Political Quotes

“This is a mandate. This is very clearly a mandate with a very severe penalty on any State that doesn't either have 90-percent usage of seatbelts or a primary seatbelt law. I came to this body as a former Governor who has seen so much of the big brother influence telling State Governors and State legislators what they have to do, and I said we need to find a better way of doing things. I also said I happen to be a strong believer in seatbelts. I have been in a couple of serious accidents. Because I had a seatbelt on and the shoulder harness, I came away with only a good fright, and, fortunately, with no serious injuries. I have seen many other people who were not so fortunate. I believe in encouraging seatbelt usage. I believe the proper way to do it is through incentives and encouragement. Under this proposed amendment, in fiscal year 2005 and thereafter, 10 percent of the funds under the Highway Safety Improvement Program would be transferred to the section 402 program, and beginning in 2007, 2 percent of the Interstate Maintenance, Surface Transportation and Bridge Programs would be withheld from States that didn't have a primary seatbelt law or achieve at least a 90-percent safety belt use rate.”