Jaime Herrera Beutler

It really comes down to the fact that this--it is such a shame that this is taking an Act of Congress. It should have been fixed.

So wouldn't you say, at a time like this, across the Nation, when we are struggling, we know you don't have all the resources you need. We know that. Everybody is hurting.

This is a bill designed to maintain the quality and level of management that has made this site a nationally renowned example of public-private partnership.

I urge the Committee to support this bill, and I ask that you help us preserve the treasures of Fort Vancouver.

This bill is not an ideological-driven bill attacking the Park Service, Federal ownership of land, the Administration, or the preservation of history.

In terms of what is paid in general through licensure and ability to use certain airport hangars, purchases of planes, all the taxes that go into all that, so you are saying that does not come close to playing a role in maybe, hey, I am…

I agree with you that the real implications of short funding a contract are going to cause good partners to get out.

There are ramifications.

I just find it curious that it is a different way.

Congresswoman Beutler's Thurston County took away vouchers from 26 families and has to reduce overall leasing by about 150 units.

I have got to call you on that one because the budget was almost two months late.

So for the extra $5 billion in authority you will get another $200 million?

So you did not ask for what you are expecting the expenditures to be; you asked for an amount hoping that also there is an addition of the sequestration?

It is in the pipeline already; is that--am I understanding that right?

You cannot just start in the middle of something like this significant and then, oh, we ran out of money.

Obviously you all have not drilled down into whether this even pencils.

I know that we sent to the Coast Guard--the Members of Congress who live up the river in the different districts, sent a letter in saying just that, because there are public ports that go up beyond us.

I guess they have already redesigned the project a couple of times without you all requiring them to start over.

So, having met with the exact same folks several times, one of those businesses--one job for them is a $500 million manufacturing job.

And for you to say that there are previous working groups that we are beholden to, not the American taxpayer, that baffles me.

Well, guess what? I am one of those now. And the folks in my region are saying we need to do better with their money.

This project has been redesigned two times in the last 3 years. Completely redesigned.

We want you to invest and make this safer. We believe that is your responsibility.

Well, not--my community recently voted down funding for it.

You would be flexible and balanced and willing to help change this into--add bus rapid transit.