Ben Cardin

It is a critical service for us to provide because we are, in fact, the lifeline for many of those people.

I believe the Federal Government must play a greater role in assuring the safety of the Metro system for its riders and employees.

Our rail system is not brand-new anymore. It is 34 years old.

It is critically important the Federal Government live up to its commitment as a partner, but also to establish a way that we can be more actively involved as a partner with Metro in regards to the safety.

The Washington, DC area ranks second-worst in the United States as far as traffic congestion is concerned.

I strongly support the legislation that Senator Mikulski has been involved with that would give the FTA the authority to set up safety standards for our transit system.

There has been no stronger voice in the United States Congress on this issue than Senator Mikulski.

I don't mind being associated with Metro, I'm a big supporter of the Transit Authority.

I am against drilling off the mid-Atlantic, and I am going to do everything I can to prevent drilling off the mid-Atlantic.

I understand the legal, but it was my understanding that the President has ordered that there will be no new exploration sites until the review has been done as a result of this current spill.

I find it somewhat offensive to the Chesapeake Bay and the State I represent for us to be considered less worthy for protection than the West Coast of the United States or the north Atlantic.

A spill in lease sale site 220, if we had a spill there, is very likely it would affect the Maryland coastline.

I am very much in support of that.

I appreciate that statement, and I am going to come back to it in a moment. But you still haven't quite answered to me, and I am against drilling off the Pacific. And I am against the North Atlantic drilling.

When will that information be made available, do you know?

The Ramsar Convention has said it is a body of water of international significance.

I can tell you the way that currents run off the mid-Atlantic, the way the wind blows, any oil spill will affect the Chesapeake Bay.

I hope that you are reconsidering because I listen to you.

I quite frankly didn't understand this.

I fully understand that, but you have the responsibility to set into motion the type of changes that will correct this failed system.

As a New Orleans native I know first-hand the importance of the natural environment to the economy, the health, and the culture of the Gulf Coast.

I think as Mr. Smith said, changing the definition is one I think we all would agree needs to be done.

The purpose of this hearing was for us to gather information, to get better informed, and to start a record in this Committee as to the challenges we have.

There has to be a transparent process for declassifying that information if it is going to be made available to the public.

I want to follow up on Senator Kyl's point because I agree with him.