[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 16 (Monday, February 10, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E197]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  LEGISLATION TO MOVE THE 4.3-CENT GAS TAX INTO THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND

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                        HON. STEVE C. LaTOURETTE

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 10, 1997

  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, today I am reintroducing legislation to 
move the 4.3-cent gas tax from the general fund to the highway trust 
fund.
  The 4.3-cent gas tax, which was enacted in 1993, currently pumps an 
estimated $6 billion annually into the general fund. This is wrong, 
plain and simple. Motorists should benefit from a fee which they alone 
must pay.
  While no none enjoys paying gas taxes, many studies have shown that 
Americans are much more willing to pay gas taxes if they are used only 
to make our country's roads and bridges safer. This, unfortunately, has 
not been the case with the most recent 4.3-cent increase. Last 
Congress, when many had talked about repealing the 4.3, I studied the 
various ways to use the funds generated by the gas tax, trying to come 
up with a common-sense, useful proposal.
  My legislation will not add one dime to the deficit, and instead will 
force the Federal Government to be honest with taxpayers and use the 
gas tax for needed infrastructure improvements.
  For example, a recent study found that bridges throughout the State 
are badly deteriorating and in need of repair. At the local level, last 
year we experienced a frustrating and costly detour on Interstate 90 
after the bridge over the Grand River shifted about 2 inches. 
Fortunately, workers from the Ohio Department of Transportation worked 
tirelessly to repair what could have been a perilous situation, and 
tried to minimize the inconvenience to motorists.
  It seems to me that If Government has a function it should be to make 
sure our Nation's roads and bridges are as safe as humanly possible. 
When you put your children in your car, you need to be assured that the 
bridge you travel over won't crumble, drop a few inches or collapse.
  Under my new bill, the 4.3-cent gas tax would be transferred from the 
general fund to the highway trust fund. As a result, $6 billion a year 
would be freed up for infrastructure improvements, and 20 percent of 
those funds would be earmarked for mass transit projects. This will 
come as welcome news for our cities that are struggling to meet the 
increasing demand for mass transit. Also, under this proposal we will 
not have to search for a way to offset the $6 billion a year in lost 
revenues. We will simply be transferring funds from one account to 
another, meaning it will be budget neutral.
  Ohio is not alone when it comes to needing road, bridge and 
infrastructure improvements. Studies show that we should be spending 
$60 billion per year on our highways but are only spending $6 billion. 
This is a national problem, and one that could be greatly eased if we 
simply leveled with the taxpayers and used the gas tax for the purpose 
it was intended.

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