forward and i think could go right into amtrak. it can have a lot of great results, and i hope that it is one of the first projects that can get some of the stimulus funding that would be available, and i think it s great that she s here to talk about the national system and i just want to recognize governor rendell who is also someone i ve worked with a long time and his brother is actually my constituent, and also a good friend and someone that with hill i have worked in dallas and texas, so we have a lot of interest here and i look forward to hearing from the witnesses and it s a very distinguished panel. thank you very much, stir chairman. .. forgo additional opening statements and we ll try to deal with this expeditiously and have just five-minute rounds or six-minute rounds maybe to give just an extra minute for use as the members see it. i d like to introduce the witness panel. a good friend and governor ed rendell of pennsylvania. just like the people of new jersey, o