George Lemieux: “I think it's un-American, and I know you share my views.”

It's not only important at an economic level, but it has enormous strategic consequences as well.

I think that rail, both on the passenger and freight side, needs to have an ever more prominent role in transportation in this country.

Freight rail takes trucks off the road; it is clean; it is efficient; it's safe; and it plays a big part in Florida.

It falls upon the United States to shoulder the burden in issues such as terrorism and dealing with rogue countries.