Eleanor Holmes Norton: “2 weeks ago, 65 Republicans joined 54 Democrats in voting ``no'' on the extension of the highway bill to register their…”

“2 weeks ago, 65 Republicans joined 54 Democrats in voting ``no'' on the extension of the highway bill to register their disgust with 33 extensions while the Republican Congress then did zero work on a long-term bill. There are now four long-term Democratic bills and one bipartisan bill. However, today's 34th patchwork extension cannot be applied to even start on the Nation's backlog without assurance of funds to complete construction. Yet House Republicans have now fled for an early vacation. Eighteen States and the District of Columbia have passed State user gas fee laws without retaliation by the voters, but the federal share is more than half of the funds needed just to get started. The only way to stop the self-inflicted deterioration of our once magnificent infrastructure is to man up and pass a long-term bill. ____________________”