On the recordJune 29, 2012
I would just like to give my appreciation to you, Mr. Chairman, to Mr. Rahall, and to you, Peter, and everybody that's worked so hard on this. Just one comment. We're moving forward. We're going to have jobs. We've done the right thing. It's a good first step. We've got more to do, as was just said. Everybody gives up something. We've got this control box, if you want to call it, the black box; the recorder that's going to be in all trucks. The Mexican trucks get theirs paid for. This happens to be a commercial driver's license. I don't know how many of you have got one, but if you want to see one, come look at it sometime. It's a little doing to get one. Owner-operators have to pay for their own. They're making $50,000, $60,000 a year if they're doing a good operation. That's prevalent in trucks running across this country. They're doing a good job. They're keeping commerce moving. We ought to just keep in mind we ought to give those middle class, hardworking, patriotic Americans the consideration they deserve. But I'm glad we got the bill. I will go out there and work with all of you to try to get it better and get more done, but we've got a good first step. Mr. DeFAZIO. I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) be permitted to control the balance of the time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from West Virginia will control the time. There was no objection.
