Angie Craig: “let me close by saying that the billions of dollars that the consuming public now pays in the form of this tax--the…”

“let me close by saying that the billions of dollars that the consuming public now pays in the form of this tax--the $32.1 million that Idahoans pay--does nothing to improve or stimulate the economy of our country. It is not building a road. It is not building a bridge. It is not patching a pothole. It is being spent on day-to-day costs of our Government through the general fund. This is the first time in our history that we have done this. It is now time that in a little but most significant way we can drop the price of gas at the pump by repealing this tax and, as importantly, righting the wrong that occurred several years ago when President Clinton passed this tax through. I hope once we correct this, we will say that never again will we ever put a dedicated fuel tax into the general fund of our country, that, if we are going to continue to increase this part of the dollar purchasing pie of the American consumer, when it comes to transportation costs of fuel, that it go to serve the transportation needs of our country and to continue to build and maintain that infrastructure that has served us so well. Having said those words, I believe it is so important that we respond now and as soon as the Senate can to this issue. I heard from a good many of my constituents who think the Senate is clearly moving in the right direction to repeal this tax. I hope we respond this week. I yield the floor.”