Political Quotes

“Mr. LaHOOD. Mr. Chairman, I would make the comment to the distinguished chairman of the Budget Committee and others who have been promoting a balanced budget that if we take these off-budget and use them for their purpose, we would actually be saving money, that we would not be spending in excess. That would answer their question. But I rise in strong support of this. I commend the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Shuster], the chairman, and the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Oberstar] for the leadership that they have exhibited over the last several months and years, I would add. This bill is a product of their tremendous efforts to restore fairness and accountability and we must have accountability in the transportation budgeting. In 1994 in my home State of Illinois, the gas tax amounted to $663 million. It is imperative that these trust funds be used for essential improvements and repairs to our infrastructure. Mr. Chairman, it is time that our highways and airports receive the funding they deserve and this can only be done by moving the trust funds off-budget. Keeping the trust funds as part of the unified budget has had a severe impact on my home State of Illinois and the other States in the country. I urge my colleagues to support honesty and fairness in the budgeting process and support this bill.”