Peter DeFazio

We don't have the money. We don't have the money. Well, we do have the money, we are just stealing it from the American people and dumping it somewhere else.

It is great we do WRDA bills every 2 years. And in the last couple of bills we have added $40 billion to the unmet, unfunded, authorized backlog of the Corps.

I urge this Congress to reject the President's vision and to work with our side on the aisle to make real, substantial investments on our water infrastructure.

The EIS, unfortunately, is due to an overly aggressive Federal judge, who basically adopted the arguments of the plaintiffs and said this is science, when it isn't.

Thanks, Mr. Chairman.

If we are going to collect the--well, I suppose they are a little more honest. They want to reduce the tax, so then permanently reduce funding for our ports.

Investing in our infrastructure...should reward American manufacturers, American farmers, and American workers, not companies seeking to privatize public services.

How are we going to do that with half of that money?

We need some advocacy, we need to fight for this money.

I didn't like what the previous administration did.

I want to welcome Secretary James here, his first appearance before the committee.

So is there a 50-percent increase in efficiency in dredging and maintaining jetties that you can conceive?

We have a treaty that has, you know, expired.

We strongly supported the recent extension of the 100 percent Federal cost share for debris removal and emergency protective measures.

We are finally getting some of the recognition that all of us have been arguing for in terms of adequate funding.

I think that is an opportunity.

If devolution didn't work in the 1950s, how the hell is it going to work in the 21st century?

That is one heck of a toll. Four dollars and 67.5 cents per mile. Not too many Americans can afford that.

That doesn't seem right.

I mean, when you talked about that section of I-69 in your State that cost $1.2 billion, which is delivering benefits for the nationwide system, not just for your State.

Well, if you don't increase taxes, we are not having an infrastructure bill and we are doing nothing.

It is time to stop talking and do something. I mean, this is getting absolutely absurd.

Even Adam Smith said it; and that is why we put that up there to remind us.

So I think it is important we put a document out there, we get a debate started in this country.

It takes Presidential leadership to do the things we need to do.