In fact, it is questionable how effective any other recommendation will be without addressing this issue.

According to a recent report, nearly 64 percent of our roads in Los Angeles County are listed in poor condition and costing our drivers $832 a year, well over the national average of $377.

Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member Rahall both said that when it comes down to finding ways to finance our Nation's transportation system, all options need to be considered.

This is not the best way to do business, nor is it the best way to ensure that the legislation we pass serves the best interest of our taxpayers and our American public.

This is frankly appalling, and I believe it is a reason we need to be looking at any and all options to address the continuing funding shortfalls in the Highway Trust Fund.

I am struck by some interesting contradictions in the testimony that we have heard today.

So with that, Mr. Chair, I yield back.

Mr. Tipton's bill simply prohibits the Federal Government from using what should be a routine permitting process to extract long-held water rights from private users.

We must vote on a clean resolution, continuing resolution, with no add-ons, I mean none, clean; open the Federal Government and put people back to work.

This amounts to an uncompensated taking and is a violation of both the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution.

We will also hear H.R. 3176, the Drought Relief Act, offered by Mr. DeFazio.

So hopefully we won't move forward until we have an opportunity with a restored government to have the Forest Service come in and explain its new directive and see if that doesn't do what we think it needs to do, then take more targeted…

We must stop fiddling while Rome burns. The answers we need for this hearing demand that the government be reopened.

While you unfortunately chose not to attend, it is your agency's responsibility to provide the Administration's views on H.R. 3176.

Are we seeing an adversarial relationship begin to develop between this Government and the people, and particularly between the U.S. Forest Service and the users of our public lands?

It seems that the U.S. Forest Service is going out of its way to make life difficult for people, to inconvenience people, and almost seem to be reversing the entire original purpose of the Forest Service.

As you know, I invited you to testify on H.R. 3176 at the Water and Power Subcommittee's October 10, 2013 hearing.

I request that you provide written comments on the bill no later than November 1, 2013.