Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, I basically wanted to stand and commend and congratulate our chairman of the subcommittee, who faced a number of challenges, as well as the ranking member, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Sabo). This is a comprehensive bill that moves forward the transportation needs of this Nation in a very positive way, connecting road, rail and air. They faced a great many challenges. I come from a State that has huge transportation infrastructure needs. For example, in the New Start program, they faced the challenge that the Federal Transit Administration account has been drawn down to dangerously low levels in the New Start program, and there are a number of programs that need funding. We were able to secure some funding for the New York City area, which has huge and substantial needs. In addition to that, as my colleague, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Rothman), pointed out, this bill moves forward in a very positive way. I think it is the first tangible way that any level of government began to look at the use of Stewart Airport as one of the four major airports in the New York metropolitan area. And this is not a Northeast regional issue or problem, it is a national problem, because 30 percent of all delays in air travel come out of that region. If we are able, through the commission of a study in this bill, to find a way to ease that problem, it will have an effect nationally.”