The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“SURFACE TRANSPORTATION EXTENSION ACT OF 2011” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H1482-H1494 on March 2, 2011.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION EXTENSION ACT OF 2011
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 128, I call up the bill (H.R. 662) to provide an extension of Federal-aid highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund pending enactment of a multiyear law reauthorizing such programs, and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 128, the bill is considered read.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 662
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011''.
(b) Reconciliation of Funds.--The Secretary of Transportation shall reduce the amount apportioned or allocated for a program, project, or activity under this Act in fiscal year 2011 by amounts apportioned or allocated pursuant to the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2010 and the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2010, Part II for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011.
(c) Table of Contents.--
Sec. 1. Short title; reconciliation of funds.
TITLE I--FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAYS
Sec. 101. Extension of Federal-aid highway programs.
TITLE II--EXTENSION OF HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAMS
Sec. 201. Extension of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration highway safety programs.
Sec. 202. Extension of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration programs.
Sec. 203. Additional programs.
TITLE III--PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS
Sec. 301. Allocation of funds for planning programs.
Sec. 302. Special rule for urbanized area formula grants.
Sec. 303. Allocating amounts for capital investment grants.
Sec. 304. Apportionment of formula grants for other than urbanized areas.
Sec. 305. Apportionment based on fixed guideway factors.
Sec. 306. Authorizations for public transportation.
Sec. 307. Amendments to SAFETEA-LU.
Sec. 308. Level of obligation limitations.
TITLE IV--EXTENSION OF EXPENDITURE AUTHORITY
Sec. 401. Extension of expenditure authority.
TITLE I--FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAYS
SEC. 101. EXTENSION OF FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAY PROGRAMS.
(a) In General.--Section 411 of the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-147; 124 Stat. 78) is amended--
(1) by striking ``the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011'' each place it appears (except in subsection (c)(2)) and inserting ``fiscal year 2011''; and
(2) in subsection (a) by striking ``March 4, 2011'' and inserting ``September 30, 2011''.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 411(b)(2) of the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2010 (124 Stat. 79) is amended by striking ``\155/365\ of''.
(c) Use of Funds.--Section 411(c) of the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2010 (124 Stat. 79) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking ``\155/365\ of''; and
(B) by striking ``the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``fiscal year 2011'';
(2) in paragraph (4)--
(A) in subparagraph (A)(ii) by striking ``, except that during such period obligations subject to such limitation shall not exceed \155/365\ of the limitation on obligations included in an Act making appropriations for fiscal year 2011''; and
(B) in subparagraph (B)(ii)(II) by striking
``$271,356,164'' and inserting ``$639,000,000''; and
(3) by striking paragraph (5);
(d) Extension and Flexibility for Certain Allocated Programs.--Section 411(d) of the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2010 (124 Stat. 80) is amended--
(1) by striking ``\155/365\ of'' each place it appears; and
(2) in paragraph (4)(A) by striking ``2009'' and inserting
``2010''.
(e) Extension of Authorizations Under Title V of SAFETEA-LU.--Section 411(e) of the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2010 (124 Stat. 82) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(B) by striking ``\155/365\''; and
(2) in paragraph (3)(A) by striking ``2009'' and inserting
``2010''.
(f) Administrative Expenses.--Section 412(a)(2) of the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-147; 124 Stat. 83) is amended to read as follows:
``(2) $422,425,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
TITLE II--EXTENSION OF HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAMS
SEC. 201. EXTENSION OF NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY
ADMINISTRATION HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAMS.
(a) Chapter 4 Highway Safety Programs.--Section 2001(a)(1) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1519) is amended by striking ``and
$99,795,000 for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting ``and $235,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(b) Highway Safety Research and Development.--Section 2001(a)(2) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1519) is amended by striking ``and $45,967,000 for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting
``and $108,244,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(c) Occupant Protection Incentive Grants.--Section 2001(a)(3) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1519) is amended by striking ``and $10,616,000 for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting
``and $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(d) Safety Belt Performance Grants.--Section 2001(a)(4) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1519) is amended by striking ``and
$52,870,000 for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting ``and $124,500,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(e) State Traffic Safety Information System Improvements.--Section 2001(a)(5) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1519) is amended by striking ``and $14,651,000 for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting
``and $34,500,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(f) Alcohol-Impaired Driving Countermeasures Incentive Grant Program.--Section 2001(a)(6) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1519) is amended by striking ``and $59,027,000 for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting ``and $139,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(g) National Driver Register.--Section 2001(a)(7) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1520) is amended by striking ``and
$1,748,000 for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting ``and $4,116,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(h) High Visibility Enforcement Program.--Section 2001(a)(8) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1520) is amended by striking ``and $12,315,000 for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting
``and $29,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(i) Motorcyclist Safety.--Section 2001(a)(9) of SAFETEA-LU
(119 Stat. 1520) is amended by striking ``and $2,973,000 for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting ``and $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(j) Child Safety and Child Booster Seat Safety Incentive Grants.--Section 2001(a)(10) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1520) is amended by striking ``and $2,973,000 for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting ``and $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(k) Administrative Expenses.--Section 2001(a)(11) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1520) is amended by striking ``and
$10,756,000 for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting ``and $25,328,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
SEC. 202. EXTENSION OF FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY
ADMINISTRATION PROGRAMS.
(a) Motor Carrier Safety Grants.--Section 31104(a)(7) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(7) $209,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(b) Administrative Expenses.--Section 31104(i)(1)(G) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(G) $244,144,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(c) Grant Programs.--Section 4101(c) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1715) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1) by striking ``2009'' and all that follows before the period and inserting ``2011'';
(2) in paragraph (2) by striking ``, 2007'' and all that follows before the period and inserting ``through 2011'';
(3) in paragraph (3) by striking ``, 2007'' and all that follows before the period and inserting ``through 2011'';
(4) in paragraph (4) by striking ``2009'' and all that follows before the period and inserting ``2011''; and
(5) in paragraph (5) by striking ``2009'' and all that follows before the period and inserting ``2011''.
(d) High-Priority Activities.--Section 31104(k)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``through 2010 and $6,370,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011'' and inserting ``through 2011''.
(e) New Entrant Audits.--Section 31144(g)(5)(B) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``(and up to
$12,315,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011)''.
(f) Commercial Driver's License Information System Modernization.--Section 4123(d)(6) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1736) is amended to read as follows:
``(6) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(g) Outreach and Education.--Section 4127(e) of SAFETEA-LU
(119 Stat. 1741) is amended by striking ``2010,'' and all that follows before ``to carry out'' and inserting ``2010, and 2011''.
(h) Grant Program for Commercial Motor Vehicle Operators.--Section 4134(c) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1744) is amended by striking ``2009'' and all that follows before ``to carry out'' and inserting ``2011''.
(i) Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee.--Section 4144(d) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1748) is amended by striking
``March 4, 2011'' and inserting ``September 30, 2011''.
(j) Working Group for Development of Practices and Procedures to Enhance Federal-State Relations.--Section 4213(d) of SAFETEA-LU (49 U.S.C. 14710 note; 119 Stat. 1759) is amended by striking ``March 4, 2011'' and inserting
``September 30, 2011''.
SEC. 203. ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS.
(a) Hazardous Materials Research Projects.--Section 7131(c) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1910) is amended by striking
``through 2010 and $531,000 for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011'' and inserting
``through 2011''.
(b) Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act.--Section 4 of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777c) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a) by striking ``through 2010, and for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``through 2011,''; and
(2) in subsection (b)(1)(A) by striking ``through 2010, and for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``through 2011''.
TITLE III--PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS
SEC. 301. ALLOCATION OF FUNDS FOR PLANNING PROGRAMS.
Section 5305(g) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``2010, and for the period beginning October 1, 2010, and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``2011''.
SEC. 302. SPECIAL RULE FOR URBANIZED AREA FORMULA GRANTS.
Section 5307(b)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking the paragraph heading and inserting
``Special rule for fiscal years 2005 through 2011.--'';
(2) in subparagraph (A) by striking ``2010, and the period beginning October 1, 2010, and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``2011,''; and
(3) in subparagraph (E)--
(A) by striking the subparagraph heading and inserting
``Maximum amounts in fiscal years 2008 through 2011.--''; and
(B) in the matter preceding clause (i) by striking ``In fiscal years 2008 through 2010, and during the period beginning October 1, 2010, and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``In each of fiscal years 2008 through 2011''.
SEC. 303. ALLOCATING AMOUNTS FOR CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANTS.
Section 5309(m) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking the paragraph heading and inserting
``Fiscal years 2006 through 2011.--'';
(B) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) by striking
``2010, and during the period beginning October 1, 2010, and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``2011''; and
(C) in subparagraph (A)(i) by striking ``2010, and
$84,931,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``2011'';
(2) in paragraph (6)--
(A) in subparagraph (B) by striking ``2010, and $6,369,000 shall be available for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``2011''; and
(B) in subparagraph (C) by striking ``2010, and $2,123,000 shall be available for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``2011''; and
(3) in paragraph (7)--
(A) in subparagraph (A)--
(i) by striking ``(A) Ferry boat systems.--'' and all that follows through ``(i) Fiscal years 2006 through 2010.--
$10,000,000 shall be available in each of fiscal years 2006 through 2010'' and inserting the following:
``(A) Ferry boat systems.--$10,000,000 shall be available in each of fiscal years 2006 through 2011'';
(ii) by striking clause (ii);
(iii) by redesignating subclauses (I) through (VIII) as clauses (i) through (viii), respectively, and moving the text of such clauses 2 ems to the left; and
(iv) by inserting a period at the end of clause (iv) (as so redesignated);
(B) in subparagraph (B)--
(i) by striking ``for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011''; and
(ii) by adding after clause (v) the following:
``(vi) $13,500,000 for fiscal year 2011.'';
(C) in subparagraph (C) by striking ``, and during the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'';
(D) in subparagraph (D) by striking ``, and not less than
$14,863,000 shall be available for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,''; and
(E) in subparagraph (E) by striking ``, and $1,273,000 shall be available for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,''.
SEC. 304. APPORTIONMENT OF FORMULA GRANTS FOR OTHER THAN
URBANIZED AREAS.
Section 5311(c)(1)(F) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(F) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
SEC. 305. APPORTIONMENT BASED ON FIXED GUIDEWAY FACTORS.
Section 5337 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph
(1), by striking ``2010'' and inserting ``2011''; and
(2) by striking subsection (g).
SEC. 306. AUTHORIZATIONS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
(a) Formula and Bus Grants.--Section 5338(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking paragraph (1)(F) and inserting the following:
``(F) $8,360,565,000 for fiscal year 2011.''; and
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (A) by striking ``$48,198,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``$113,500,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(B) in subparagraph (B) by striking ``$1,766,730,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010, and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``$4,160,365,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(C) in subparagraph (C) by striking ``$21,869,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``$51,500,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(D) in subparagraph (D) by striking ``$707,691,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``$1,666,500,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(E) in subparagraph (E) by striking ``$417,863,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``$984,000,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(F) in subparagraph (F) by striking ``$56,691,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``$133,500,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(G) in subparagraph (G) by striking ``$197,465,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``$465,000,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(H) in subparagraph (H) by striking ``$69,856,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``$164,500,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(I) in subparagraph (I) by striking ``$39,280,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``$92,500,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(J) in subparagraph (J) by striking ``$11,423,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``$26,900,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(K) in subparagraph (K) by striking ``$1,486,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``$3,500,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(L) in subparagraph (L) by striking ``$10,616,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``$25,000,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(M) in subparagraph (M) by striking ``$197,465,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``$465,000,000 for fiscal year 2011''; and
(N) in subparagraph (N) by striking ``$3,736,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``$8,800,000 for fiscal year 2011''.
(b) Capital Investment Grants.--Section 5338(c)(6) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(6) $2,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(c) Research and University Research Centers.--Section 5338(d) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) by striking
``$29,619,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``$69,750,000 for fiscal year 2011''; and
(B) in subparagraph (A) by striking ``fiscal year 2009'' and inserting ``each of fiscal years 2009, 2010, and 2011'';
(2) in paragraph (2)(A)--
(A) in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) by striking ``2009'' and inserting ``2011''; and
(B) in clauses (v), (vi), (vii), and (viii) by striking
``and 2009'' and inserting ``through 2011''; and
(3) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:
``(3) Funding.--If the Secretary determines that a project or activity described in paragraph (2) received sufficient funds in fiscal year 2010, or a previous fiscal year, to carry out the purpose for which the project or activity was authorized, the Secretary may not allocate any amounts under paragraph (2) for the project or activity for fiscal year 2011, or any subsequent fiscal year.''.
(d) Administration.--Section 5338(e)(6) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(6) $98,911,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
SEC. 307. AMENDMENTS TO SAFETEA-LU.
(a) Contracted Paratransit Pilot.--Section 3009(i)(1) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1572) is amended by striking ``2010, and for the period beginning October 1, 2010, and ending March 4, 2011'' and inserting ``2011''.
(b) Public-Private Partnership Pilot Program.--Section 3011 of SAFETEA-LU (49 U.S.C. 5309 note; 119 Stat. 1588) is amended--
(1) in subsection (c)(5) by striking ``2010 and the period beginning October 1, 2010, and ending March 4, 2011'' and inserting ``2011''; and
(2) in subsection (d) by striking ``2010, and for the period beginning October 1, 2010, and ending March 4, 2011'' and inserting ``2011''.
(c) Elderly Individuals and Individuals With Disabilities Pilot Program.--Section 3012(b)(8) of SAFETEA-LU (49 U.S.C. 5310 note; 119 Stat. 1593) is amended by striking ``March 4, 2011'' and inserting ``September 30, 2011''.
(d) Obligation Ceiling.--Section 3040(7) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1639) is amended to read as follows:
``(7) $10,507,752,000 for fiscal year 2011, of which not more than $8,360,565,000 shall be from the Mass Transit Account.''.
(e) Project Authorizations for New Fixed Guideway Capital Projects.--Section 3043 of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1640) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b), in the matter preceding paragraph
(1), by striking ``2010, and for the period beginning October 1, 2010, and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``2011''; and
(2) in subsection (c), in the matter preceding paragraph
(1), by striking ``2010, and for the period beginning October 1, 2010, and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``2011''.
(f) Allocations for National Research and Technology Programs.--Section 3046 of SAFETEA-LU (49 U.S.C. 5338 note; 119 Stat. 1706) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b) by striking ``or period''; and
(2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
``(c) Additional Appropriations.--The Secretary shall allocate amounts appropriated pursuant to section 5338(d) of title 49, United States Code, for national research and technology programs under sections 5312, 5314, and 5322 of such title for fiscal years 2010 and 2011, in amounts equal to the amounts allocated for fiscal year 2009 under each of paragraphs (2), (3), (5), and (8) through (25) of subsection
(a).''.
SEC. 308. LEVEL OF OBLIGATION LIMITATIONS.
(a) Highway Category.--Section 8003(a) of SAFETEA-LU (2 U.S.C. 901 note; 119 Stat. 1917) is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (5);
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (6) and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by striking paragraph (7) and inserting the following:
``(7) for fiscal year 2011, $42,469,970,178.''.
(b) Mass Transit Category.--Section 8003(b) of SAFETEA-LU
(2 U.S.C. 901 note; 119 Stat. 1917) is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (5);
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (6) and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by striking paragraph (7) and inserting the following:
``(7) for fiscal year 2011, $10,338,065,000.''.
TITLE IV--EXTENSION OF EXPENDITURE AUTHORITY
SEC. 401. EXTENSION OF EXPENDITURE AUTHORITY.
(a) Highway Trust Fund.--Section 9503 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended--
(1) by striking ``March 5, 2011'' in subsections (b)(6)(B) and (c)(1) and inserting ``October 1, 2011'',
(2) by striking ``the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2010, Part II'' in subsections (c)(1) and (e)(3) and inserting ``the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011'', and
(3) by striking ``March 5, 2011'' in subsection (e)(3) and inserting ``October 1, 2011''.
(b) Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund.--Section 9504 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended--
(1) by striking ``Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2010, Part II'' each place it appears in subsection (b)(2) and inserting ``Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011'', and
(2) by striking ``March 5, 2011'' in subsection (d)(2) and inserting ``October 1, 2011''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take effect on March 4, 2011.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. After 1 hour of debate on the bill, it shall be in order to consider the amendment printed in House Report 112-20, if offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) or his designee, which shall be considered read, and shall be separately debatable for 10 minutes equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent.
The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) and the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
General Leave
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 662.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I come to the floor today to pass the extension of our major surface transportation legislation, that's H.R. 662.
I would like to first lead off by informing Members and the Speaker that this extension is a spending freeze at 2010 levels through September 30.
We find ourself in a situation where the major transportation legislation that authorizes all of the policies, the various projects, all the funding levels and all of the activities that are so important to job creation, to building the Nation's infrastructure, that legislation expired September 30, 2009.
In the past Congress, since that time, we have passed a number of short-term extensions. We are now on the sixth extension of that legislation.
What happens when the Congress does this is we end up sending the worst message and the worst policy possible across the Nation, across the land, to our States and our localities that are trying to build the Nation's infrastructure and trying to determine what Federal policy, what their partnership and funding relationship will be with the Federal Government.
Right now, in a time in which across this Nation we are experiencing some of the worst unemployment, in my district I have some areas with 17 percent unemployment. And where is that unemployment? That's in the construction industry.
So it's critical that we pass an extension of the current legislation and extension that we are on, the sixth extension that we are on, and we do that before Friday. Friday is when the current extension expires.
Again, this is important for jobs. Why? Our State transportation departments have only been able to do small projects. Now, they have done some sidewalks, and they have done some repaving, and they have done some minor construction projects. But because they don't have a dependable Federal partner and the hiccup manner in which we have provided policy judgment funding direction as far as our Federal law for major transportation projects, because it's been done in such a helter-skelter fashion, people are not employed. Projects do not move forward. This is the worst time that this could happen. I am determined that that won't happen again.
Now, I might like to do a short-term extension, and some people have said we should do that. But the responsible thing for us to do now is to pass through the fiscal year--and this extension takes us to September 30--so States can plan, so people can get back to work, so we have some semblance of policy regarding building the Nation's infrastructure in place now. People are crying out for jobs across this country, and we may not pass any other piece of legislation this year but our transportation and infrastructure legislation.
This, and the FAA reauthorization, in addition to highway and surface and all the other modes, our FAA extensions have become almost the saddest commentary you could have on building, again, the Nation's important infrastructure. We have done 17 extensions of the FAA legislation, so our airports and others can't plan. Now, we are not going to let that happen under our watch. We are going to set policy today and extend until the end of this fiscal year in a responsible manner.
Some people on the conservative side of the aisle, and I will match my credentials with any of them, want to know about the money that's being spent.
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This is not money that's general revenue. This is entirely within the trust fund, the Federal Highway and Transit Trust Fund.
When we came here, we also said we were going to force the Congress to spend more money in general revenue than we had in that fund, and this extension adheres to the policy that we won't be reckless in spending and we won't spend beyond what we have in the fund. This extension only expends funds from within that trust fund. So I want my conservative friends--and I consider myself in the conservative fiscal corner, the responsible corner in spending--to know that that is the way this is crafted. So, again, I think we have an obligation to move forward. We are doing it on a sound basis. We are freezing at the 2010 levels. And we will be able, at least until September, to get people to work.
Now, I know sometimes I can move legislation along in this body, and I work hard sometimes to do that. But I can tell you I cannot pass a full authorization bill by this Friday. We just took over, again, some of these responsibilities a few weeks ago. We've had six extensions. I don't want to get to, again, into a situation where we are doing these short-term, job-killing extensions.
So that's the reason that we're here. That's the responsibility that we have as a Congress in moving forward and again setting that policy and setting a timeframe in which our States and others who actually do these projects can operate. And again, it's being done within the responsible parameters that this new Congress and the House of Representatives has set forward.
I do want to say, finally, that I thank my colleague, Mr. Rahall, who is the ranking member, for his interest in moving forward with a long-
term bill. In reaching out, we held the first of our hearings, and we're doing these around the country. We've done more than a dozen from the Atlantic to the Pacific. We started in Beckley, West Virginia, a little over a week ago, in the hometown of the ranking member because we want our permanent legislation to be long term, a 6-year bill, to have in place sound policy. We want it done on a bipartisan basis. And to ensure also that it was done on a bicameral basis, we did almost an unprecedented hearing with Senator Boxer, the gentlelady from California, who chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee of the United States Senate. We did a joint bicameral, bipartisan hearing in Los Angeles last week to kick off our larger effort to, again, have in place the very best policy regarding our infrastructure for the Nation.
So with those comments, again, I want to thank folks that we have an agreement here to move forward. We need to do that. We need to get people working in this country and do it in a responsible fashion. And I believe that H.R. 662 will do that.
House of Representatives,
Committee on Ways and Means,
Washington, DC, February 28, 2011.Hon. John Mica,Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Mica: I am writing concerning H.R. 662, the
``Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011,'' which is scheduled for floor consideration this week.
As you know, the Committee on Ways and Means has jurisdiction over the Internal Revenue Code. Title IV of this bill amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and thus falls within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means. However, in order to expedite this legislation for floor consideration, the Committee will forgo action on this bill. This is being done with the understanding that it does not in any way prejudice the Committee with respect to the appointment of conferees or its jurisdictional prerogatives on this or similar legislation.
I would appreciate your response to this letter, confirming this understanding with respect to H.R. 662, and would ask that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be included in the Congressional Record during floor consideration.
Sincerely,
Dave Camp,Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Ways and Means,
Washington, DC, March 1, 2011.Hon. Dave Camp,Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 662, the ``Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011.'' The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure recognizes that the Committee on Ways and Means has a jurisdictional interest in H.R. 662, and I appreciate your effort to facilitate consideration of this bill.
I also concur with you that forgoing action on this bill does not in any way prejudice the Committee on Ways and Means with respect to its jurisdictional prerogatives on this bill or similar legislation in the future, and I would support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this legislation.
I will include our letters on H.R. 662 in the Congressional Record during floor consideration of the bill. Again, I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and I look forward to working with the Committee on Ways and Means as the bill moves through the legislative process.
Sincerely,
John L. Mica,
Chairman.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 662, the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011. As my chairman has said, this legislation extends the Federal-aid highway, public transit, and highway and motor carrier safety programs through the end of the fiscal year September 30, 2011.
I commend the chairman of the committee, Mr. Mica, for his bringing this bill before us today. I also associate myself with the remarks that he has just said in support thereof. I commend him for the listening tour that he has embarked around the country, as well as a few formal hearings thrown in his listening tour. This gives the country and new Members of this body an opportunity to learn a great deal about what reauthorization of our surface transportation programs really means when it comes to jobs and when it comes to infrastructure, particularly within each Member of Congress' congressional district.
Extending these programs is absolutely critical to keep our economy on the road to recovery, and I strongly support this bill--as did my colleagues on both sides of the aisle--when we passed it out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee 2 weeks ago by unanimous consent. I also want to support and commend our ranking member on the Highways and Transit Subcommittee, Mr. DeFazio, for his tremendous work in previous years and on bringing the current bill before us as well, and we will hear from him in a moment.
While I do strongly support this bill, Madam Speaker, what I cannot support are Republican attempts to gut investments that grow our economy. The Republican spending bill that passed 2 weeks ago will destroy over 300,000 good-paying transportation jobs--
jobs lost in every State of this great country. What I cannot support is dangerous and draconian cuts across the board to investments in America's future. And these cuts are coming just at a time that our economy is turning the corner. And what I cannot support is cutting the job-creating muscle of our budget, which investment in our infrastructure is, when we should be focusing on trimming the fat. In order to keep pace with India, China, and other international competitors, we need to invest more, not less, in America's infrastructure. If we stop investing in the future, there's simply no way we can retire the debt of the past.
The bill before us today is identical to legislation that the House passed last fall. Regrettably, at that time, Republicans objected to it, and the Senate Republican leadership insisted that the surface transportation programs expire on March 4, 2011. I'm glad that my Republican colleagues have now come around and recognized the need to extend these vital programs through the fiscal year. I hope all Members will vote for this bipartisan extension to keep America's economy moving.
If Congress does not extend the surface transportation programs, the U.S. Department of Transportation will stop reimbursing States for expenditures on approved projects, and thousands of construction projects across the Nation could come to a screeching halt. According to DOT, a delay in enactment of this bill will shut down more than $800 million next week in highway reimbursements and transit grants to States and urban areas, endangering more than 28,000 jobs and multimillion dollar construction projects across the country.
This bill provides a certainty that the construction industry needs to continue the slow climb back from the greatest recession since World War II. It also enables Congress the necessary time to work toward passage of a long-term surface transportation authorization bill later this year. Enactment of this extension act will enable us to redirect our focus to developing a long-term bill that begins to address the Nation's enormous infrastructure needs and will create millions of family-wage jobs.
I also today call upon the administration to join us in this effort to get behind this reauthorization bill and give it the necessary support from the executive branch that it needs. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 662.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee, who is one of the primary leaders in the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the chair of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee, Mr. Duncan.
Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.
Madam Speaker, H.R. 662, the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011, extends the highway, transit, and highway safety programs through the end of the fiscal year at the 2010 funding levels. It does not make any programmatic or policy changes but instead only continues what is currently in law.
I'm proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill with the chairman, my subcommittee vice chair, Mr. Hanna, Ranking Member Rahall, and Subcommittee Ranking Member DeFazio. I want to commend Chairman Mica for his hearings and listening sessions that he's done all over this country. I had the privilege of attending several of those, and we heard from local and State officials all over this Nation about their needs.
Without this extension, these programs are set to expire on Friday. This extension will allow the highway and transit programs to continue to operate as the spring construction season kicks off. With unemployment in the construction industry at an all-time high, it is imperative that we extend the surface transportation programs through the end of the fiscal year.
A front page story in USA Today last week said that gas would soon go to $5 a gallon or higher. We need more domestic oil production in this country. We simply cannot allow or let environmental radicals drive the price of gas to $5 or higher. This will hurt many poor and lower income and working people and stop our recovery in its tracks.
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This bill is important to our economy. Additionally, this extension will provide a level of predictability for State DOTs and local transit agencies to embark on major construction projects that will create jobs; and as I said, it will certainly stimulate the economy.
I support the passage of this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), the ranking member of the Highways and Transit Subcommittee.
Mr. DeFAZIO. I thank the ranking member and the chairman of the full committee and subcommittee and others who support this essential legislation.
It is kind of sad that we are actually in this position. We are looking at the seventh extension of the surface transportation reauthorization. Because of events in the last Congress, lack of support from the administration, opposition from others, and basically no action to the Senate side, we ground to a halt in reauthorizing this vital legislation. That is too bad.
Had we taken a fraction of the money spent on the so-called stimulus and instead invested it in fully funding a 6-year surface transportation authorization, we could have created millions of jobs, and not just construction jobs--engineering jobs, manufacturing jobs, high-tech jobs--because we have the most effective buy America requirements on our transportation acquisitions in this country.
So, for instance, Oregon Iron Works is building the first made in America streetcar in 70 years. All of the components that go into that are being made here in the United States of America. They are very skilled workers, a very sophisticated product. You buy a bus made in America, the tires, everything has to be made in America. You build a bridge, the steel has to come from America except for a few loopholes in the law that we have to plug.
If we begin to deal honestly with our backlog, 150,000 bridges on the national highway system are substandard and in need of either significant repair or replacement. That is a lot of steel. That is a lot of work. That is also a lot of detours for trucks and others trying to use the national highway system.
Then you can look at the surface of our national highway system itself, not just the bridges; 40 percent of the pavement is in fair to poor condition. You've all experienced that--potholes blowing out tires, breaking axles, causing higher fuel consumption, accidents, all sorts of problems. That needs to be taken care of.
And then we have our transit systems. Actually right here in Washington, D.C., they are killing people on Metro because they haven't the money to make the capital investments they need to have a modern light rail system in this country, and they are running cars that shouldn't be on the tracks any more.
So we are really at a crisis point. I had taken to giving speeches when I chaired the committee about how we were falling to Third World status for infrastructure. And my colleague, the gentleman from Oregon
(Mr. Blumenauer), came up to me after a speech once and said that is insulting and it's wrong.
I said, not really, Earl. You know the problems.
He said, no, to say that we're Third World. Most Third World countries are investing a much greater percentage in their gross domestic product in transportation and infrastructure than we are in the United States of America.
So I have taken to calling us fourth world; formerly First World, vaulting over to the back of the line to have the worst infrastructure of any modern nation on Earth. It's not right. It doesn't serve our businesses or our communities well.
The Obama administration did not take up this campaign adequately in the last Congress. I tried valiantly. They got hung up on the idea that we need to invest more money. We do need to invest more money. We had two commissions that were constituted when the Republicans controlled the House, the Senate and the White House. Both commissions came to the same conclusion: we are spending somewhere around 30-40 percent of what we need on an annual basis to have a 21st-century transportation system. We are spending about 30 percent less than we need to maintain the current deteriorated rate of infrastructure in this country. We're not even maintaining the Eisenhower legacy. Come on, let's get real.
Now, unfortunately, on the Republican side of the aisle, they have adopted an arbitrary rule: no new revenues for anything. Now, they ought to rethink that. Let's think about capital budgets. If you build a bridge, it lasts 100 years. We could justify borrowing money for that. Maybe we could justify raising some revenues to pay for that--
perhaps from the oil companies, who knows, and put a lot of people to work and improve our infrastructure; but that is a nonstarter so far. I hope that changes.
If we look at this as a way to put America back to work to make us more competitive in the international economy, we should be talking about rebuilding our infrastructure. It is the last place we should cut. And, unfortunately, some cuts have already been proposed and made in transportation. That's not where we should be cutting, and those who would advocate further cuts are wrong. This is a trust funded program. The program itself, 96 percent of the funding in this extension comes from the gas taxes every American has paid, the diesel taxes every trucker has paid, and the money paid in other miscellaneous taxes.
We need this bill today. It is a starting point for a robust reauthorization later this year. I look forward to working with the chairman and the new chairman of the subcommittee on that robust reauthorization.
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), another leader of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the chair of the Rail Subcommittee.
Mr. SHUSTER. I thank my friend for yielding.
Here we are again, a seventh time for an extension. I agree with my friend from Oregon who pointed out that this administration stopped us from passing a transportation bill under Chairman Oberstar. Mr. Mica was the ranking member. So here we are again, a seventh extension on the highway bill.
As the chairman pointed out, this freezes the authorizing funds at FY 2010 levels, and it will go until September 30 to give us the time necessary to craft a new transportation bill.
I want to point out that this is a clean extension. It is what is in current law. There are no policy or program changes, and this does not continue any stimulus funding. This extension, coupled with the CR, is going to reduce spending by about a billion dollars. We are going to make a reduction in transit new starts by over $400 million, discontinue highway appropriation earmarks by $900 million, eliminate unauthorized transit programs by over $200 million, and unauthorized TIGER grants by $600 million. So there are some significant reductions; and, again, this current extension has to be passed by Friday.
If we don't move this forward, we will feel this throughout the economy, throughout this Nation. Today, this week, in the past couple of weeks, State DOTs have been letting contracts, putting bids out to get contractors in place to be able to start the spring, summer, and fall contracting season. If we shut down this program, there will be immediate furloughs and suspension of payments to States.
Again, I would like to remind my colleagues, especially on my side of the aisle, this is money that is being reimbursed to the States for work that has already been completed to the tune of about $150 million a day, is going out to States to be able to pay those contractors to keep them working and building bridges and roads around this country.
So we are in an extremely difficult time to put these payments in jeopardy. Again, this gives us the time to craft a transportation bill by September 30, to put out there.
When we do that, we are going to go through this transportation bill and cut and reform and change. Some of you may have seen the GAO report. I haven't looked at it completely, but I know there are many, many programs in the Department of Transportation across the government that duplicate effort that, quite frankly, we don't know where the money is going. And some of these programs, we are not even sure who is watching the spending of it. They can't account for it.
So this transportation bill we'll move in September is going to do all of those types of things to improve what we do here in Washington and be a good partner to the States when it comes to building and maintaining a national transportation system.
So I urge all of my colleagues to support this extension.
Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, I come to the floor to support this extension. I appreciated the comments from Chair Mica talking about the involvement with the Senate and the House working together and the listening sessions that are taking place around the country. I am absolutely convinced that my friend, Mr. Mica, is sincere in his interest in infrastructure. I have had the pleasure of working with Mr. Rahall, Mr. Duncan, Mr. DeFazio. There is a team in place, people who are interested in moving this forward.
{time} 1520
It's absolutely imperative that we extend the reauthorization through this construction cycle. And making the decision now, setting it to work, so people can plan and act. It's not as good as a reauthorization by any stretch of the imagination, but it gets us through this construction cycle and it avoids another unfortunate situation.
We are 7\1/2\ years into a 6-year reauthorization. No one is happy about that. It's sort of the tenor of the times, however, because I was on the committee when we were struggling with 12 extensions in the last reauthorization. We need to do better. I am all for looking at squeezing out any inefficiency, examining programs to focus them, make them work better. But the simple fact is we need to spend more on infrastructure, not less.
Those commissions, the nonpartisan independent commissions that my friend from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) referenced with business leaders, environmentalists, government leaders at other levels, organized labor, are very focused on this. They documented the need to do more.
The fact is that the American public is already paying a huge cost in addition to their road fees by wasting their time in damage to their vehicles and interrupting the flow of commerce. We're already paying the price. My personal goal as a member of the Budget and Ways and Means Committees is to work with the authorizing committee so they have the resources. We have people from the Chamber of Commerce, organized labor, local governments, AAA, truckers, bicyclists, the Women's Federated Garden Club of America, all coming together to provide support for the resources. We need to work this dance out between the House, the Senate and the administration to be able to have the resources so that the committee can put forth a robust bill for our future.
It's true we're not going to reauthorize this bill in this week. We're not going to reauthorize it this spring. It will be a stretch to reauthorize it before this extension expires. But the time to get busy is now. I appreciate the approach that's being taken by the committee, bringing people together.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. RAHALL. I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Thank you.
I am hopeful that instead of cutting transportation, which is envisioned in the CR, that would cost us 200,000 or 300,000 jobs at precisely the time that we need economic activity, that we can have a truce on the budget wars. Let's acknowledge that we will have a tight and focused reauthorization meeting the wide range of transportation needs, deal with how we build and renew America, get the economy started again, strengthen the quality of life in our communities, and make our families safer, healthier and more economically secure. It starts by approving this extension today.
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2\1/2\ minutes to another outstanding member and a new member of our committee who has great local government experience as a former mayor, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Barletta).
Mr. BARLETTA. I thank the chairman for yielding.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge the passage of H.R. 662, the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011.
As I heard from my friends and neighbors back home, job creation and rebuilding our economy is the most important issue facing us. Transportation funding means not only construction jobs but also for surveyors, heavy machinists, asphalt companies, grocers, hotels and restaurants.
Historically, studies have shown that for every dollar spent on investments in transportation and infrastructure, the gross domestic product grows by $1.59, and for every $1 million spent on highways, 47 jobs are created.
Poor roads and congestion are costing my constituents. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials estimates that poor road conditions cost this country $355 billion annually. H.R. 662 is a clean extension that would fund ongoing operations through September 30, 2011.
Failing to extend this bill would hurt my district in terms of jobs, safety and costs to my constituents in wasted fuel and lost productivity.
The 2011 construction season is just getting under way. Any disruption in funding will delay the construction industry's ability to create jobs and complete much-needed improvement projects. With unemployment in the construction sector at a staggering 22.5 percent, we must pass the extension and put more hardworking Americans back to work.
As a member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass long-term legislation that will meet our future transportation needs. This extension gives Congress the time and ability to produce a smart, fiscally responsible bill.
I urge support of H.R. 662.
Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).
Mr. COHEN. I want to thank Ranking Member Rahall for the time.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 662, the Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2011. Last Friday, I was in Millington, Tennessee and I joined with Chairman Mica and Mr. Fincher on a transportation bill listening session. Chairman Mica went all across the country listening to folks on the needs of transportation. We heard from all kinds of folks saying how important this is for the future of our country, getting goods to market, and improving our infrastructure. The listening session focused on those needs of a new surface transportation authorization. And while this legislation is just another extension of SAFETEA-LU, it is important that we act quickly and extend the surface transportation authorization before it expires on Friday.
My hope is that H.R. 662 will be the final short-term extension Congress uses to extend SAFETEA-LU because this country needs a comprehensive, long-term surface transportation authorization. Chairman Mica has promised everybody on the tour that we're not going to have more extensions, that we're going to pass a bill just like we did with the FAA reauthorization. Seven extensions was enough. We need to move this country forward and get those programs started.
By continuing to extend SAFETEA-LU and not passing a new authorization, Congress has created uncertainty in the transportation sector which has limited the ability to invest in a crumbling infrastructure network. The importance of immediate passage cannot be emphasized enough. Not only will reauthorization create millions of quality jobs--jobs that are needed by Americans now and that have been neglected thus far in Congress--and provide States and MPOs a known, dedicated funding stream, but it will also address the dire need for investment in the Nation's transportation system.
In the 2012 Department of Transportation budget proposal, President Obama lays out a bold vision for a surface transportation authorization. The President understands the United States will not maintain its mantle as the greatest Nation in the world without an intermodal transportation system that enables America to compete in the 21st century global economy.
To that end, the President has called for a $556 billion, 6-year surface transportation authorization that includes a $50 billion ``up front'' economic boost to jump-start job creation. Jobs.
As the President said in his State of the Union, now is not the time to stand pat. This is why I believe we need to pass a surface transportation bill that increases revenue, makes a significant investment in maintaining existing infrastructure, and spurs development of innovative infrastructure networks such as high-speed rail and aerotropolis transportation systems.
I appreciate Chairman Mica including aerotropolis language in the FAA reauthorization bill and look forward to seeing that same language included in the surface transportation reauthorization act which was discussed in Memphis.
As New York Times columnist Paul Krugman said, ``We must win the future, not eat it.'' I look forward to working with Chairman Mica, Subcommittee Chairman Duncan, and Ranking Members Rahall and DeFazio in seeing that we pass a comprehensive surface transportation authorization that strengthens our infrastructure, spurs innovation, creates jobs, ensures safety and wins the future. We are winners.
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Mr. MICA. I would like to inquire as to the balance of time on each side.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida has 15 minutes remaining, and the gentleman from West Virginia has 14 minutes remaining.
Mr. MICA. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to a valued member of our committee, the distinguished gentlelady from California (Ms. Richardson).
Ms. RICHARDSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 662, the Surface Transportation Extension Act. I am hopeful that passing this extension will give us the adequate time we all need on the committee to pass a full 6-year reauthorization.
Last year, the committee initiated a very good start. In fact, we suggested spending a minimum of $500 billion of investment, and the administration recently released budget calls for approximately that same amount, of $556 billion, over the next 6 years. This includes an extra $50 billion boost next year to provide for an immediate economic stimulus, which we all know we need.
I heard one of my colleagues on the other side reference unemployment in construction. In my district, it's over 40 percent, so this has got to be done, and it has got to be done now.
While the President's budget calls for a significant increase in our spending, we should all remember that it still falls well short of the
$225 billion per year investment that is really required from all sources, recommended by the Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, a bipartisan commission that was created by Congress to study this very issue.
Our infrastructure is in a state of disrepair, and congestion costs us more than $78 billion per year. The quality of our transportation system is deteriorating. Almost 61,000 miles--37 percent--of our roads are in poor or fair condition. More than 152,000 bridges--25 percent--
are structurally deficient. So, when we talk about cutting, we are all mindful of the need to make adjustments and to be good stewards of these dollars, but we shouldn't cut just for the sake of cutting. That is the wrong approach and the wrong thing to do.
In my district--home to four major highways, a transit system, three airports, and more than 40 percent of our entire Nation's cargo going through it--these congested roads and crumbling bridges are in dire need, and we need help now. A robust surface transportation bill will help the people in my district and across this country get where they need to go; it will improve safety; and it will help put people back to work.
I was talking to some of my colleagues, and they were telling me that Mr. Shuster, when he was the chair of this committee, worked on both sides of the aisle. I was told, when we had that very difficult vote, he worked with this side, and we moved forward a very successful bill. In that spirit, when Mr. Mica mentioned that he was going to have his listening tours, I took him at his word. I've attended two, and I intend upon attending one more.
Out of those listening tours, we've heard a lot of things from people. One of the things I'd like to suggest we continue is really that of open discussion--an open discussion about HMT, an open discussion about TIFIA, an open discussion about really implementing a true national goods movement strategy--all of which my staff and I have worked on in order to bring forward very thoughtful legislation that I hope will be sincerely considered. The gas tax alone will not work, so I urge Mr. Mica to please work with us as we are working with you today.
Many people asked me today, You're going to vote for this rule? I said, Yes, because I'm willing to work across the aisle with Mr. Mica to get this done and with Mr. Shuster as well. We are going to have to consider new ideas to be able to help institute this public-private partnership that we all know needs to be a part of this discussion.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 662, which should really be the building block of our 6-year reauthorization. It deserves the bipartisan support of this Congress and of the American people.
Mr. Rahall, I appreciate all of the efforts that you have made so far. I know you are very committed to getting this done. There is hard work ahead, and I look forward to working with your new leadership as well as with our ranking member, Mr. DeFazio.
Mr. MICA. I have no further requests for time, and I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RAHALL. I yield myself the balance of my time to close.
Madam Speaker, once again, I do appreciate the work of Chairman Mica in his bringing this extension to the floor of the House--as he has already noted, the sixth extension of SAFETEA-LU. This will take us to the end of the fiscal year. It will give us the spring and the summer to continue to work together in the bipartisan spirit with which Chairman Mica has started his tenure as chairman of our committee, and I do look forward to continuing to work with him.
I, once again, call upon the administration to work with us as well under the very capable leadership of Secretary LaHood. I am sure that the administration will work with us if it will just give us some proposals and will put some concrete ideas upon the table with which we can work in a bipartisan and bicameral measure.
This is a job-saving piece of legislation. Although a permanent reauthorization would provide a much greater degree of certainty, it helps provide some degree of certainty to our construction industry so that it can plan and invest in what are not short-term jobs but, rather, good, long paying, family wage jobs for our people. That's what we're talking about when we talk about investments in infrastructure. That's what we're talking about in this legislation; so I urge my colleagues, as I conclude, to support this in a bipartisan fashion.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. MICA. I yield myself the balance of my time.
Each of us who is sent to Congress, Madam Speaker, has certain responsibilities. First, we have responsibilities to our constituents in our districts. Then we are sent here, and by the grace of the good Lord, on our side the steering committee, the approval of leadership and our colleagues, we get to do certain tasks.
Mine is now to try to shepherd forward transportation policy for our country. That's an important responsibility, again, because we have millions of Americans who don't have jobs. Probably the hardest thing that I face when I go home or when I talk to folks across the country and in my district are the people who have lost their homes, who can't make their mortgage payments or who are struggling. They want to go to work, most of them I've talked to, and they don't have the opportunity.
Now, I know a new Congress has come, and that new Congress has been sent a very clear message about spending, about conserving assets and resources here. I think that Congress gets it and that the American people have mandated that approach. We can also many times be here, doing things that might prove a political point; but from time to time, we have to step back, and we have to do something for the very good of the country. I think this is one of those times that we have an important obligation.
What will happen on Friday, if we don't act accordingly today and pass H.R. 662, is literally a disaster because we will shut down all of the transportation projects across the land, those projects that have any connection to the Federal Government.
Now, we have also said that we can't pass in continuing resolutions the authorization for legislation, so that's the situation we find ourselves in today. We have a bipartisan agreement to move forward. We have an opportunity to actually expand and define the time in which we can accomplish the important work of government.
Some people say, oh, these are just transportation projects. Yet, if you go back to the very beginning of the Nation, they came together first for national security; but then the Founding Fathers--Washington, Jefferson--were pretty smart. They also wanted to be able to do infrastructure projects that transcended arbitrary political boundaries. I love to read about Washington and his vision to open the canals and the post roads. Some of the first work of the Congress was to authorize transportation and infrastructure projects for the Nation, through the vision of people like Lincoln, to connect the continent. So that kind of leadership has come from people in the past, and we have that responsibility today to move forward.
So I think that people can go home after they vote for this and say, I did something positive. We acted in a fiscally responsible way. We're dealing with the trust fund money that people have paid in. When they put gallons of gasoline in their cars, they paid 18.4 cents, which went into the trust fund.
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We didn't spend recklessly, but we did act responsibly and we're getting people working again. And we did it in a period of time, not the hiccup and the sporadic six passed extensions, in a timeframe in which we can actually get major infrastructure projects, people working again. So I think we can all take heart in a bipartisan effort that we've had here that Congress can work and the people's work can get done by people coming together.
I know we still have disagreements on policy, and I've pledged to work on both sides. I even offered to buy the beer and pizza when we finish the listening tours. And with Senator Boxer, she wanted, I think, fruit drinks, and I'll even throw those in, too, if we can come together and establish sound policy for the Nation so infrastructure can move forward. And we can do it. I really think we can do it.
So we have 6 months of definition. We have 6 months to get the rest of the job done. But I'm confident that everybody here today can join and we can make a difference, a difference for those people wanting us to be responsible and do what they sent us here for.
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 662 the Surface Transportation Extension Act. This legislation would provide a necessary short term extension of surface transportation programs through September 20, 2011. I strongly prefer more comprehensive, multi-year appropriations legislation that more adequately funds the transportation and infrastructure projects that we as Members have identified in our districts as crucial to our economic recovery. The bridges, highways, rail systems necessary to our economic recovery and sustained economic growth and global competitiveness are not built in a year.
However, I cannot support letting the sun set on necessary funding of critical surface transportation and infrastructure projects while we pursue longer term solutions in the face of a misplaced focus on spending cuts. I will not allow this on my watch. My colleagues here in Congress must not allow this to occur either. We must work together to forge a bipartisan long-term solution to our nation's transportation and infrastructure needs.
Economic experts universally agree that funding the critical and necessary infrastructure projects nationwide creates jobs for America and increases our level of global competitiveness. There is an intense competition between fiscal responsibility and investment in job growth and infrastructure. We must make investments in job creating infrastructure projects in order to grow the U.S. economy. We must be winners in contest for economic change now and for our children's future. We cannot be the losers. We must catch the wave of economic growth or be crushed by it. China, India and Europe understand this because they have committed to greater investments in their infrastructure.
As I think of my home District, the 18th Congressional District in Houston, Texas and its busy port, much like the other ports around this great nation, I am compelled to urge my colleagues to consider the pressing national necessity of decongesting the surface transportation, both rail and highway, that moves the goods in and out of those ports. We must improve this surface transportation system in order to accommodate national economic health, global competitiveness, and to avoid harm to agriculture industry, maritime jobs and manufacturing jobs. Maritime jobs and construction jobs for infrastructure provide a good middle class wage, allow workers to get educations at night, and lower crime rates in our cities.
We must invest in High Speed Rail. We have about 500 miles of high speed rail in process, but China has about 10,000 miles being built. We need to have a domestic talent pool with the required knowledge, skills and trained workers to do projects like high speed rail or we will be paying for skilled Chinese companies to do it for us.
Infrastructure Investment is a Non-Partisan Issue: If the AFL-CIO and U.S. Chamber of Commerce have teamed up to promote infrastructure investment, then surely the Democrats and Republicans in this Congress can do the same. Moreover, now is the time for us to consider the creation of a long overdue National Infrastructure Bank and Public-
Private partnerships to shift our infrastructure improvement into full gear. We should not shy away from this issue when a nation is waiting for us to do our part to restore our economy through fortification of our infrastructure. It is time for another large, bold, national forward thinking infrastructure project like interstate highway system.
Governors and Mayors at ground level around this nation will quickly confirm that Infrastructure investments create jobs, help balance budgets, and grow both state and national economies. We must listen to our local elected officials who must fix the potholes, repair the crumbling bridges and tunnels or be held directly accountable by their constituents on every street corner. Our local elected officials will quickly tell us that infrastructure investment creates jobs, because it attracts business.
The American Association of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gives U.S. Infrastructure the Grade of ``D'' in its 2009 Report Card. Infrastructure Investment equals Jobs. But, the U.S. is falling behind its competitors in infrastructure development (especially China, India and Europe). The bottom line is that Transportation and Infrastructure Investment is needed for a Strong Economy.
So, I say to my colleagues that we must pass H.R. 662. A delay in enactment of this extension will shut down more than $800 million next week in highway reimbursements and transit grants to States and urban areas, endangering more than 28,000 jobs and multi-million dollar construction projects across the country.
I must say that I am very disturbed that we cannot get our colleagues to cooperate in a bi-partisan manner to pass essential appropriations bills and must instead resort to short-term measures. However, for the good people of the 18th Congressional District of Texas, the State of Texas, and our national well being, I cannot let time expire on critical transportation and infrastructure funding. It is imperative that we pass H.R. 662 to continue to fund transportation and infrastructure programs without interruption. We must keep this nation moving forward toward progress.
I would also urge my colleagues in the House and the Senate chambers to reconsider the local transportation and infrastructure expenditures that Members have identified in the 111th Congress and in the 112th Congress for inclusion in appropriations measures. Members of Congress are in a front line position to identify useful and necessary projects in their districts that require funding. These projects create jobs, rebuild our infrastructure and benefit our districts, our states and our country, as well. Though, I recommended funding for critical transportation and infrastructure projects in Houston, Texas, during the 111th Congress, this funding was excluded from the Continuing Resolution passed in December 2010 and an opportunity to improve our national economy was lost.
As we move forward, it is my hope that both chambers in the House and Senate will take a bipartisan approach to moving vitally important appropriations legislation which includes useful, necessary, job creating and economy-building projects from our districts. This is the fiscally responsibly course and grows and strengthens our economy in the long run.
In summation, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this H.R. 662 as we continue the work of funding our nation's critical transportation and infrastructure projects.
Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of extending surface transportation funding for the remainder of the 2011 fiscal year before the authorization expires at the end of this week, on March 4th. I support the highway program; it is a critical part of an efficient and effective 21st century transportation infrastructure in the United States. However, I want to highlight a concern I have with an extraneous provision that is included in the language of this extension.
Section 308 of this bill attempts to extend the budget ``firewalls'' in Section 8003 of SAFETEA-LU for highway and transit categories to protect those programs from having to compete for funding against all other discretionary programs should Congress put in place overall discretionary spending caps. More specifically, Section 8003 amends Section 251(b) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 that expired on September 30, 2002--a law that is squarely within the jurisdiction of the House Budget Committee.
Section 308 of this extension has no substantive effect not only because there are no overall spending caps for FY 2011, but because Clause 3 of Rule XXI in the new House Rules for the 112th Congress eliminated the requirement to uphold such firewalls.
However, if the intention is that this provision should have a substantive effect, it is premature.
There are many tough choices ahead given the fiscal realities we face. We clearly need to set caps on spending. Funding guarantees that protect a certain category of spending prevent lawmakers from having the flexibility to balance other needs within an overall discretionary spending cap. Given the nation's trillion dollar deficits and $14 trillion in debt, Congress should be working to remove, not continue, spending floors in statute.
Furthermore, these highway and transit firewalls were originally established to protect the user-pays/user benefits principle. Unfortunately, the opposite has happened. The Highway Trust Fund is insolvent and has required $35 billion in bailouts since 2008. The Congressional Budget Office projects shortfalls of $140 billion over the next ten years.
These spending guarantees have pushed the Highway Trust Fund deeper into insolvency and have forced it to rely more and more on borrowed money. I am concerned that continuing even the appearance of firewalls for these categories in this extension suggests that spending on these programs is a higher priority than getting deficits under control. It also suggests that surface transportation should get first claim on the Treasury over other priorities for discretionary spending such as Veterans medical care or funding for our troops.
Congress may decide that ultimately highways and transit have such a high priority that we should continue to run high deficits to pay for them, but we should do that as part of the budget process and not part of a short-term highway extension that must be passed quickly or the entire program shuts down.
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Mica
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 12, line 4, strike ``through 2011'' and insert
``through 2011,''.
Page 15, line 4, strike ``for the period'' and insert
``$5,732,000 for the period''.
Page 15, line 12, strike ``October 1, 2010'' and insert
``October 1, 2010,''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 128, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, again, this is a purely technical amendment and reviewed by both sides of the aisle in both bodies. We found three technical changes to correct drafting errors in H.R. 662. We want this to go to the President. We want it signed, and we want to make certain that it has all the technical provisions necessary and clear language.
So the amendment adds two commas to the bill on page 12 and also another on 15. And on page 15, it also strikes an authorization in the current extension that H.R. 662 failed to strike. So it's purely technical in nature, but we do want it correct.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I rise to claim the time in opposition, though I am not opposed to the amendment.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from West Virginia is recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the manager's amendment. The chairman has adequately explained it, and I fully concur and urge its adoption.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica).
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 422, nays 0, not voting 10, as follows:
YEAS--422
AckermanAdamsAderholtAkinAlexanderAltmireAmashAndrewsAustriaBacaBachmannBachusBaldwinBarlettaBarrowBartlettBarton (TX)Bass (CA)Bass (NH)BecerraBenishekBergBerkleyBermanBiggertBilbrayBilirakisBishop (GA)Bishop (NY)Bishop (UT)BlackBonnerBono MackBorenBoswellBoustanyBrady (PA)Brady (TX)Braley (IA)BrooksBroun (GA)Brown (FL)BuchananBucshonBuerkleBurgessBurton (IN)ButterfieldCalvertCampCampbellCansecoCantorCapitoCappsCapuanoCardozaCarnahanCarneyCarson (IN)CarterCassidyCastor (FL)ChabotChaffetzChandlerChuCicillineClarke (MI)Clarke (NY)ClayCleaverClyburnCobleCoffman (CO)CohenColeConawayConnolly (VA)ConyersCostelloCourtneyCravaackCrawfordCrenshawCritzCrowleyCuellarCulbersonCummingsDavis (CA)Davis (IL)Davis (KY)DeFazioDeGetteDeLauroDenhamDentDeutchDiaz-BalartDicksDingellDoggettDoldDonnelly (IN)DoyleDreierDuffyDuncan (SC)Duncan (TN)EdwardsEllisonEllmersEmersonEngelEshooFarentholdFarrFattahFilnerFincherFitzpatrickFlakeFleischmannFlemingFloresForbesFortenberryFoxxFrank (MA)Franks (AZ)FrelinghuysenFudgeGalleglyGaramendiGardnerGarrettGerlachGibbsGibsonGohmertGonzalezGoodlatteGosarGowdyGrangerGraves (GA)Graves (MO)Green, AlGreen, GeneGriffin (AR)Griffith (VA)GrijalvaGrimmGuintaGuthrieGutierrezHallHanabusaHarperHarrisHartzlerHastings (FL)Hastings (WA)HayworthHeckHeinrichHellerHensarlingHergerHerrera BeutlerHigginsHimesHincheyHironoHoldenHoltHondaHoyerHuelskampHuizenga (MI)HultgrenHunterHurtInsleeIsraelIssaJackson (IL)Jackson Lee (TX)JenkinsJohnson (GA)Johnson (IL)Johnson (OH)Johnson, E. B.Johnson, SamJonesJordanKeatingKellyKildeeKindKing (IA)King (NY)KingstonKinzinger (IL)KissellKlineKucinichLabradorLambornLanceLandryLangevinLankfordLarsen (WA)Larson (CT)LathamLaTouretteLattaLee (CA)LevinLewis (CA)Lewis (GA)LipinskiLoBiondoLoebsackLofgren, ZoeLongLoweyLucasLuetkemeyerLujanLummisLungren, Daniel E.LynchMackMaloneyManzulloMarchantMarinoMarkeyMathesonMatsuiMcCarthy (CA)McCarthy (NY)McCaulMcClintockMcCollumMcCotterMcDermottMcGovernMcHenryMcIntyreMcKeonMcKinleyMcMorris RodgersMcNerneyMeehanMeeksMicaMichaudMiller (FL)Miller (MI)Miller (NC)Miller, GaryMiller, GeorgeMooreMoranMulvaneyMurphy (CT)Murphy (PA)MyrickNadlerNapolitanoNealNeugebauerNoemNugentNunesNunneleeOlsonOlverOwensPalazzoPallonePascrellPastor (AZ)PaulPaulsenPaynePearcePelosiPencePerlmutterPetersPetersonPetriPingree (ME)PittsPlattsPoe (TX)PolisPompeoPoseyPrice (GA)Price (NC)QuayleQuigleyRahallRangelReedRehbergReichertRenacciReyesRibbleRichardsonRichmondRigellRiveraRobyRoe (TN)Rogers (AL)Rogers (KY)Rogers (MI)RohrabacherRokitaRooneyRos-LehtinenRoskamRoss (AR)Ross (FL)Rothman (NJ)Roybal-AllardRoyceRunyanRuppersbergerRushRyan (OH)Ryan (WI)Sanchez, Linda T.Sanchez, LorettaSarbanesScaliseSchakowskySchiffSchillingSchmidtSchockSchraderSchwartzSchweikertScott (SC)Scott (VA)Scott, AustinScott, DavidSensenbrennerSerranoSessionsSewellShermanShimkusShulerShusterSimpsonSiresSlaughterSmith (NE)Smith (NJ)Smith (TX)Smith (WA)SoutherlandSpeierStarkStearnsStiversStutzmanSullivanSuttonTerryThompson (CA)Thompson (MS)Thompson (PA)ThornberryTiberiTierneyTiptonTonkoTownsTsongasTurnerUptonVan HollenVelazquezViscloskyWalbergWaldenWalsh (IL)Walz (MN)Wasserman SchultzWatersWattWaxmanWebsterWeinerWelchWestWestmorelandWhitfieldWilson (FL)Wilson (SC)WittmanWolfWomackWoodallWoolseyWuYarmuthYoderYoung (AK)Young (FL)Young (IN)
NOT VOTING--10
BlackburnBlumenauerCooperCostaDesJarlaisGiffordsGingrey (GA)HannaHinojosaKaptur
{time} 1609
So the amendment was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Stated for:
Mr. DesJARLAIS. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 158, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Chaffetz). Pursuant to House Resolution 128, the previous question is ordered on the bill.
The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was read the third time.
Motion to Recommit
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentleman opposed to the bill?
Mr. POLIS. I am opposed in its current form.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to recommit.
The Clerk read as follows:
Mr. Polis moves to recommit the bill H.R. 662 to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure with instructions to report the same back to the House forthwith with the following amendment:
At the end of the bill, add the following (and conform the table of contents accordingly):
TITLE V--GRAVINA ISLAND BRIDGE AND KNIK ARM BRIDGE RESCISSIONS
SEC. 501. RESCISSION OF GRAVINA ISLAND AND KNIK ARM BRIDGE
EARMARKS.
There are hereby rescinded all unobligated balances, remaining available as of March 2, 2011, of contract authority provided or reserved for planning, design, or construction of the Gravina Island bridge, Alaska, or the Knik Arm bridge, Alaska, under the following provisions of law:
(1) Section 144(f)(1)(A)(ii) of title 23, United States Code.
(2) Item number 14 of the table contained in section 1302(e) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1205).
(3) Item numbers 406, 2465, 3323, and 3677 of the table contained in section 1702 of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1256).
(4) Item numbers 2 and 10 of the table contained in section 1934(c) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1485).
SEC. 502. PROHIBITION ON FUNDING OF GRAVINA ISLAND AND KNIK
ARM BRIDGES.
None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to plan, design, or construct the Gravina Island bridge, Alaska, or the Knik Arm bridge, Alaska.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Colorado is recognized for 5 minutes in support of his motion.
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, usually when something is killed, it stays dead. But just like in a bad zombie movie, some bad earmarks refuse to die and return to life time and time again as wasteful spending. That's what's happened with this bill and what this amendment corrects.
There isn't an American taxpayer out there who hasn't heard of the Bridge to Nowhere. The Bridge to Nowhere has become synonymous with government waste.
What Americans may be shocked to find out is a significant portion of the $454 million that Congress provided through eight separate earmarks in SAFETEA-LU is still available in Alaska to build these bridges. We fix that with this amendment and eliminate these return-from-the-dead earmarks with this amendment to save taxpayers money and restore credibility to Congress.
Although Congress has tried to stop these bridges to nowhere by giving Alaska the authority to use its earmarked funds on other transportation projects, Alaska has still used $71 million of Federal funds provided under SAFETEA-LU to continue work on two bridges to nowhere. Sadly, Alaska's earmarked bridges to nowhere, like zombies eating the brains of taxpayers, refuse to die.
Frankly, like most Americans I thought Federal funding for the bridges to nowhere was a thing of the past. ABC News reported in 2007 the Bridge to Nowhere is gone. This bridge had collapsed even before it was built after an onslaught of angry editorials, furious anti-pork citizen groups, and caustic jokes on late-night TV.
But, unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, this zombie has climbed from its grave and is terrorizing American taxpayers to the tune of $180 million in deficit spending to build two bridges, one of which is a bridge that from an engineering perspective is comparable to the Golden Gate Bridge to an island with 50 people.
Now, but wait, we are not calling it an earmark because we have abolished earmarks in this Congress. So, instead, we are taking Republican earmarks from previous sessions of Congress and calling them something else.
Is that the new spending plan? Is that how we are going to balance the budget? Now, many Republicans in this body have used the bridges to nowhere as an example of wasteful spending.
My colleague and friend from Texas (Mr. Neugebauer) stated that
``while some earmarks fund worthy projects, there are some, such as the infamous `Bridge to Nowhere' that are wasteful uses of taxpayer money.''
My friend from Indiana (Mr. Pence) said, ``All spending bills passed in 2007 included some 11,000 earmarks. Those earmarks included wasteful spending for items such as a $20 million ferry are in Alaska benefiting just 40 people. That, of course, followed the infamous Bridge to Nowhere earmark from the 2005 highway bill.''
So here we have a wasteful expenditure that not only had its origin as an earmark but has been used by fiscal hawks from both sides of the aisle as the very example of a wasteful earmark.
If Alaska wants to build a bridge to nowhere or a road to nowhere or a road to somewhere, bridge to somewhere, go ahead and do it, just do it without Federal tax dollars.
My colleague from Michigan (Mr. Walberg) said: ``Taxpayers are tired of their hard-earned money paying for things like a Bridge to Nowhere in Alaska, fruit fly research in France and a hippie museum in New York.''
Well, this bill doesn't fund a fruit fly museum in France or a hippie museum; but unless we act by passing this amendment, it will allow $183 million of taxpayer money to be spent for bridges for nowhere, wasteful spending we can't afford.
Despite claims that the Bridge to Nowhere earmarks were eliminated, Alaska spent over $71 million of Federal money. You know, in 2006, when the Republicans lost their majority and entered the minority, Mr. Cantor, the leader, said Republicans have become ``a party of the Bridge to Nowhere.'' Well, Mr. Speaker, it looks like too little has changed.
Unless this amendment passes, the Republicans once again will become a party lost on the Bridge to Nowhere. This motion rescinds all remaining funds, about $183 million provided for the planning, design and construction of the two bridges under SAFETEA-LU. In addition, the amendment prohibits the use of funds to finance these bridge projects.
This is a very simple choice. There is no politics in this. We are not changing other parts of the bill, trying to catch people up. We are not putting up a vote to trap people for 30-second spots to say they are for pornography, like has been done in previous sessions while the bill is gutted elsewhere. What we are simply providing is a clean vote on the Bridge to Nowhere.
According to the CBO, this motion will reduce the deficit by $160 million by eliminating funding for these two bridges, nothing else. Listen, for us to have the credibility as a Congress to make the tough cuts we need to balance the budget, to work together to pass a CR that cuts spending, to reduce spending in future years, Congress must have moral standing. Continuing to provide funding to be used for these bridges, the infamous Alaska bridges to nowhere, which most Americans like me thought were already dead, is not the way for Congress to build trust with the American people.
So we have a choice today. We can vote to continue these most egregious earmarks; or we can stand by our words, our vows, and our values and vote for this amendment and finally put an end to wasteful spending and pet projects.
Let me close with some words of wisdom from my colleague from West Virginia, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito: ``The days of members slipping in 'the bridge to nowhere' in the dead of night are over.'' I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to shine the light of day on this insidious example of pork, remove it from the bill and pass the House amendment.
Summary
In 2005, the Safe, Accountable, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) (P.L. 109-59) provided a total of $454 million for the construction of two bridges in Alaska--the Gravina Island bridge and the Knik Arm bridge--through eight separate earmarks in the law. Since 2005, the public, media, and Members of Congress have questioned the merits of these projects and condemned the use of scarce Federal surface transportation funds to finance these projects, commonly referred to as the ``Bridges to Nowhere.''
SAFETEA-LU provides $223 million of Federal-aid highway funds for the Gravina Island bridge. The $304 million bridge under consideration, which rivals the Golden Gate Bridge in size and scope, would serve an island of 50 people, who can access Ketchikan, Alaska, via a five-minute ferry ride.
In addition, the act provides $231 million of Federal-aid highway funds for the Knik Arm Crossing project. The Knik Arm bridge is a project to build a 1.6-mile long bridge, 790-foot tunnel, and 18 miles of connecting roads at a cost of approximately $1.6 billion, including approximately $740 million for phase 1 of the project.
Despite claims that the ``Bridges to Nowhere'' earmarks were eliminated, Alaska has spent more than $71 million of Federal SAFETEA-LU funds to proceed with these bridge projects and accompanying access roads over the past six years.
The Motion to Recommit rescinds all remaining funds--approximately $183 million--provided for planning, design, and construction of the Gravina Island and Knik Arm bridges under SAFETEA-LU. In addition, the motion prohibits the use of any funds provided under the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011 to finance these bridge projects.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the Motion to Recommit will reduce the Federal deficit by approximately
$160 million over the next 10 years.
These earmarks also contribute to Alaska's high rate of return for its gas tax contributions. Over the six-year period of SAFETEA-LU (FY 2004 through FY 2009), Alaska received an average $5.20 for each dollar that the State contributed to the Highway Trust Fund.
Gravina Island Bridge
Gravina Island is a small land mass (21 miles long and 9.5 miles wide) located in Ketchikan Gateway, Alaska. According to the latest Census data, the island has a population of 50 people. Ketchikan International Airport is located on the island. The island can be accessed by a five-minute ferry ride across Tongass Narrows from Ketchikan, and an average of 10,000 vehicles per month use the ferry crossing. A ferry arrives and departs every 15 to 30 minutes.
Alaska received a total of $223 million in SAFETEA-LU to finance the construction of the Gravina Island bridge and accompanying access roads. Although Congress expanded the eligible uses of the earmarked funds in legislation subsequent to SAFETEA-LU, Alaska continues to be able to use these funds on the bridge and access road projects. In 2008, Alaska completed construction of the Gravina Island Highway to provide access to the proposed bridge. Alaska used $37.6 million of Federal funds provided under SAFETEA-LU for the project. Given that the bridge does not exist at this point, the road currently leads nowhere.
According to the Alaska State Legislature Budget and Audit Committee, Alaska has specifically reserved $75.9 million of the remaining SAFETEA-LU funds to improve access to Gravina Island and is currently conducting a supplemental environmental impact statement that includes construction of a $304 million bridge as an alternative.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, $125.8 million remains available for expenditure from the amounts provided in SAFETEA-LU for the Gravina Island bridge.
Knik Arm Bridge
The Knik Arm Bridge project proposes the construction of a 1.6-mile bridge across Knik Arm connecting Anchorage with the borough of Mat-Su, along with 18 miles of access roads to the bridge, at a cost of approximately $1.6 billion, including $740 million for construction of the bridge in phase 1 of the project. In 2003, Alaska established the Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority to construct the bridge. On December 15, 2010, the Federal Highway Administration approved the Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision to construct the 8,200-foot bridge, 790-foot tunnel, and 18 miles of access roads.
Alaska received a total of $231 million in SAFETEA-LU to finance the planning, design, and construction of the Knik Arm bridge and accompanying access roads. Although Congress expanded the eligible uses of the earmarked funds in legislation subsequent to SAFETEA-LU, Alaska has used $45.4 million of Federal funds provided under SAFETEA-LU for the project.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, $57.4 million remains available for expenditure from the amounts provided in SAFETEA-LU for the Knik Arm bridge.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. MICA. Well, congratulations my colleagues. Welcome to the era of smoke and mirrors, and that's exactly what this motion to recommit is; and I urge its defeat.
You heard the gentleman describing bridges. He, again, is trying to mislead the entire House on this particular motion to recommit. It is smoke and mirrors.
I urge the defeat of the motion to recommit.
{time} 1620
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is ordered on the motion to recommit.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the noes appeared to have it.
Recorded Vote
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, the Chair will reduce to 5 minutes the minimum time for electronic vote on the question of passage.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 181, noes 246, answered ``present'' 2, not voting 3, as follows:
AYES--181
AckermanAltmireAndrewsBacaBaldwinBarrowBass (CA)BecerraBerkleyBermanBishop (GA)Bishop (NY)BlumenauerBoswellBrady (PA)Braley (IA)Brown (FL)ButterfieldCappsCapuanoCarnahanCarneyCarson (IN)Castor (FL)ChandlerChuCicillineClarke (MI)Clarke (NY)ClayCleaverClyburnCohenConnolly (VA)ConyersCooperCostelloCourtneyCritzCrowleyCuellarCummingsDavis (CA)Davis (IL)DeGetteDeLauroDeutchDicksDingellDoggettDonnelly (IN)DoyleEdwardsEllisonEngelEshooFarrFattahFilnerFrank (MA)FudgeGaramendiGonzalezGreen, AlGreen, GeneGrijalvaGutierrezHanabusaHastings (FL)HeinrichHigginsHimesHincheyHironoHoldenHoltHondaHoyerInsleeIsraelJackson (IL)Jackson Lee (TX)Johnson (GA)KapturKeatingKildeeKindKissellLangevinLarsen (WA)Larson (CT)Lee (CA)LevinLewis (GA)LipinskiLoebsackLofgren, ZoeLoweyLujanLynchMaloneyMarkeyMathesonMatsuiMcCarthy (NY)McCollumMcDermottMcGovernMcIntyreMcNerneyMeeksMichaudMiller (NC)Miller, GeorgeMooreMoranMurphy (CT)NadlerNapolitanoNealOlverOwensPallonePascrellPastor (AZ)PaynePelosiPerlmutterPetersPingree (ME)PolisPrice (NC)QuigleyRahallRangelReyesRichardsonRichmondRoss (AR)Rothman (NJ)Roybal-AllardRuppersbergerRushRyan (OH)Sanchez, Linda T.Sanchez, LorettaSarbanesSchakowskySchiffSchwartzScott (VA)Scott, DavidSerranoSewellShermanSiresSlaughterSmith (WA)SpeierStarkSuttonThompson (CA)Thompson (MS)TierneyTonkoTownsTsongasVan HollenVelazquezViscloskyWalz (MN)Wasserman SchultzWatersWattWaxmanWeinerWelchWilson (FL)WoolseyWuYarmuth
NOES--246
AdamsAderholtAkinAlexanderAmashAustriaBachmannBachusBarlettaBartlettBarton (TX)Bass (NH)BenishekBergBiggertBilbrayBilirakisBishop (UT)BlackBlackburnBonnerBono MackBorenBoustanyBrady (TX)BrooksBroun (GA)BuchananBucshonBuerkleBurgessBurton (IN)CalvertCampCampbellCansecoCantorCapitoCardozaCarterCassidyChabotChaffetzCobleCoffman (CO)ColeConawayCostaCravaackCrawfordCrenshawCulbersonDavis (KY)DenhamDentDesJarlaisDiaz-BalartDoldDreierDuffyDuncan (SC)Duncan (TN)EllmersEmersonFarentholdFincherFitzpatrickFlakeFleischmannFlemingFloresForbesFortenberryFoxxFranks (AZ)FrelinghuysenGalleglyGardnerGarrettGerlachGibbsGibsonGingrey (GA)GohmertGoodlatteGosarGowdyGrangerGraves (GA)Graves (MO)Griffin (AR)Griffith (VA)GrimmGuintaGuthrieHallHarperHarrisHartzlerHastings (WA)HayworthHeckHellerHensarlingHergerHerrera BeutlerHuelskampHuizenga (MI)HultgrenHunterHurtIssaJenkinsJohnson (IL)Johnson (OH)Johnson, E. B.Johnson, SamJonesJordanKellyKing (IA)King (NY)KingstonKinzinger (IL)KlineKucinichLabradorLambornLanceLandryLankfordLathamLaTouretteLattaLewis (CA)LoBiondoLongLucasLuetkemeyerLummisLungren, Daniel E.MackManzulloMarchantMarinoMcCarthy (CA)McCaulMcClintockMcCotterMcHenryMcKeonMcKinleyMcMorris RodgersMeehanMicaMiller (FL)Miller (MI)Miller, GaryMulvaneyMurphy (PA)MyrickNeugebauerNoemNugentNunesNunneleeOlsonPalazzoPaulPaulsenPearcePencePetersonPetriPittsPlattsPoe (TX)PompeoPoseyPrice (GA)QuayleReedRehbergReichertRenacciRibbleRigellRiveraRobyRoe (TN)Rogers (AL)Rogers (KY)Rogers (MI)RohrabacherRokitaRooneyRos-LehtinenRoskamRoss (FL)RoyceRunyanRyan (WI)ScaliseSchillingSchmidtSchockSchweikertScott (SC)Scott, AustinSensenbrennerSessionsShimkusShulerShusterSimpsonSmith (NE)Smith (NJ)Smith (TX)SoutherlandStearnsStiversStutzmanSullivanTerryThompson (PA)ThornberryTiberiTiptonTurnerUptonWalbergWaldenWalsh (IL)WebsterWestWestmorelandWhitfieldWilson (SC)WittmanWolfWomackWoodallYoderYoung (AK)Young (FL)Young (IN)
ANSWERED ``PRESENT''--2
DeFazioSchrader
NOT VOTING--3
GiffordsHannaHinojosa
Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore
The SPEAKER pro tempore (during the vote). One minute is remaining in this vote.
{time} 1637
Ms. BROWN of Florida changed her vote from ``no'' to ``aye.''
So the motion to recommit was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it.
Recorded Vote
Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. This will be a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 421, noes 4, not voting 7, as follows:
AYES--421
AckermanAdamsAderholtAkinAlexanderAltmireAndrewsAustriaBacaBachmannBachusBaldwinBarlettaBarrowBartlettBarton (TX)Bass (CA)Bass (NH)BecerraBenishekBerkleyBermanBiggertBilbrayBilirakisBishop (GA)Bishop (NY)Bishop (UT)BlackBlackburnBlumenauerBonnerBono MackBorenBoswellBoustanyBrady (PA)Brady (TX)Braley (IA)BrooksBroun (GA)Brown (FL)BuchananBucshonBuerkleBurgessBurton (IN)ButterfieldCalvertCampCampbellCansecoCantorCapitoCappsCapuanoCardozaCarnahanCarneyCarson (IN)CarterCassidyCastor (FL)ChabotChaffetzChandlerChuCicillineClarke (MI) Clarke (NY)ClayCleaverClyburnCobleCoffman (CO)CohenColeConawayConnolly (VA)ConyersCooperCostaCostelloCourtneyCravaackCrawfordCrenshawCritzCrowleyCuellarCulbersonCummingsDavis (CA)Davis (IL)Davis (KY)DeFazioDeGetteDeLauroDenhamDentDesJarlaisDeutchDiaz-BalartDicksDingellDoggettDoldDonnelly (IN)DoyleDreierDuffyDuncan (SC)Duncan (TN)EdwardsEllisonEllmersEmersonEngelEshooFarentholdFarrFattahFilnerFincherFitzpatrickFleischmannFlemingFloresForbesFortenberryFoxxFrank (MA)Franks (AZ)FudgeGalleglyGaramendiGardnerGarrettGerlachGibbsGibsonGingrey (GA)GohmertGonzalezGoodlatteGosarGowdyGrangerGraves (GA)Graves (MO)Green, AlGreen, GeneGriffin (AR)Griffith (VA)GrijalvaGrimmGuintaGuthrieGutierrezHallHanabusaHarperHarrisHartzlerHastings (FL)Hastings (WA)HayworthHeckHeinrichHellerHensarlingHergerHerrera BeutlerHigginsHimesHincheyHironoHoldenHoltHondaHoyerHuelskampHuizenga (MI)HultgrenHunterHurtInsleeIsraelIssaJackson (IL)Jackson Lee (TX)JenkinsJohnson (GA)Johnson (IL)Johnson (OH)Johnson, E. B.Johnson, SamJonesJordanKapturKeatingKellyKildeeKindKing (IA)King (NY)KingstonKinzinger (IL)KissellKlineKucinichLabradorLambornLanceLandryLangevinLankfordLarsen (WA)Larson (CT)LathamLaTouretteLattaLee (CA)LevinLewis (CA)Lewis (GA)LipinskiLoBiondoLoebsackLofgren, ZoeLongLoweyLucasLuetkemeyerLujanLummisLungren, Daniel E.LynchMackMaloneyManzulloMarchantMarinoMarkeyMathesonMatsuiMcCarthy (CA)McCarthy (NY)McCaulMcClintockMcCollumMcCotterMcDermottMcGovernMcHenryMcIntyreMcKeonMcKinleyMcMorris RodgersMcNerneyMeehanMeeksMicaMichaudMiller (FL)Miller (MI)Miller (NC)Miller, GaryMiller, GeorgeMooreMoranMulvaneyMurphy (CT)Murphy (PA)MyrickNadlerNapolitanoNealNeugebauerNoemNugentNunesNunneleeOlsonOlverOwensPalazzoPallonePascrellPastor (AZ)PaulsenPaynePearcePelosiPencePerlmutterPetersPetersonPetriPingree (ME)PittsPlattsPoe (TX)PompeoPoseyPrice (GA)Price (NC)QuayleQuigleyRahallRangelReedRehbergReichertRenacciReyesRibbleRichardsonRichmondRigellRiveraRobyRoe (TN)Rogers (AL)Rogers (KY)Rogers (MI)RohrabacherRokitaRooneyRos-LehtinenRoskamRoss (AR)Ross (FL)Rothman (NJ)Roybal-AllardRoyceRunyanRuppersbergerRushRyan (OH)Ryan (WI)Sanchez, Linda T.Sanchez, LorettaSarbanesScaliseSchakowskySchiffSchillingSchmidtSchockSchraderSchwartzSchweikertScott (SC)Scott (VA)Scott, AustinScott, DavidSensenbrennerSerranoSessionsSewellShermanShimkusShulerShusterSimpsonSiresSlaughterSmith (NE)Smith (NJ)Smith (TX)Smith (WA)SoutherlandSpeierStarkStiversStutzmanSullivanSuttonTerryThompson (CA)Thompson (MS)Thompson (PA)ThornberryTiberiTierneyTiptonTonkoTownsTsongasTurnerUptonVan HollenVelazquezViscloskyWalbergWaldenWalsh (IL)Walz (MN)Wasserman SchultzWatersWattWaxmanWebsterWeinerWelchWestWestmorelandWilson (FL)Wilson (SC)WittmanWolfWomackWoodallWoolseyWuYarmuthYoderYoung (AK)Young (FL)Young (IN)
NOES--4
AmashFlakePolisStearns
NOT VOTING--7
BergFrelinghuysenGiffordsHannaHinojosaPaulWhitfield
Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore
The SPEAKER pro tempore (during the vote). One minute remains in this vote.
{time} 1643
So the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Stated for:
Mr. BERG. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 160 I was inadvertently detained.
Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''
____________________
