Political Quotes

“I rise in support of H.R. 3694, the Highway Funding Restoration Act and I want to thank Chairman Young, Ranking Member Oberstar and my other colleagues from the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for their leadership on this important bill. The President's proposed 2003 Budget cuts federal-aid highway funding in my state of Tennessee by over $158 million. The loss of these funds will result in the layoffs of thousands of hardworking Tennesseans--approximately 6,000 lost jobs--as the state cuts back on bidding out projects at a time when we should be creating jobs, not eliminating them. This unprecedented cut will put the brakes on highway improvement projects not just in Tennessee, but throughout the country. After September 11th, we need to ensure adequate mobility for our national defense. The cuts offered by the President won't help our mobility and, in fact, stand to increase congestion and safety hazards for the motoring public. The state aid formula in TEA-21 was meant to establish a floor, not a ceiling, and the President is giving states the minimum at a time when the economy cries out for more investment in our transportation infrastructure. That is why we must rally to enact the Highway Funding Restoration Act and restore $4.4 billion for our highways. Of this amount, this measure would restore $92 million or approximately 58% of Tennessee's lost highway funds.”