Donald Payne Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this timely hearing on a very, very important topic, and to the Ranking Member as well.

Just so we are clear, I am being apolitical as well. It is not a Republican or Democrat irrespective of who was in the White House at the time, that assessment needs to be made regardless of party.

To the extent that we had a rogue administration potentially in the White House, that also has to be assessed, correct?

Can you assure this committee that DHS's failure to issue a threat assessment was not part of an attempt by the Trump administration to leave the Capitol and Congress undefended?

Wouldn't part of that lessons learned be trying to assess the prior administration's lack of response to this?

Commercial space exploration is the next frontier of American discovery, but it is our responsibility to ensure that it is conducted with safety at the forefront.

Equity in rail is one of my top priorities as chairman of this subcommittee.

If it is working as an exception, then why in the world wouldn't we make every State and every project eligible for the same thing?

As with all projects, we believe that intentional planning in infrastructure investments, with a lens of race, equity, and social justice, can have great community, mobility, and environmental benefits.

High speed rail is also a true green job creator, both for skilled workers like electricians and for professional service providers like engineers.

High speed rail's mobility, climate, and economic promise is a benefit to all communities.

The Maglev project would wreak havoc on Prince George's County, eliminate green space, pollute our air, suffocate our businesses, and siphon off significant business and money from MARC commuter rail and Amtrak.

As our country confronts our historic--and current--mistreatment of Black and Brown people at the hands of police and the criminal justice system, we should also acknowledge and address the ways that land use, development, and…

And I agree with the gentleman from Massachusetts there. There are many of us on the committee that will agree with that.

This is a very important topic for us.

Equity in high-speed rail also means a fair shot for minority-owned businesses to obtain work.

It is time the United States makes a long-term bold effort to bring greater mobility to the Nation.

We have led the world in innovation from breaking the sound barrier to winning the space race.

Imagine being able to hop on a train in Newark at 9 a.m. in the morning and make it to Washington in time for today's hearing at 11 a.m.

Thanks to the bold vision of President Biden, we stand at the crossroads of a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the Nation's passenger rail network and bring it into the 21st century.

Thank you for this timely hearing. Since your arrival in Congress, you have been consistent on this issue around justification, and a good working environment for these great, great public employees and servants.

I have introduced legislation, the Hazardous Duty Pay for Front-line Federal Workers that would ensure that TSA workers and other servants... are properly recognized for the danger that they have put themselves in.

Can I get an assurance that you will move expeditiously to resolve all outstanding delays in getting the tunnel built?

The United States should take advantage of opportunities that integrate innovative technologies that could provide efficient rail service, while reducing carbon emissions.

Seventy percent of our electrical generation in the State comes from renewable sources.