Don Nickles: “I also want to make a comment concerning Senator Bond, and the outstanding work he has done in the Environment and…”

“I also want to make a comment concerning Senator Bond, and the outstanding work he has done in the Environment and Public Works Committee to pass the highway bill. We need to pass one this year. The Senator from Missouri has been working with Senator Baucus and others in a bipartisan fashion, and I believe it has unanimous support in the Environment and Public Works Committee to pass a reauthorization bill, or at least passing an extension for 6 months to allow the States to continue contracting. They came up with a way that said, ``Well, we are not going to have one side win on the formula issue, or another side.'' I think it is a good compromise until we pass a 6-year bill, which we tried to do. I might mention that we had four cloture votes on whether or not we would take up the highway bill, and it was basically filibustered because people wanted to add campaign reform and unrelated issues. That is unfortunate. That is history. Now we have to move on. We only have a few days to do it. I compliment my colleague from Missouri, and others who have worked with him, and I urge our House colleagues to work together with us to make sure we get this passed. Let's pass this before we leave. I think it is vitally important to the highway programs in every single State in the Nation.”