Political Quotes

“Mr. President, first, I appreciate the comments made by the Senator from South Dakota, emphasizing what can't be done on short terms. I think we have been talking about that all morning. Last week, 100 mayors from across the Nation wrote to the Senate leaders urging for a long-term transportation bill. They said, ``If the status quo continues, deficient transportation infrastructure will cost American businesses $430 billion by 2020.'' Then there are the 31 construction and transportation groups that sent a harsh reminder to Congress that ``past extensions have not led to a lasting solution to the Highway Trust Fund's repeated revenue shortfalls.'' I remember because I have been around here for a while, and I have been through six of these transportation reauthorization bills. In the interim, we always end up with short-term extensions. People don't realize we can't do major projects with short-term extensions. Now, I hear the argument sometimes that in this one we have a 6-year bill, but we are paying for only 3 years. That is fine. Make the argument. But there is something unique in the transportation system, which is that in the event we get through halfway--even though it is a 6-year bill--and the funds are not available to the existing shortages of what we have added, then all projects stop. Not a penny can be spent. This isn't true anyplace else in our government, and I think people have to realize that if we are going to do it.…”