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Speaker Hastert Remarks at the Transportation Bill Signing

Hastert: "This bill keeps our people and our products moving"

(Aurora, IL) House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) made the following statement before President Bush signed the Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (TEA-LU) into law:

"Good morning. What a tremendous day.  And what an honor it is to welcome the President of the United States, George W. Bush, to Caterpillar and to Illinois' 14th Congressional District.

"Mr. President, it is a privilege to have you here in the state that two other great Presidents - Lincoln and Reagan - called home. You should fit right in.

"This facility is located near the border of two of the fastest growing counties in the nation - Kane and Kendall Counties. It is part of Chicagoland, which serves as THE transportation hub for our nation.

"Sixty-seven percent of our nation's freight moves through Chicago and onto our nation's highways. Economists believe that our ability to move our products is directly tied to the strength of our economy. In the era of just-in-time delivery, it's unacceptable that traffic congestion currently affects 33 percent of all travel and leads to 3.6 billion hours of delay each year. This bill keeps our people and our products moving.

"There is perhaps no more appropriate location for the signing of this historic bill than here at Caterpillar. As you can see from the products that surround us, this facility is where CAT manufactures the equipment that is used to build our roads, highways, and bridges. Economists estimate that for every billion dollars spent on road construction, nearly 48,000 jobs will be created.  The workers here today represent the hundreds of thousands of employees across the nation who will benefit from the new jobs, expansions and other economic growth that this bill will bring.

"I want to thank President Bush for his efforts. The President understood the importance of this bill, and he also understood the importance of keeping within a budget. Not everyone agreed with his stance. But as we've seen time and again, this President does not waver or lose his focus. He understands the most important challenges are often the most difficult.

"And because of that commitment, today he will sign legislation that not only meets our nation's transportation needs but is also fiscally responsible. That is leadership, and that is what we have come to expect from this President.

"It is an honor to have him here in my Congressional District, and our nation is blessed to have him as our leader."