Senate

Senator: Highway bill is ‘generational theft’

by Jordain Carney - 07/28/15 6:10 PM ET

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) slammed his Senate colleagues over how they are paying for a six-year highway bill, calling the proposal “generational theft.”

“[This] should be exhibit A as to why people in America are angry at Washington,” Corker said, before turning to the Senate pages. “[We’re] voting to basically steal money from you, steal money from you, so that all of us can look good to our constituents. … It’s called generational theft.”

{mosads}Corker’s comments come as the Senate is working on a six-year highway bill that includes only three years of funding. The Senate is expected to pass the legislation, and likely a short-term extension, this week, paving the way for a conference with the House this fall.

Lawmakers face an end-of-the-month deadline before federal infrastructure funding runs out.

Corker said that 9 percent of the financial payfors proposed to cover the cost of the first three years of the highway bill would come in during the same time frame.

Speaking from the Senate floor, he called on anyone listening to his speech to “please, please be angry about this.”

“This is one of the most irresponsible pieces of legislation that I have seen make it this far in the United States Senate,” he added. “I’m very disappointed about where we are.”

Corker has been an outspoken critic of Republicans’ handling of the Highway Trust Fund, though his comments on Tuesday weren’t directed at a particular party.

He told reporters earlier this year, ahead of the two-month extension, that “I will be stunned if the Republicans deal with the Highway Trust Fund responsibly. It’s not going to happen.”

Tags Bob Corker