The Public Record
Mike Capuano is a former U.S. Representative from Massachusetts, serving from 1999 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented Massachusetts's 8th congressional district. During his tenure, Capuano was known for his advocacy on issues such as healthcare, education, and civil rights. He served on several committees, including the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where he focused on infrastructure development and public transportation improvements in his district.
At the same time, I won't speak for my colleagues but I have heard it from numerous Members of Congress, including myself, I hear it all the time, particularly from small businesses, that they can't get access to the capital that they need.
It is not that I see too much liquidity. I see too many people sitting by the sidelines.
If we just did it straight up, either through a gas tax or a vehicle mile, or the 10 other proposals that are on the table, the long-term benefit to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to the taxpayers of Massachusetts, to the people of…
Whenever the Government reaches into my pocket--and I am a liberal, by the way, I don't mind this--that is a tax.
Is there anybody on the panel that disagrees with the statement that we need to put more money into our national infrastructure needs?
Does anybody here think that it is good to simply deny our obligations, to say, 'We don't really need this,' or, 'We don't have the courage to pay for it now, we will let somebody else pay for it later'?
Bottom line is we are here today to discuss an option because we haven't got the courage or the fortitude to do what we have to do, which is to increase revenues.
Do people on this panel think that we need more money into the Highway Trust Fund?
I am very proud that we restrained the kind of credit default swaps that AIG engaged in with no ability to repay.
The fact is that I never said there was nothing in the bill that would restrain businesses.
Politicians like Mike Capuano
