Also, I think it is shortsighted, given the need for transit in our Nation and across our country.

Do you anticipate difficulties as you move from a discretionary program to a formula program?

I think that is a correct assessment, there may be some winners and losers.

The Senate fought hard to ensure that there was an 80/20 split in funding for transportation and transit projects and this cut, I believe, violates the spirit.

One final comment that I would like to make is to express my disappointment that the President's budget requested $100 million less than the amount authorized in SAFETEA-LU for transit projects.

This amendment is not cut and run. This is not about a date certain. This is about getting the president to do the job correctly, something he's failed to do for the last three years and three months.

The change of policy that we call for is significant. The administration's policy to date, that we will be there for as long as Iraq needs us, will result in Iraq's depending upon us longer.

A fixed deadline would not, I think, be in the best interests of the United States.

I was disappointed. The president relied too much upon rhetoric, upon a laundry list of tasks accomplished, but not a coherent view of where we are realistically and where we must go to succeed.

To me, being pro-life also means fighting for policies that will eliminate pain and suffering and help people enjoy longer, healthier lives. And to me, support for embryonic stem cell research is entirely consistent with that position.

It does look like we are recovering jobs, but those jobs seem to not have the same wages and earnings of previous jobs that were lost, and that is a significant issue.

It does look like we are recovering jobs, but those jobs seem to not have the same wages and earnings of previous jobs that were lost, and that is a significant issue.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Let me commend you for holding the hearing, and also commend Senator Miller for his very aggressive and tenacious efforts to have this whole area looked at and reviewed.

Which raises a question of not only the willingness but also the capacity of States to take up this extra--

So that in your view, they do have the capacity?

One of the basic questions here is whether this authority and responsibility should devolve back to the States.

I have seen no leadership from the Administration suggesting proposals of this order. Would you urge them to begin this process now?

But it seems to give us a little longer perspective, obviously, than the 5 years and 10 years that we look at tax cuts and expenditures.