[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 53 (Thursday, May 5, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 5, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                         SCRAP METRIC MANDATES

  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, the importance of my remarks may not 
parallel the importance of discussing 50-cent fees for elevator rides 
in the Senate, but let me change the subject for a few minutes.
  Yesterday, I introduced in the Senate a piece of legislation, dealing 
with the metric system, I wanted to call to my colleagues' attention.
  I have coauthored legislation with my colleague from New Mexico, 
Senator Domenici, on the issue of mandates. Our piece of legislation is 
called the Fair Act. We, like many of our colleagues, would like to see 
fewer unfunded mandates imposed by the U.S. Congress upon American 
business, citizens, and State and local governments. That is a separate 
piece of legislation.
  One of the mandates comes from a law passed in the 1970's called the 
Metric Conversion Act which, while having some merit, in my judgment, 
does not have merit as a mandate. I do not object to this country 
moving toward and learning more about the metric system. I do object to 
a provision that would require State and local governments to tear down 
highway signs that tell us how many miles it is to the next rest stop 
and replace it with a sign that says how many kilometers it is to the 
next rest stop.
  I have served in public life, both in the U.S. House and in the U.S. 
Senate, for a good number of years. I have never had a constituent of 
mine come to me and say, ``One of our problems is our highway signs. We 
drive down the road and come to a sign and it says 12 miles to the next 
truck stop. We want that taken down and we want a new sign put up that 
says 20 kilometers to the truck stop.''
  It is not something I have ever heard a constituent request.
  In my State, it is estimated it would cost somewhere between $2 
million and $4 million in 1996 to take down our highway signs and get 
rid of miles and put up kilometers.
  Our colleague, Senator Kassebaum, has introduced a piece of 
legislation relating to this issue as well. The piece of legislation I 
have introduced goes further and relates to all mandates that would 
come from the metric system, not just the highway program.
  But it seems to me especially absurd, at a time when we have a crying 
need for resources to fund very important programs that would help 
people, that we would begin an approach in which we take down signs on 
our highways using the English system of measurement and replace it 
with the metric system.
  The market system, it seems to me, ought to be the guide in where we 
use the metric system. If it is important in commerce and international 
commerce, especially, to use the metric system, let the market system 
convert to that. In fact, it already is doing that in a number of 
cases.
  It is interesting, in some countries they are converting to our 
system of weights and measures in order to ship their goods to our 
country for sale in our marketplaces.
  So I hope that some of my colleagues would agree with me that we 
ought not have mandates to apply to the metric conversion.
  Yes, let us understand and learn about the metric system, but we do 
not need to mandate it. We do not need to spend money on absurdities 
such as change highway signs at a time when we are desperately short of 
money.
  The prospect of going in and ordering a quarter pounder at a 
hamburger shop and instead referring to it as a 113-gramer with cheese 
is not a prospect I will probably ever get used to, nor will most of 
the American people.
  We do use a system in this country that is a good system of weights 
and measures. The metric system is more international in scope. I 
respect and understand that. But it seems to me, especially for things 
such as highway signs, we ought not spend taxpayers' money to convert 
to kilometers in 1996.
  I hope my colleagues will consider supporting my bill which will 
scrap metric mandates.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  Mr. BUMPERS addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arkansas is recognized.

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