[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16460]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        GAS TAX PRESS CONFERENCE

  (Mr. BLUMENAUER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, 1 year ago today, I introduced the first 
gas tax increase in 21 years. The only thing that has changed in that 
year is that the need is greater and the path forward is even easier. 
Everyone knows that America is falling apart and falling behind while 
gas prices have dropped dramatically.
  I am joined this afternoon by Ronald Reagan who 32 years ago, on 
Thanksgiving, made a powerful radio address, explaining why he more 
than doubled the gas tax--actually, a user fee, he pointed out. The 
same speech could and should be made by President Obama tomorrow.
  I urge you, my colleagues, to join me and Ronald Reagan in fixing the 
bankrupt highway trust fund, increasing the gas tax so we can rebuild 
and renew America and put hundreds of thousands of people to work at 
family-wage jobs all across this great land.
  With the need getting worse and gas prices falling, there will never 
be a better time. All it takes is a little leadership and courage from 
the President and Congress.

                          ____________________