did not support jim oberstar. if they had done so, had even done what i wanted to do, fully fund it and i was opposed then by president george w. bush, if he was in fact, mr. oberstar had the opportunity, with the senate being in control of the president's party, and the house being in the control of the president's party, we would not be here today. we would have infrastructure bar none. we wouldn't be discussing what we're doing today. this measure today is a short stop measure but this congress has to wake up and the president should have woke up then when he had control to pass legislation for the infrastructure of this country. when we get accused on this side of not doing anything, making a short stop measure, go back in history this president has failed to recognize the importance and for those interest groups, they should have been on it at that time and supported mr. oberstar. so mr. speaker, i say respectfully, this is a two-way street. that we have to understand this is a really important piece of legisl

under the chairmanship of bud shuster and ranking member jim oberstar, i was happy to play a small role. a difference. if we approve this rule and this underlying bill, this congress is giving itself a ticket out of town to adjourn and pass not onto the next congress but the congress after that. make no mistake, may, 2015, you're not going to be in any different place. it will be may, 2017. congress has legitimate policy differences. i appreciate my friend from new jersey. some people think that -- that the federal government should get out of the partnership that we had and reduce or eliminate the federal gas tax. they're willing to give up on the successful partnership and let each state decide what to do, when it wants to do or what they're able or not and abandon all sense of a national vision and the ability to shape transportation policies. that is rejected by the mayors, rejected by county commissioners, rejected by state transportation officials. they want that partnership. frankly there are some people who feel the gas tax ought to be adjusted to deal with inflation and increas