Frank Lautenberg

We must strengthen our chemical laws to give Americans confidence that products are safe before they are sold.

America's system for regulating these toxic chemicals is broken.

While some of these chemicals might not be harmful, others clearly are.

Right now, there are hundreds of industrial chemicals in our bodies. That goes for nearly everyone in America.

I want to thank everyone for being here as we focus on better protecting the health of our families by updating our chemical safety laws.

Yes, because you said overwhelming, 80,000+, I mean.

The simple question is whether or not someone making $20,000 a year, and particularly with those that have to commute distances... whether $20,000 is a decent salary.

I would say this, when we're looking at salaries and we look at what's happening in the regional...

Just because you can raise some money to start a new airline doesn't mean that you ought to be in the industry.

You wouldn't ask a brain surgeon to go--to take care of your need if he was up 8 hours doing surgery someplace else.

Well, when you hear a pilot say that, 'We were distracted,' that's not sufficient reason to fly for lots and lots of minutes, more than an hour--not quite--without responding to the--to a tower or a station along the way.

And I would ask you this. Might we be looking at something more than just the fatigue factor?

The last thing a traveling family wants to worry about is a sleepy pilot. It's an invitation to disaster.

We should not have to learn the same lesson twice, or three or four or five times.

Too much is demanded of our pilots. Too many hours on too little sleep, and operating complex machines with peoples' lives in their hands.

We're discarding what is fair and appropriate to keep that person in the best of condition.

Yes, because, with all of these things that do exist--and you get back to the starting pay for a pilot or copilot, second to you--when someone is in that seat, are they fully prepared, in your view, to take over command, if necessary?

Now has the airline industry done enough to ensure that commercial air pilots are well rested, not flying under fatigue conditions?

I hope that we are going to demonstrate our seriousness by moving the projects that we have underway that relate directly not just to the Northeast Corridor, but any of the corridors that we might be able to encourage development.

Since 1971, we have spent $33 billion on Amtrak, which is less, far less than a billion a year.

I am convinced that you have the desire to make a difference.

Thank you, Senators Lautenberg and Menendez, for your gracious introductory remarks and for providing me with support and encouragement throughout the nomination process.

I am deeply honored that the President has nominated me to serve on the Amtrak Board of Directors.

I particularly was focused on this panel because it has so much relevance to the subject that sits right in front of us.

We always are looking for inspired young people who want to come to Government.