Pete Domenici: “I want to argue in two parts. My first part has to do with the highways and byways and freeways of America and our home…”

“I want to argue in two parts. My first part has to do with the highways and byways and freeways of America and our home cities across this land. I think there is no one in this Chamber who has not been home to their State and found that people somewhere in their State are frustrated because we do not have adequate roads to handle the traffic. No, I am not suggesting I know how to do that in terms of these very heavily congested areas. But there is no doubt, we are way behind the curve in terms of supplying highways, freeways, and arteries in our cities. You are not going to tell the American people they can't have their dream. I mean, their dream is to own a house and own a car or cars. One of their big dreams is to have that place where they want it. We are just never going to succeed in telling the American people: You cannot live 5 miles from your employment, as they did in Russia. They had it all figured out: They all worked; they all got on one train; and they all went to work. In fact, they told them in high school what they were going to be. That is not America. So we are behind. In fact, I am not sure in most places we are gaining on the congestion and traffic. Frankly, I could come down here and say I am pretty satisfied that repeal of the 4.3- cent tax would not hurt next year, but in 7 years actually it would hurt. The truth of the matter is, we should not deceive anybody.…”