>> this is an enterprise that all of us take seriously. what we have identified is we thissystemic problems on perfectionist standard culture. what we are trying to get through is we have flawless execution in the field with teamwork, and the perfection is the standard that made people micromanage folks, and that is part of the culture we are going off right now to fix. a portion of the program is getting to part of what you just described, how do i change the culture and how do i change it for the entered to make it where we have commanders in the field that recognize error, and can be in powered to fix it and move forward. >> the perfectionism, sounds like an excuse. problemsis the highest

within the honor code. you are pushing for those core values. it seems for you to still have confidence, even though a significant chunk of the missiliers are cheating is a problem. >> there are 25,000 global strike commanders. % do annex about job. a very small percentage of folks who did not live up to the core values. >> [indiscernible] portion,a significant certainly from an air force pay. what i think you'll find is the root of this, there was a few people at the crux of this problem. this believe that i will help somebody, when they have breached their integrity, which is something that we have talked

peoplewe will hold accountable at all levels. to ensure that climate exists and we allow our people to do the job the way they should. are those whoe apparently actively cheated, and then another group who knew something about it. but said nothing. if one person, if one person had spoken up his could have been very different. that is why we are really focusing on what integrity means. it means the individual acting with integrity, but it means seeing something in your environment that is not right, your job is to speak up him and we are making a big point of emphasizing that. >> you said that this went on years.eriod of two it is not multiple tests. is that fair? >> that is correct. >> and all the tests they are given each month?

79, a few of them one time. a few of them did it many times. we give you the results of the tieto look through, we can together the web of who, what, when, where, how. question, it strains credulity to think if this is a cultural, systemic problem that something was not going on at the other wings. ifond asking missiliers they had any compromising information, did you do an analysis to test whether that might be the case? >> we went where the evidence took us, and the crux was for individuals. three of them were also involved in illegal drug activity. those,ould have removed

then this incident would probably have never happened. if those individuals, at another base, we would have been talking about another base. but those were at the crux of it, and three were involved in illegal drug use. >> there was no it further investigation be on the questioning of the missiliers? >> everybody has rights, said to be able to do that, if you would have found information on a phone that links to another base, we would have gone there. it did not lead to there. >> we are having trouble following, it feels like there -- thatvel of probe at there was not at one of the other bases. we are circling around that, even that so many people have talked about the culture of cheating for years.

if that is the case, and you say you have moved those four people out of the equation, we would not be having this conversation to begin with. those two are hard to put together and understand, still having trouble with figuring out what is the deal with -- enabled four people who by today's cell phone technology, so i can take a cell phone and i can't text answers and send it out to a group of what happenedis in essence. >> have they been dismissed? >> those four people, three of them are still under osi investigation, and one is not and we are taking action against that individual. we are taking disciplinary action on that person. what do you claim to do over

the next three to five years to that the people doing this mission know that you are really committed to this mission and that it matters? because that seems to be, from what we hear when we chat to people, a major problem at these bases. it is not thrilling duty. it is important, but not thrilling. there is a sense among a lot of given thatink that how long it takes to repair that sort of thing that there is not a lot of interest. >> from my perspective, for the time that i have as being part of the air force, i intend to bring to it persistent focus, persistent leadership, periodic visits, meetings with commanders, asking how things

are done, meeting with the member's of that team, so that is what i intend to do. in addition, we are redirecting resources quickly. we are going to take a little bit more time on issues like professional development, which is important, that people see a path to rise through the ranks so that it will be in fact in the perception as a good job. these are the things i intend to bring with the help of general wilson and his global strike team. >> can you give us a couple of going --of how you are i cannot remember the exact phrase you guys used -- but changing the evaluation process? you can use simulators more? >> let me give you an example. today a missile crew member takes three tests. each has 30 questions on the test. a missiont they call

procedural trainer. those had evolved into evaluations of an air crew member. they taking monthly testing his test is called bald-faced. it is something for staff to be able to, no matter how stressful the situation, a bad situation, they have your member this -- missile crew members do not have that. we will develop bald-faced for mission crewmembers. in most every system you get issued a master question file, and it is a series of questions on the important things to operate that weapons systems. what are the cautions i should be familiar with to be able to do it? crewmembers are tested quarterly on the street that is a model we can follow. flying crewmember is a value weighted on a 17-month cycle. there's a typically open book and close protests, and a simulator, and then they go to the mission. we will do the same model, where

the they get a 17-month time period, a mission procedural trainer, and then we observe them in the field and see how they do. from that we will give them an evaluation. we think that is a much more healthy way of doing it. he have been doing it for many years. community intom that model. >> but you cannot launch a missile? how can you do it in a field? >> there are lots of things you can do in the field. you can evaluating. the emergency procedures part in the simulator, and we can see how they react to that. look action teams. can you tell about what incentives you look at? is there a timeline? what do they want? ofa couple examples, some the instances are as simple as they want to be recognized by wearing a badge, saying i am ma

master technician all the way up to pay. nuclear deterrent ops servicemember, rings like that. i got a big this of incentives out in the field. we have a team looking at that. we will bring recommendations back in a week and say here's the part we think provides the most and for the buck and we can get after. >> please. >> what precisely are these officers, the senior officers, being disciplined for? for not having caught on that there was cheating under their command, or for fostering a climate that i would assume has been going on for a long time that they inherited from their predecessors? >> loss of confidence in that leadership ability, to provide the oversight in a supervisory role that they should have been monitoring their crew for.

i got to know what my cruise are doing,- my7 crews are have enough detail every single day, and they were not. they did not what was going on. >> they are being disciplined for cicely for not having caught on to the cheating? >> we will hold them accountable for the people who work for them, and specifically, they prevail -- they fail to provide the supervisory role for the members and the squandering of which a large majority in every squadron -- we will give you a breakdown of those involved in this. >> and micromanaging that you seem to be saying is systemic enough force? are you critical of them for that? >> there is a difference between micromanagement and knowing what is going on in your squadron. walking around.

i need to know what is going on, i do not need to be directing individuals every day. >> he said that micromanagement is what led to the creation of this cultural need to be perfect. aren't you saying that micromanagement of the force is what to do differently? >> an example. at a lunch the solidity, a decision that normally a cap and should be able to make is not being done until he calls up and asks his squadron commander or his crew commander for permission to do something. we have people that will not make a decision until they get approval from higher headquarters. we think that whole paradigm needs to be changed and we are pushing their level of responsibility down to the crew commander in the field. a squadron commander, who is in charge of the people, needs to be able to do what is going on and provide the environment that fosters a healthy relationship, and in this case we do not think

it was happening. >> are you saying all careers are over? >> all of them are being reassigned to come into my staff or a different staff position. >> [indiscernible] >> they have been removed from command. they will continue to serve. can you give me a sense of this action? you are looking out for those who were either passively or actively -- >> from the least letter of counseling to letters of admonishment, letters of reprimand, nonjudicial poem -- punishment, article 15, up to and including court-martials. >> was colonel stanley asked to resign or did he offer his resignation? >> he offered his resignation. >> when did he do it? did he offer it today or when

this was first found out? >> both. >> some would say that by beowing colonel stanley to reassigned there is a mixed message about accountability. he was about whether responsible or not. another question about major general kerry, who was moved from the air force last year, but he was in charge of a large portion of this. of time. are you considering any action against him? will he be allowed to retire as a two star general? with respect to general kerry, as you remember, he was removed from command. he was reassigned and has been on the staff under the space commander general shelton. my understanding is he has asked to retire, and there will be an officer-grade determination made on him, and there is a system of

course eventually that will come to me for a judgment. i have not seen the paperwork yet, and when i act -- when i get it i will act upon it. >> colonel stanley, everybody knows he has stayed with great honor. he was also the week mentor -- the wing commander -- the investigation singled out the commanders for failing to provide the proper leadership and supervision. colonel stanley accepted responsibility for the actions because all those people work for him. duty to upholdy this, and i did not live up to that. so he elected to resign. [indiscernible] was that decided specifically not to have a missilier takeover? >> anybody who knows colonel ill cox -- colonel will cox --

wilcox knows he is the right leader. he brought the security groups up to the right level, so he is the right leader. he is beloved like colonel stanley was. >> he said these officers could continue to serve. you say some may face court-martial. officers involved in the cheating, the lieutenants and captains, they will have a range of punishment, from letters avenue admonishment including court-martials. though the nine leaders who were removed -- some of them are getting letters of admonishment, some letters of reprimand. they will be allowed to continue to serve if they elect to. >> nonjudicial punishment? >> administrative punishment, yes. >> ok.

>> thank you very much. >> thank you. on theok at our schedule c-span networks. at 8:00, president obama meets with pope francis at the vatican. mccarthy2 gino testifies on the president's 2015 budget request. then the senate education midi holds a hearing on this dude and education loan program. -- on the student education loan program. >> one thing that did not become 's,wn until the late 1980 when a scholar found that, through some files he applied for through the freedom of information act, that was something that had taken place 1966, when the fbi,

for that time, had a formal relationship with the american 100,n in which members, the americanf legion acted as informers for the fbi in their communities and regularly filed reports with the fbi. americans had no idea that that kind of informing was taking place. they were untrained informers. >> on march 8, 1971, a group broke into an fbi office in pennsylvania and stole every document in the building. the story, sunday night at 8:00. c-span, 435 years bringing public affairs and from washington directly to you. putting you in the room at congressional hearings, white house of vents, briefings, conferences, and offering coverage of the u.s. house all

as a public service of private industry. we are c-span, created by the cable tv industry 35 years ago and brought to you as a public service by your local cable or satellite provider. watch us in hd, like us on facebook, or follow us on twitter. >> today house democratic leader nancy pelosi held her briefing with reporters. she discussed medicare payments to doctors before the house later heard approval of a measure of boarding large cuts of those payments set to change april 1. >> good morning, everyone. today marks nine months since the senate passed a comprehensive bipartisan immigration reform bill. nine long months the american waiting for the republican house to allow a vote to fix our broken immigration system. yesterday, house democrats took

action to force a vote on this essential legislation. filing a demand to vote petition to bring our bipartisan bill to the floor. more than 150 members have already -- this happened in the snow, in case you were there -- it was quite exciting when we heard from people and about families affected by this, over 150 members have already signed up position. they're doing what is in our power. people around the country are having bus tours, hunger strikes, visiting congressional offices, everybody is doing what is in their power to make a difference. he outside vocalization is central to our success, but we want to have the inside maneuver of having a discharge petition. --ple ask, if we do not get that is not the point -- the point is to bring pressure, get

the votes. there may not be a vote on this particular bill, but we want to vote. we want to vote on comprehensive immigration reform. 1100 people each day approximately art deported. 1100 people a day are deported. 11 million people are waiting to have their status adjusted. one person is standing in the way of that happening. one person. we are saying to the speaker, just give us a vote. let's move this along. pleased because we have seen this as an economic issue in addition to a be about the revitalization of america by immigrants who come to our shores with their hope and determination. we have had participation of the bible, the- religious community is united for passing reform, whether you're talking about

--servative angela calls, evangelicals, of every denomination, the jewish community, our community in america representing south asia and all the various religions represented there. in the national catholic conference of bishops, the jewish community, from the everyoint of faith, faith-based organization supports it. in terms of badges, the law enforcement you should has come here and urged passage of comprehensive immigration. the third b, business, businesswe need to pass comprehensive information reform. my state of california, we have high-tech, agriculture, tourism to name three. every state in the union has that and every state that has that needs comprehensive

immigration reform, to have a workforce. and this week -- and this is an theomic issue -- this week cbo issued a report that said that this would save -- this would be a $900 billion boost the economy. bill would reduce the deficit by nearly $900 billion over the next two decades. this is the letter. i am sure you have seen it. from the standpoint of growth of our economy, of reducing the deficit, in terms of creating jobs, there were no other reason to pass an immigration bill, there are economic reasons to do so, but there are so many others and they relate to who we are as a people, a nation of immigrants, our first people, with respect to our native american community are

special to us, but our strength has been that great of our immigrants coming to our shores. everyone who comes to our shores, who comes with hope, courage, determination and opposition -- opposition -- optimism is what makes america great in this great optimistic nation. it is time for republicans to stop construction, for this one man to stand in the way of lemon of 11 million people. i'm sure you saw the shock of the lunch with honoring the prime minister of ireland with our president and speaker. in his remarks. he spoke out, spoke out strongly for what the comprehensive immigration reform would mean to the irish in america as well as their families back home. hard, practically no opposition in terms of the overwhelming support in the public.

opposition seems to be among house republicans, and i commend the senate republicans for being part of a leadership of the comprehensive immigration reform. in addition to not allowing a vote on immigration reform, we see the obstruction when it comes to issues that relate to raising the minimum wage, extending unemployment benefits, what is this? we are pleased the senate will be moving forward in hope that once they have acted -- sometimes in the house when a leadership, republican leadership does not think the senate will act, they will say we want the wait to see if the senate will act, and than they do, and then the goalposts are moved and another excuse comes up. i hope that will not happen because now it has turned into millions of people who have lost their jobs, through no fault of their own, who are looking for work, and who need to stay in their homes to help their families, to put food on the table. this is so obvious.

i'm so proud of the president and his trip to europe. he has spoken with such eloquence about our values, our role in the world, and i was thrilled to see him eating pope meeting pope francis, to see pope francis welcoming the president of the united states. that is always a thrill. with that, i will be pleased to take any questions you may have. any questions? no? all right. yes, ma'am. >> are you all are urging democrats to vote no on -- >> no, and i just went to the floor and decried it as a missed opportunity. what we should be doing on the sgr is having a permanent fix instead of a patch. --all complain when somebody when people say that is just a

band-aid, it does not just get to the bottom of the problem. that is what this is -- patch, band-aid. involvedthe equities here and a hard headedness of the republicans to bring it true, permanent fix for sgr to the floor and one that is paid is what we would still like to see, and we will still continue to fight for that. this is the wrong way to go. however, you know as i that if docs dos not pass and not get the sgr, that seniors would be turned where from there medicare-- their physicians, and her problems will say this is all because of the affordable care act. they will not save that way, but that is their point. i do not want to give them another -- ito not want to get -- serves the purpose, but the

problem with it is it is an opportunity. if you're interested in reducing the deficit, the longer the fix, the less the cost. all the short-term patches turn out to be the most expensive way to go. funny, because they said we have a way to pay for it coc. that is what the-- oco. o, it is aay, oc gimmick. it did not seem to be a make then cannot but it seems to be one. havepublican leaders pulled the bill because they did not have enough votes? floor andto the pointed out all the deficiencies , the missed opportunity, but i said i myself would be voting for it. since we only saw this thing last night, this morning, i do not know where members will be

on it. some strong members, mr. levin, mr. waxman, and others have said they would be voting against it. but i do not know what will actually happen after we hear the debate and the rest. having no idea where most of our members are on it, because it is a recent development. darkve been kept in the about it, basically. weighing the equities i think it is really important that seniors not be turned away. it is really a bad choice. an irresponsible, bad choice, but the only choice we have. i said i would be supporting it. no, we are not whipping the bill. they're making our own judgment. is against thea bill. some others are supporting it. they will just have to make their own judgment on it. any other? yes, sir. >> i wanted to ask you about the

national labor relations board meeting yesterday [indiscernible] do you think -- i know you are supports as -- you are a sports fan. you think that they should be paid for what they're doing? >> i only read this about the paper this morning. --s is a regional nlrb board is it a decision, or recommendation? i would just have to see. players shoulde be respected and not exploited, and whatever use there is a of a celebrity of a successful play or the work that they have to put on to be so good, be respected. making any think of -- i was surprised to see that -- see what they did, and i look forward to learning more about. >> do you think they should be

paid? they are athletes, i do not know how that figures into it. i am really not shall we say it conversant enough as to the is aculars of oso headline. i was trying to figure out what was in the sg5r bill. as a sports fan, curious to learn more about it. again, i would hope that the treatnd everybody else each other with a level of respect for what each of them brings to the table. i saw on tv last night -- well, on colbert, that they had signed up a two-year-old in europe because they had good for coordination for soccer, and it was a big contract. he's 2, so when would he start playing? i thought this is really -- the nfl was looking to draft and

eight grader? any other questions? sgr, you explain, even though you oppose the one, the fix on principle, did your vote on favor of the patch if it stays on the for today indicate that you had chairman wyden on the other said, he said you could do this before monday, but is this a message you did not think his efforts are -- >> first of all i do not know what the outcome of the bill will be. i do not know what the outcome of the bill will be, what the votes will be. i do not know what the republicans have for votes on this. i just do not know. and maybe that is why -- i do not know why they just did not bring this up under discussion, take a vote, but to bring it up on suspension, where you need the government of -- the equivalent of 2/3 is a mystery

to me unless they thought they could not get to 218 on their side. >> do you think wyden can get a bill? >> you will have to talk to -- i talked to senator reid about it, and we are hoping that they can do that, and their objection is is oco, because the speaker is against using oco. i think senator hatch is, too. senator wyden well because he is on the right course, doing the right thing, and it makes all the sense in the world that it is the right way to go. costs less, does more, and the discussion. understand why the republicans will insist this is our only option. is it not something that something -- that every time

something like this happens, they bring it to the fourth very last they come up before the clock shuts them. march 31 is the end for this, and we do not come back until tuesday, april 1. it would've been more useful to have a measure. all i can conclude is they do not have 218 for what they want to do some and therefore, they are hoping that whatever they have, plus whatever we have put on the clock, on the telly, we'll get them to 2/3. i just do not know that because i have not asked one member yes or no where they are on it. because, again, it is all pretty new. there will be some who will vote for it because they just see the mischief that the republicans will be up to if this fails. a doctor turns of weight the patient because they are not getting the sgr fix, and what a republican say?

it is all because of the affordable care act. if the aca did not exist, never existed, we would still be having to fix the sgr. they have nothing to do with ,ach other in terms of this therefore, because of this. somethingaid, this is that harry reid was part of discussion. i support his efforts in that regard, but he and i and all of wish mr. wyden all the success he gets. mightcs thinks this strengthen the hand of getting a longer-term fixed-rate i do not know. >> that is why it is confusing, which way you want this to go. >> i have this thing about people. i'm thinking about our seniors. i do not want them to have to be at the mercy of the republican shenanigans here in terms of

whether they can see their medicare. or are and that doctors will see them because they will be contemplated and they willot losing -- be compensated and are not losing compensation. the more you see, the more you lose. and so we have to be fair about it. as respect for senator reid and his desire to have chairman wyden succeeds, i am supporting the bill. out stronglyke against it, mr. levin did, many of the leadership on these issues in the house are against it. let me state it is not something that i am voting for because i think it is the worst bill i ever had to vote for. happy with it because of the missed opportunity that is there. if we are serious legislators, we would want to solve the

problem for the people instead of continuing to kick the can down the road. and so, again, i do not want the seniors to have to pay that price. others will make another you valuation, weighing the equities. i think that tactic would have thing andfeat this see what the republicans do. maybe they are more hopeful than i am about how much republicans care about this and how they would exploit a defeat. yes, i do not think they have the votes. that is why they went to the 2/3. if they do not have the votes and they want to blame this on us, that this did not pass, you see the circle. yes, sir. >> a little but more, and your conversations with senator wyden, did he ever say anything to you that house democrats should vote against this? >> i have not had any conversations with senator wyden on this, but i am in constant touch with senator reed, and senator reid wants us to pass

this. on the affordable care act, some of your democratic colleagues in the senate are doing a push to make changes, copperng in terms of the plant, which would reinstate those bare-bones plans that were scrapped way. are there some changes -- x i am not familiar with what they're doing. the numbers are growing. pretty good numbers for it today. they are quite remarkable. let me get it for you, because i'm sure you would be very interested. the deadline is still march 31. if you are in line when the polls close, you can still sign up. if you initiate your interest in signing up. where are those numbers? i must have messed them up, but there are hundreds of thousands who have logged in and phoned in . over a million have logged in and over 300,000 have phoned in.

1.2 million. i just did not bring it down. it is going to be pretty exciting. when you think that inrwhelmingly, 75% or more some states, these people had no insurance for four. same thing with the medicaid. had no insurance before. for many of the remaining 25%, this is much better than what they had before. are we proud that millions of people are now going to have access to quality, affordable health care? yes. are we disappointed with how the rollout took place? a word forent is not my reaction to that. the fact it is working now and working from a policy standpoint, which is the more important thing for the american people. we're very proud of that. thank you all very much.

x here is a look at our primetime schedules on the c-span networks. starting at 8:00 p.m. eastern, president obama meets with hope francis at the vatican. on c-span two, gina mccarthy president's the 2015 budget request. and on c-span3, the education committee holds a hearing on the student federal loan program. gentlemen from-- iowa. >> without objection. >> mr. speaker, it's time to take the mask off this institution. it's time to expose the check writing scandal i like to call rubber date -- rubbergate.

it is time to bring honor back to this institution. nine months ago, i sit on his floor with other freshmen and took the oath of office for the very first time in our career, and it was probably one of the most important days of my entire life. i've never been so proud. but to go home to my district over this weekend and to have people laughing at congress, laughing a congressman, laughing at this institution, brings dishonor on all of us. i will give you a couple of examples. i was out at a pizza hut this weekend with my son and daughter gentleman from the booth behind me asked me, are you going to pay with this -- pay for this with a check, congressman? that is not the kind of jokes that we need. we need to announce the list of names. >> the chair would like to warn the gentleman from iowa, he is not supposed to use exhibit, which he did. more highlights -- >> find more

highlights of congressional coverage on our c-span page. >> next to medicine and public works committee holds a hearing on transportation programs. says shebarbara boxer hopes to complete work by the end of april and hear from state and local officials on the issue. this is two hours, 20 minutes.

six good morning -- >> good morning. we will come to order and today's hearing will give the opportunity to hear from state and local officials and transportation stakeholders about the importance of federal transportation funding and their priorities for the reauthorization of map 21. today's panel truly represents a great cross-section of the country. as transportation leaders at the state and local level, they know what is at stake. funding andainable a sound highway trust fund. i am a former county supervisor in another lifetime and i know how tough that job is and how important maintaining safe and efficient transportation systems are to local communities. when something goes wrong, people show up at your door. and i know that from personal experience. according to the u.s. department

of transportation's recently released 2013 conditions and performance report, about 39% of highways travels are on roads in less than good condition, and 18% are on roads in less than acceptable condition. in addition, over 21% of the nation's bridges are structurally deficient or structure -- or functionally obsolete. of these, over 70,000 bridges are structurally deficient. these stats show that there is a lot of work to be done to maintain our global competitiveness, and we must continue to invest in our transportation infrastructure for now butt preacher generations. however, in order to make the needed investments in our infrastructure, congress must hinge -- must ensure the solvency of the fund. make no mistake, we are running out of time. last month, this committee held a hearing on what the devastating impacts would be on letting the trust fund run out of money.

estimates are that the highway trust fund could run out of funds as early as september, 2014, which would create cash flow problems for the states during the critical summer construction season. cutting backes are on the construction projects that they plan to go forward with this spring, and this trend will only continue as a gift closer to insolvency. -- as we get closer to insolvency. to improve flexibility, and require accountability for our surface transportation programs. these reforms, many of which are still in the rulemaking process, will enhance transportation programs and help to build public trust in seeing how our public dollars are spent. we will continue to track the implementation of these reforms as d.o.t. makes them, and we welcome the opportunity to hear from state, counties, parishes, cities, on how these reforms are working and what tweaks and

improvements should be considered for the next bill. my goal, and i know that senator barriere shares this goal, it to move swiftly this bring to pass an authorization bill in the pw committee that provides, we owe, six years of funding certainty. onave begun discussions funding this bill and addressing the shortfall in the highway trust fund. this committee has a responsibility to reauthorize map 21. has thence committee responsibility to fund it. but we are not going to let them just hang out there by themselves. we will work closely with them and other senate committees with jurisdiction such as commerce banking, to pass legislation with the same bipartisan support we experience with map 21. we will mark this bill up at the end of april. we must move it forward. i know that members on this committee on both sides, carper andenator

-- brosseauseau working with senator vader and i are committed to this. i hope you will speak from the heart about what it means to you, if in fact, it is important to you as i think it is, i hope you will tell us it is important. if you don't think it is important, if you think the federal government can walk away from this, tell us that. we need to know from you. for is a very important day me, because again, i have so much respect for the folks on the ground who implement what we do here. with that, i will turn to my ranking member, senator vader -- vitter. >> thank you for holding this hearing. it is important to get the local and state perspective on our infrastructure. that is critical for us to do our work properly. and thanks to all of the witnesses today. you have traveled a long way to

be here and you have shown how important surface transportation infrastructure is to all of your communities. collectively, you bring a diverse set of perspectives am a but a common goal of developing a first-class, comprehensive transportation network. i really look forward to hearing your views. i especially want to thank bill for-- bill font know making the trip. he brings to unique perspectives. right now, he is the resident of a parish, which is our word for county in louisiana. i think we are making leaps and bounds of advancement in this committee. i want to assure everyone we are not sending transportation money to local catholic purchase -- churches. i would probably be in favor of

that, but that is not we are talking about. we are talking about counties that are called bearishness. but prior to being elected parish president, he worked at the louisiana transportation department and department of development for several years. 18 of those years he served as one of nine regional district administrators. our surface transportation and infrastructure consists of a lot of different categories and types of roads, but together, they create a network in -- network. in order to have a healthy and efficient network, all of those pieces need to remain strong. this means first investing in critical world roads and bridges that we rely on to get so many of our kids to school and to get to work, particularly in the agriculture and energy markets. this means investing in the interstate system, to improve lanes of commerce between states. and it means investing in the vital core doors that link the two.

such work is a vital component of our nations economy and essential to our quality of life. however, we cannot work toward that cohesive network if we don't have a reliable highway trust fund and prioritize proper investment in streamlined, flexible programs. recent actions represent a departure from the intent of the highway trust fund and have prolonged economic uncertainty, not only in the direct investment of our infrastructure but also the type of long-term investment that draws economic element at home and makes us more competitive abroad. if we're going to be successful at putting such a structure back on a sustainable course, a course that we need to fix the financing piece -- but to fix the financing piece, i think, it is crucial that we get the policy right and restore trust back into the highway trust fund. needseans the trust fund

to be sustainable and transparent. we need to be able to show where taxpayer dollars are going, where future investment will go. we must continue to reduce costs and burdens and red tape that is unnecessary. flexible and accessible portions of the programs will also work to restore trust in the trust fund. while other investment will simply an important tool -- role, only certain portions of the program have the ability to improve our infrastructure across the board, provide eight -- a steady revenue stream amid uncertainty, provide a base for innovative financing structures, empower local and state decision making, and keep the federal government out of the business of picking winners and losers. we must resist the urge to move back toward small, rigid programs that are silos, that don't offer that flexibility,

toward a comprehensive vision that offers flexibility and real local and state empowerment to meet our needs. again, i want to thank the case -- the chair and the witnesses for all of their hard work and i'm genuinely looking forward to your ideas and perspectives. >> thank you, senator. >> thank you very much, madam chair. this is an enormously important hearing, because it is vitally important that we hear from folks around the country who are struggling with one of the great challenges that we have, and that is, a crumbling infrastructure. i'm especially delighted that you invited the deputy secretary from the vermont agency of transportation to be with us. sue played an especially important role when vermont was .it by tropical storm irene

many of our towns were devastated, and she was the recovery officer as we attempted to rebuild. and she did a great job doing that. --hink the bottom line here and i don't know that there is orh disagreement up here among our representatives that come from all over the country. we are very appreciative that you are here. awareation, we are all that something is fundamentally wrong. in vermont, and i suspect in your states as well, your bridges are crumbling. your roads are in need of repair. in many parts of this country, unemployment is much too high. and we are sitting here in a situation where the rest of the world is spinning -- spending significantly more money on rebuilding their infrastructure than we are. i will tell you a story, madam chair. somebody who worked for me went to china a couple of years ago. and they left china from a brand-new airport.

when they were in china, they were china -- traveling on high-speed rail. they came back to the united states and flew into an overcrowded, inadequate air put -- airport. she asked herself which was the developing country, which was the first will country and which was the third world country. i think we see that more and more. is that weline to me ,ose efficiency, productivity and god knows how much money is being spent by individuals who have caused all of the potholes. people are waiting in traffic jams rather than getting to work. we have a crisis. we have waited too long to address it. i was mayor of the largest city in vermont for eight years, and i can tell you that it takes money to rebuild the infrastructure. maybe someone can do it without money, and we would love to you that suggestion.

from my understanding, it is a pretty expensive proposition. we've got to invest in an infrastructure. we've got to figure out a way to fund it in a fair and progressive way. i look forward to working with you, madam chair, to do just that. thank you very much. >> thank you, senator. >> thank you, madam chair. i'm way down here will stop hello. -- i'm way down here. hello. >> i was looking to see if senator imhoff was they are -- was here. he is not. you can go. >> thank you. thank you for providing us with the information on the many needs that we face across this country. as our committee works to reauthorize the highway bill, i've been especially focused on nebraska's needs on the roads, and that of our cities and counties. these are the folks that are actually putting our federal dollars to work back home. i heardwhelming message

from these important stakeholders is that the federal process required for building roads is overly burdensome and it needs to be more flexible. we worked hard in nebraska to prioritize spending for our infrastructure needs. as we started to put this funding to use, we have further seen in need to provide our state and our local governments with much assistance -- with as much assistance and economy as possible. states will have a greater ability to experiment and address transportation problems with innovative solutions if they are allowed greater of thosewith the use federal dollars. transportation infrastructure is an expense adventure on its own without the federal government adding to the cost. if we cannot give our local and state governments an adequate level of funding, we should at the very least, get out of their way so that projects can get completed in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

we need to work together to pursue a path forward that continues to ensure that federal dollars are devoted to tasks that truly add value to the projects and are not wasted on piling up paperwork. highway bill will include the needed policy reforms to streamline environmental process and accelerate project delivery. today's hearing is an important step in understanding the flexibility needed for local and state governments and i look forward to working with this committee in achieving those needed solutions. thank you, madam chair. >> thank you so much, senator. markey.o to senator >> thank you, madam chair. the united states has long been the world leader in ingenuity and engineering, building america's infrastructure into the best in the world. .ut age has caught up with us many of our roads, bridges,

transit, and rail are in great need of repair and replacement. and the impacts of extreme weather and climate change put aging infrastructure at further risk. more than half of the massachusetts 5000 bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. problem thatgent we must address in the next transportation bill. the surface transportation bill that we passed in 2012, map 21, included $1.2 billion in federal highway funds for massachusetts to modernize our highways and bridges. under the law, the commonwealth will also receive almost $700 million in transit funding. that is a good start, but not enough to deal with the magnitude of the problem. willtrong, multiyear bill provide the funding and certainty that our state and governments need to get our roads and transit systems back into excellent condition. our priorities beyond

traditional road repair and improvement funds in massachusetts include, one, improve our aging stock of bridges and build upon the success of the accelerating bridge program in massachusetts over 100ecently fixed bridges on time and on budget. two, invest in transit and promote key projects, including the green line extension. three, provide funding for streetscape and other alternative programs that help revitalize downtown and attract business to city centers. and four, encourage commuter rail by building on the recent success of the number of trained serving wister, and finally making the coast rail a reality to bring passenger rail to the south shore. making investments in our infrastructure is essential to our economy. it puts construction workers on the clock in good paying jobs. it creates the infrastructure is very to move goods and -- to

make sure that moving goods and evil around our ever-changing -- and people around in our ever-changing economy. as we approach the map 21 expiration this fall, we must always keep in mind the most effective way we can create jobs and improve our infrastructure is to pass a robust, long-term surface transportation bill. >> senator booker? >> thank you so much, chairman boxer, and ranking member vitter. i am happy to be here to talk to the folks here and here your astimony in what is critically urgent issue in the united states of america. our infrastructure is crumbling all around the country. denselyey is the most populated state in the country,

extensive the most transportation systems. we are a critical superstructure in new jersey. new jersey is home to 624 structurally deficient bridges in 2014, meaning they need to be repaired. it is unacceptable and the threat to safety in new jersey families is unacceptable. across the united states, 65,000 bridges are classified as deficient. 65,000 bridges in our country that are structurally deficient, posing safety threats to our communities across the country. when thousand 700 new jersey bridges to not meet standards in regard to shoulder lanes, described as functionally obsolete. 6% of new jersey roads

are in poor condition. this costs new jersey three dollars alien in aftercare and costs, meaning new jerseyans payout of pocket. e.w jersey is not alon states across the issue are struggling with similar issues. we investenge demands more in our transportation infrastructure. it is a multiplier interns of the opportunity it -- in terms of the opportunity it provides for our country. not only will it help businesses, but create jobs and strengthen our economy. according to a report, by a group of former new jersey government executives, new jersey needs at minimum $23 billion through 2018. the american society of civil to fix ourstimates

bridges the united states needs an additional $8 billion annually to keep us at the cutting edge where we need to be to protect safety and security and promote business growth. while these investments secure roads and ridges, every dollar is vital because of also that multiplier effect of job creation. as we improve the infrastructure, as this is can move goods weaker and cheaper. --y can expert more and export more and reach more customers overseas. this is a critical economic competitiveness issue. all of this attracts investment further into our country. investment in if church or create investment in america. in a rapidly changing 21st century america, we must prioritize innovative sustainable transportation options. 21 provided funding not just for transportation projects, but also for certain objects that reduced

transportation-related air pollution. this is critical to me. in my home city come out we have seen congestion and heavy air pollution negatively impact communities. the port of newark provides a major national economic effect, but the communities surrounding the area are disproportionately impacted by air pollution caused by truck traffic, cargo vessels, and cargo handling equipment. high aspirates affects surrounding communities. need to invest more resources in retrofitting trucks and locomotives, investing in use of newer, more environmentally friendly vehicles and relying more on the movement of freight rail and making those rail investments. from the safety of motorists to the air our children believe, the strength of our economy,

transportation has a strong impact on the lives of americans. it is essential for the country to continue to be a global reader. it is critical that congress pass a comprehensive transportation bill, and i look forward to working with my colleagues on this committee and looking for the to testimony we can here, especially as we get nearer to new jersey, with delaware. >> thank you, senator. senator cardin? hair, thank you for having this hearing, and thank you for how you commit to advances. beforewas passed because of your leadership, so we can maintain the integrity of the legislation. we are proud of our leadership in this committee. i want to thank you for today's

panel because i look forward to the record been established by local officials as the importance of local input in determining priorities for transportation in our nation. this is extremely important. in thepride transportation alternative program which is included in map 21. we were able to get that program integrity maintained. it took a lot more than 1% of the debate get that done. i appreciate your commitment to that issue i hope we will not rehash some of the arguments in the past but look forward how we can make that program more effective as we move forward. it comes from the transportation enhancement and previous generations of our service transportation. the alternative program is

working well, and i thank you very much for your help. fromreciate you being here indianapolis. not in maryland. although we still have not forgiven you on the baltimore colts, but we are working on that. i much appreciate your use of the transportation alternative programs to really get livable space in indianapolis. the way you have used that, to help deal with the historic trail, the greenway space, to meet this is exactly what we intended when this legislation was passed, and i thank you for being here to tell your story and tell the story of cities all over this country, whether small or large. mayor, in oklahoma city, you used this money for transit and other alternatives, and it is good to see local input is being done the way we anticipated it being done. this is a partnership between the federal and state government. these transportation alternative

programs are critically important. in baltimore i was able to get federal funds, transportation funds, through the surface transportation reauthorization, to complete the trail -- to complete a trail. baltimore was designed by olmstead, to be communities connected by greenways. as we became more and more urban, as time went forward from that green space was don't over. ls watershed was one of those trails that have been built over. we have reclaimed glen falls, and now 30 communities are connected and can get to know each other. these are communities that were trapped because of the economics of the circumstances. now people are being liberated. people use bikes, they walk. what we intended to do with the conference of transportation bill, it is working.

i much appreciate is hearing because i think it will complete a record as to what we need to have a allen west surface -- a balanced surface transportation program. they are all critically important to americans, economy, but our cities are equally important in giving them the ability to determine their priorities is what this partnership should be all about. i'm very proud we were able to publish that on map 21, and i look forward to continuing that commitment as we reauthorize the program. >> thank you, senator. now we will hear from the chairman of the subcommittee that heals with this issue, a new member of the big four, and we are excited that he and senator barrasso are such a strong team, and we are happy to call on senator carper. >> when i was elected people said, what you want to accomplish? i said i would like to be one of the big four. i come from ohio state, which is one of the big ten -- >> better than being one of the

final four. >> i am happy to be here. i'm happy to see all of you. i thank you for pulling this group together. it is a good group, and we look forward to hearing from you. i will be brief. i was pleased to play a role in helping craft map 21. very excited to work with senator boxer, senator vitter, as we try to come up with a bill paid for in some way. i am on the finance committee, so i have a chance to help on that front as well. you are pleased to have a chance to -- we are pleased to have a chance to hear from ice eight -- from our state and local folks. you care about all of them. we care about the cities and to have a special seat at the table. we are glad you are with us today.

i am reviewing testimony, heartened by the story we will hear from all of you on the because what i see across the country is state and local governments are stepping up to the plate on transportation. maybe in ways we have yet to do, but i think you will find ways pay for the revenues to investments. most of the witnesses have either raised revenues at the local levels or from states because you recognize these investments pay dividends. when i was governor i said more times than i could count, things that we have -- things worth having that we will pay for. andl areas and communities towns and cities and counties are realizing that and demonstrating that. areas, localrural government is where we find officials making innovative investments in transportation infrastructure. when a local official asks voters for more money,k

they will be focused on like a in delivering results. they are not just investing in projects. what you invest in is a shorter commute, less congestion, investing in less pollution come and investing in greater business growth. you are investing in improved quality of life for communities, the kind of stuff that senator cardin was talking about. we need to make sure that local priorities in cities and rural areas are taken into consideration when states make decisions about transportation projects. counties and cities need to be at the table with states when making decisions about projects to help ease congestion, to improve quality of life, and we need to do our part in congress by passing long-term bills that continue to deliver on the high-performance transportation systems.

with that i will stop and look forward to your testimonies. thank you. >> thank you, and i am so happy senator burress has come here because he and senator carper are part of the big four that right in the first draft of the build shared on the committee and shaped it into something we hope will be a very strong consensus bill. senator barrasso? >> thank you. i agree. i am sorry for the delay. we had a business meeting and just finished the voting. i want to thank you as well as senator vitter. inppreciate your interest hearing the wyoming perspective. i would like to welcome a friend who is chairman of the converse county commission. he has been a commissioner since 2007, but a friend of 30 years. he has a great understanding of the importance of transportation at the county level great as that chairman, jim is foronsibility for budgeting a large county, while trying to meet the demands of energy

production in converse county. converse county is experiencing increased production in oil, gas, uranium, and continues to produce coal. these industries revive jobs that produce the energy driving our national economy. if we do not have the local road heavytructure to support equipment traffic, these resources will never get to market. he will testify today about wyoming counties where road to bring oil, gas, and cattle to markets, to america, and around the world. these are roads that bring tourists to wyoming's spectacular arts. these are roads that people travel for hours just to get to the next towns. these are a mixed of paved and gravel roads. ability to maintain these routes are a central to the economy in my state and to the restaurant states. i believe we need to keep the highway program simple and flexible, building roads, ridges, and highways. that involves a series of

permits and approvals from numerous agencies. increaseduncertainty, delays, and increasing cost to states and the taxpayer. our national interstate highway system is a critical link to every rural community throughout the nation. and i know fischer this well, she chaired a committee in nebraska in the legislature. i chaired the transportation committee in the wyoming senate. we need a strong partnership between the federal highway administration and the states and counties. i want to thank jim and the witnesses here today for taking the time to travel here. jim can provide the committee with a unique wyoming perspective, and as the ranking member of the subcommittee, i look forward to bringing the rural western perspective as we write the next reauthorization bill. thank you, madam chairman, and thank you senator vitter in holding this hearing. >> thank you.

it is such a wonderful thing to have you and senator fischer because of your experience. we hear from our senator from new york. >> thank you. so grateful you have invited these witnesses to share the perspective of state and local communities of our nation cost surface transportation program. views of local officials, those who develop policies, are critical to this process. i represent one of the most diverse state in the nation and our transportation needs are complex. we have denser urban centers where transit sunday -- funding for bicycle improvement and congestion relief are important. rurale vast expanses of highways and bridges that must be maintained to sustain our agricultural industries, keep tabs connected to the states' economies, and attract new

businesses. we have everything in between. investing in our transportation infrastructure is one of the fastest and most effective ways to grow our economy and create jobs. that is why we need strong sustainable funding for the highway trust fund so we can ourtain and improve transportation infrastructure, put people to work. in addition we should build a program that allow for innovative financing for large projects of national and regional significance. new york has more than 17,000 00 publicnd nearly 15 road miles. 000 public road miles. 12.5% of our bridges are considered structurally efficient. 27 point one percent are considered functionally obsolete. when i hear from local officials, they tell me that they have to do more with less and a half to make ethical

choices whether they can afford to reconstruct a bridge or repair a stretch of highway. ohnew york local governments 45% of our state federal highway miles and 51% of our bridges. like the federal government, these communities are stretched incredibly thin. this means that federal assistance is all the more critical to ensuring the maintenance of a safe and efficient highway and bridge system in my state and relieve some of the pressures on local budgets. one of the major priorities is to ensure that the ferry boat formula adequately funds new ferry system. the staten island ferry tours passengers ferry nationwide, making it the largest system in united states. it is a critical week for 65,000 passengers every day who use from stateno travel island to manhattan.

the staten island ferries are aging and need to be replaced, and new york cannot shoulder the burden alone. this is an issue i would like to work with you on in the reauthorization bill. one of the biggest safety issues facing my state is the need to improve safety for pedestrians. particularly to protect the most vulnerable pedestrians must children and seniors. according to data, as recently as two 111, new york had 287 pedestrian fatalities out of the 4432 nationally. as we continue to invest in projects that will expand opportunities for pedestrians to walk to and from work and school and throughout their communities, we have to ensure that we also provide the necessary resources and focus to ensure our communities are doing all they can to improve safety. i hope we will have the opportunity to address these concerns as we draft the bill, and i'm grateful for this hearing and look forward to all

your testimony. thank you. i look forward to working with you and every member of this committee. >> thank you, madam chairman, we areator vitter, and waiting to get this great panel. after the expiration of the it took three years and 10 extensions to get another authorization passed. that kind of unpredictability presents serious challenges to our infrastructure across the country. we know the most difficult issue that we are facing is how to finance our transportation needs going forward. i hope we can get some progress today on analyzing and getting some creative thinking going toward understanding how to resolve that. with1 was financed nontraditional methods, and it is imperative that we find a swift and meaningful fix to the serious current inadequacies of the highway trust fund. with that i look forward to hearing from the witnesses and

appreciate again this hearing being held. thank you. >> thank you, so we are going to go to our witnesses. i want to put two letters for the record. one is called for a new freight policy, and has very diverse signatures from all over the country. the other is i think an entrecedented letter s to you and me and signed by 31 chambers of commerce, and i think it is important to take a minute to give you a sense of are alls -- these local chambers of commerce, alabama, alaska, arizona, arkansas, california, florida, georgia, indiana and illinois, kentucky, maryland, massachusetts, missouri, montana, nebraska, new jersey, and mexico -- new mexico, and new york, north carolina, north dakota, oklahoma, oregon, pennsylvania, south carolina,

tennessee, virginia, and washington state. i have been on this committee time i got set up a long ago. this is unprecedented. we have a job to do, and it ain't about red and blue. it is about getting the highway trust fund on solid ground for five or six years, and i know we all want to do it, and i just really am grateful to this panel, my colleagues on the committee, for showing your interest is a. michael first to lewis, the department of the rhode island department of transportation. >> good morning, madame chairman. aching member vitter, distinguished members of the committee, i michael lewis, director of the department of transportation in rhode island. when i look at the powertel, i have experience with all of your states, many other states. college in the same state as senator booker.

most of my courier was sent in acidge -- was spent in juices. senator barraza, john cox is iill represented by -- recently spoke with my counter product -- counterpart in nebraska, and these issues affect all the states across the country. i had the honor of testifying for you last september on the half of the 52 transportation departments. fromurrent president kentucky testified in february. today i will speak on behalf of my state, rhode island, and provide with specific impacts on a small state with high unemployment and the tier rating infrastructure -- and deteriorating infrastructure. my testimony provides a picture of the current funding crisis in

rhode island, which i will summarize. island's program is almost entirely dependent on federal highway funding. if congress does not act soon to restore funding levels, rhode island simply cannot fill the funding gap. the condition of our already in an, advanced state of deterioration, will only get worse. two, due to the uncertainty of funding, for fiscal year 2015, rhode island has been forced to halt its advertising program for all new highway projects using apportionments. we have enforced use our resources for existing commitments in emergencies. three, if congress does not act it will be impacts on a distressed rhode island's economy, including lost jobs. if health of our state's

church or is not a local issue. rhode island is a key car door in the northeast as well as nationally. the deteriorating condition of the transportation come up a stress on the regional economy. theprogram is dependent on federal highway funding. the total program for rhode has 200 million dollars each year coming from the trust fund. there's no state funded program in rhode island besides this one. in order to address deficiencies, last year, the number of high cost rich placement programs, rhode island is forced to leverage future apportionments through the use of greater advanced construction, which only obligates a portion of the cost everyone year. our highway trust fund a portion of its are committed to existing obligations. the uncertainty of whether federal funding will be provided in 2015 has ricardo rhode island

to delay advertising projects. yearsfunny from prior t will be used. this deferral of new projects has been necessary to ensure we are able to beat existing -- to meet existing obligations. a we were to implement program for 2014, without the certainty of funding for 2015, it would and danger that it would endanger overspending. rhode island coffers are insufficient to cover that. or than 60% of our roadways are rated fair or worse. without additional funding the latter will increase to 40% in less than 10 years. createcient funding will rhode island to be in a position to manage the decline of its infrastructure. rhode island has an active reforms to begin to address the funding needs, and a debate is underway to provide additional

funds to improve the conditions of the funds of the transportation, becoming less dependent on the federal program. that starts on the assumption that funding will continue at its current role. the health of the transportation is not a local issue. or. state is a key corrid the deteriorated condition of roads and bridges places a stress on the network. the condition of our system hinders around efforts to improve economic conditions. the unemployment rate remains near the highest in the nation. the highway construction industry cannot afford to lose an entire season due to the uncertainty of federal funding. rhode island needs a long-term bill to eliminate this current ancestor of uncertainty and allow the state to move forward with a program that puts citizens to work and keeps our economy going. i appreciate the opportunity to

testify before you today and look forward to your questions. >> thank you. we have been asked to do an unusual intervention. because of my respect and admiration -- >> we are talking about something we are in total agreement on. >> this, too. >> well, infrastructure, right? >> 2 out of 100 -- >> that's good. we are delighted to have the witnesses here, and i want to make sure you got my message this morning. i thought we would have a chance to talk. i had a hard job once. i tell my friends up here. being the mayor of the city, there is no hiding place there. like the trash system ends up in your front yard. it did in mind. i have a statement i will not read. i will submit it for the record. i am sure the chairman will allow me to do that. in there i would make a

reference to what happened yesterday. we are talking about changes in ozone, how that could put us out of attainment. all 77 of our candies could be out of attainment -- of our counties could be out of attainment. some of these things i will say for a few minutes, the ranking member on armed services, i do not have a choice. i thank you for allowing me to make that statement. >> senator, thanks, and we will be working closely together next week. we will have a meeting with the big four, and then we will start meetings with everyone individually to get you on board, because you used the word crisis, mr. lewis, and i have to share that. this is a looming crisis upon us. esteemedo back to our panel, and we will call on sue minter, deputy secretary of the

vermont agency of transportation. and thank you,, chairman boxer, ranking member vitter, members of the committee. this is an honor for me to be able to speak before you today about the special issues facing small states and your opportunity with the next transportation reauthorization bill. ityou about the issues that we feel so passionately about. our transportation network of ouris the background economy. andstrength and growth success depends upon a 21st century transportation system. as our country is finally slowly climbing out of the great , it is critical that we find a safe and reliable transportation system. vermont, like many states, is anfronting challenges of

aging and deteriorating infrastructure. as we've heard. while we have made substantial progress in the last five years, we still have 30% of our bridges either structurally deficient, functionally obsolete, or both. arequarter of our roads considered in very poor condition. network literally ties our nation together. continued to need the federal government to play a leadership role in funding our system. although vermont is small and rural, we also play a significant role in the national network. we hosted to interstate core doors and a rail corridor to our largest trading partner, canada.

this is why our private sector contractors are extremely concerned about the pending insolvency of the highway trust fund. just the prospect of the fund running low on cash by this july has already motivated many states like rhode island to delay new capital projects. we must mitigate our risks and we are all watching you to see what is coming next. i want to make it clear that if the fund is not replenished, project delays will become cancellations. and a reduction in our transportation projects directly translates instant -- into job losses and will have an immediate and negative economic impact. tip the balance on our fragile economic recovery.

on behalf of our partners in the construction industry, we need you to refill the trust fund as expeditiously as possible. focus onupport the funding flexibility, performance measurements, and innovation. our state has benefited greatly from these reforms, particularly with our accelerated project delivery program. we understand that government must innovate. we must strive for efficiency and dentistry to our taxpayers that we are getting results for their investments. finally, i would like to comment on the increasing challenges that severe weather is imposing on our infrastructure and our budget. with the whether you have been seeing here, we don't need to remind you that winter is long this year. in vermont, we are out today cleaning the 93rd winter weather event.

an all-time high. this is also a budget ricker. it increases the degradation and the cost of our road maintenance. and across the nation, weather patterns are changing. natural disasters and whether events are increasing in frequency, severity, and cost. past three years, the u.s. is tallied 32 different billion-dollar storms. tornadoes,w, floods, wildfires, drought, and landslides. in 2011, vermont suffered historic flooding from tropical storm irene. it ravaged our state in one night, damaging over 500 miles of road, taking out 34 state bridges. 13 communities were totally cut

off by this flood. funny thousand acres of farmland were flooded. 1200 homes and businesses damaged and most tragically, seven lives lost. thanks to your help and the federal funding, in particular, the federal highway vermont is in a strong recovery. we thank you. i know well the toll of disaster that helped lead our transportation agencies response to irene. emma slater was a ploy at by the governor to become the recovery officer for the state. has petitioned apartment are finding themselves in unexpected leadership roles as disaster strikes. something i witnessed in colorado. irene taught us many lessons. i have seen the dramatic impact of infrastructure loss and

believe that resilient infrastructure is needed. i consider research and resilience to be included in the transportation bill. thank you for the important work you do sustaining our transportation system. >> we turn to the honorable greg bauer -- ballard. >> thank you, chairman boxer. i very much appreciate you allowing me to testify today. american cities are preparing for a great revival. when our country built the interstate highway system itrting in the 1950's, enabled an exit this. we are witnessing a re-migration to the cities. onnsportation centered centers.

our city faces a much different transportation need. people will move back to the suburbs and commute to the city. a growing number of people are choosing to live local, shop local, and eat local. they want access to an authentic urban lifestyle and they won it right outside their front door. last month, richard wrote an article in the magazine about what entrepreneurs want looking for a place to start a business. talent ranked number one. they all ranks near the top of that list. the battle for american cities will retract -- attract and retain talent.

onto thank you for the funding you have previously sent to local governments these types of projects. we use it with local funds to build a variety of trails and greenways. we also dedicated a portion of fund to construct an even more attractive place to live, work, and raise a family. this includes roads, bridges, alleys, and so much other. the indianapolis cultural trail connects six neighborhoods. is also a great example of the greater good for new transportation options. it used to be traffic lanes and parking spaces.

it has been profiled in the new york times. it won a prestigious award from the american downtown association. it lists it as a must-see city among other places in the world. , thee few short years trail has attracted at least $100 million in new investment in the city. they demonstrated bold new for urban transportation planning. a highway is still critical for moving this to market. sidewalks, biplanes, ,reenways, -- bike lanes greenways, and more. that is certainly true in the area of urban infrastructure development. discovering new technologies. expiration will not require

travel a great distance. ir future success -- encourage you to continue commitment to the transportation alternatives program. are and viable options increasingly important in today's cities. in thekeep those leaders. i look forward any questions you may have. it mike? >> mick cornett. >> welcome. >> i appreciate the committee and the senator that has done so much to help transportation needs in central oklahoma.

i have come here today to testify on behalf of my community. i would like to emphasize three points. the national transportation system and the transportation opportunities that support our population centers and communities are vital to our ability to grow and sustain the economy. to ensure the united states remains competitive. investing in the care, expansion, and comprehensive transportation network cannot be left to the cities and states alone. the federal government must be a reliable partner. map 21 was an excellent start. it had opportunities through project delivery, transit and community initiatives, and allowing resources to flow freely. is quitecity's economy robust. we have opportunities that exist in oklahoma city that we have

not had in other times. we have recently completed a very large infrastructure project. we had an aging interstate 40 brits i went to the heart of the downtown area. it was crumbling, there are a lot of safety issues. the bridge has been removed. working with the department of transportation to build a boulevard that can replace the existing corridor. we are working on a project that the making7 years in and still not completed. it certainly is helping central oklahoma grow. project is ate 40 shining example of the partnership that we in a complicity have with our other agencies. city have in oklahoma with our other agencies. and suddenly our federal delegation in the private sector is flourishing. i think partly it is because of that relationship. we are aggressively investing in the quality of life of central oklahoma. --have a number of ongoing

adding bike paths, lanes, improving local streets. we were able to purchase the former santa fe depot. he completed the fixed guideway study that provided a 21st-century blueprint or public transit in the oklahoma city community. and this new santa fe depot purchase will allow us to create a multimodal hub in central oklahoma city. we think the communities and states must be able to project availability if we are going to plan initiatives and design and construct projects that meet the needs of our citizens. while a reliable investment is critical, and equally important factor is the minimization of federal bureaucracy and regulatory actions. this is especially true when resources are scarce. we must do everything possible to squeeze every benefit out of every dollar that is available for our infrastructure needs.

the transportation strategy and shouldociated agencies provide a simple framework that allows and empowers governments to select and deliver transportation solutions to address their unique needs. interjecting narrowly focused interpretations should be restricted to the extent possible. are saying federal agencies are sometimes superseding the intent of the law by promulgating regulations or rules or by issuing guidelines that serve their needs. times, they blur the critical line between regulatory oversight and agency idealism. their most times consuming. encouraging general electric to

invest in a new research development center. part of the work is to help with an offramp project. it really needs to be redesigned. there is nothing complicated about this. we have run into a bureaucracy oft has impeded the focus our team. we see no recognizable benefit. he city, state, and private sector engineers understand what is in the best interest of the city and the state. it is difficult to understand how these additional involvements are adding value to the delivery of this critical infrastructure. consider the adequacy's of our transportation system, we must work together to be more efficient and free from the unnecessary bureaucracy, laws, rules, directives, and redundant regulations. the federal government must continue to invest in the transportation system and maintain inequitable commitment to the quality of life needed for our communities.

thehoma city is at intersection of three interstate highways that flow through the city. i 35 stretches from mexico to canada. and the state 40 stretches across the u.s. from california to north carolina. commerce is traveling through oklahoma city. ofestment in these types interstate is helping move american-made products to market. well-managed dollars committed to infrastructure improvement and community-based initiatives directly materialize in our economy and enhance the ability of our businesses and industry to cost-effectively move goods and provide services. investments in transportation truly represent an investment in ourselves and more importantly in the future viability of this nation and the safety of our families. thank you, madam chair. >> inc. for that excellent testimony. -- thank you for that excellent testimony.

tenon, from louisiana. >> chairman boxer, members of the committee, it is an honor and a privilege to testify before you today. i am a professional civil engineer that has the pleasure of working 38 years for the louisiana io td -- dotd. i served as a regional district engineer for the a parish -- 8 parish. it is less about mardi gras and throwing beads and more about the common ordinary man dressing up in colorful costumes and masks, riding horses throughout downountryside and chasing animals to be in a gumbo. thew currently serve as

president of st. landry parish in south louisiana. i am pleased to introduce to you jerry read, jimmy edwards, and tim legeren. come to washington dc to visit with you and are in the room today. >> raise your hands, gentlemen. welcome. >> to you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth -- [laughter] >> if they want a ride home, they have to. with a majority of others, they work very hard over the first two years of my administration to convince them that local roads that were never going to meet that level of service that they wanted and needed, there existed no dedicated local funds for road improvements ever in the history of the parish. report in the

passage this last october of a two cent sales tax for the rural areas only that will be dedicated solely for improving roads. convincede finally that we as citizens of the parish needed to learn how to book oh -- buckle our own bootstraps. salesre to sell you this tax will go a long way to mending our roads for a long time. we will continue to need federal assistance to make the best of meeting be expensive requirements to replace the many bridges that are deficient. would like to respectfully offer the following priorities for your consideration during the development of the next surface transportation bill. considerat you increasing overall funding for bridge replacement and rehabilitation. ofy own a significant amount

off system bridges. overall, system bridges rivers and 47% of the national bridge inventory. a particular issue to us in louisiana parishes as louisiana parishes on 33% of the state public bridges. we request that you work hard to thatve the timely passage provides long-term funding so that they can create logical strategies to addressing highway needs. the political leadership at all levels needs to support this as our citizens do not understand or appreciate the lack of it. the quality of life depends on it and her quality of life depends on it. neededfic federal change , i hear a lot about it, is the

federal wetlands banking requirements whereby the right-of-way mitigation ratio ranges from 3:1 to 5:1. be constructed under this mandate, we ask that you reduce this requirement and also allowing her to sing current wetland areas for credit in consideration of future projects. this is currently not allowed. relative to what was once called transportation enhancement funding now known as alternative funding is something an very much promoted in my area. i am hearing now that under this program, the ability to obligate this funding is becoming complex to the extent that many local governments would be hesitant to spend money, energy, and time to apply for such funding that would benefit our communities.

increased funding for improvements to minor road connectors that are so important to local commerce relative to moving goods, mobility for jobs and recreation, all boosting economy and quality of life. sub allocated for areas with a , tolation of 5000 or less areas exceeding an area of 5000. we support and encourage the necessary federal funding. i wish to acknowledge and thank the national association of counties for their untiring to create equality highway bill. i think you get it. thank you so much for allowing me to speak today and for your dedicated service to our good old usa. >> the commissioner from

wyoming. >> i thank you for this opportunity today. my name is jim will extend i am chairman of the congress county wyoming. and i am chairman of the county association. wyoming county is fairly representative of many western counties in the united states. the population factors when combined with our climate and high percentage of federal land ownership within our borders create unique transportation challenges including congress. a federal partner is of the utmost importance. the national association of county officials have pointed out that a full 45% of the nation's public roads are owned and operated by counties.

we maintain 620 miles of road. i've hundred miles of that is gravel road. we maintain 36 bridges of various sizes. when i think about the transportation system, i think of a fellow commissioner of mind who is a cattle rancher. he first loads them up on a semi truck and traveled six miles under gravel county road. he travels five miles on a paved county road. three miles on a wyoming state highway, 68 miles on interstate 25. in northern congress county, i can describe a similar route that millions of dollars of oil and gas production takes to reach the market or refineries. a similar route that a tourist takes to reach the national forest to go camping. if a weak link exists in any

part of that system, the rancher's ability to put a stake on that plate, the ability to fuel cars and heat homes, the outdoor denture for the tourist is stymied. -- adventure for the tourist is stymied. we have an excellent partner in the state of wyoming. of wyominge ability and its counties to fund road and bridge projects is heavily dependent on the continuation of a long-term federal highway program and the continued viability of the highway trust fund. programs, at federal they can be reasonably predicted on one question. provide enoughm flexibility at the local level. if the answer is yes, that program can be successful. that 21 provided flexibility and that is helpful. i ask that you give further consideration for providing more roadbility so that local

and bridge safety projects can proceed promptly and efficiently. this is particularly true in role areas where we find ourselves attempting to force the round peg of small rural projects until largeness of square federal rules. blm 10 months to determine that congress county had a right-of-way on a road that had been in existence since 1892. the environmental reviews. it requires several weeks of analysis, much longer if there are compensating factors. provide flexibility for maintaining existing roadways. even when the activity itself has minimal impact. stipulations laced over

territories may make sense. if the county is planning to work on a road that has existed since statehood, i don't think we need to jump to those hoops. -- through those hoops. it means we must plan for even the smallest projects in advance. unnecessary delays imposed by the corps of engineers and other pushonmental reviews will important public safety projects off for an entire year or more. at how thereful look environmental review and process can be for the streamlined so that the road and bridge safety projects can be completed in a timely manner. i leave you with this final thought. if we fail to invest wisely and are deteriorating real

highways with concrete and bridges, the rare earth minerals needed to create that tv will never reach the manufacturer and never be able to be delivered to the consumer. i thank you for this opportunity and i look forward to your questions. >> last but not least, principal planner am a area planning council, delaware. area planning council, delaware. >> thank you for inviting us here to speak about the reauthorization. the region is different in that we span to states and two counties. we span delaware and maryland. our area of influence is different from a state or city. we are happy to see both the transportation enhancements and school programs carried forward

for the program and map 21. they are important tools that we use. the funds to implement projects that have been recommended by community planning studies to be carried out. is a low income minority neighborhood in south wilmington that has been the focus of the environmental justice reports. the circulation studies recommend that sidewalk, bus stops, and improvements be implemented. there is no funding at the capital program, so we use those funds to implement the projects in a more timely fashion. very helpful for us delivering these projects to the community. also at the local level, there is a struggle for middle sized cities and the rural county of cecil county, maryland. demographics are beginning to change in the u.s. and we see both baby boomers and millennial's finding common ground. we see yearly ridership growth in both counties and cecil

county's transportation system. but deals are no longer married to their cars. they would give those up for their cherished cell phones. the phonewould get out of their hands, but neither one of them is ever in a car. it has been a challenge. i live in a suburban area. we made it work. that new workforce is gravitating to a different location and going to activity centers. -- theyy nest boomers are more likely to rent a bike or walk a few blocks then get a car or call a taxi. we have to make the best investments. they will go somewhere where they can get those multimodal choices. we support the amtrak mission and coordinate with them for local planning projects like a new trainti