This infrastructure strengthens the backbone of America by making resources available for economies to grow while helping to preserve vital resources like water in a place where it is scarce.

We can obviously see the importance of these projects.

There are many areas in the country, especially in the West, that we look to to provide some support.

In the West, our water resources are precious and the Bureau of Reclamation helps us, especially in New Mexico, to ensure our water is used efficiently.

It is about... helping economies grow. We want to sustain jobs, also we want to protect those agricultural interests.

It is economic development for the tribes. We are going to do infrastructure investments with those tribal economies.

We need to know why natural gas was cutoff to entire regions of New Mexico.

This hearing is an important first step to ask the tough questions that will allow us to identify and fix problems.

Thank you for your commitment to job creation and making America a leader in technology and innovation.

I have started a bipartisan technology transfer caucus to begin to look at ideas and ideals around the Bayh-Dole legislation.

I appreciate the Administration's commitment to research and development and innovation as key to the Nation's economic development.