Gwen Graham: “I don't deny that this legislation is better than it has been. I make two points: One, it is not enough to keep pace…”

“I don't deny that this legislation is better than it has been. I make two points: One, it is not enough to keep pace with the annual demands on the system, both for maintenance and to avoid increasing congestion. Every survey I have seen, including those I just cited, give statistical validation to that. The second concern is that we are going to be adding to one of the other deficits in this country, which is our fiscal deficit, by diverting money which otherwise would have gone into general revenue in order to pay the cost of both the highway and the public transit system. Finally, the specific elements of that transfer from general revenue to the transportation fund are extremely questionable. I mentioned one set of so-called tax loophole closers that we have already spent before. How much confidence can we have that this bill is going to get to the finish line before the jobs bill or the charitable giving bill, so that this essential part of the financing package is still available? I think it is a high risk. I say that to someone who knows something about high risk. I think it is an unstable platform on which to place our Nation's transportation funding.”