[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 106 (Thursday, July 9, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S4929]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          6-YEAR HIGHWAY BILL

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, next week I hear Senator McConnell may be 
coming forward with a highway bill. I pray it is a 6-year bill. 
Republicans and Democrats voted one out of the EPW Committee--I am 
proud to say not one dissenting vote--a 6-year robust bill.
  I hope we will fund it in a way that doesn't cut other jobs, while we 
are trying to create jobs in the transportation industry, but in fact 
looks at international tax reform, where we can actually help our 
businesses and have a tax system that is reformed. The funds that come 
in to us go to the highway trust fund so we can take care of those 
bridges that are falling done and insufficient--60,000 of them--the 
highways that need help, and the roads, 50 percent of which are in 
disrepair. We need help.
  Our businesses need that help. They call for that help. They are the 
concrete people, the granite people. They are the general contractors, 
they are the engineers, our workers, and the construction workers. We 
still have 200,000 of them out of work since the great recession.
  We need a 6-year highway bill. We need it now. We need it funded in a 
smart way that helps our economy keep on growing. So there is a lot of 
work ahead.
  I wish to take this opportunity to say thank you to Senator Alexander 
and Senator Murray--and a hopeful request to Senator McConnell that the 
bill that comes to the floor on the highways is one which we can all 
embrace, and we can take care of this great Nation because, I will tell 
you, there isn't a great nation on Earth that doesn't have an 
infrastructure to match.
  You have to move goods, you have to move people, and if you can't do 
that, we simply can't keep up in this global economy.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. UDALL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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