These were people who had a right to vote, and it troubles me that, amidst all the celebration of the civil rights movement, we are finding a reversal of the most fundamental principle in preserving that right to vote.

It's all about connectivity. It's all about the ability to reach markets faster and safer.

The extension will be used for the following. The next handful of years, say 3 years or so, will be the continued deployment in the infrastructure side.

Senator Nelson is very much aware of, a three-part development strategy that focused on capital improvement projects and infrastructure investments.

Rail is essential to the movement of goods and people in America.

And just like your state is so dependent upon railroads, so are so many of our states.

I thank Chairman Thune for calling this hearing and all of the witnesses for being here today.

This is a successful project because it was a public-private partnership.

U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that the tonnage of freight moving by rail is going to increase by 88 percent through 2035.

My state of Florida actually developed a railroad. It was Henry Flagler that brought his railroad south.

No port, I believe, can be successful without on-dock rail.

I hope that you and the Department will continue to be supportive of our efforts.

Positive Train Control will even make this industry even safer.

The Army has already undertaken significant cost cutting efforts and reduced personnel and equipment requirements during the first 2 years of sequestration.

We're appreciative to the Committee and, certainly, your sponsorship or co-sponsorship and Senator Thune and Senator Blunt's sponsorship of the extension that you introduced in the last session.

Rail is already one of the safest ways of moving people and goods, but there are challenges.

In one Southern State, it is estimated that some 600,000 voters were basically precluded from voting in an election because of new voter ID requirements.

And we need transparency, and we don't have that right now in the VA system.