Bob Kerrey: “Expressed another way, $23 billion could fund nearly all of the Highway Trust Fund--$25.2 billion in 2002--or all of…”

“Expressed another way, $23 billion could fund nearly all of the Highway Trust Fund--$25.2 billion in 2002--or all of NIH-- $14.294 billion in 2002--and all of EPA--$7.398 billion in 2002. Mr. President, if we are making a mistake, we ought to correct it. Surely if it was almost universally believed that we were understating the cost-of-living, we would have already taken care of that problem. Although the time for making this change this year appears to have passed, I hope that the distinguished chairman and ranking member of the Finance Committee will continue their fine work to see that we correct this error sooner, rather than later.”