[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 24, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1109-E1110]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                ``CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA BLASTS CLINTON''

                                 ______


                            HON. BUD SHUSTER

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 23, 1995
  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, last week, spokesmen from the Clinton 
administration took aim at the supposed pork in highway projects. But, 
as with other matters, they had a hard time with the truth. First, they 
confused the House rescissions bill with the historic 1991 Intermodal 
Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 [ISTEA], a stunning error 
made by the former Budget Committee Chairman, Leon Panetta.
  Then, they criticized 10 projects in my district as wasteful, 
claiming that the money would be better spent on building schools and 
training teachers. Wrong again. These projects are extremely 
worthwhile. Moreover, they are funded with transportation trust fund 
dollars, which by law cannot be spent on anything but highway 
construction and improvements.
  The largest newspaper from my Ninth District of Pennsylvania, the 
Altoona Mirror, instantly and eloquently spoke up on this matter, with 
the following superb editorial:
                         Route 220 Is Not Pork

       President Clinton is off-base in attacking highway projects 
     in central Pennsylvania and especially in trying to label the 
     completion of new route 220 as a pork project.
       Few projects are as important to the economic health of 
     central Pennsylvania and the safety of motorists than 
     completing
      the limited-access highway link between Bald Eagle and 
     interstate 80. Our region has already seen some benefits 
     from the new highway between Bedford and Tyrone. Now we 
     need the rest of the link to the State college/I-80 area.
       Companies are locating in the Bedford, Blair, and Centre 
     counties region because they know that new route 220 will 
     give them easy access to the Pennsylvania turnpike and points 
     south and to interstate 80 and the northern tier of States, 
     including the metropolitan New York market.
       It is unbelievable that our president could perceive such a 
     vital link as a pork project. He accused Republicans in 
     Congress of ``caring more about pork than people.''
       Well, Mr. President, the northern leg of route 220 and the 
     other road projects you attacked are being planned because 
     they are about people, their safety, and their jobs. The 
     other projects criticized by Clinton were the route 22 bypass 
     of Hollidaysburg, the relocation of route 22 north of 
     Lewistown and a new turning lane on route 36 in Roaring 
     Spring.
       We believe a legitimate need exists for all of these 
     projects in terms of public safety, and we are glad that 
     Representative Bud Shuster is working to bring these road 
     improvements to fruition.
       While we have seen disputes on the exact routing, we 
     believe area residents generally agree that route 22 traffic 
     creates hazards in the Hollidaysburg and Lewistown areas. And 
     anyone who ever has been caught in traffic on route 36 
     doesn't think that a turning lane in Roaring Spring is pork.
       Clinton said Thursday, ``Special interest road projects--
     nine in one congressional district--are not as important as 
     giving our [[Page E1110]] teachers the training they need to 
     make sure our students reach world-class standards in 
     education.''
       Wasn't this the president who came into office preaching 
     about the need to repair America's infrastructure?
       He apparently has forgotten about his promise. He also 
     missed the boat on accuracy.
       Money for the roads that Clinton attacked will come from a 
     trust fund that can only be used for highway construction 
     projects. The trust fund has about $18 billion from special 
     taxes on fuel, tires, and certain weights of trucks.
       The money cannot be used to train teachers or build safe 
     schools, as the administration alleges. If it isn't spent 
     building and repairing highways and bridges, it just sits 
     there doing nothing.
       We urge area residents to tell Clinton that he is wrong in 
     attacking the highway projects in central Pennsylvania and 
     especially route 220, which will have a major impact on our 
     economic future.
       We need the highway link to I-80, and we should challenge 
     anyone, including the president, who claims the road is just 
     an unneeded and unwarranted ``pork'' project.
     

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