Chuck Schumer

No other nation has trade deficits like this, and, while we respect this body in deliberating over budget deficits, every economist, Economics 101, knows there is a direct relationship between trade deficits and budget deficits.

Most U.S. consumer groups are concerned that trade agreements can be used to degrade our food safety protection.

What has happened to our jobs, our communities, the North Philadelphia that I grew up in, the Cleveland that I can picture right now? Devastation throughout those communities; nowhere near the replacement in jobs for the more than 700,000…

Most countries have ratified eight core conventions. Sadly, the United States has only ratified two.

He is often referred to as the Senator Farmer from Brooklyn.

Since NAFTA, in these 20 years, average weekly take-home pay in the United States has declined by more than $100. It is directly related.

Now, there is another being developed on the Western end, the sort of mirror image of East Side Access, is Amtrak's Gateway Program to build--and I am sure Bob is very interested in this, as well--to build two new tunnels under the Hudson…

Can I have your commitment, you will work personally with CDTA and do everything you can to see that it is admitted to the Small Starts Program?

I certainly believe that the consequences of systems moving large numbers of Americans and who have a history of constant challenges due to flooding and weather-related issues make a highest priority use.

Give me a status report on how it is going, how the repair is going.

So, it is full speed ahead.

Great. Now, our second one is Buffalo, similar. Buffalo has experimented with different kinds of transit, particularly the Main Street Project, which was a flop.

I know you are filling large shoes, because Polly Trottenberg, your predecessor----

I worked to create a new transit-oriented development planning pilot program to provide grants for communities.

Yes, we will look at their applications as they come in, but here again, I think it is fair to say that the NFTA has taken some time to figure out what it is they want to do.

I helped them get a grant to plan their BRT.

The situation is clearly unacceptable, as we need more agents, ushering travelers, sports fans, shoppers, commercial vehicles into western New York.

I urge my colleagues to confirm him for this position as quickly as possible.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and welcome to all the nominees, particularly to the one I know best, to my good friend Gil Kerlikowske.

Gil has a very solid track record in interagency coordination and implementing new initiatives.

So that means JFK, because we have the longest wait time. Is that right?

JFK Airport in New York has the longest average Customs wait line in the country.

We have to improve it. It has to be fast and efficient, but we always have to do it in a cost-effective way too.

Senator Vitter and I offered an amendment to the Senate budget calling on Congress to eliminate this subsidy.

I thank my colleague for that question. Exactly. This is affecting so many people in so many parts of the country. It does not affect just Democrats or Republicans, conservatives or moderates, Independents or liberals. The support is…