H&i Committee Interview

Brandon: Good morning sir, my name is Brandon Paquette and I’m a student at the US Air Force Academy, and I’m doing some academic research on domestic transportation, and I was wondering if you could give me some insight on how the committee interprets certain words and phrases in the course of their operations? Staffer: Sure, I may have to transfer you though Brandon: Thank you, sir, I will be recording this call to generate a transcript and then deleting the recording, will that be alright? Staffer: Yeah, I guess that’s fine. Brandon: Alright then, the date is 1 September 2009 and the time is 0900 in Colorado. Brandon: Ok, so the issue I’m looking into is domestic transportation infrastructure reform. So I have a few questions as to the definitions as the committee sees these phrases. Now the phrase transportation infrastructure, what does that mean to you as someone who works on the committee? Staffer: Transportation infrastructure…hmm… well, the way that we move people and goods throughout the country. This involves obviously highways, bridges, pipelines, railroads, locks, dams, waterways Brandon: Would you consider that an exhaustive list? Staffer: From what I can think of right now, yeah Brandon: Ok, great. Now, would you consider the policies that govern this infrastructure to also be part of the infrastructure? As the committee considers that phrase? Staffer: Part of the infrastructure? Not necessarily… generally we would separate policy from infrastructure, and I think infrastructure is really physical infrastructure Brandon: Ok, now the phrase domestic, what does that mean? Staffer: Simply within the United States of America, our territories, land that’s governed by the U.S. Brandon: Ok, so you would consider military bases, embassies, etc, to be domestic? Staffers: Well, that is.. we don’t have, the committee doesn’t have jurisdiction over those infrastructures. The Armed Services committee has jurisdiction over the entities that would make decisions regarding those places, so, no. Brandon: Fantastic, thanks so much. What was your name again sir? Staffer: Umm, just identify me as a Transportation Committee Staffer

Brandon: Will do, thanks again for your help, have a great morning. Staffer: Thanks, you too.