Asa Hutchinson: “I rise to talk about the fairness in the way that we distribute our highway trust funds in America. The State of…”

“I rise to talk about the fairness in the way that we distribute our highway trust funds in America. The State of Arkansas is geographically centered in the heart of America. As this country expands its trade with our neighbors to the north and to the south, we will need to have adequate highways in order to accommodate this trade and to build vital arteries to connect us with the rest of the Nation. More important than building a network for commerce, it is important that we have safe highways upon which Arkansas families can drive. There is a 43-mile strip of mountainous highway in my district that has in itself accounted for more than 1,500 automobile accidents in the last 9 years. It has been called one of the most dangerous roads in the Nation. Clearly it is time that Arkansas taxpayers receive their fair share of highway funding. We are part of that group called 'donor States,' meaning that we pay more in highway taxes than we receive back. Arkansas is 16th in the Nation for the number of interstate highway miles. It places 41st in the amount of highway funding it receives. I understand that we need a national highway network, but the step 21 proposal that I support provides a more equitable and fair distribution in the way we distribute our highway funds. For that reason, I am the 100th Member to support it and I ask for everyone to join with me in that.”