Jim Inhofe: “on Friday, the leader filed a cloture motion on the motion to proceed to H.R. 3, the highway bill. I believe the cloture…”

“on Friday, the leader filed a cloture motion on the motion to proceed to H.R. 3, the highway bill. I believe the cloture vote has been scheduled for tomorrow at 11:45 am. I strongly urge all of my colleagues to vote yes. The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, TEA-21, expired on September 30, 2003, nearly 19 months ago. Yet we are still attempting to get a bill done. The Federal-aid program has been operating under a number of short-term extensions--a total of six to date. We need to get this done. The vote on Tuesday on cloture is critical. If we cannot proceed to this bill, we will miss yet another deadline and our States will continue to pay the price. The current May 31 expiration date for the highway, transit and safety programs is fast approaching. The House bill, H.R. 3, has some very significant differences from S. 732 the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2005, SAFETEA, the bill reported out by the Environment and Public Works Committee on March 16. We will need as much time as possible to work out a compromise. Although we may not all be in perfect agreement here on the Senate floor on each and every provision of S. 732, one thing I believe we are all in agreement on is that we need to get this done. In addition to conversations with colleagues, I have visited with community leaders and outside interest groups and the message is clear . . . get the bill done.…”