I want to hear your suggestions about how we can reduce congestion, improve port security, and accommodate the increasing flow of goods into and out of our nation s ports. Busy as all of us are now, the new Free Trade Area of the Americas discussed in Quebec last week will put the spotlight on our Marine Transportation System as never before. It s not surprising to me that Canada is now considering the same type of initiative for their marine system. Trade is the key to prosperity and dependent upon not only ports and waterways, but the entire intermodal transportation system. Working together we can build an economic engine that helps power our nation s economic, national security and environmental well-being.
Resources are important.
We will get them. It s too early to say right now, but it is not too soon to begin laying the foundation of what we need to accomplish in the coming fiscal year. Again, I believe an essential ingredient for providing the public with meaningful and tangible transportation options is true intermodal integration. This integration is important not only within the Department of Transportation, but for all aspects of transportation in both the public and private sectors. This means, for example, that railroads can't any longer just think about railroads, but must also think highways and airways.