On the recordNovember 4, 2015
I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, especially because I rise in favor of this amendment; not because it is perfect, but because it deals with a fundamental problem in the underlying legislation. How are we going to fund our highway system? Some would argue a tax on motorists; some would argue the general revenue of the United States. I don't know anyone who can really make the argument that we ought to have a tax on home buyers to fund highways; yet that is what the underlying bill does. It imposes a tax on everyone who gets a mortgage or refinances a mortgage and uses that for highways. I am confident that if we pass this amendment, the conference committee will take a look at how to finance this bill and will come up with a better way than the idea of imposing a tax on everyone. That basically means middle class homeowners who use Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac in order to buy a home or refinance a home.
