"the No. 1 issue is creating jobs for the country."
"So thank you. Thank you for the management, thank you for the metrics, and thank you for the efforts that are being made."
"It is a national security issue in terms of safety and reliability."
"There have been 11 metro deaths this year."
"I really want to thank you for your national leadership on transportation safety in general and also on this transit safety issue in particular."
"I have three criteria that I use to evaluate all Executive Branch nominees: Competence, integrity, and commitment to the core mission of the Department."
"Washington Metro is America's subway."
"Safety is my Department's highest priority."
"I urge the subcommittee to include the President's fiscal year 2011 budget request for Metro in the fiscal year 2011 THUD Appropriations bill."
"I want to once again send my deepest sympathies to the families, friends, and all those whose lives the victims of this tragedy."
"I am proud to sponsor Senator Mikulski's National Metro Safety Act (S. 1506) to establish Federal safety standards for America's transit systems."