Jeff Bingaman: “Mr. President, I do believe it is time Congress took action to improve the safety of cars and trucks on these important…”

“Mr. President, I do believe it is time Congress took action to improve the safety of cars and trucks on these important two-lanes roads. This year, I secured $1 million in federal funding to begin the upgrade of US64/87 between Clayton and Raton, which is part of the Ports-to-Plains High Priority Corridor on the National Highway System. In addition, Senator Roberts and I have introduced legislation to designate US Highway 54 from El Paso, Texas, through New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma to Wichita, Kansas as the SPIRIT High Priority Corridor. Our bipartisan bill has three cosponsors. A high-priority corridor designation provides no additional federal funding, but helps focus attention on the need to upgrade the nation's major two-lanes routes. The sponsors of the bill have joined me in urging the Environment and Public Works Committee to act promptly on our bill. Mr. President, the purpose of the bill I am introducing today, the Rural Four-Lane Highway Safety and Development Act of 2002, is to provide direct federal funding to states to upgrade existing two-lane roads in rural areas to safe and efficient four-lane divided highways.”