Nick Rahall: “I rise in support of H.R. 856, legislation which would provide a framework by which the people of Puerto Rico may…”

“I rise in support of H.R. 856, legislation which would provide a framework by which the people of Puerto Rico may determine their political status. Today, the people of Puerto Rico are the beneficiaries of federal highway dollars even though they do not pay any federal motor fuel taxes into the Highway Trust Fund. On the surface, that may appear to be a good deal of Puerto Rico and a bad deal for the rest of the country. Yet, our contribution to the highway infrastructure of the island is relatively small. Indeed, over the six-year life of ISTEA, starting with 1992 and ending with 1997, Puerto Rico received $492 million in federal highway dollars. It is interesting to note that with a population of about 3.8 million people, Puerto Rico received considerably less than Hawaii, a State with similar characteristics in terms of the factors used to apportion federal highway dollars to the States.”