Dems' leader says Redistricting may strip road funds (Texas)

[Nambe]

Houston Chronicle

AUSTIN -- As boycotting Democratic state senators chalked up their first day of fines Thursday because of their absence, the leader of Texas' congressional Democrats said a Republican redistricting plan could cost the state federal highway dollars.

The funding would be jeopardized if Republican leaders succeed in replacing senior Democratic members of Congress from Texas with inexperienced freshmen, U.S. Rep. Martin Frost, D-Dallas, told a transportation summit in his home city.

"If (House) Majority Leader (Tom) DeLay has his way, eight senior Democrats with 124 years of seniority would be replaced by eight freshmen Republicans who will barely know where the bathrooms are located their first year in Washington," Frost said. -

"Texas now has excellent representation in Washington, starting with President Bush," Beckwith said. -

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