Political Quotes

“I share Senator Coburn's concern for our Nation's bridges, but I must oppose his amendment. We cannot fund our Nation's infrastructure on the backs of crucial road safety projects that save tax dollars and lives. The Senator's amendment specifically eliminates crucial funding for bike and pedestrian trails in Illinois and across the country. His amendment will have seriously adverse consequences for millions of Illinois residents. The Federal transportation programs do provide flexible funding for States and localities to set aside Federal money for bike and walking trails, yet States tend to fund trails as a last resort--only if they can't use that money for roads and intersections. For example, in fiscal year 2006, States rescinded $602 million of Transportation Enhancements funds, 15 percent of all rescissions in that year. A more proportional share would have been closer to 3 percent. The Congestion Mitigation Air Quality program, or CMAQ, accounts for approximately 4-5 percent of highway apportionments each year but CMAQ funds have accounted for about 20 percent of total highway funds rescinded in recent years. CMAQ and Transportation Enhancements are the major sources of funding for bicycle facilities in cities and communities across the country. Given such drastic rescissions at the State level, communities are increasingly approaching Congress for help to fund their local trail construction and expansion projects.”