Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, the Truth in Budgeting Act is nothing more than an act of keeping faith with the American people. It allows the transportation trust funds to do what they were originally intended to do. The fact that we have to debate and vote on this bill is--I think--an admission that Congress has in recent years deceived the American taxpayer. When past Congresses first created these trust funds, several promises were made that were reflected in the original statutes. One was that Federal excise tax receipts would be dedicated to building and maintaining these transportation assets and that these activities would be self-sustaining. Another was that no general fund revenues would be used to support these programs. And a third was that activities funded by the trust funds could not run a deficit. During the intervening years, these promises have been abrogated. Now trust funds are constrained--they're prevented from spending out at the same rate they take in revenues. And that is simply wrong. We have been practicing a grand scheme of deceit with the users of highways, airports, and inland waterways--meaning virtually everyone. And believe me, there has been a price paid for this deceit: congestion, pollution, and higher costs for goods and services.”