Political Quotes

“the purpose of the H.R. 4635, the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2004 Part III is the continuation of the highway construction and highway safety transit, motor carrier, and surface transportation research programs for an additional 10 months beyond the end of fiscal year 2003. This is the fourth extension of the Transportation Equity Act of the 21st Century, which expired on September 30, 2003. In September 2003, we extended these programs for 5 months until February 29, 2004. Since then, we have passed two subsequent 2-month extensions, STEA 2004, parts 1 and 2, and are now facing the expiration of the current extension on June 30. This extension will continue highway transit and highway safety programs for one more month until July 31, 2004. It is the hope of the conferees that H.R. 3550, the 6-year service transportation reauthorization bill, that we will complete conference before the extension expires. H.R. 4635 authorizes almost $27 billion in contract authority to the States to continue the core Federal aid highway program. This bill also authorizes $6 billion to continued grants to transit agencies around the country and other programs of the Federal Transit Administration. It authorizes $306 million for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for State grants to enforce safety regulation on our Nation's highways and to continue safety inspections at our border with Mexico.”