Paul Tonko

I support the American Falls Reservoir hydropower legislation, introduced by Senators Risch and Crapo of Idaho. The bill would authorize the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reinstate the license for a hydroelectric project…

I have no other speakers, and with that, I yield back the balance of my time.

I share them with you here this morning, and we are going to continue to work to further improve so that one of these fundamental rights, the affordable and accessible quality healthcare for all, is continued.

Okay. Well, some of those trends that saw decline in some of the manufacturing sectors in our economy over the decades are now beginning to close on that gaping bit of disparity. Labor rates, for instance--as countries had very, very cheap…

Absolutely. Just underscoring your statement that when women succeed, America succeeds--when women succeed, that lifts all families, whether it is a single female head of family, whether it is a male-female household, two women in the…

No, no. It is fine because you are just speaking to the point of listening and responding, learning from our constituents, learning from the front line of the business community and the worker community. Basically, when we travel this…

It is interesting, as you highlighted the discussion, the dialogue with your advisers. The business of representing congressional districts, of representing any district in the halls of government, the key factor is listening, opening up…

We were, and it is always a pleasure to join with you, Representative Garamendi, and with Representative Kaptur for the purposes of highlighting what can be done in this arena to cultivate a climate that grows private sector jobs and to be…

Absolutely. They are more aggressive than our program. So why would we reduce the complementary force that we provide to Ex-Im Bank. Ninety percent, as you just pointed out, a great amount of the activity, is with our small and…

Absolutely. I served as president and CEO before this work in Congress at NYSERDA, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and some of the partnerships that we inspired, public-private matches, where NYSERDA would…

I hear you making mention of a long-standing skill set, that of shipbuilding. It is important as we look at that Make It In America agenda that the Democrats in the House of Representatives have put together, a very sound platform of…

Absolutely. And it is the way we keep our cutting edge as sharp and precision-oriented as possible. We know that it is three areas of investment. It is investment in capital infrastructure, physical infrastructure, and human…

Last week's Energy and Water Appropriations bill provided another glaring example of an opportunity squandered. We could have invested more in clean energy and certainly weaned our Nation off its heavy dependence on fossil fuels. We could…

Right. I think the approvals we are looking for here ought to come for sound investments that will bear benefits for generations to come--and in a multiple order of effectiveness for various purposes, from jobs to safety to connecting for…

I believe we probably have about 5 minutes now. I think we go to about 7 minutes after. Look, I think what you point to--the gentleman from California is absolutely right on. It is a ripple effect. It is not just the rail tracks that are…

When you look at that strategy, Representative Garamendi, you sense the fundamental fairness. I look at projects like the efforts in New York where Governor Cuomo is leading this effort to make certain that we invest in the rebuild of the…

Yes. I mean, we have some tough, tough issues to deal with, and this report card from professionals is telling the story as it is. Today, nearly 13 percent of New York's bridges are deemed structurally deficient. Some 27 percent of the…

What I would add to your support of statements would be that, as we delay, as we do these gimmicks, as we do these kicking the can down the road scenarios, there are projects lining up. They are building up. We are not resolving the…

Right. What I like about the plan, Representative Garamendi, is that it is all-inclusive in terms of an umbrella approach that encompasses several policy areas. It is not just transportation, which is very valid and certainly urgent, but…

Before you go there, let me just share this, because even though it is 27 years old as a memory, it is still vividly captured by so many of us that lived in upstate New York. When I served in the New York State Assembly, Montgomery County…

Thank you. Representative Garamendi, let me, once again, thank you for leading us in this hour of discussion, 53 minutes worth of discussion, that focuses on the value added, the importance of investment in transportation projects. Back to…

I believe that is 53 minutes, Mr. Speaker? The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman is correct.

Thank you, Representative Garamendi. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will suspend. Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2013, the gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi) is recognized for half the remaining time…

As I pointed out at the start of that hearing, this issue has been part of our national debate since the first Continental Congress.

I think that it would be extremely unwise to stifle the States in this way.