To express the Sense of the Senate regarding highway spending.

SA 391. Mr. STEVENS (for himself and Mr. Nickles) proposed an amendment to the concurrent resolution S. Con. Res. 23, setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2004 and including the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal year 2003 and for fiscal years 2005 through 2013; as follows:

SEC. . SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING HIGHWAY SPENDING:

(a) Findings.--The Senate makes the following findings:

(1) Highway construction funding should increase over current levels.

(2) The Senate Budget Committee-passed Resolution increases Highway funding above the President's request.

(3) All vehicles, whether they are operated by gasoline, gasohol, or electricity, do damage to our highways.

(4) As set out in TEA-21, the direct relationship between excise taxes and highway spending makes sense and should be maintained.

(5) Highways should be funded through user fees such as excise taxes and not through the General Fund of the Treasury.

(b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the Sense of the Senate that the Senate should only consider legislation that increases highway spending if such legislation charges highway user fees to pay for such increased spending.