Kent Conrad

It is, I think, patently unfair to people who have all of their income exposed to taxation at whatever level of income, to have some who are avoiding everything that they owe through these kinds of tax dodges.

Senator Conrad, the disparity between taxes on capital income and taxes on wages has grown larger and larger.

The biggest threat to our national security is our national debt.

When we talk about there being $78 billion in savings here on a net basis, you know, it is from an inflated baseline.

We are hurdling toward it. That is one thing we know with certainty.

I came here today simply to ask you to act. I know these cuts are politically difficult, but this is not a decision we can postpone.

I argued strenuously for a VAT tax or a consumption tax in whatever form to be part of the package.

This growth is real today.

We cannot simply tax our way out of this problem.

That is a formula for failure.

That is not a realistic world.

It is important that the Federal Government maintain its responsible share in dealing with the transit costs.

The stimulus worked.

These highway funding initiatives, bridge funding initiatives, transit funding initiatives create jobs.

It is so important to the country that people of your quality and your character are willing to serve in these positions.

I am concerned continually, Mr. Secretary, about the process taking too long.

But that is 19th century tax policy and energy policy at a time when we need to focus on the 21st.

We are now in a situation where by putting $2 billion into advanced battery innovation and manufacturing--$2 billion in this country--we have unleashed billions of dollars.

We have a town that is about to be flooded on the west end of the lake, the little town of Minnewaukan.

This Senator is going to continue to fight for adequate infrastructure financing for all the modes of transportation.

Transit saves us highways and highway maintenance dollars and allows us to have a way that we can bring our communities together.

I just really want to urge you to continue aggressively on the transit funding.

I want to thank you for your support and the President's support of an idea I put out last year to take up to $7,500 tax credit for consumers to buy these new vehicles.

The American people expect fact-based budgeting that produces more energy, not locking it up.

Just because you call something an investment does not make it so, certainly not a good investment.