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.

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

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

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…

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.

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

I agree that there should be dedicated funding.

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

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

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

I am committed to rail reauthorization this year.

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.