and korea without an fta in end cra? -- india? >> i think that it is interesting to look at the evolution of india's ftas as claude was outlining, and the rubber is really hitting the road in the negotiations, india's negotiations with the e.u. because interestingly in india they can launch negotiations very quickly quite in contrast to what happens in the united states where we have to deal with fast track and congressional approval. i often looked with envy at how fast they can get things started. the question is what are they getting started, and what are they ending up with? with most of the negotiations to date they're very, very limited in scope and even with tariffs that wouldn't pass muster in the wto and certainly wouldn't be of the scale, anywhere of the scale we would be interested in. but what i hope is that we will build confidence and build building blocks for a much more ambitious relationship with india, and that is why we have really advocated starting with an investment agreement where progress can be made becaus

and korea without an fta in end cra? -- india?>> i think that it is interesting to look at the evolution of india's ftas as claude was outlining, and the rubber is really hitting the road in the negotiations, india's negotiations with the e.u. because interestingly in india they can

we're using our website, regional training of grantees, regional training of fta staff and sometimes we just get on the phone and walk our grantees through the process, stech by step by step, because that's what's necessary. in that regard, mr. chairman, i can't overstate how proud we are of the extremely hard work of the fta staff in putting this money to work, especially in our ten regions spread around the country. they've been working morning, noon and night to reach them and make sure the dollars are put to work. this collaboration is instrumental in keeping our implementation on track. of the recovery act funding provided, $1.74 billion or 21% has been obligated so far in another 4.1 billion or 50% are in process for obligation in the near term. i'm informed as i was coming over here we're hopeful of obligating another couple hundred million dollars today. these figures equate to about 19,000 jobs currently obligated and another 45,000 jobs for the grants in process. in addition, 55 million dollars in recovery act funds have been transferred from the federal highway administrat

i was shocked to hear them talking about investment and competition in an fta. but that was a couple of years ago. now they're stuck on a number of the tariff issues, a number of the service issues, and i wasn't, didn't realize but the latest on the general labor issues, but because of that issue i think that it's important for us to start and build the confidence in the relationship where we're not confronting so starkly some of the differences in perspectives before, between our two countries. >> in an fta between the u.s. and india, it's quite unlikely for quite some time to come actually on both sides. i mean, on the u.s. side i don't think the u.s. will move without labor standards being an integral part of it. india would have none of that. not so far. i mean, one could possibly think of a limited one in services, but there we have no history actually on the u.s. side of doing an agreement only on services. but services is one area where you could potentially do a lot of possibilities, also, of growth in trade. one could sort of more or less standards issu

fda is stepping up -- fta is stepping up six different programs. together, they will serve no fewer than 695 grantees with the potential of 1300 separate recovery act grants. these grantees exhibit drastically different levels of strength, staffing capacity, and range from the largest rail system that serves more passengers annually than amtrak to the smallest world transit providers that may have a flight of three or four minivans. florida's dot plans to use the money to construct a greyhound -- it will provide improvements to safety to the environment and economic benefits. by contrast, in south carolina, the government plans to support its "united we ride initiative. it will have a travel coordination center. it is focused on rural residents and the elderly and helping them get the medical -- get to medical appointments and elsewhere. reaching the challenge of reaching all that -- given the challenge of reaching all of the grantee's, we have put the funds to work. we are using website, whether dinarweb diinars, and sometimese get on the phone to

we are using our website, agency guidance, regionals, regional training of fta staff.d sometimes we just get on the phone and walk our grantees to the process by step by step by step because that's what necessary. and in that regard, mr. chairman, i cannot overstate how proud we are be extremely hard work of the fda staff in putting this money to work, especially in our 10 regions but around the country they have been working morning, noon, and like to make sure these dollars are being put to work properly. this constant collaboration between fda and transit providers is implementable in keeping us on track. of the 8.3 billion funded 1.74 billion, or to what one person has been obligated so far. and another for .1 billion, or 50%, are in process of obligation in the near term. i'm informed as i was coming over here that we are hopeful of obligating another couple hundred million dollars just today. these figures equate to about 19000 jobs, currently obligated and another 45000 jobs for the grants in process. in addition, $55 million in recovery act funds have been tran

also talked about the initiation of working level talks to make progress on the issues surrounding fta and make joint efforts to chart our way forward on the agreement. i took time to invite president obama to visit south korea. i conveyed to him our warmest gratitude on behalf of the korean people to the people of america. once again, i'm very pleased to note that he and i engaged in very constructive discussions. i am very pleased with the results. once again, i thank president obama and if the people of the united states. thank you. >> we have time for public questions. scott wolf. >> thank you, mr. president. north korea says it should be recognized as a nuclear power. it says that as a precondition for relations with the u.s. and other nations. given its bulletin and response to the recent sanctions and the nature of its nuclear program, is your administration coming to the realization that recognise in north korea as a country that will have nuclear weapons for a long time is one way to go? if so, what influence does that have on your policy options? and to president lee, do you

could not explain that concerns me because we have never managed to get rid of tease of and get the ftato follow the law with the existing process in the agency now we're hearing that is the one policy change they want to add another bureaucratic step in the process but not reform anything else. we have some concerns about that. how we do solve that in your agency? >> in my case, a first i can agree with the what the president is proposing is more bush era policy. >> excuse me senator boxer announced today, july 22nd today, july 22nd, a clean bill, and no changes in policy, just money for 18 months. so you cannot, that means, yes, you do have some administrative leeway and you were going through that process but the dramatic changes is we have had an opportunity to review our bill and how your agency and the other agencies and the department of transportation operate which would be dramatically changed and we think we can go 14 years two major delivery to maybe three under our proposal? you do not have the leeway to do that and as i and a stand at nobody has okay to do away with the cos

the fta report identifying a need of $50 billion to bring these systems up to -- a state of good repair. and i really want to commend you, mr. chairman, for your leadership, especially, with the authorization proposal that you set forth and we really think that will go a long way in allowing transit agencies to rebuild their systems. >> we've used a project expediting in aviation to speed up aviation projects. we included that in the 2003 aviation authorization bill and then adapted those concepts to the provision 6001 in the code in the legislation and have you had experience in the expediting procedures in aviation? >> i think just specific on the stimulus programs, absolutely. but i think really where, i think, the industry sees that benefit is -- we know that next gen is a great technology and that's the solution in the sky, but each one of those trips begins and ends at a airport and whatever we can do to expedite to have additional cement at airports, it is a benefit to everyone because 10 to 12 years to build a runway is entirely too long because the demand is here today. >> well

but well down 10 -- the recent report by fta identify the needs of the seven largest rail systems which carries 80 percent of the real riders. the report concluded that $50 billion is needed to bring the systems to the state of repair. four septa $4 billion are needed to bring our system to the state of repair. among the major capital projects we have 400 bridges, 200 of which are over 50 years old, and half of them 100 bridges over 100 years old. on the real system we have 150 stations, half of which require significant repair or replacement. our power substations, 19 of them use of life generally 30 years. we have 16 of the 19 of over 75 years old. and the real cars, a current average rail car fleet is 40 years old and currently have and ordered replace one-third of the fleet but even after their deliver the remaining two-thirds will be 35 years old. philadelphia's rich in history and proud of our numerous historical sites, however, we are not especially proud of the historical chance of assets. we thank you for the opportunity to speak and on behalf of apta thank you for your leaders

that the europeans put forward in terms of the european indian negotiations of the european indian fta. and i think that will be true of other countries. the europeans just wanted kind of general statements of social justice. the united states, because of the anti-ngos and the environmental movement, that we want things that are much more, or we are demanding things that are much more specific.