Political Quotes

“may I commend my colleague from Wyoming, Senator Thomas, for giving an excellent view as to the bill that we are submitting to Congress today, the Surface Transportation Authorization and Streamlining Act, or STARS 2000. I appreciate the fact that Senator Thomas and Senator Baucus of Montana and I will be able to form this partnership, with many more partners in the Senate joining our effort, including the Senator from Kansas, who will be joining us. I also want to recognize that I appreciate Senator John Warner, who is the chairman of this particular subcommittee dealing with this issue of the national highway bill, for holding a hearing in the State of Idaho, for coming to Idaho so that the western perspective could be made part of the public record. Also, Senator Baucus, who came to that hearing in Idaho--I appreciate my neighbor from Montana coming over and making that effort; it was an excellent hearing--and, too, acknowledging Senator Chafee, the chairman of the full committee, making that hearing in the West a reality. So, again, it demonstrates that all of us, while we may be coming at this from slightly different views, are working together. That is important and significant. With STARS 2000, I believe, as Senator Thomas has pointed out, we are going to restore the integrity of what a trust fund is: a trust fund. So the money that is gathered for that dedicated purpose ought to be used for that dedicated purpose.”