools.
If a Shahid needs to be stopped in Emirates, we can do it.
If it needs to be stopped in Europe or United Kingdom, we can do it.
It's a matter of technology, investment and cooperation.
And the fact that we got through this winter, which Russia tried to make deadly for all our families, shows that our solutions work.
The key is to keep improving them in line with the threats we face and those that are coming.
The evolution of threats never stops.
For example, your military bases in Cyprus, this is what our security proposal could look like.
Our experts would place interception teams and set up radars and acoustic coverage.
And this would all work.
If Iran launched a large-scale attack, similar to Russian attacks, we would guarantee protection.
This is the kind of reinforcement we offer, and it may soon be needed across Europe.
Sea-Based Drone Operations00:02:04
And drones can be launched not only from land, but also from ships at sea.
Such long-range strikes are no longer rare.
Different countries already use them.
And since European seas still have many targets from Russia's shadow fleet, launching drones from such vessels is no longer something unexpected.
Ukraine.
Ukraine didn't have a strong navy like Britain or some of our other partners.
But we have pushed what is left of Russia's fleet into distant base in the Black Sea, where their ships hide from Ukrainian sea drones.
This is a completely new security reality in our sea.
The Russian fleet, which was powerful, has no effective way to counter our drones.
Their defenses have been strong.
We do not deny that.
But our naval drone systems keep evolving and we focused on the speed of that evolution.
And we won.
Won.
One hour sea.
We started with simple Kamikaze drones.
Then we built drones with turrets that can shoot down helicopters.
Now we have drones that can shoot down Russian fighter jets from the sea.
We have developed boats that carry other drones.
We also have boats that strike targets on land from the sea.
And we are developing more stable drones that can operate longer and more effectively at sea.
Soon and not in the distant future, we will have systems that can operate even in ocean conditions.
We are also effectively working on underwater systems.
So facing threats in the Black Sea, we are finding the right security solutions.
And these solutions can be used in your matters as well, including in complex situations like the Strait of Homos today.
Drones can solve problems.
Standing Together for Democracy00:15:35
Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton is the projected winner of the Democratic Illinois U.S. Senate primary race.
Here are her remarks to supporters.
Kind, accomplished, inspirational, and real mom that I could ever ask for.
My mom made history as the first, the first black lieutenant governor.
And she stepped up to run for Senate because she saw a need and she couldn't just sit on the sidelines like many do.
She first got into politics because rights and resources were being stripped from everyday people.
And here we are 10 years later and she has never strayed from those values.
I am so proud to call her mom and especially proud tonight to call her your Democratic nominee for United States Senate, Juliana Stratton.
Oh my goodness.
Well, first of all, honor to God, governor.
and I am humbled and honored to stand before you tonight as your Democratic nominee for the United States Senate.
We did it!
We showed what's possible when you listen to the people and give the people what they want.
And I could not have done this without each and every one of you.
Now, let me start by saying thank you to my amazing husband, Brian, and our incredible daughters, Tyler, Cassidy, Ryan, and McKenzie.
I cannot thank you enough for how you have shown up for me and kept me grounded throughout this entire journey.
Through all of the hardest moments, both on the campaign trail and as we navigated profound grief and loss as a family, your love, support, and faith has been my guiding light.
To my amazing friends and village, you gave me levity when things felt heavy, filled my cup when I felt depleted, triumphed with me when momentum broke our way, and answered the call every time.
Your support means more than you will ever know.
These are all you have to give it up for my incredible campaign staff.
They gave this fight their very all.
I'm so proud of this small but mighty team and what we have accomplished together.
We have demonstrated what's possible when you stay true to your values.
Fight for what you believe in and never take anything for granted.
Partners and friends who have cheered me on and stood by my side day after day.
Every single person who chipped into this campaign with your time, your resources, your energy, your prayers, and your blood, sweat, and tears and tweets.
You made the difference in this race.
This win belongs Congressman Raja Krishnamurti, Congresswoman Robin Kelly, and all of my other opponents in this race.
See, running for office is never easy.
It requires grit, determination, and sacrifice.
Thank you for stepping up to fight.
Most importantly, I'd like to thank each and every Illinois who showed up to participate in this election and refuse to be silenced.
I want you to know that I'm running to be your advocate and fighter in Washington State until November 3rd, working to earn your support.
Tonight's message is clear.
We're ready to take our democracy back into our own.
From Chicago to Carbondale, from Rockford to Springfield, and everywhere.
I've seen the very best of Illinois who have taken to the streets, stood up for their neighbors, and refused to back down.
With everything on that line, one of the most frightening moments of our lifetimes.
But despite the fear, we never lost sight of what's most important, and that is courage.
Courage inspired me to run.
Courage powered this campaign.
And courage will bring this fight straight to Donald Trump's goal.
Listen, this campaign was built on a simple belief.
We are stronger when we stand together.
And we are unshakable when we turn our fear into courage and our anger into action.
This was the mission right at the outset.
And that is the mission we accomplished tonight.
Eleven months ago, I made a promise to Illinois to be the fighter you deserve, to go to the mat fighting for you, and to bring your voices with me to Washington.
I haven't forgotten that promise.
Tomorrow, as we turn to face a Republican opponent in the general election, we will confront new challenges and new attacks from a candidate unfit to stand up to Donald Trump.
Uninterested in fighting for your needs and unwilling to challenge the status quo that has failed our families.
And every day until November 3rd, we will be laser focused on making sure every Illinois knows exactly what's at stake.
for Medicare for all.
We'll fight for a real living wage, not just the bare minimum.
We will fight to defend our rights and claw our democracy back from the brink.
Tonight, let's celebrate.
Tomorrow, the work begins again.
And we will tackle it just like we've tackled the last 11 months together.
On day one of this journey, I asked you to make an uncomfortable choice.
To choose to fight for our democracy.
To choose to resist.
To choose to speak out and stand up for what you believe in.
And that choice is one that I've had to make every single day.
And it's a choice that my dad, Henry, made 61 years ago this week.
He made an uncomfortable choice.
Not knowing where it might lead, he chose to march from Selma to Montgomery because civil rights were under attack and he knew he needed to stand up and be counted.
His story is a reminder that this fight is bigger than you or me.
A reminder that we are fighting a righteous fight.
A reminder of the long and storied movement we are helping to build.
We lost my dad in November.
And while he's not with us here tonight, I see his handprints everywhere I look.
I see his courage in the eyes of my daughters.
I see his dedication in the hard work of my team.
I see his determination in the faces looking back at me.
And tonight, as I stand here, humbled by the trust Illinoisans have placed in me, I see the baton he handed to me and to each and every one of us.
Tomorrow, tomorrow my dad would have been 93.
And today, I'm proud to tell him, Dad, we did it tirelessly to continue the work that you started.
And while I wish that he and my mother Velma were here in this room to share in this moment, I feel their presence in each and every one of you.
And I know they are watching, and I know they are proud.
I said to you that there aren't a lot of voices like mine in the United States Senate.
But a voice like mine, a voice like ours, are desperately needed.
And today, we are one step closer.
Illinois has sent a clear message tonight.
It's time for bold ideas, big dreams, and real courage in Washington.
And we won't wait a second longer.
This fight that we are facing is only the beginning, but as I've always said, this right here, this is the team.
And this is our fight.
And when we stand together, there's not a force in this world that can break us.
So come one day.
We are ready for it.
So let's get to work.
As U.S. military operations continue in Iran, there are signs of internal disagreement within the Trump administration.
Internal Disagreement in Washington00:02:53
And just today, we learned that the head of the National Counterterrorism Center has resigned in protest of the war.
Joe Kent has led the government organization since July of last year.
And on X, he posted his resignation letter to the president saying, I cannot, in good conscience, support the ongoing war in Iran.
Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it's clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.
He ends the letter by encouraging the president to reflect on the current situation, suggesting he has the choice to either reverse course and chart a new path for the nation or allow the U.S. to slip further toward decline and chaos.
Mr. Kent reportedly worked closely with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.
Later this week, she'll be on Capitol Hill with FBI Director Kash Patel and CIA Director John Ratcliffe to testify on global security and likely face questions on the war with Iran.
You can watch that hearing live on Thursday at 8.30 a.m. Eastern on C-SPAN 3.
Also on C-SPAN Now, our free mobile video app, and online at c-span.org.
On Wednesday, Oklahoma Senator Mark Wayne Mullen will testify at a confirmation hearing to be the next Secretary of Homeland Security.
Earlier this month, President Trump picked Senator Mullen to lead the department after announcing that Christy Noam would be reassigned to serve in a special envoy role.
Watch the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing live at 9.30 a.m. Eastern on C-SPAN 3.
C-SPAN Now, our free mobile app, and online at c-SPAN.org.
On Wednesday, British Prime Minister Kier Starmer will appear before members of the House of Commons to discuss domestic and foreign policy issues during Prime Minister's question time.
You can see it live from London starting at 8 a.m. Eastern on C-SPAN 2, C-SPAN Now, our free mobile app, or online at cspan.org.
C-SPAN's Washington Journal, a live forum inviting you to discuss the latest issues in government, politics, and public policy from Washington, D.C. to across the country.
Coming up Wednesday morning, Elise Labbitt of Global Affairs will talk about the latest on U.S.-Israeli combat operations against Iran and other news of the day.
And then the American Enterprise Institute's John Fortier on proposals to require identification and proof of citizenship to vote and the role of the federal government in elections.
And California Democratic Congressman Sam Licardo will talk about the latest on the U.S.-Israeli combat operations against Iran, the spike in oil and gas prices, and other congressional news of the day.
C-SPAN's Washington Journal.
Join the conversation live at 7 Eastern Wednesday morning on C-SPAN, C-SPAN now, our free mobile app, or online at c-SPAN.org.
NIH Research and Health Goals00:06:14
The director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, answered questions from House Subcommittee members about staffing and the agency's return to indisputable science after previous director Dr. Anthony Fauci's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The meeting is an hour and 45 minutes.
Okay, good morning, everyone.
We'll get started and we'll gavel in officially.
Happy St. Patrick's Day.
Today, we have the honor to welcome Dr. Botticheira, the director of the National Institute of Health, known as the NIH, to this subcommittee.
Dr. Botticheira was confirmed as the NIH director almost a year ago, and since that time, he has been very busy implementing the administration's priorities to advance NIH's mission of conducting basic research and applying these discoveries to improve human health.
Dr. Botticheira took the helm of the NIH at a very interesting time, inflection point.
NIH-funded research has made the United States the world leader in biomedical scientific research.
And over the decades, this research has resulted in breakthrough cures, treatments, and other advancements that have saved or have improved countless American lives.
Unfortunately, however, the American public's trust in the sign in scientific institutions such as NIH was eroded significantly during the COVID pandemic.
Restoring this trust has been a key goal under this administration and under Director Botticheira.
Part of this is ensuring that Americans see the tangible benefits of the investments the federal government makes in the NIH-supported research, rather than research findings that just sit on a shelf somewhere never to be seen or utilized.
I look forward to hearing more about the NIH efforts to ensure that at the end of the day, NIH-funded research is leading to measurable improvements in Americans' health.
Science can be incremental, but in keeping with NIH's distinguished record of biomedical advancements, our research investments must ultimately translate to better health outcomes, such as new treatments, therapies, and cures that improve overall health.
Another part of restoring that trust is establishing trust in the research itself.
So it is encouraging that NIH has been exploring ways to encourage the scientific community to validate or replicate scientific findings.
In line with this, the administration's goal of making America healthy again, NIH, has also renewed its focus on addressing chronic illnesses that affect Americans.
We all know someone is affected by heart disease, cancer, diabetes, or Alzheimer's.
These diseases are costly for our overall health system, and they take a tremendous toll on individuals as well as their families.
Increasing our understanding of these illnesses and advancing these new treatments and preventive medicines and cures will have a profound effect on every American.
As stewards of the American tax dollar, we have the responsibility to ensure the NIH funding supports rigorous science that produces meaningful research.
In the FY26 year of appropriations, Congress increased NIH budget by $415 million, including important areas of research such as cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's.
We look forward to hearing from you, Dr. Botticheira, and working with NIH as it implements this funding in accordance with congressional intent.
Dr. Botticheira, I look forward to continue to work with you personally and how you can work with us to productively advance our shared priorities that we have in NIH investments that will lead ultimately to better health outcomes for all Americans.
At this point, I'd like to yield to the ranking member, the gentlelady from Connecticut, for her opening remarks.
So, Congresswoman Guillaro.
Thank you so much, Mr. Chairman, and happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone.
I think I've done my part in green today.
I think worn everything in my closet that was green.
So have a week.
Love your glasses.
Thank you.
Well, I should have done the hair.
You're right.
Okay.
That's what they said at the march in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in New Haven, Connecticut, which is unbelievable, thousands and thousands of people.
So I want to welcome you, Dr. Batticheria, to your first House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing.
I know you've testified before the Senate in the past.
We appreciate you taking the time to be here and to answer our questions.
I'm extraordinarily proud of the work that this committee was able to accomplish earlier this year when we passed the full labor HHS and education funding bill for fiscal 2026.
We were able to come together on a bipartisan basis.
Democrats and Republicans, we forged an agreement that passed with an overwhelming majority in both chambers.
In that bill, we provided $48.7 billion for the NIH.
That's an increase of $415 million above 2025.
That includes $128 million more for cancer research, redoubling our efforts to treat, to prevent, and ultimately cure a class of diseases which claimed the lives of over 1,600 Americans every single day and which nearly took my life as well.
As so many of you know here, I am a survivor of ovarian cancer.