Ray LaHood

We have had a little hiccup here, but that is not going to stand in the way of this project moving forward.

We recognize that the airlines are starting to come back. They are starting to be more financially viable.

People in America want different forms of transportation.

We are totally committed to the Columbia River Crossing. This is going to be a model for multimodal transportation.

We are committed to this project.

This idea that we cannot continue to make progress without earmarks is not accurate.

We know the Highway Trust Fund has been diminished because people are driving less and driving more fuel efficient cars.

The President this year in his budget proposed using the Highway Trust Funds, plus the funds that have been used for Iraq and Afghanistan, half of those funds as a means to pay for his budget.

We need every State to pass a law.

The fiscal year 2013 President's budget reflects the first year of this bold 6-year $476 billion reauthorization proposal that will transform the way we manage surface transportation for the future.

I hope you have shined a bright light on the House that the values that people really understand in America about transportation were carried out yesterday.

The President has called on us to rebuild America--to put people back to work repairing our roads, bridges, transit systems, and airports.

Big, big congratulations to Senator Boxer and Senator Inhofe. They worked very hard together.

I think passing a bipartisan bill reflects the very best values of the Senate.

Transportation has always been bipartisan, and you all proved it again yesterday.

The challenge is just working through this, and making sure we get it right, and working with our colleagues at the White House.

We will pay for the investments proposed under the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Proposal with the savings achieved from ramping down overseas military operations to do some Nation-building right here at home.

It is what the people want, and that is reflected in the request that we have received for $1 billion for up to $100 million.

I certainly would be willing to work with all of you on that.

We are totally committed to the Columbia River Crossing. This is going to be a model for multimodal transportation.

We believe airports are a real economic engine for communities.

The next generation of transportation for America, for the next generation, is high-speed rail.

We are not going to let it stand in the way of that, but to make sure that everybody knows what the facts are.

If safety is our number one priority, which it is, then it has to be safety in all modes including trucking and busing.

Yes, I believe we do.