Jim Inhofe

If the Senator from Texas will yield, because he said something that is so profound.

Before that happens, I think it is important that the people of this country have to know what this is all about. This is socialized medicine. A lot of them didn't believe that. Last week majority leader Harry Reid was on the PBS ``Nevada…

I can say this, others can't say it, because I have been ranked as the most conservative Republican.

I want to applaud the Chairman, there are a lot of things that Senator Boxer went along with that I know she personally disagreed with.

Thank you, Madam Chairman. I appreciate Senator Whitehouse letting me go in front of him.

I am one of the strongest advocates of strong, robust investment in our Nation's transportation system.

I have a message I have to deliver here, and I will need your help in doing this.

Gary Ridley has been a witness at this table more than any other one person. He is our Secretary of Transportation in Oklahoma.

I want to make sure everybody knows it.

I am not on this Subcommittee. However, I was chairman of this full Committee when the Republicans were in the majority, and I am very active on it.

I have traveled to Africa more than any other Senator in the history of the United States.

OK. I will do that. I ask unanimous consent that at the conclusion of the remarks of the Senator from California I be recognized for 15 minutes.

When we were establishing our time, I would say to my good friend and colleague from California, I was joking around a little bit about using 9\1/2\ minutes. Is it all right if I make that 19\1/2\ minutes, maximum?

Reserving the right to object, if two of them speak now and then let me speak and then the Senator can speak after that, that is still 2 to 1.

Point of inquiry: Is this after I speak now or is that starting now? In other words, we would have four Democrats before I speak?

I do want to accommodate the Senator from California. I have three different subjects I want to talk about----

Despite these reforms, I am concerned that they are not being implemented properly.

I know a lot of my alarmist friends, a lot of whom are in this audience today and around this table, are a little distressed with recent findings in the science that has come out from the Mail and the Telegraph, both of being from London…

But the politics is important, as the Chairman knows. We need a bill. And a bill, quite frankly, it is more difficult dealing with Republicans than Democrats in the Senate.

MAP-21 created hard deadlines to lessen red tape, to create greater certainty for project sponsors and eliminate costly delays, which waste taxpayer money.

Government regulations slow down projects and delay progress.

I believe there is sufficient evidence to avoid a threatened listing, and appreciate the Service extending the final rule until March 14th.

I don't recall this happening before. Regarding the very amendment that is an obstacle, keeping me from the vote, I ask unanimous consent right now to become a cosponsor of that amendment, the Vitter amendment I am talking about. I know…

I must take this opportunity to talk about my friend, Frank Lautenberg, and his decades-long commitment to exploring the appropriate Federal role in chemical safety and security.

I always say that we, I am a big spender in two areas, defense and infrastructure.