Frank Lautenberg

Ms. Quarterman, the NTSB made more than a dozen recommendations to PHMSA, and its report on the San Bruno accident. Now, how quickly can PHMSA move forward on addressing these recommendations?

It is both puzzling and sad that we still have to debate the benefits of requiring remote or automatic shut off valves after another tragedy, this time in San Bruno, California.

I really thank the Committee for including in its pipeline safety bill a nationwide review, which Senator Boxer and I proposed in our bill.

Thank you very much, Senator Boxer. And we welcome our colleague, Senator Dianne Feinstein.

I am pleased that the Committee has accepted the amendment worked out with Senator Paul requiring that all pipelines that have never undergone a pressure test undergo a viable and effective strength test.

How much time might have been needed to fix this, if discovered?

This explosion we had, I mentioned, 14 buildings were destroyed.

the Committee has passed legislation, S.275, sponsored by Senators Rockefeller and Lautenberg, which will assist the agency in these efforts.

I applaud you for that. That bill will help to ensure that America continues to have one of the safest, most reliable pipeline systems in the world.

How could this explosion have been prevented, if the company didn't know?

I call the hearing to order. We have the excellent opportunity to hear from our distinguished colleague from California.

Senator Feinstein's a strong advocate for improving pipeline safety, and she's committed to ensuring that we do everything that we can to avoid tragedies like what we witnessed in San Bruno.

Thank you very much.

I am concerned consumers will continue to shoulder too much of the cost of financing the Universal Service Fund.

Since 1997, the Federal Government's Universal Service Fund has subsidized the cost of affordable phone service in rural areas and for low-income families.

These are kind of Hobson's choices, in many ways.

I see it in my own State. I mean, there is a lot of work yet to be done. People are waiting impatiently to see results.

I applaud the FCC for taking these steps.

The debt-limit deal that was struck in August gave the Congress the authority to respond quickly to natural disasters by not requiring disaster relief funding to be offset, which leads to drawn-out debates over which programs to sacrifice.

the amount of money that is being considered thus far would suggest that it would be woefully insufficient in terms of addressing those unmet needs

Mr. Nadeau, the FHWA ER program faced more than $1 billion backlog in projects even before Hurricane Irene struck.

I think, forgive me, but that sounds terribly short, when I see the disaster that is out there just in my own State and nearby States.

As we stand here, Rome is burning, and we are not ready to put out the fire.

What is being done now hurts the quality of life, the ability of people to get on, because there is so much damage around.

When Mother Nature sends our country her worst, the American people are at their best.