Jeff Denham

Without providing opportunities to earn a legal status our body will not resolve our immigration status.

It is a huge priority. It is a personal priority of mine. But it is also something that I believe will grow the economy of California and contribute to the greatness of America.

Not everybody wants to become a citizen, but those that do are willing to work hard to make this country great.

I hope that this Committee and the House as a whole understand how important immigration reform can be for our military and national security.

I appreciate Chairman Kline and the committee's work on this important reauthorization. Consolidating programs and replacing them with flexible grants is the right way to ensure that States and school districts are able to respond to the…

I am committed to rail reauthorization this year.

Isn't it also true that over 95 percent of the Northeast Corridor or Amtrak-owned infrastructure 95 percent is on the Northeast Corridor?

It is also possible, we could use that above the rail profit as a dedicated funding source for the Northeast Corridor?

I would agree we need a 5- or 10-year plan to be able to plan any long-term project.

Without private-sector engagement in financing, the California project is doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past.

In an area where you have--I will use my area, for example--proven ridership, where we have above-the-rail profitability on the ACE train in the Altamont corridor.

I agree that there should be dedicated funding.

We want to have the safest rail in the world.

Outside of the whole budget debate, because that debate is going to continue to go on, assuming we have extra money, we are going to need to put significant infrastructure repairs, not only some that safety repairs that should have been…

We need to operate within realistic budget constraints, and I think we all agree reforms are necessary.

Chairman Shuster and I are committed to rail reauthorization this year.

As well, what type of extension do you think that we ought to see in PTC?

We would ask you for that information. In fact, this committee will ask a formal request after this hearing of each of you to be able to establish the greatest need as well as timeline throughout the Nation regionally.

So if you had a freight rail that was ready to implement quicker than the rest of the industry, would they reap some type of benefit under your case-by-case scenario?

So that would ensure that----

We need to be pragmatic and transparent, and we will need all parties to participate.

As we continue to work in a bipartisan fashion to get this PRIIA reauthorization bill done, each of these different hearings have been very insightful and helpful.

I think the fewer safety mandates Congress gets involved in, the better.

How much time do I have remaining? The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from California has 1\1/2\ minutes remaining.

Thank you for giving me an opportunity to speak on behalf of my amendment to authorize the enlistment in the Armed Forces of undocumented immigrants who entered the U.S. under 15 years of age, who entered the country on or before December…