George Voinovich: “I think one of the significant things about this proposal is the number of people who are opposed to it. The AAA--a very…”

“I think one of the significant things about this proposal is the number of people who are opposed to it. The AAA--a very respected organization in this country which represents the folks who drive on America's highways--with the high gas price, you would think they would be saying reduce the tax, or, get rid of the tax. But the AAA is saying: No, we don't want you to reduce the tax. We know it is not going to make a lot of difference in terms of the price, and we are more concerned about having highways that are safe and well-maintained and that are repaired. They are more interested in seeing new construction projects undertaken. Last but not least, I want to correct something that was said on the floor. The Senator from Nevada indicated that Governor Bush supports the repeal of the 4.3-cent gas tax. I talked with Governor Bush yesterday or the day before. He clearly said he did not support--how did he put it? I want to be very careful about how I say this--he is not in favor of reducing the 4.3-cent gas tax. That is what he said, and it was spoken as the Governor of the State of Texas who understands how important highways are. I also point out that the National Governors' Association has said they are opposed to this proposal. The National Association of Counties, the National Council of State Legislators, all of the people who have been dealing with highways and the users are saying this is not going to make a real difference. Let's get on with dealing with this problem.”