Political Quotes

“Madam President, I wish to speak for a moment in regard to amendment No. 739, which is Senator McCain's amendment. Senator McCain has been very careful with this amendment, to make sure, in terms of enhancements, that he excluded those things that were most important to a lot of people in this country in terms of alternate transportation. This amendment, which limits the expenditures, mandatory expenditures on enhancements of the Highway Trust Fund money, does not include--in other words, it would not prohibit funding for bicycle paths, or pedestrian and bicycle facilities, pedestrian and bicycle safety, and education activities, the conversion of abandoned railway corridors to trails, for either trails or bicycle paths. It would not prohibit funding for environmental mitigation of highway runoff pollution, reduce vehicle-caused wildlife mortality, maintain habitat connectivity, and it would not prevent funding for the acquisition of scenic easements and scenic or historic sites. I think Senator Cardin might have related something other than that. I wanted to clarify that for my colleague who cannot be here. What a lot of Americans do not realize is that we have several hundred thousand bridges in our country that are substandard, in disrepair, or are at great risk for those who travel over them.…”