Nick Lampson: “as the only Houston area member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I am pleased to have played…”

“as the only Houston area member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I am pleased to have played a role in moving the BESTEA out of committee and to this floor. I applaud the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) and the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) for the fine work that the big four produced. BESTEA sets funding formulas to determine percentages for States to receive Federal Highway Trust Fund monies. Texas, for the past 6 years, has received only 77 cents for every dollar we pay into the trust fund. Our needs are too great to give our dollars to other States. This new legislation will make a significant increase in Texas' share of highway funds and bring us closer to equity. For over two decades, Congress and the White House have used unobligated funds in the four transportation trust funds to make the Federal deficit look smaller. It is a sham that has kept billions of dollars locked up in Treasury notes that should be in our economy matching local and State transportation dollars continuing the process of building this country. There are plenty of uses for any funds that we can secure. I also do not need to tell this House how important improving infrastructure is to promoting economic growth. Over the last 6 years, this Nation has dedicated $155 billion to its transportation infrastructure.”