Political Quotes

“Senator McCain's amendment would take away from States over $1.7 billion in funds provided through the ISTEA legislation and another $488 million which has been provided to States through annual appropriations. The $1.7 billion proposed for rescission is not within the jurisdiction of the Appropriations Committee. These are funds provided over the life of the ISTEA legislation for specific projects in all 50 States. Senator McCain's amendment would pull the rug out from the States that have been planning to use this money this year or in the near future. In many cases, States have conducted the necessary environmental impact statements, site planning preparation, and preliminary engineering studies, and are ready to go to construction. In other words, States have in many cases invested a significant amount of either their own resources or Federal resources to be ready to obligate the highway construction dollars. Many of the projects that would lose money on the McCain amendment were planning to go to construction as early as the upcoming spring construction season. To withdraw this money at this time would not only be disruptive to a State's construction plans but would waste the resources already invested in these projects. States cannot immediately go to construction when they receive Federal dollars for a project.”