[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 58 (Wednesday, May 7, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H2260]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            HIGHWAY FUNDING

  (Mr. HUTCHINSON asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. HUTCHINSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to talk about the fairness in the 
way that we distribute our highway trust funds in America. The State of 
Arkansas is geographically centered in the heart of America. As this 
country expands its trade with our neighbors to the north and to the 
south, we will need to have adequate highways in order to accommodate 
this trade and to build vital arteries to connect us with the rest of 
the Nation.
  More important than building a network for commerce, it is important 
that we have safe highways upon which Arkansas families can drive. 
There is a 43-mile strip of mountainous highway in my district that has 
in itself accounted for more than 1,500 automobile accidents in the 
last 9 years. It has been called one of the most dangerous roads in the 
Nation.
  Clearly it is time that Arkansas taxpayers receive their fair share 
of highway funding. We are part of that group called ``donor States,'' 
meaning that we pay more in highway taxes than we receive back. 
Arkansas is 16th in the Nation for the number of interstate highway 
miles. It places 41st in the amount of highway funding it receives.
  I understand that we need a national highway network, but the step 21 
proposal that I support provides a more equitable and fair distribution 
in the way we distribute our highway funds. For that reason, I am the 
100th Member to support it and I ask for everyone to join with me in 
that.

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