Earl Blumenauer: “I appreciate the leadership. I want to acknowledge the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert). I know the gentleman has…”

“I appreciate the leadership. I want to acknowledge the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert). I know the gentleman has played a key role; perhaps unlike any Speaker in history, with the difficult dynamic we had, he played a key role. I appreciate the committee leadership that has been acknowledged. I would also like to express my appreciation for what people out in the country did. We have assembled the largest coalition in support of infrastructure investment in the history of the United States. Groups that ranged from the Women's Federated Garden Club of America, organized labor, environmentalists, people who move freight, people who build the facilities all came together with community activists to provide a critical push, given the political difficulties that all have acknowledged. It was testimony also to the people who know how important these transportation investments are. I appreciate being able to have a series of things in this legislation that I care deeply about. I have been working on small starts legislation that would help with streetcars, with commuter rail, with bus rapid transit, and I appreciate the committee having 3 years of investment that is going to help give communities more choices. And certainly with the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) and the ranking committee member, the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), we were assured that this was going to be the best bicycle bill in the history of the United States, and we have it.…”