[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 67 (Tuesday, May 20, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H2936]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


    SUPPORT BIPARTISAN AMENDMENT TO INCREASE TRANSPORTATION SPENDING

  (Mr. PETRI asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, today's budget vote has unique significance 
to the reauthorization of ISTEA, since it locks in for the next several 
years the amount of transportation spending that we can include in a 
reauthorization bill.
  All Members representing donor States and donee States who have come 
to plead their case before the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure should pay special attention to the budget vote later 
today. Donor States want more equitable highway formulas, and I know 
their frustration, because I come from a donor State. Donee States want 
to protect their current shares.
  Without more funding than is provided in the budget agreement, it 
will be impossible to satisfy all of the States, so both donor and 
donee States should be on notice that they will have to live with the 
ramification of today's budget vote for years to come.
  Support the amendment of the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure which increases funding for ISTEA, does not result in 
any cuts next year, and simply spends new revenues to keep the current 
$24 billion highway trust fund balance stable. The ISTEA 
reauthorization debate begins today. Vote ``yes'' on the Shuster-
Oberstar amendment.

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