Political Quotes

“I intend to talk about transportation, but I must say to my friend who just spoke, there is a more humane and enlightened approach to comprehensive immigration reform that would address the issues he says he is concerned about. Railing against people because of their status when there are 11 million people who are here without documentation, a problem that hardly initiated with this administration, I don't think is helpful. It may rile up one's base, but it doesn't solve problems; and it is not the best of America, especially as we celebrate our Independence Day. The urgency for Congress, Mr. Speaker, to address the shortfall in the highway trust fund grows with every passing day. Road and, eventually, mass transit improvements in every State are at risk of grinding to a halt in a matter of weeks in the heart of the summer construction time. Secretary Foxx notified all States last week that their Federal funding will drop by an average of 28 percent starting next month. In my home State of Virginia, nearly every mode of transportation will be negatively affected. More than half of next year's road and transit projects were supposed to be funded with Federal dollars. If we don't replenish the trust fund, just in Virginia alone, 149 bridge replacements will be put on hold, 175 aging buses and train cars will not be replaced, 44 smaller transit systems will not be able to maintain service, and 350 transportation projects will grind to a halt.…”