Maxwell Frost: “Mr. Speaker, while the Committee on Rules this morning reported out of committee an unnecessarily restrictive rule, and…”

“Mr. Speaker, while the Committee on Rules this morning reported out of committee an unnecessarily restrictive rule, and, as a result I will not support the rule, I do want to commend the chairman of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young), and the ranking member, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), as well as the subcommittee chair, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri), and the ranking member, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Lipinski), for all their hard, bipartisan work on this highway reauthorization bill. They recognized the importance of adequately meeting our Nation's transportation needs and of creating good-paying jobs for the American people at a time when we desperately need new jobs. I only wish that the leadership of this House and the White House would follow their lead and the lead of the entire membership of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. There are lots of good things in this bill, but I continue to believe that the overall funding level is not enough to meet our needs. In States all across this country, including Massachusetts, roads and bridges are crumbling under the burden of age and heavy use. Adequate infrastructure is essential for economic development.”