Max Baucus: “it is highways that are being postponed; it is transit being postponed; it is all the safety programs that are in the…”

“it is highways that are being postponed; it is transit being postponed; it is all the safety programs that are in the highway bill that are being postponed; it is the intermodal connections. My friend Senator Moynihan is the father of the ISTEA bill. All his good work will be on hold until we can reauthorize the program. Senator Dorgan has been very helpful in this matter, as has Senator Byrd, Senator Gramm, Senator Warner--many of us want the highway bill up now. Our basic point is let's just bring it up now while we have the time. Otherwise we are going to be caught in a situation where delay upon delay means the ISTEA bill is not reauthorized until September or October. So I close by asking the majority leader to again look at the consequences of delaying the highway bill and to reconsider his decision, because this is a very, very serious matter and I hope we can find a way to avoid these kinds of disruptions. I am willing to work with the leadership, with Senators Chafee and Warner, and other members to accomplish that objective. I yield the floor.”