CERTAIN PLACES ARE DOING AND OTHERS ARE NOT DOING BASED UPON
           HOW CLOSE THEY ARE TO A FOUR-LANE HIGHWAY. NOW, THAT'S NOT
           UNIQUE TO WEST VIRGINIA BUT IT'S WEST VIRGINIA AT THIS MOMENT
           FOR WHICH I SPEAK, AND THIS SENATOR SPEAKS AND, THEREFORE, I
           FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THAT. IT'S -- IT SUPPLIES JOBS. I
           MEAN, WHY CAN'T WE LOOK AT IT THAT WAY?

           I CAN REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE -- WHEN WE WERE DOING THE -- WHAT
           WE CALL THE TURNPIKE IN WEST VIRGINIA, WHICH WAS MEANT
           ORIGINALLY TO BE A FOUR-LANE HIGHWAY AND ENDED UP TO BE A
           TWO-LANE HIGHWAY, A MYSTERY WHICH HAS SHROUDED THE HISTORY OF
           WEST VIRGINIA FOR MANY YEARS WITH MUCH SPECULATION. BUT THE
           POINT IS THAT IT HAD TO BE MADE INTO A FOUR-LANE HIGHWAY GOING
           THROUGH SOME OF THE WORST, MOST STEEP PART OF THE BEAUTIFUL,
           GORGEOUSLY BEAUTIFUL SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS. AND THAT WAS AN
           ENORMOUS PROJECT. I MEAN, IT'S NOT BUILDING A ROAD. YOU HAVE TO

           -- YOU HAD TO BLD HUGE ABUTMENTS, TOWERING CONCRETE WALLS AS
           YOU CUT INTO THE SIDE OF MOUNTAINS. AND, IN FACT, THERE WAS A
           PERIOD OF TIME WHEN WE WERE -- WE WERE HAVING ON MORE ACCIDENTS
           ON THAT PART OF THE INTERSTATE -- NOW INTERSTATE, THEN TURNPIKE
           -- WELL, TURN TURNPIKE STILL -- THAT PEOPLE WERE LOOKING UP
           WATCHING BULLDOZERS UP ON THE MOUNTAINS. AND THAT'S -- THEN
           THEY'D RUN OFF THE ROAD OR THEY'D RUN INTO SOME OTHER CAR. IT
           WASN'T THEY WERE HAVING ORDINARY DRIVING ACCIDENTS. IT'S THE
           PHENOMENAL ENGINEERING FEAT. IT'S LIKE BUILDING THE PANAMA

           CANAL, TO PUT AN APPALACHIAN CORRIDOR INTERSTATE THROUGH MOST
           PARTS OF WAF WAF. THE CONSTRUCTION JOBS THAT PERTAIN TO THAT
           ARE TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT TO US. THE NATION'S UNEMPLOYMENT IS
           LOW. WEST VIRGINIA'S IS APPROXIMATELY TWICE THE NATION'S
           UNEMPLOYMENT. EVERY JOB IS IMPORTANT TO US. THERE'S NOT A
           SINGLE JOB IN WEST VIRGINIA THAT ANYBODY TAKES FOR GRANTED.
           THERE'S NOT A SINGLE JOB IN WEST VIRGINIA, THE POTENTIAL FOR A
           JOB, THAT PEOPLE DON'T CLAMOR FOR, TROY FOR. TOYOTA RECENTLY
           MOVED SOME OF THEIR PRODUCTION TO WEST VIRGINIA AND THEY'RE
           GOING TO MAKE HALF OF ALL OF THEIR ENGINES IN NORTH AMERICA IN

           CANADA AND WEST VIRGINIA. THEY HAD A NEED FOR 300 WORKERS
           WORKERS. AND THEY GOT -- THEY GOT APPLICATIONS FROM 25,000
           PEOPLE. NOW, WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU?
           OBVIOUSLY SOME WERE FROM OHIO, SOME WERE FROM KENTUCKY, SOME
           PERHAPS FROM VIRGINIA. BUT WE WANT THE WORK. WE WANT THE WORK.
           WE WANT THE ROADS. AND WE WANT THE ROADS SO WE CAN -- THEN WE
           CAN FURTHER CREATE THE JOBS. AND, IN FACT, TO MAKE THE POINT
           POINT, TOYOTA WOULD NOT BE IN WEST VIRGINIA IF IT WERE NOT FOR
           INTERSTATE 64. THEY -- THEY OPENLY DECLARE THEMSELVES TO LOCATE

           THEIR PLANTS CLOSE TO WHERE INTERSTATE 64 IS, WHETHER IT BE
           KENTUCKY, WEST VIRGINIA OR WHEREVER. SO THE ECONOMIC NEED FOR
           TURNING OUR ATTENTION TO THIS REAUTHORIZATION IS JUST BLATANTLY
           SIMPLE AS FAR AS MY CONSTITUENCY WOULD LOOK AT THE SITUATION.
           SO THE STATES SIT NOW BEING UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING, UNABLE TO
           PLAN. WE APPROVE A COUPLE OF JUDGES, WE WORK ON A COUPLE OF
           THINGS, WE HAD A VOTE ON A CLONING BILL THIS MORNING -- IT

           WASN'T CLONING, IT WAS WHAT LEADS UP TO CLONING. BUT, YOU KNOW,
           WE'LL MAYBE HAVE A VOTE THIS AFTERNOON, MAYBE WE WON'T. BUT,
           GOOD GRIEF, THIS STUFF HAS TO BE DONE, MR. PRESIDENT. IT HAS TO
           BE DONE. THIS IS THE PEOPLE'S WILL. WE MADE THEM A PROMISE WITH
           THE SIX-MONTH EXTENSION. AND WE'RE NOT KEEPING THAT PROMISE.
           AND THERE'S NO REASON NOT TO. IT'S A BILL WHICH DOES GOOD. AND,
           AGAIN, THERE MAY BE ARGUMENTS ABOUT THE FORMULA, BUT HOWEVER IT
           COMES OUT, IT'S GOING TO DO EVERY SINGLE STATE AN ENORMOUS

           BENEFIT. AND I WILL HAVE TO SAY THAT OUR STATE WILL BENEFIT
           ENORMOUSLY FROM IT AND NEEDS THAT. WE HAVE NOT FINISHED OUR
           SYSTEM SYSTEM. WE DON'T HAVE THE PROSPERITY THAT WE DESERVE
           FROM WEST VIRGINIA SKH OUR PEOPLE HAVE STRUGGLED FOR FOR --
           WHICH OUR PEOPLE HAVE STRUGGLED FOR FOR 100 YEARS OR MORE. ONLY
           6% OF OUR WORK FORCE IS INVOLVED IN COAL. COAL IS DEMRIN IRK.
           WE NEED TO HAVE MANUFACTURING. WE NEED TO HAVE INTELLECTUAL
           ACTIVITIES, UNIVERSITY ACTIVITIES. WE NEED TO HAVE ALL KINDS OF

           THINGS. WE CAN'T RELEE ON COAL AND STEEL AS MUCH AS WE USED TO.
           -- WE CAN'T RELY ON COAL AND STEEL AS MUCH AS WE USED TO. SO I
           WOULD MAKE THE POINT THAT CORRIDOR "H" HAS TO BE FINISHED. AN
           ABSOLUTELY PEAK REQUIREMENT FOR THE STATE. CORRIDOR "D" NEEDS
           TO BE FINISHED. AS MY COLLEAGUE KNOWS MORE THAN ANYBODY, THOSE
           HAVE BEEN FIN EARNED, BUT THOSE ARE EXPENSIVE MILES, AND THEY
           HAVE BEEN LANGUISHING FOR TWO DECADES OR MORE. AND THAT'S WHAT
           CONNECTS THE WESTERN PART OF OUR STATE WITH OHIO AND THE REST

           OF THE NATION. YOU CAN'T BE -- WVER WF IS ENCLOSED BY ENORMOUS
           STATES -- PENNSYLVANIA, OHIO, KENTUCKY, VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND.
           PEOPLE CAN'T GET OUT OR CAN'T GET IN UNLESS THEY CAN DRIVE OUT
           OR IN OR FLY OUT AND IN, AND THEY CANNOT FLY OUT OR IN EASILY.
           SO THEY'VE GOT TO DRIVE. YOU CAN'T CANOE DOWN THE OHIO RIVER
           AND UP THE LITTLE KANAW. YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE. SO I
           WOULD SIMPLY SAY, IN LENDING MY VERY, VERY STRONG SUPPORT AND
           AS SOMEBODY WHO, AS I SAY, WAS A GOVERNOR FOR EIGHT YEARS AND

           WHO UNDERSTOOD THE MEANING OF THE ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF ALL
           OF THIS, THAT THERE'S NO REASON TO GO ON WITH THIS UNCERTAINTY.
           THERE IS SIMPLY NO EXCUSE. SO I WOULD HOPE AND I WOULD JOIN MY
           SENIOR COLLEAGUE, WHILE PRAISING HIM FOR ALL THAT HE'S DONE IN
           CARRYING THIS FIGHT OVER THE YEARS AND CARRYING IT ALMOST
           SINGLE-HANDEDLY IT WOULD SEEM NOW, URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO JOIN
           WITH SENATOR BYRD, JOIN WITH SENATOR DORGAN, WHO WAS SPEAKING
           EARLIER, AND OTHERS SO THAT WE CAN GET IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION

           OF ISTEA. IT DOES THE NATION GOOD. IT DOES OUR STATE GOOD. IT
           DOES THE PRESIDING OFFICER'S STATE GOOD. AND WE HAVE NO REASON
           AT ALL NOT TO BE DOING THE PEOPLE'S BUSINESS IN THAT RESPECT. I
           THANK MY SENIOR COLLEAGUE, AND I THANK THE PRESIDING OFFICER.
           

           MR. BYRD: MR. PRESIDENT, DOES ANY TIME REMAIN?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: TIME HAS JUST EXPIRED.
           

           MR. BYRD: MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO PROCEED FOR
           THREE MINUTES, AFTER WHICH I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT THE
           DISTINGUISHED SENATOR FROM TEXAS, MR. GRAMM, MAY PROCEED FOR
           NOT TO EXCEED 15 MINUTES. I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER SENATOR SEEKING
           RECOGNITION.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
           

           MR. BYRD: MR. PRESIDENT, I THANK MY DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUE,
           SENATOR ROCKEFELLER ROCKEFELLER, THE FORMER GOVERNOR FROM WEST
           VIRGINIA. SERVED TWO TERMS AS GOVERNOR. I THANK HIM FOR JOINING
           AND URGING THAT THE ISTEA BILL BE CALLED UP AT THIS TIME. AND
           HE MADE THE POINT THAT PARTISANSHIP ISN'T INVOLVED HERE.
           THERE'S NO PARTISANSHIP IN THIS THIS. BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE
           -- THERE ARE SENATORS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE WHO WANT ISTEA
           -- THE ISTEA BILL TO BE CALLED UP. AND THERE ARE SENATORS ON

           BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE WHO ARE SUPPORTING THE AMENDMENT, THE
           BYRD-GRAMM-BAUCUS-WARNER AMENDMENT, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE FOR THE
           MONEYS THAT ARE IN A TRUST FUND, MONEYS THAT THE AMERICAN
           PEOPLE HAVE PAID AT THE GAS TANK, THE 4.3-CENT GAS TAX, FOR
           EXAMPLE, THAT'S DOING NOTHING NOW EXCEPT BUILDING UP SURPLUSES
           IN THE TRUST FUND, THERE ARE SENATORS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE
           AISLE, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS, WHO WANT TO SEE THOSE MONEYS

           THAT ARE SPENT BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE OUT THERE IN THE FORM OF
           GAS TAXES, WANT TO SEE THOSE SPENT FOR HIGHWAYS, TO IMPROVE
           HIGHWAYS AND MASS TRANSIT PROGRAMS. AS OF NOW, THEY'RE JUST
           BUILDING SURPLUSES. THEY'RE NOT BEING SPENT FOR ANYTHING. AND
           THERE ARE THOSE IN THIS SENATE WHO ARE IMPORTING THE
           DISTINGUISHED MAJORITY LEADER NOT TO CALL UP THIS HIGHWAY BILL
           RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY WANT TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE -- AFTER
           THE BUDGET RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED SO THAT THESE MONEYS IN THE
           TRUST FUND CAN BE SPENT FOR SOCIAL PROGRAMS AND SO ON THAT THE

           ADMINISTRATION AND THAT SOME SENATORS, OF COURSE, WANT TO SPEND
           THOSE MONEYS ON. BUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BELIEVE BELIEVE,
           BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN TOLD, THAT THE MONEYS IN THE TRUST FUND
           SHOULD BE SPENT FOR HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENTS AND TRANSIT
           IMPROVEMENTS. SO I HAVEN'T SAID MUCH ON THE WEST VIRGINIA ANGLE
           ON THIS, BUT I INTEND TO. BUT THAT'S WHAT THE AMENDMENT WHICH
           SENATOR GRAMM AND SENATOR BAUCUS AND SENATOR WARNER AND 51

           OTHER -- 50 OTHER SENATORS, MAKING A TOTAL OF 54 SENATORS, ARE
           URGING THAT THAT ISTEA BILL BE BROUGHT UP, ARE URGING THAT THE
           MONEY IN THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND BE SPENT FOR HIGHWAYS, TO
           IMPROVE THE HIGHWAYS. AND TO IMPROVE TRANSIT PROGRAMS. SO THAT
           MONEY IS THERE. AND AS I SAY, THERE ARE SOME ON THE BUDGET
           COMMITTEE -- NOT ALL -- SOME ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE WHO ARE
           IMPORTING THE LEADER, THE MAJORITY LEADER, NOT TO BRING UP

           ISTEA NOW, KEEP IT, WAIT, WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE BUDGET
           RESOLUTION IS BROUGHT UP. THEY -- THOSE PARTICULAR SENATORS, IN
           MY JUDGMENT, DON'T WANT TO SEE THOSE GAS TAX MONEYS SPENT ON
           HIGHWAYS. THEY WANT TO SPEND THEM ON OTHER PROGRAMS. SO, MR.
           PRESIDEN I, AGAIN, URGE THAT THE LEADERSHIP KEEP ITS COMMITMENT
           TO THE SENATE AND CALL UP THIS HIGHWAY BILL. I CAN UNDERSTAND
           THE PRESSURES ON THE MAJORITY LEADER. I'VE BEEN MAJORITY
           LEADER. AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THE PRESSURES THAT ARE ON THE

           MAJORITY LEADER FROM OTHER SENATORS. AND I -- AS I SAY, I HAVE
           A FEELING THAT THE MAJORITY LEADER, IF IT WERE -- IF HE DIDN'T
           HAVE THOSE PRESSURES, WE'D HAVE THE ISTEA BILL BROUGHT UP NOW.
           I HAVE A FEELING -- I CERTAINLY HAVE A HOPE THAT HE WOULD
           SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT THAT THE 53 OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE
           SUPPORTING. MR. PRESIDENT, I AGAIN THANK THE DISTINGUISHED --
           MY DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUE FROM WEST VIRGINIA, ESPECIALLY FOR
           HIS REFERENCE TO CORRIDOR "H" AND CORRIDOR "D" AND OTHER

           CORRIDORS IN WEST VIRGINIA. I ASK FOR ONE ADDITIONAL MINUTE.
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: WITHOUT OBJECTION.
           

           MR. BYRD: NOW, MR. PRESIDENT, THERE'S A SMALL VOCAL GROUP IN
           WEST VIRGINIA THAT OPPOSES CORRIDOR "H." BUT THERE WAS A POLL
           TAKEN IN WEST VIRGINIA JUST WITHIN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, I
           BELIEVE, THAT SHOWED THAT 80% -- 79% OF WEST VIRGINIANS SUPPORT
           THE COMPLETION OF CORRIDOR "H." ONLY ABOUT 6% -- 6% -- OF THE
           PEOPLE ARE VERY OPPOSED, AND THAT'S THE BIG -- THAT'S THE

           HIGHLY VOCAL GROUP OVER THERE THAT'S BEEN OPPOSING CORRIDOR
           "H." AND, OF COURSE, THEY HAVE SOME PEOPLE OVER IN SOME OF THE
           ADJOINING STATES WHO ADD THEIR VOITSS TO THE SMALL 6% IN WEST
           VIRGINIA WHO ARE OPPOSED TO COMPLETING CORRIDOR "H." ABOUT 8%
           OR 9%, AS I UNDERSTAND IT FROM THE POLL, DON'T TAKE ANY
           POSITION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. BUT 79% TAKE A STRONG POSITION
           FOR THE COMPLETION OF CORRIDOR "H." SO MY COLLEAGUE'S MENTIONED

           CORRIDOR "H," AND I HOPE THAT EVENTUALLY IN MY LIFETIME WE CAN
           SEE CORRIDOR "H" COMPLETED. IT'S BEEN PROMISED TO THE PEOPLE OF
           WEST VIRGINIA FOR 32 YEARS -- 33 YEARS. AND THE APPALACHIAN
           HIGHWAY SYSTEM HAS BEEN PROMISED TO THE 13 STATES IN APPALACHIA
           FOR 33 YEARS. IT'S 78% COMPLETE IN THE REGION, 74% IN WEST
           VIRGINIA. AND THE TIME-BOMB IS TICKING. I HOPE THAT WE CAN GET

           THAT BILL UP AND LET THE SENATE WORK ITS WILL ON THESE
           AMENDMENTS, MY AMENDMENT INCLUDED. MR. PRESIDENT, I AGAIN THANK
           THE DISTINGUISHED SENATOR FROM WEST VIRGINIA, MR. ROCKEFELLER.
           I THANK THE CHAIR. AND I THANK MY COLLEAGUE FROM TEXAS. FOR HIS

           PATIENCE. MR. GRAMM: MR. PRESIDENT?
           
           

           THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SENATOR FROM TEXAS.
           

           MR. GRAMM: MR. PRESIDENT, I WANT TO THANK OUR SDEER -- OUR DEAR
           COLLEAGUE FROM WEST VIRGINIA. IT'S BEEN A GREAT HONOR FOR ME TO
           WORK WITH HIM ON THIS AMENDMENT. I BELIEVE WE'RE GOING TO WIN
           ON THIS AMENDMENT. WE HAVE 54 COSPONSORS. WE PROBABLY HAVE 25
           OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SENATE WHO ARE READY TO VOTE FOR THE BILL.
           WE GAIN STRENGTH EVERY DAY. THERE IS ONLY ONE THING THAT IS
           STOPPING US FROM PASSING A NEW HIGHWAY BILL THAT COULD BEGIN
           PROVIDING MONEY TO BUILD HIGHWAYS ALL ACROSS AMERICA OP MAY THE

           2ND, AND THAT ONE THING IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO BRING
           THE HIGHWAY BILL UP SO THAT WE CAN OFFER THE AMENDMENT. OUR
           AMENDMENT, BY FORCING THE GOVERNMENT TO LIVE UP TO THE
           COMMITMENT IT HAS MADE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHEN IT PUTS ON A
           GASOLINE PUMP THAT ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE COST OF A GALLON OF
           GASOLINE IS TAXES, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THOSE TAXES GO TO BUILD
           ROADS -- WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO FORCE THE GOVERNMENT TO
           DO WHAT IT TELLS PEOPLE IT'S DOING AND THAT IS SPEND THE MONEY

           ON ROADS. WE NOW KNOW THAT BETWEEN 25 CENTS AND 30 CENTS OUT OF
           EVERY DOLLAR COLLECTED IN GASOLINE TAXES HAS BEEN GOING TO FUND
           EVERYTHING EXCEPT HIGHWAYS. AND SO WHAT OUR AMENDMENT IS TRYING
           TO DO IS TO REQUIRE TRUTH IN GOVERNMENT BY SAYING THAT GASOLINE
           TAXES HAVE TO, IN HONOREDLY, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE MANNER -- AN
           ORDERLY, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE MANNER, BE SPENT ON HIGHWAYS.
           THIS IS A BIG DEAL. THIS IS A VERY BIG DEAL IN EVERY STATE IN
           THE UNION. WHAT IT MEANS IN MY STATE, WHAT IT MEANS IN WEST

           VIRGINIA, WHAT IT MEANS IN EVERY STATE IN THE UNION IS ROUGHLY
           A 25% INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS AVAILABLE TO
           BUILD ROADS BEGINNING ON MAY THE 2ND. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT
           DOING SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE FELT IN YOUR STATE IN THE
           SWEET BY AND BY. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ON MAY THE 2ND WE CAN
           BEGIN TO SEE STATES LETTING CONTRACTS, PUTTING PEOPLE TO WORK,
{END: 1998/02/11 TIME: 12-00 , Wed.  105TH SENATE, SECOND SESSION}