I think it's difficult for any Member of Congress to get it right when we're talking about something that has been collectively bargained for 100 years.

If there's not real reform, I think it'll be a missed opportunity for the future of the highway system.

How about this $9.3-billion investment that has zero cost benefit?

But, some of the ideas under consideration, I think, would involve more dialogue between shippers and railroads.

Well, let me just, in closing, say there's no question this is a hugely important issue to South Dakota.

Well, we ought to get the rest of you guys in this discussion, right?

On that point, Ms. Richardson, have you ever, sort of, quantified or been able to figure out, when you talk about some of the inefficiencies and what that costs South Dakota agricultural shippers on an annual basis?

We do believe that there needs to be reform.

this has always been a very emotional issue with, specifically, our friends in the highway area, and the truckers, to some degree.

I think, kind of, all rules are off when that happens, and we do believe that, as long as there are general funds coming into the Highway Trust Fund, that there ought to be flexibility for expenditures on more than just concrete highway…

But, if we just continue to raise the inherent cost of manufacturing in this society, all that's going to do is push this stuff more and more offshore, and provide fewer and fewer jobs in this country.

if such climate legislation is to pass, it should not result in a rural state, like South Dakota, being required to take impractical steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Without rail access, the expense to raise a crop would increase significantly.

I'd like to see the processes streamlined so that you can deliver projects more efficiently.

We, like AASHTO, support a different approach, under which not less than 90 percent of highway program funds would be distributed by formula to the states.

Now, what makes us competitive is getting our product to market, but the manufacture of the imports is all going over overseas.

We can greatly improve the efficiency of delivering our projects.

We're strong supporters of the Build America Bonds program, a $50-billion increase in transportation funding across the country.