[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 162 (Wednesday, October 24, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2229]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE AMERICAN HIGHWAY USERS ALLIANCE ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 
                            75TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 24, 2007

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res 772, 
to recognize the American Highway Users Alliance on the occasion of its 
75th anniversary.
  Our Nation's roadways truly are the lifeblood of our economy and an 
integral part of our everyday lives. Our highway system unites 
Americans from every state and allows us to explore the diverse 
culture, geography, and attractions that America has to offer. Highways 
are critical to the mobility of our Nation by enabling the extensive 
movement of goods and people. Our highways make it possible for 
Americans to take more than 660 million trips to visit friends and 
family every year, and more than 110 million Americans use the highways 
to commute to and from work. People will travel three trillion miles on 
our Nation's roads this year. Without our national highway system, 
America would be a far different place.
  The need to connect America with a system of interstate highways was 
obvious to President George Washington in the first year after our 
Nation was founded. While traveling to the Ohio country on horseback, 
Washington observed the isolation and vulnerability caused by a lack of 
interstate mobility. He also saw the economic impact that an interstate 
road would have for the viability and survival of the new Nation, and 
called for the development of a trans-Appalachian road to unify the 
young Nation. That route was authorized by Congress in 1806, and the 
``National Road'' (later known as U.S. Route 40) became the first 
federally funded road in U.S. history.
  A young Dwight Eisenhower came to a similar conclusion while 
accompanying an Army convoy from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco in 
1919. Eisenhower found that the state of America's transportation 
system was deficient. Years later, as the Supreme Allied Commander in 
the Second World War, Eisenhower was impressed by the ability of the 
autobahns to move military material rapidly across Germany. As 
President, Eisenhower would sign into law the Federal-Aid Highway Act 
of 1956 which authorized the Interstate Highway System and established 
the Highway Trust Fund. The American Highway Users Alliance was 
instrumental to the passage of this landmark transportation 
legislation.
  Founded in 1932, the American Highway Users Alliance has been a 
persistent and outspoken proponent for our Nation's highway. Known as 
the ``Highway Users'', the alliance has voiced the interests of 
motorists and businesses on major national highway and traffic safety 
legislation over the past 75 years. The Highway Users has worked 
tirelessly to protect the integrity of the Highway Trust Fund and State 
highway trust funds.
  Madam Speaker, the Highway Users has been a consistent advocate in 
favor of strengthening the national highway network by promoting a 
strong Federal role in mobility and safety and by advocating policies 
that benefit all highway users.
  For these and other contributions to the daily lives, the economic 
well-being, and the health and safety of the traveling public, I rise 
to recognize the outstanding achievements of the American Highway Users 
Alliance and its sustained contribution in service to our Nation, and 
to recognize the Alliance's 75th anniversary.

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