Infrastructure, now becomes a competitive disadvantage vis-a-vis nations around the world.

We have seen a 50 percent decline in infrastructure investment in America as a percentage of our GDP since the 1970s.

We need appropriate regulatory oversight, but sometimes this becomes a transaction cost that makes otherwise fundable projects not fundable.

the idea of the National Infrastructure Bank really means it is one tool particularly for some of these larger, more expansive projects.

I hope that would be part of the record as well.

$4.8 billion, that was build upon assumptions and representations that were made by the Congress about what the role of Dulles would be, correct?

So a fluctuation in 1 year up or down on traffic, you know, it can always be absorbed.

I think it's timely and appropriate. I also want to echo all the good work you've both done.

I think we needed some level of compromise.

So, again, as we think about the fact that, you know, because of these added infrastructure investments, for example, like rail, one of the things I--it is sometimes a hassle in traffic to get to Dulles, let me agree with all my colleagues…

Have--when the rating agencies put you on negative watch, did they consider the potential decrease of what you've estimated of 700,000 decrease in passengers annually at Dulles when they made that estimation?

So that would be an added factor on potentially downgrading of investments of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the local communities, and the Federal Government have made in jeopardizing the long-term viability of this bond rating with this…

The other question I have is--have we seen any analysis, and I know this is one of the reasons why Senator Cardin and Senator Mikulski wanted to be here, but have submitted statements, of the potential harm done to BWI by the loss of…

I think it's important to come back to one point that he made, because I think I've spent more time in business than I have in this line of work.

I would urge that, you know, this is one of a series of issues, PFC and an interesting debate...

I think it's important that as we think about the--the $4.7 billion in additional construction at Dulles over the years?

I would like to reiterate my commitment to this important issue, and to commend my Virginia counterpart, Sen. Warner, for his many efforts.

I commend my friend and colleague, the Senator from Louisiana... This is someone who is so passionate about the people of Louisiana and, in her role as Chair of the Small Business Committee, has been a tireless voice for small businesses…

again I will close my comments and thank the chairman of the Small Business Committee for her leadership on this bill. We would not be here today but for her relentlessness on this legislation. This legislation has had more hurdles, many…

I share his concern about currency manipulation by China, and I think it is an issue that we do--it is our responsibility to take on.

These would be foreign-based jobs coming back in, or jobs that might locate otherwise abroad targeted directly at IT and at manufacturing.

I want to just reiterate a point that I think both Ms. Lamb-Hale and Mr. Kilmer made, and that is the real dire problem we have got in terms of getting the manufacturing business access to capital, I think we are at a crisis mode right now.

I wholly agree with you--and I think it is more than just in manufacturing; it is across our country--that education needs to be a primary focus for our workforce.

The traditional canard... that somehow the reason we cannot compete on a manufacturing basis is because our wages are way too high is not based in fact.

Nobody is better about that than Sherrod Brown.