David Vitter

We need to really invest in this infrastructure in this area.

We do need another bridge crossing in between those two bridges.

I think the secretary is absolutely right, we need to build political and citizen support for whatever is being planned.

The political support was not there, and a small group of influential people who lived in the corridor convinced the political leadership that it shouldn't be built.

As I said, tolling can and should be an important piece of the puzzle.

We will have to come up with something, one way or the other, by late July, early August.

I certainly agree that this next step, we need a longer term approach.

We are going to have this process, not trying to pre-judge anything, but based on what you have seen and studied, what do you think might be viable, partial solutions for a work-around Baton Rouge, a partial loop, whatever you want to call…

I think that would be very negative and that they should really focus on a five, 6-year bill.

I certainly agree with that. I've continually pushed to move those sorts of things out of the highway program and the Highway Trust Fund to sort of rededicate and refocus use of trust fund dollars, whatever they are, they are scarce, they…

The whole system is going to shut down if we don't really significantly invest in it.

Good morning and thank you for joining me in Baton Rouge today for the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee hearing on the need to invest Federal funding to relieve traffic congestion and improve our roads and bridges at…

The sweeping language in the proposal represents a direct threat to private property rights.

I will be following up on this issue with a resolution about the EPA and the Corps, in my opinion, flagrantly ignoring the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

I think this is flat out outrageous, that the administration would pretend that the proposal would not have a substantial and a direct impact on small businesses.

Advocacy believes, first, the rule will impose direct costs on small businesses. Second, these costs will have a significant economic impact on those small businesses. And, third, the agencies incorrectly certified the rule and should have…

We should demand and have implemented by the government, and its contractors, efficient and effective post disaster recovery, including mitigation.

We should take special consideration of restoring storm-safe housing for lower income residents, those who can the least afford to return because of their income.

That was never the case before. It's always been built into the system.

I think that's inexcusable, and I know it's a decision by your superiors... I think, is ridiculous, quite frankly.

WRRDA 2014 has crystal clear language that the Corps has a responsibility to perform operation and maintenance on the IHNC Surge and Barge Sector Gates, on the West Closure Complex and on the Harvey Canal Sector Gates, and that the cost…

We should work toward achieving more safety for critical and public buildings, in terms of elevation, because the funds acquired for rebuilding them will never come to us again.

We're not going to drop this issue... it's going to be very simple to the local authorities.

I appreciate your kind words about the WRRDA 2014 bill that I helped draft and pass, but you can tell your superiors that rather than kind words, what I really want is simply the Corps to follow the law in regard to that.

And, so, if that were done, which I certainly support and am advocating through my bill, that would be fully consistent with the Federal standards.