[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 40 (Wednesday, April 1, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H1857]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    BESTEA WILL CREATE JOBS, KEEP NATION COMPETITIVE, AND SAVE LIVES

  (Mr. LaTOURETTE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, over 40 years ago, President Eisenhower 
made a deal with the American public. If folks would pay gasoline taxes 
when they bought gas, the government would build and maintain highways 
so that they could travel to work, so that we could maintain our 
position in the world and move goods to market, and so that Americans 
could travel with their families on safe transportation systems.
  Sadly, during the 1960s, when the unified budget was used to hide the 
cost of the Vietnam conflict, the trust fund, and I want to emphasize 
the word ``trust'' fund, was used to mask the size of that 
overspending. Since that time, we have failed to keep faith with the 
Americans who pay the tax with the expectation that we will keep that 
deal made so long ago.
  Today, we have the opportunity to keep the contract with the American 
public by passing BESTEA. BESTEA will create jobs, it will keep our 
Nation competitive, and it will save lives.
  Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, there is criticism in some quarters that 
BESTEA falls outside the budget deal of last year. The Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure has worked hard to make sure that 
BESTEA not only comes within those budget caps but also restores truth 
in budgeting. It says that the Highway Trust Fund is a contract with 
the American people, and today we in this House must force Washington 
to keep its end of the bargain.

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