Barbara Mikulski

Do you feel that the climate toward whistleblowers has improved?

We are going to say this is who we heard from.

The GSA has got to get cracking on these two other Federal board appointments?

I have a must do, should do, and would like to do list. The must dos have to get done.

We hear about out-of-service escalators and elevators. That is a top favorite, as well as closed entrances and exits and train delays.

That which is measured gets done.

It will be my intention that when the NTSB makes their recommendations that we have a public discussion of that.

Are you better off now than you were 4 years ago?

So, as of now, almost 11 months since the accident, there is no joint regular systematic, joint mechanism of communication?

What does it take to have labor and management meet on a regular basis, to have regular communication of things of mutual concern?

I believe it is in the best interest of the functionality of the system that labor and management have a regular systematic way of communicating.

Well, it seems to be that there needs to be a mechanism of communication between labor and management.

Well, what about the safety and the safety training and the safety officer?

Well, I think that is an interesting insight.

I think this is a very good guidance.

I am really committed to them having that service.

This is a national issue, and it is a mandate.

I would encourage the Congress to look at that, both for Metro here, but for everybody around the country.

So do you have thoughts or recommendations you would like to make to us?

We do believe, though, there has to be modernization. There has to be safety reform, and there has to be accountability.

I believe rail, whether it is heavy rail to move cargo in our corridors, whether it is--I will call it heavy rail, to move people in the Northeast Corridor, whether it is our MARC trains or the Virginia version of that, we need to have a…

So, if we wanted to modernize, it would take additional revenue from either your Federal partners or other partners.

The fact is, is that helps maintain the status quo in good operating order.

Well, that is a pretty startling kind of breakdown there because it is the rail that carries the majority of the passengers.

I think the biggest role of Congress is we are in the prevention business.