[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 10] [Senate] [Page 13978] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]UNANIMOUS-CONSENT REQUEST--H.R. 6327 Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the consideration of H.R. 6327--this matter was received from the House earlier further, that a Baucus substitute amendment at the desk which is a 3-month FAA extension and a highway trust fund fix be agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read a third time and passed; and the motions to reconsider be laid on the table with no intervening action or debate. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection? Mr. DeMINT. Reserving the right to object. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from South Carolina is recognized. Mr. DeMINT. I am very supportive of the aviation bill. I do think it is inappropriate to add $8 billion of unrelated spending without debate or amendment, so I regretfully have to object. The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Objection is heard. Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am wondering while my friend is on the floor, the highway trust fund, according to the States, is upside down. There is not enough money in it. With the construction season upon us for renovation and repair of streets, highways, and bridges, I say to my friend: Would any smaller amount of money be satisfactory, say, $6 billion? Mr. DeMINT. Mr. President, I appreciate the question from the leader. I think again it is inappropriate to make a decision on whether it is $6 billion or whatever the figure is. Only a couple of months ago we were all here on a technical correction bill. We had the opportunity to take a lot of money that was saved from projects that were not needed. We talked at the time on this floor about the fact that the trust fund was short. But instead of taking that savings and putting it back in the trust fund, we used it to add additional earmarks and to put more money into projects that were there. So there has been no intent by this body to try to look at the problem with the trust fund. Certainly it is something we need to deal with but not as part of the aviation bill. Mr. REID. Mr. President, I am disappointed but not nearly as disappointed as 50 Governors. This is a situation where the highways of this country are in desperate need of repair and construction. With the economy faltering, as it is, and the housing market stumbling, this would be a tremendous help. For the $6 billion, it would create about 300,000 jobs--300 thousand. For every billion dollars we spend, it creates about 47,500 high-paying jobs. The spinoff from those jobs is significant. This would be vitally important to give our economy a little shot in the arm. So I am disappointed my friend has objected. We are going to have to continue to work to try to replenish that trust fund. The trust fund is not adequately funded because of the fact that people are not traveling as much. They are not buying enough fuel at least to fill the trust fund. The price of gasoline, when President Bush took office, was $1.46, $1.47. Now it is an average of about $4.12 a gallon. We have real problems around the country. When gas was at $1.47, the same tax came into the coffers to fill this fund. So it is an issue, and I would say to my friend, the technical corrections bill was just that, it was to take care of other things that were essentially needed at that time. ____________________