That is why we sent you to grow america act last year and why we will send you a new and improved grow america act this year. We certainly know that the grow america act is not the only approach to solving the infrastructure and mobility challenges of the future. We look forward to fully engaging this committee and with others on both sides of the aisle to chart this path together. But we believe there are some essential principles that any bill must have. First were going to need a substantially greater investment. Were also going to need a greater level of investment over time. Not just six months, or even two years. If we want communities to build big projects they can take in some cases five years or more. We need to ensure funding for roughly that same amount of time. I think senator boxers analogy of trying to buy a house with a fivemonth loan is a great analogy. There are processes that neat to be dealt with. We believe we can do that while ensuring better outcome for the enviro
Great big mansion if we have the resources to build a hut. And i think that our system right now really needs a substantial injection of a longterm bill but also substantial growth to counteract the cumulative effect of the shortterm measures in the recent past. And one followup real quickly on that specific point. Is there a version of that proposal you are talking about that doesnt have the big tax increase on successful folks as part of it . Because going back to the spirit of my comments, im suggesting that, you know, we get real and we cut to the chase so we actually solve this in a meaningful way by may. So if were just talking about that version, in all due respect, i dont think that is meeting my test. Well, you know, the green book last year published three specific ideas about pro Growth Business tax reform that i think potentially would meet your test. One was eliminating lifo. Another was eliminating accelerated depreciation. And a third one was pulling some of the untaxed
Theres much that we can learn from this 13year experience in how to take a more comprehensive approach, and to recognize while kinetic actions have a value all of their own certainly and thats blatantly obvious, nonkinetic actions do as well. We can do much better at that than what we have done. Thank you. General matt is my time is up, but do you have any you want to add . Very quickly senator i would point out we have to improve the process assuming there is a process. Ive been unable to identify one recently. I think it starts with the assumption we must develop a sound strategy or were going to waste lives and our treasury and our countrys future. I think, too, we need to move thor back to the senate, and not concentrated in a small but mushrooming it at the same time natural security staff that does not have the Foreign Service officers and the trained military officers who can actually develop what you are looking for here. I dont think we can adopt one preclusive form of war far
Profession, the number one way to be satisfied personally and also to have a great future, whatever that future is, is just to do a fantastic job of whats in front of you. If you dont do that you can kiss any of that future goodbye. So im squus trying to do a great job with whats in front of me now. I think i might know the answer. The former hud secretary is now governor of his state. Any chance of you following a similar career path . Thanks for the question. Maybe we have some texans out there in the audience. That was a tough cowboys loss the other day. I dont know what my future is going to hold after these twoerz two years. Im very mindful when january 20th comes around that there are two years left. And i want to do an excellent job during those years and make a difference. I believe we can for many of the reasons i stated in my remarks. Then well see what happens. Theres no grand plan after that. With two years to go until the next president ial inauguration, do you endorse Hil
In iraq, we were there on the ground collecting so we had data bases to use. The concern is in syria, the lack of our footprint on our ground in syria, that the data bases wont have the information we need. It is not the lack of process, it is the lack of information. And is there ways that you could suggest we go about trying to get this information . I just dont think you can go and get it. You are talking about a country that is a failed state. It does not have any infrastructure so to speak so all of the data sets, the police, the Intel Services that you would go and seek that exist dont exist. And that raises grave concern as being able to do proper background checks of the individuals coming into the country. Yes. All right. Now, mr. Taylor, thank you for your testimony as well. And as a member as chairman of the subcommittee on transportation and i look forward to working together for the Mutual Benefit of everybody. And looking at your written transmission and so i can better u