Political Quotes

“H.R. 3783, the legislation now under consideration by the House, will continue for an additional 4 months the highway construction, highway safety, transit, motor carrier, and surface transportation research programs. These programs will be continued under current-law program structure and conditions. This bill is necessary in order to give the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and our colleagues in the Senate time to complete a multi-year surface transportation bill. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3783 provides for over $31 billion in new funding authority, which reflects 9 months' work or nine-twelfths of the budget authority and associated outlays in the year 2004 budget resolution that Congress passed last year. As my colleagues may know, Mr. Speaker, I have introduced H.R. 3550 with the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), the Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy For Users, or TEA-LU. TEA-LU will begin to meet the needs and begin to improve our aging and deteriorating transportation infrastructure. TEA-LU will address and resolve the funding inequity issue between the donor and donee States, create new jobs, and stimulate the economy. Unfortunately, the overall funding for transportation has not been resolved entirely; and, therefore, we must pass this 4-month extension.”