John Thune

An efficient national passenger rail system is a crucial element of the American transportation system.

These are truly exciting times for those of us who have long been advocates of passenger rail.

It's also a great financial risk to taxpayers if the selection and management of this project is not wisely carried out.

The funding that has been made available for high-speed rail in the President's budget is an opportunity.

We need a balanced transportation system, and high-speed rail is part of that balanced equation.

It's a way of bonding for capital improvements.

If we increase the cost of transportation in our intermodal system because of congestion, the price of your grain and the price of your beef is going to go up, and America will become less competitive and less competitive.

Yes, that would be great.

I think the important thing is that we do no harm.

It would be nice if there was a way of harmonizing that with what the States require.

You've got to do it through policy. You've got to do it through incentives, and certainly the carbon legislation is an opportunity.

I think when--the cap and trade programs that have been discussed, and when government starts picking winners and losers and allocating credits, I think it's dangerous.

I don't think we should underestimate the importance of efficient freight transportation on the overall economy.

We may have done enough damage today, I'm not sure.

If you really want to address carbon, you do it through a carbon tax.

I'm glad you asked a question about the Panama Canal, Mr. Chairman, because that's also something that I wanted to get some reaction to.

We need efficient transportation systems, just like the Eisenhower presidency did.

I hope that this hearing today will be a catalyst for our Committee's thorough examination of Federal transportation policies.

I think there is more that Congress can require, when it comes to updating the Pilot Records Improvement Act.

Ms. Ferguson, last year, Secretary Donley signed the Air Force Energy Policy which, among other things, establishes a couple of goals with respect to using alternative fuels in the Air Force aircraft fleet.

The Air Force is the largest user of fuels, obviously, and if we can use domestically produced alternative fuels here, it lessens the very dangerous dependence that we have on foreign energy.

I want to thank our panel for their testimony today, and responses to the questions, and for the important work that you do, day in and day out.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is an extremely important agency that oversees the safety of over 15,000 consumer products.

If confirmed, you will take over as Chair of the Commission at a very challenging time.

I would like to thank the Chairman and Ranking Member for holding today's hearing.