Political Quotes

“one of our top priorities will be the surface transportation reauthorization bill. Our EPW Committee has already kicked off bipartisan efforts to meet our Nation's transportation needs. Every State needs the certainty of a long-term reauthorization plan to complete projects. Paying for infrastructure is a difficult challenge. A status quo reauthorization bill would require at least $70 billion in new funding for the highway trust fund, which we all know falls short, and we all want to make sure that we make robust investments in our roads and bridges. The bill on the floor provides $350 billion to State and local on top of the $150 billion that was provided in the CARES Act. This motion instructs the Finance Committee to divert some of that $350 billion to, instead, help pay forward for a bipartisan surface transportation reauthorization bill. Funds would still go to our States and localities, but the dollars would be better spent on road and bridge projects that create a safer and more efficient transportation system. I urge my colleagues to support the motion to commit. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oregon.”