United states. We are here today to discuss matters of vital importance to us all. Americas security, prosperity, and standing in the world. I want to talk about where weve been, where we are now, and finally, our strategy for where we are going in the years ahead. Over the past 11 months, i have traveled Tens Of Thousands of miles to visit 13 countries. I have met with more than 100 world leaders. I have carried americas message to a grand hall and saudi arabi saudi arabia, a great square in wausau, assembly of the united nations, into the seat of democracy on the korean peninsula. Everywhere i travel, it was my highest privilege to represent the American People. Throughout our history, the American People have always been
the true source of american greatness. Our people have promoted culture and promoted our values. Americans have fought and sacrificed on the battlefields All Over The World. We have liberated captive nations, transformed former enemies into the best of friends, and
transportation disaster assistance or tda and the office of media relations. this accident meets the criteria of the rail passenger family disaster assistance act. our tda specialists are working closely with officials at the scene locally as well as with amtrak to assist them in their efforts to support all of those who have been affected by this accident, several of our investigators on the west coast will be arriving on scene this afternoon. the rest of our go team expects to arrive at the scene late tonight. for the latest information on media briefings, i encourage you to follow us on twitter at ntsb, underscore, newsroom and our website is ntsb.gov. again, we are just launching our go team and we will have more information after we arrive on scene and start the investigation. we ll be holding a number of media briefings at the scene over the next few days in
family assistance act. rtd specialists are already working closely with officials at the steen locally as well as with amtrak to assist them in their efforts to support all of those but is accident. some of the investigators on the west coast will be arriving on scene this afternoon. the rest of the go team expect to arrive at the scene late tonight. for the latest information on media briefing, i encourage you to follow up on twitter at# at#ntsb goteam . will be holding a number of media briefing at the scene over the next few days in washington state. now, i would be happy to take a few questions and if you like to ask a question, please raise your hand, and i would recognize you, and then please identify
frankford, philadelphia. and brandon boyle represents parts of the philly area as well right nearby. congressman, you re the leader of the city politically, you are. what are you going to do about this? talk about this ptc thing? well, it s positive train control is a device that if it s in the engine and it s on the poles, it would have stopped the train. so it s a deadman switch? exactly. amtrak had it in the locomotive, but not on the pole. in 2008 we passed a law that all 100 railroads have to have this ptc in place by 2015. now the first i want to go back, i want to talk to the department of transportation. i want to ask for a public system-wide audit of where they re at, why don t these trains visit. it s supposed to be in hazmat trains and passenger trains. the delay you see today costs lives. and we can t get any more delay. they ve got the money. you re going to make it law? it is law. they re dragging their feet. what s frustrating is we took a tour at ntsb and am
they ve got the money. you re going to make it law? it is law. they re dragging their feet. what s frustrating is we took a tour at ntsb and amtrak were nice enough and gracious enough to take us on. it is a horrific scene, actually far worse than i was expecting. right here. and it stretches for quite a bit from the lead car to the last car. when you re the ntsb standing where you are saying if this system were in place, if we had the ptc, this would not have happened and seven people would still be alive today and 200 wouldn t be injured. why hasn t it happened. you take the train every night home. and you take it as well. you know it s ricket. the it s like the wild west some parts of that route. do we need to have a better right of way? can we clear a straight line? how fast can a train go if it s going like this? and i don t know it has to go that fast this why do we got to get there to washington? allow yourself another 15 minutes to get down there. it looks like a