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“ROUTE 66 CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H6984-H6987 on Dec. 8, 2020.
The Department handles nearly all infrastructure crisscrossing the country. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department should be privatized to save money, reduce congestion and spur innovation.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
ROUTE 66 CENTENNIAL COMMISSION ACT
Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1014) to establish the Route 66 Centennial Commission, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 1014
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Route 66 Centennial Commission Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds that--
(1) Route 66 was the first all-weather highway in the United States connecting the Midwest to California, and has played a major role in the history of the United States;
(2) Route 66 has become a symbol of the heritage of travel and the legacy of seeking a better life shared by the people of the United States, and has been enshrined in the popular culture of the United States; and
(3) the year 2026 will be the centennial anniversary of Route 66, and a commission should be established to study and recommend in a report to Congress activities that are fitting and proper to celebrate that anniversary in a manner that appropriately honors the Mother Road of the United States.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT.
There is established a commission to be known as the
``Route 66 Centennial Commission'' (referred to in this Act as the ``Commission'').
SEC. 4. DUTIES.
The Commission shall--
(1) study activities that may be carried out by the Federal Government to determine whether the activities are fitting and proper to honor Route 66 on the occasion of the centennial anniversary of Route 66, including activities such as--
(A) the issuance of commemorative coins, medals, certificates of recognition, and postage stamps;
(B) ceremonies and celebrations commemorating specific events; and
(C) the production, publication, and distribution of books, pamphlets, films, electronic publications, and other educational materials; and
(2) recommend to Congress--
(A) the activities that the Commission considers most fitting and proper to honor Route 66 on the occasion described in paragraph (1); and
(B) 1 or more entities in the Federal Government that the Commission considers most appropriate to carry out those activities.
SEC. 5. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) Number and Appointment.--The Commission shall be composed of 15 members appointed as follows:
(1) 3 members, each of whom shall be an eligible individual described in subsection (b), appointed by the President based on the recommendation of the Secretary of Transportation.
(2) 1 member, who shall be an eligible individual described in subsection (b), appointed by the President based on the recommendation of the Governor of Illinois.
(3) 1 member, who shall be an eligible individual described in subsection (b), appointed by the President based on the recommendation of the Governor of Missouri.
(4) 1 member, who shall be an eligible individual described in subsection (b), appointed by the President based on the recommendation of the Governor of Kansas.
(5) 1 member, who shall be an eligible individual described in subsection (b), appointed by the President based on the recommendation of the Governor of Oklahoma.
(6) 1 member, who shall be an eligible individual described in subsection (b), appointed by the President based on the recommendation of the Governor of Texas.
(7) 1 member, who shall be an eligible individual described in subsection (b), appointed by the President based on the recommendation of the Governor of New Mexico.
(8) 1 member, who shall be an eligible individual described in subsection (b), appointed by the President based on the recommendation of the Governor of Arizona.
(9) 1 member, who shall be an eligible individual described in subsection (b), appointed by the President based on the recommendation of the Governor of California.
(10) 1 member, who shall be an eligible individual described in subsection (b), appointed by the President based on the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(11) 1 member, who shall be an eligible individual described in subsection (b), appointed by the President based on the recommendation of the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.
(12) 1 member, who shall be an eligible individual described in subsection (b), appointed by the President based on the recommendation of the Majority Leader of the Senate.
(13) 1 member, who shall be an eligible individual described in subsection (b), appointed by the President based on the recommendation of the Minority Leader of the Senate.
(b) Eligible Individual.--An eligible individual referred to in subsection (a) is an individual with--
(1) a demonstrated dedication to educating others about the importance of historical figures and events; and
(2) substantial knowledge and appreciation of Route 66.
(c) Time of Appointment.--Each initial appointment of a member of the Commission shall be made before the expiration of the 120-day period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act.
(d) Terms.--Each member shall be appointed for the life of the Commission.
(e) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission shall not affect the powers of the Commission but shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
(f) Basic Pay.--Members shall serve on the Commission without pay.
(g) Travel Expenses.--Each member shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with sections 5702 and 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
(h) Quorum.--7 members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may hold hearings.
(i) Chair and Vice Chair.--The Commission shall select a Chair and Vice Chair from among the members of the Commission.
(j) Meetings.--The Commission shall meet at the call of the Chair.
SEC. 6. DIRECTOR AND STAFF.
(a) Director.--The Commission may appoint and fix the pay of a Director and such additional personnel as the Commission considers to be appropriate.
(b) Applicability of Certain Civil Service Laws.--
(1) Director.--The Director of the Commission shall--
(A) be appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service; and
(B) be paid without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the Director may not exceed the rate payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of that title.
(2) Staff.--The staff of the Commission shall--
(A) be appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appointments in the competitive service; and
(B) be paid without regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, relating to classification and General Schedule pay rates.
(c) Source of Compensation.--In accordance with section 10--
(1) no Federal funds may be expended to compensate a Director or staff member of the Commission under this section; and
(2) any compensation paid to a Director or any staff of the Commission appointed under this section shall be derived solely from donated funds.
SEC. 7. POWERS.
(a) Hearings and Sessions.--The Commission may hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and receive such evidence as the Commission considers to be appropriate to carry out this Act.
(b) Powers of Members and Agents.--Any member or agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the Commission, take any action that the Commission is authorized to take under this Act.
(c) Mails.--The Commission may use the United States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions as other Federal departments and agencies.
(d) Administrative Support Services.--
(1) In general.--On the request of the Commission, the Administrator of General Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reimbursable basis, the administrative support services necessary for the Commission to carry out this Act.
(2) Detailees.--
(A) Federal employees.--
(i) In general.--At the request of the Commission, the head of any Federal agency or department may detail to the Commission, on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis, any employee of the agency or department.
(ii) Civil service status.--The detail of an employee under clause (i) shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege.
(iii) No additional compensation.--A Federal employee who is detailed to the Commission under this subparagraph may not receive any additional pay, allowances, benefits, or other compensation by reason of the detail of the employee to the Commission or any services performed by the employee for the Commission.
(B) State employees.--The Commission may--
(i) accept the services of personnel detailed from a State; and
(ii) reimburse the State for the services of the detailed personnel.
(e) Volunteer and Uncompensated Services.--Notwithstanding section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, the Commission may accept and use such voluntary and uncompensated services as the Commission determines to be necessary.
(f) Gifts.--The Commission may accept, use, and dispose of gifts, grants, bequests, or devises of money, services, or property from any public or private source for the purpose of covering the costs incurred by the Commission in carrying out this Act.
SEC. 8. REPORTS.
(a) Interim Reports.--The Commission may submit to Congress such interim reports as the Commission considers to be appropriate.
(b) Final Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date on which all members of the Commission are appointed, the Commission shall submit to Congress a final report containing--
(1) a detailed statement of the findings and conclusions of the Commission;
(2) the recommendations of the Commission; and
(3) any other information that the Commission considers to be appropriate.
SEC. 9. TERMINATION.
The Commission shall terminate on December 31, 2026.
SEC. 10. EXPENDITURES OF COMMISSION.
(a) In General.--All expenditures of the Commission, including any reimbursement required under this Act, shall be made solely from donated funds.
(b) No Additional Funds Authorized.--No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oregon.
General Leave
Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on S. 1014.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Oregon?
There was no objection.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1014. The bill establishes the Route 66 Centennial Commission, with the charge of developing and planning a celebration for 2026 for the 100th anniversary of America's
``Mother Road.''
Route 66 was established November 11, 1926. It was a 2,448-mile-long highway that originally ran from Chicago, Illinois, to Los Angeles, California, and passed between numerous States in between.
This historic route has been traversed by Americans through the years for many reasons, from hundreds of thousands of migrants escaping the Dust Bowl in the 1930s to more recent road-trippers following in the footsteps of Jack Kerouac.
A precursor to the interstate system, Route 66, was created out of the need for greater connectivity after the rise in automobile ownership. Disparate segments of roads and paths were woven into a cohesive highway that offered unparalleled ease of mobility.
While Route 66 became largely obsolete after the completion of the interstate system, it holds a unique place in our Nation's surface transportation history. The story of Route 66 serves as an important reminder of why an interconnected transportation system is vital and why we must not devolve to a piecemeal approach to surface transportation, as some have advocated--the first surface transportation advisor to President Trump most notably among them--
saying we should go back to the good old days when this was done by all the States individually, even if the roads didn't sometimes connect or meet national needs.
For years, I carried around a poster of the interstate. It was a turnpike at the time between Kansas and Oklahoma. Kansas built their section.
It is an aerial photograph from Life magazine, and if you look down, you would say: Boy, that is really odd looking. There is this big ribbon of concrete, four lanes, two on each side, and then there are all these kinds of angular black lines.
Then you go: What is that?
Well, that is the Oklahoma State line, and that is Amos Schweitzer's farm field.
Until we had the Eisenhower plan and until we had a national highway program, until we had a user fee, the State of Oklahoma said: We can't afford to do our section, even though we said we would do it.
It was completed a number of years later with a Federal share from the Eisenhower plan.
This kind of connectivity is critical. I have had some environmentalists say: Why do you want to rebuild the highway system with climate change?
Well, we are going to rebuild it in a resilient way. We are going to build it with new materials and more climate friendly, and we are going to electrify it.
We cannot possibly move the amount of freight necessary in this country to feed the American people and serve myriad other needs with our rail system. It just could not meet that task.
We have to rebuild the 47,000 bridges that are in need of replacement or significant structural repair. We have to repair the sections of 40 percent of the national highway systems that are deteriorated to the point where you have to rebuild it, not just resurface it. And we have to invest in the $100 billion backlog in our transit systems.
Hopefully, under President Biden, we will have no more fake Infrastructure Weeks, and we will move forward with an actual, real Infrastructure Week with investment and spending.
Madam Speaker, this bill is a reminder of the past and the need for interconnection to serve the American people, which we are going to need again in the future.
I support S. 1014 and urge my colleagues to join me in passing this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves for allowing this bill to come to the floor today.
I also want to give a heartfelt thanks to my colleague from the great State of California, Grace Napolitano. Grace and I cosponsored together H.R. 66, which is the House companion bill to this legislation.
I also want to thank, since we are taking up the Senate bill, the Senate version of this bill, I really want to thank my colleague from my home State of Illinois, Senator Tammy Duckworth, for her work in making sure that this bicameral, bipartisan compromise comes to the floor today.
I am proud to have Route 66 run through the middle of my district, and I do believe that it is important to celebrate its history.
In 1926, Route 66 became the Nation's first all-paved highway under the U.S. Highway System. As Chairman DeFazio stated earlier, it connects Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California.
Early on, the road was used by thousands of Americans seeking escape from the Dust Bowl, and it provided critical employment opportunities for road crews paving the road during the Great Depression.
During World War II, the highway transported troops, equipment, and supplies to military bases across our country and was used after the war by thousands of troops who were gladly returning home to see their families.
By the 1950s, Route 66 began to see a rise in tourism and really became the true symbol of American freedom and independence that we all know today.
In April of 2017, I went on an extended tour of Illinois' stretch of the highway with my colleague and good friend, Congressman Darin LaHood, and also my good friend and former district director, who is now a State legislator, Representative Tim Butler, and other local leaders. We had the opportunity to see the impact that the ``Mother Road'' brings to our home State of Illinois.
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It supports many jobs, key economic activity in small towns, and it helps generate the important local sales tax revenue to our communities that line Route 66.
If you want to come to that stretch of Illinois, travelers along Route 66 can see a giant pink elephant. That is right, Madam Speaker, a giant pink elephant right outside the Pink Elephant Antique Mall in Livingston, Illinois, right at the southwestern part of the 13th District of Illinois.
They can go see a movie at the Wildey Theater in Edwardsville, Illinois, in my district that originally opened in 1909.
They can stop for an all-day breakfast at Jungle Jim's Cafe, a quintessential roadside diner in Springfield. They have great pancakes, too. Don't eat too many of them. The omelets are great. It is a wonderful place to stop.
These are just a few of the thousands of local businesses along Route 66 whose livelihood depends on the historic highway. You don't even have to be in a car to ride along Route 66. The Illinois Route 66 Trail is a system of off-road paths for bikes, hikers, or anyone else looking to see the Mother Road in a different way.
The centennial of Route 66 will be an international celebration, and the State of Illinois will be ready to welcome travelers from around the world who want to experience the history and magic of this scenic byway.
For this reason, one of the important aspects of this bill is its creation of a commission to recommend activities to honor the 100th anniversary of Route 66 in the year 2026.
Additionally, the bill directs the U.S. Department of Transportation to work with certain governors to develop a plan to preserve the first all-paved U.S. highway connecting the Midwest to the West Coast in California. It is important to retain the legacy of this great road.
Throughout its history, Route 66 has been more than just a way to get from point A to point B. It has evolved in a symbol of American independence and prosperity.
I am proud to help continue the legacy of Route 66. H.R. 66 passed the House last year by a voice vote, and I urge my colleagues to vote
``yes'' on S. 1014.
I don't believe that I have anybody else here to speak on this bill, unless I surprise any of my colleagues by yielding them time. So, Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, although I do want to visit the Pink Elephant Antique Mall, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 1014.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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