I would like to echo the sentiments of Senator Cochran relative to Walton Gresham being awarded NPGA's Bill Hill Award. Mr. Gresham has been exceptional in helping legislators on the Federal, State, and local levels understand the…

I'm concerned about that.

So, are you saying that I am mistaken in the premise of my question, that the Federal Railroad Administration does have the authority, to the extent that it is envisioned in the proposed Act?

I am interested to learn more about the budget authorization increases in the bill.

I have several reservations about the bill, in its current form.

a number of people are concerned about the privacy implications of the data that will be collected under the bill.

I appreciate the Committee's efforts to address that issue.

I want to ensure that all rulemakings and new mandates are appropriately researched and founded in facts.

I think we should be careful to make sure the specific amounts requested actually relate to the actual cost.

With regard to the imminent hazard authority, the Federal Railroad Administration doesn't have this.

I have a great deal of confidence in NAS, for example, that they will apply sound science and call it by the numbers.

I do have reservations about the bill in its current form.

Can you think of any reason why, in this instance, that the oil would not come to the surface and cause this plume or mist of particles that NOAA testified about?

It's unfortunate that you weren't able to talk more about the history of a number of these things that had gone on.

Well, it's amazing to me that, as explosive as an oil rig might be, that something like this could happen, and the signal not be sent.

OK. And you have not received interim reports.

Thank you very much.

Can you both get back to us on the record about that?

Well, I'm asking you to check on that and get back on the record.

Will you interview the people present, and get back to us, on the record?

At that point, would you be able to speak with a relatively high degree of certainty on whether these are oil plumes or something else?

So, it may be, Mr. Chairman, there's just something down there with the blowout preventer that's preventing it from, even today, kicking in.

If you think we need to shut down all offshore drilling in the United States of America, perhaps you're not as concerned about how to make offshore drilling and deepwater drilling completely safe.

The blowout preventer is supposed to kick in suddenly if something goes wrong.

That was a decision that was made weeks and months and years beforehand.