On the recordNovember 4, 2015
We shouldn't be bragging about this legislation today, boasting about this legislation. Let me give you the perspective of 27 years here. This used to be the easiest legislation to pass in this institution. It created greater cost efficiencies. It created greater investment and, just as importantly, it put people to work immediately. There was no hearing held on the tax title portion of this bill. There was no operation or opportunity for Members to offer amendments in the Ways and Means Committee. Now, let me point out, for that 4-year period when we were in the majority, I held those hearings; and then after the loss of elections, during those 4 years, nothing ever came of it again. We have repeatedly urged the opportunity to talk about a genuine mechanism for financing the Federal highway system, our airports, our railroads; and the opportunity has not availed itself. To point something out here that I think is noteworthy as well, this financing is held together by bubble gum. How many times are we going to sell the oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve? Every time I turn around, it becomes the pay-for these days. Is there any oil left in there? That is how we are going to finance the Federal highway system?…
