Angie Craig: “I wish to express my view regarding the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2004…”

“I wish to express my view regarding the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2004, SAFETEA, S. 1072. This legislation reauthorizes our Nation's surface transportation, freight, and mass transit programs, which are so vital to the infrastructure of my State of Idaho and to the Nation. Idaho is considered a ``donee'' State, one that receives more Federal dollars from the Highway Trust Fund, HTF, than we contribute. This is due to the low population density, reduced tax base, and several miles of interstate that run throughout the State. Thanks to the hard and careful work of my colleague, Senator Crapo, who serves on both the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs committee and the Environment and Public Works committee, I believe Idaho has received fair and equitable treatment in this bill. I applaud the committee and especially Senator Crapo for recognizing that large, rural States have to maintain the infrastructure that our farmers, long-haul truckers, tourists--and most important, our citizens--use every day.”