Kit Bond

I want to thank you, as Senator Alexander did, for your commitment to loan guarantees to bring the best clean energy, nuclear energy on line.

I do not see it as the responsibility of any Federal agency to tell our towns and cities what would make their communities more livable or sustainable.

There has got to be pre-purchase counseling before somebody buys a home.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and thank you for holding the important hearing.

no blank checks until we see what you're going to do.

So, we should absolutely ignore the $446 million request for Amtrak.

We have immense capacity on our rivers for shipping. It's efficient. It takes far less energy, releases far less pollution, and it's a big answer to long-term congestion problems.

Now, while we are asking easy questions, as you have indicated and the chair has indicated, as you know, we are debating a financial regulation bill on the floor.

Have you got a number? How many billions will you experience in loss this year?

We're up against the wall now.

Thank you very much, Mr. Administrator. I am concerned that you talked about, 'We need to find some alternatives. We don't know what they are.'

I hope that you will look at how you can streamline that to--they are telling me I have got one minute left on the vote.

In the Heartland, highways don't work unless you have a bridge across the river.

This is a very, very important investment, and we want to work with you on it.

That will be your----

Do you agree it's time for the administration to have the same kind of transparency?

I just question how much money is going to be spent on sidewalks, when we need highways and we need bridges.

I am still waiting for real transparency in the current administration grant making process.

It seemed to me that that policy was designed to bail out lenders on their risky investments but did little to save a home with a risky loan for the homeowner.

I have some concerns about if there is a cutback in the 2012 budget based on problems with the deficit.

Are they able to handle the resources and the demands that they are expecting now?

You ought to decide with DOT whether it is sustainability or livability would be helpful.

You gave us some money, and we'll spend it.

I know this: Americans want high-speed passenger rail.

What an economic engine the interstate system has been for places all over America.