Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, of course, I rise in opposition to the gentleman's amendment. Here we go again. Two years ago, this House overwhelmingly defeated a similar amendment. With all the talk of the exploding economy around the country, I have to tell my colleagues that Appalachia has not yet experienced it. This region represents the poorest of the poor in our country. This amendment would halt a commitment we made to millions of Americans in the Appalachian region some 30 to 35 years ago. The interstate highway system through the gentleman's district has been finished. But the highway system has largely bypassed the Appalachian system, because, they said, 'We'll let the Appalachian system build the highways in Appalachia.' That was the deal struck many, many years ago. Now the gentleman's amendment would strike our commitment and our end of the bargain to complete what passes for an interstate system in the Appalachian region. These are not four-lane thoroughfares. These, by and large, are two-lane paved roads through the poorest part of our country. This amendment would leave vast pockets of this region without access to national markets, but also without access to local markets. While the interstate system is nearly 99 percent complete, the Appalachian system lags way behind. It is only 78 percent complete.”