thanks for spending a few minutes with book tv and sharing your readings. >> it's a great pleasure, thank you so much . >> what's this and all are what are you reading interviews at booktv.org using the search bar at the top of the page read the senate taking a break for their party lunches. will return 2:15 eastern the vote on the contribution of james madison to the court judge for the northern district of ohio and the congress facing a midnight deadline on december 11 against government funding to thover a government shutdown when the secretary watch live coverage right here on c-span2. >> yesterday the president formed secretary marcus first tenure leaving the department ofdefense . has concluded. when is considered secretary offers nomination you could hardly invent a better qualifications around the pentagon in his resume. from one point on the hundred

first airborne to his time as secretary of the army, this leader has stepped up when his country needed him. the secretary brought in expertise and steady leadership to the pentagon's top job. hundreds is for his work to keep our country safe, modernize our military and implement the trump administration's defense strategy to address the challenges of our time. >> n .. not to mention our uniformed services and we are lucky to have such capable and duty focused men and women on the watch defending the constitution, deterring our adversaries and protecting the piece. i expect to speak with acting secretary miller soon to discuss

the serious threats facing our country whether from foreign terrorists or great powers like china and russia who may seek to exploit the time of uncertainty. on this highlights the need for continued sober and stated leadership at the department. now on to an entirely different matter as we can plate the process of our own election here at home it is also on the continued growth of democracy half a world away. my colleagues know i had a special interest in the democratic aspirations of the people of [inaudible] for decades and dating back to my days reading the appropriations subcommittee for the state of foreign operations. they held elections on sunday which we hope will represent an a step toward a more democratic andre prosperous future. for too long the people of burma were denied democracy by a brutal military huda. to this day its influence

remains significant impediment to progress and is with many new democracies the elections face many challenges. this ranges from continued conflict to the coronavirus pandemic. when the votes are counted of burma's next governor is seated more hard work will await. the government will need to continue advancing burma's democratic development, sovereignty must be defended against the corrupt and foreign influence of the people's republic of china and the nation needs true national reconciliation among burma's various ethnic groups and further economic reforms to benefit all its people. for the progress will take real compromise and real sacrifice from parties and interests within burma. it will need continued support from the international community particularly the united states. i've known [inaudible] pursuit many years and knows she remains committed to democracy so i hope and expect that she and her party are the victors in her government will seek much-needed

constitutional economic and security reforms to further limit the corrosive influence of military and the crowded networks over so much of the life of burma. we are talking about a nation that is still reserves 25% of the seats in the parliament for the military itself and it would be an understatement to call that an obstacle towards an acgoing democratic transition. further, progress toward my democracy and prosperity in burma will include their ethnic minorities and in making comprises withco them. it will require national reconciliation to end the disparate civil conflicts that rage across that country. it will require accountability for atrocities that have been committed by the military and not just in known wad. if burma's government meaningfully pursues these kinds of efforts i expect the united states and like-minded countries to continue to stand by it. the free nation of the world has

much to gain from burma's democratization and we have much to lose if it slides back into authoritarianism or further into the grasp in orbit of china. as americans, mr. president, or political practice here at home can feel intense and we think our elections are charged and contentious but when you look at democracies that are just getting off the ground around the world you remember how blessed we are to live in a republic as we have for centuries inside the forces of democracy and freedom all around the world. we get to live in a country where our institutions of self-government have held up for more than 230 years, where the rule of law and our constitution are paramount. may we never take it for granted and may we continue to support those around the world who seek to emulate our example. >> now, mr. president, on generate 20 the biden harris administration will s begin its work with the mandate secured by the largest number