Max Baucus: “I rise to oppose the Lott bill to repeal the gasoline tax that funds our nation's highway program. I do so for two…”

“I rise to oppose the Lott bill to repeal the gasoline tax that funds our nation's highway program. I do so for two reasons. First, the bill would undermine the landmark 1998 highway bill, which is so important to economic development in Montana and throughout the country. Second, the bill will not reduce the price of gas at the pump. It is, in short, a bad idea. I urge that it be rejected by a strong, bipartisan, vote. By way of background, the gas tax was established for one simple reason: to finance the construction of the national highway system. In 1993, there was a departure. The tax was increased, by 4.3 cents a gallon. And, for the first time, the tax was used not for the highway program, but instead for deficit reduction. I supported the increase, reluctantly, as part of an overall compromise that was a key step toward balancing the budget. Even so, many of us were determined to restore the principle that the gas tax should only be used to fund our highway and related transportation programs. We worked, as we said, to 'put the trust back in the trust fund.' It was a long, difficult fight. We faced tough opposition, from the administration, the budget committees, and elsewhere. But, in the end, we prevailed. During the Senate's consideration of the 1998 highway bill, we provided that the entire gas tax, including the 4.3 cents, would go into the trust fund and be used exclusively for highway construction and other transportation needs.”