Honorable Paul S. Sarbanes
United States Senator, Maryland, Democrat
Senator Sarbanes was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1976. He served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1966 to 1970 and in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1970 to 1976. He is Ranking Member of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee and also sits on the Foreign Relations, Budget, and Joint Economic Committees. The following is from the February 12, 2004, Senate floor debate on S. 1072, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act.This reauthorization of the highway and transit program is one of the most important pieces of legislation that we will…