[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 14]
[House]
[Page 19016]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         TRANSPORTATION BILL: ITEMS ARE LARGER THAN THEY APPEAR

  (Mr. FLAKE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, this bill that we consider today, the 
transportation bill, ought to carry the same warning that drivers see 
on their rear view mirror: Items are larger than they appear.
  This bill contains a rescission on the last day authorized by the 
bill several years hence which rescinds about $9 billion. It is a 
gimmick. It is nothing more than a gimmick to allow us to spend more 
than the President said we need to or he would veto the bill.
  Mr. President, please veto this bill. We are out of control here on 
spending. And this bill goes far over the mark that you have laid out.
  It also bothers a lot of us Republicans to hear it described as a 
``jobs bill.'' We are hearing jobs, jobs, jobs. We are not all 
Keynesians here. We do not believe that taking money out of taxpayers' 
pockets is the best way to create jobs. The best way is to leave it 
with them.
  Mr. Speaker, we ought to have a transportation bill that reflects 
what is in the trust fund--nothing more. And it ought to be distributed 
in a way that does not include 6,000 earmarks.

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