John Thune

We do believe that there needs to be reform.

I think, kind of, all rules are off when that happens, and we do believe that, as long as there are general funds coming into the Highway Trust Fund, that there ought to be flexibility for expenditures on more than just concrete highway…

But, if we just continue to raise the inherent cost of manufacturing in this society, all that's going to do is push this stuff more and more offshore, and provide fewer and fewer jobs in this country.

If such climate legislation is to pass, it should not result in a rural state, like South Dakota, being required to take impractical steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Without rail access, the expense to raise a crop would increase significantly.

I'd like to see the processes streamlined so that you can deliver projects more efficiently.

We can greatly improve the efficiency of delivering our projects.

The current highway bill expires at the end of this Fiscal Year, which is September 30.

This has always been a very emotional issue with, specifically, our friends in the highway area, and the truckers, to some degree.

I think one of the practical problems we'll run into with the push to more fuel-efficient vehicles... is an ever-shrinking revenue source.

Now, what makes us competitive is getting our product to market, but the manufacture of the imports is all going over overseas.

I want to thank you for your brilliant leadership in negotiating this legislation.

No industry is more dependent on a good, viable transportation infrastructure than agriculture.

For agriculture to remain competitive, balance must be brought into the game.

We, like AASHTO, support a different approach, under which not less than 90 percent of highway program funds would be distributed by formula to the states.

We believe that the highway program is vitally important.

The next highway bill, my guess is, is going to be, as is usually the case, a huge fight between large states and small states, donor states and donee states.

But, you know, the basic model of railroads in this country today is very different than the highway model, which is a very publicly driven model.

No industry is more dependent on a good viable transportation infrastructure than agriculture.

Thank you, Senator Thune.

The FRA does need to grant the short-lines' waiver request for small Class II and Class III railroads without further delay.

Thank you, Larry, very much.

The next Federal highway bill must ensure adequate investment in rural highways.

We, like AASHTO, support keeping the ratio between the highway and transit programs at 4-1.

My question is, how is your industry going to meet the challenge of doubling the amount of freight that it carries?