On the recordJuly 14, 2010
This is what is exciting to me. Today, Senators Boxer, Inhofe, Baucus, and our staffs are working full time--and a lot of colleagues don't understand what is going on now--to get a bill done this year on a bipartisan basis. Two Democrats and two Republicans are working together. This is real stuff, OK, not something that the leader will have to deal with in his office in terms of climate change and other things that we have been talking about. The good news is that the House of Representatives has been working on reauthorization for 2 rac{1}{2} years, and the House bill has been voted out of subcommittee. The bill is ready to be preconferenced as soon as we get our work done. Unfortunately--and here is the thing I am concerned about--we are still waiting to hear from the White House on their priorities. I recently met with Secretary Ray LaHood, and he indicated that we will be hearing from the administration soon. But the fact is the person we need to hear from is President Barack Obama. That is who we need to hear from. He is out on the stump talking about creating jobs. Here is an unbelievable opportunity--a way to create real jobs and not borrow the money from our kids and grandkids to pay for it. On occasion, the President has said he is opposed to any tax, including a gas tax, on the 'middle class.' I point out that the Kerry-Lieberman bill, which he supports, includes an increase in the gas tax of between 20 and 60 cents higher per gallon. That doesn't make sense.…
