They have done it over. And over and over and over again they see and feel the wind from a door being shut in their faces over and over and over again.

The most painful thing about it... is that they go through all of that, denied opportunity over and over again, and then they die.

I think that if we are going to have a color-blind society, then we should have a color-blind society that goes to the point of eliminating this wall that blocks so many people from opportunity.

I just think that this is a prime opportunity to get some of these things done right now.

But yet and still, people are not getting those opportunities.

We hold this hearing today at a time when our national economy is struggling and the U.S. Postal Service is not immune to that trend.

I hope that we are indeed able to make these ideas work.

Total current spending is well below what is needed to improve the condition of our national transportation infrastructure.

Our Nation's surface transportation system is in desperate need of repair while being stretched to its limits.

Less than three-tenths of 1 percent of our GDP is being invested in our non-defense public structures and buildings.

There is no question that our national transportation system is in dire need of repairs and investments.

Let's take a look at the overall problems that we have in America in dealing with quality of life and our commitment to our environment.

I would just stress I would hope that we will have the opportunity to return to the issues of the PATRIOT Act far in advance of the deadline for the end of this year where we have to act.

There are three major provisions that will sunset during 2009 that will need to be taken up by Congress.

Let me thank you, Director Mueller, for your service and thank you for being here today.

I think most of us believe these tools are extremely important, and we want to make sure that you have the tools that you need.

I think our challenge, Madam Chair, is to craft the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act, that you referred to as MAP, that will meet our investment needs in a fiscally responsible way.

I think these are important points and need to be part of the policies that we look forward to in our next effort on reauthorization.