We have been a lap dog for nobody. We have been a lap dog for the people who drive cars and want to do them safely.

My advice is, if anybody owns one of these vehicles, stop driving it, take to Toyota dealer because they believe they have the fix for it.

My advice is if anybody owns one of these vehicles, stop driving it, take it to the Toyota dealer because they believe they have the fix for it.

I ask this Committee to consider it seriously and promptly.

Safety is my Department's highest priority.

Secretary LaHood delivered the Obama administration's legislative proposal entitled the Public Transportation Safety Act of 2009 to the Congress this past December.

We need tough enforcement, and tough enforcement does work.

I think any distraction is a problem.

We cannot allow this to happen.

We need to find $400 or $500 billion to pay for it.

I think he did exactly the right thing. He called attention to a growing problem and a growing issue.

Distracted drivers is one part of the problem. There are many types of distractions.

Texting while driving is the biggest distraction.

Personal responsibility, education, and enforcement.

I want to take a minute to praise my colleague, former colleague and now our Secretary, for taking a very positive initiative.

I think there are three solutions for texting, and I think education is one of them.

The President wants a very strong, comprehensive, robust transportation bill.

I believe in the carrot-and-the-stick approach, and I am not going to sit here and tell all of you what bill you ought to be supporting.

Distracted driving is a dangerous practice that has become a deadly epidemic.

I think any distraction is a distraction that takes away from driving safely.

If you say something often enough people start to believe it.

Transportation safety is the Department's highest priority.

I want to thank you all for attending, and for dedicating your time and energy to addressing this problem.

I am personally committed to reducing the number of injuries and fatalities caused by distracted driving.

Any kind of distraction, whether it's on trains, planes, or automobiles, is a distraction.