What I am concerned about is seeing the reduction, significant reduction in CRP acreage in our State.

It has been very helpful, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate this. Thank you for calling the hearing.

One of the probably biggest opponents of biofuels has been the livestock industry.

I cannot see any relationship between what we do here in Iowa versus what happens in Brazil.

I think the point I would make is we are going to need both, and we have the potential to release all of our foreign oil requirements and produce all of our liquid transportation fuels from corn and cellulose.

I really think that we are going to be moving more and more to electric vehicles in this country.

We do believe that there needs to be reform.

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

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

We greatly appreciate your leadership in developing a proposal that would benefit both rural and urban areas.

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

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

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…

An important consideration for any new Federal transportation financing mechanisms like an infrastructure bank is to ensure all areas of the country, both rural and urban, are not only eligible, but can compete on a level playing field.

Well, let me just, in closing, say there's no question this is a hugely important issue to South Dakota.

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.

I've joined with Senator Ron Wyden in introducing the Build American Bonds Act, which enjoys bipartisan support.

We can greatly improve the efficiency of delivering our projects.

We've got to get more of the heavy stuff to the railroads and the heaviest of stuff off the highways.

Well, all that has done is affected the paychecks.

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

We believe that the highway program is vitally important.

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

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.

Thank you, Larry, very much.