The Nation's waterways give producers and manufacturers reach to acquire raw materials and distribute finished goods in a competitive marketplace.

I'm happy we have such a diverse panel so that we can gain their perspectives on the issues facing ports, harbors, and inland waterways.

So what are the types of specific commodities that come from those States that otherwise would have a very difficult time reaching global markets?

It is an exciting time to be working on this issue together.

Yet more often than not, our ports and inland waterways are not maintained to their fully authorized widths and depths.

The needs of our ports, harbors, and inland waterways are substantial, and they continue to grow.

That Congress has allowed this to persist, as our needs only continue to grow, represents a problem in dire need of a solution.

So, I think the question we should be asking is, given that Californians are consuming nearly 700 million barrels of crude oil a year, why are we so keen on ensuring that it comes from foreign countries with worse environmental standards?

But, Mr. Glenn and Mr. Rexford, what about your rights, the rights of the people who live in ANWR?

I believe it is going to take an all-hands-on-deck approach to reverse the decline of our Nation's water infrastructure.

I think sometimes we forget to appreciate how far we have come when we are looking at where we need to be.