[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 13387]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            THE HIGHWAY BILL

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, many thought we would never get here, 
but we have. Later today, the Senate will pass a multiyear highway bill 
that does not raise taxes by a penny, and we will do it on a broad 
bipartisan basis. This is more than just another accomplishment for the 
Senate. It is a win for our country because the bill would cut redtape 
and streamline regulations, it would modernize infrastructure and 
advance research and innovation, it would enact new transparency 
measures to empower Americans to see how much of their tax money is 
actually being spent, and because it is a multiyear bill it would give 
States, cities, and towns the certainty they need to better plan road 
and bridge projects well into the future.
  The multiyear nature of this legislation is one of its most critical 
components. It is also something the House and Senate are not united 
on. We all want the House to have the space it needs to develop its own 
bill because we all want to work out the best possible legislation for 
the American people in conference later this year. So we will take up a 
measure this afternoon to give them that space, while also delivering 
important relief to veterans.
  The bill will extend a helping hand to heroes who need it by covering 
unfunded requirements the administration failed to budget for. I hope 
we will rally in support of veterans when that measure is considered, 
just as we continue to rally in support of a multiyear bipartisan and 
fiscally responsible highway bill we will pass today.
  Some never thought this day would come, but thanks to the enduring 
dedication of Senators on both sides of the aisle--in particular, 
Senator Inhofe, Senator Boxer, as well as Senator Thune, Senator 
Nelson, and Senator Hatch--it is here.

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