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“SURFACE TRANSPORTATION EXTENSION ACT OF 2015, PART II” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H8213-H8217 on Nov. 16, 2015.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION EXTENSION ACT OF 2015, PART II
Mr. HARDY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 3996) to provide an extension of Federal-aid highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3996
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; TABLE OF
CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2015, Part II''.
(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 2016 by amounts apportioned or allocated pursuant to the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2015, including the amendments made by that Act, for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015.
(c) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; reconciliation of funds; table of contents.
TITLE I--SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM EXTENSION
Subtitle A--Federal-Aid Highways
Sec. 1001. Extension of Federal-aid highway programs.
Sec. 1002. Administrative expenses.
Subtitle B--Extension of Highway Safety Programs
Sec. 1101. Extension of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration highway safety programs.
Sec. 1102. Extension of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration programs.
Sec. 1103. Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act.
Subtitle C--Public Transportation Programs
Sec. 1201. Formula grants for rural areas.
Sec. 1202. Apportionment of appropriations for formula grants.
Sec. 1203. Authorizations for public transportation.
Sec. 1204. Bus and bus facilities formula grants.
Subtitle D--Hazardous Materials
Sec. 1301. Authorization of appropriations.
TITLE II--REVENUE PROVISIONS
Sec. 2001. Extension of Highway Trust Fund expenditure authority.
TITLE I--SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM EXTENSION
Subtitle A--Federal-Aid Highways
SEC. 1001. EXTENSION OF FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAY PROGRAMS.
(a) In General.--Section 1001(a) of the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014 (128 Stat. 1840) is amended by striking ``November 20, 2015'' and inserting
``December 4, 2015''.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) Highway trust fund.--Section 1001(b)(1)(B) of the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014 (128 Stat. 1840) is amended by striking ``for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015, \51/366\ of the total amount'' and inserting ``for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015, \65/366\ of the total amount''.
(2) General fund.--Section 1123(h)(1) of MAP-21 (23 U.S.C. 202 note) is amended by striking ``and $4,180,328 out of the general fund of the Treasury to carry out the program for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015'' and inserting ``and $5,327,869 out of the general fund of the Treasury to carry out the program for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015''.
(c) Use of Funds.--
(1) In general.--Section 1001(c)(1)(B) of the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014 (128 Stat. 1840) is amended--
(A) by striking ``November 20, 2015,'' and inserting
``December 4, 2015,''; and
(B) by striking ``\51/366\'' and inserting ``\65/366\''.
(2) Obligation ceiling.--Section 1102 of MAP-21 (23 U.S.C. 104 note) is amended--
(A) by striking subsection (a)(4) and inserting the following:
``(4) $7,134,218,915 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015.'';
(B) in subsection (b)(12) by striking ``, and for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015, only in an amount equal to $639,000,000, less any reductions that would have otherwise been required for that year by section 251A of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901a), then multiplied by \51/366\ for that period'' and inserting ``, and for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015, only in an amount equal to $639,000,000, less any reductions that would have otherwise been required for that year by section 251A of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901a), then multiplied by \65/366\ for that period'';
(C) in subsection (c)--
(i) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking
``November 20, 2015'' and inserting ``December 4, 2015''; and
(ii) in paragraph (2) in the matter preceding subparagraph
(A) by striking ``for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015, that is equal to \51/366\ of such unobligated balance'' and inserting ``for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015, that is equal to \65/366\ of such unobligated balance''; and
(D) in subsection (f)(1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) by striking ``November 20, 2015'' and inserting ``December 4, 2015''.
SEC. 1002. ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.
Section 1002 of the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014 (128 Stat. 1842) is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (a)(2) and inserting the following:
``(2) $78,142,077 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015.''; and
(2) in subsection (b)(2) by striking ``and for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015, subject to the limitations on administrative expenses for the Federal Highway Administration and Appalachian Regional Commission'' and inserting ``and for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015, subject to the limitations on administrative expenses for the Federal Highway Administration and Appalachian Regional Commission''.
Subtitle B--Extension of Highway Safety Programs
SEC. 1101. EXTENSION OF NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY
ADMINISTRATION HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAMS.
(a) Extension of Programs.--
(1) Highway safety programs.--Section 31101(a)(1)(D) of MAP-21 (126 Stat. 733) is amended to read as follows:
``(D) $41,734,973 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015.''.
(2) Highway safety research and development.--Section 31101(a)(2)(D) of MAP-21 (126 Stat. 733) is amended to read as follows:
``(D) $20,157,104 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015.''.
(3) National priority safety programs.--Section 31101(a)(3)(D) of MAP-21 (126 Stat. 733) is amended to read as follows:
``(D) $48,306,011 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015.''.
(4) National driver register.--Section 31101(a)(4)(D) of MAP-21 (126 Stat. 733) is amended to read as follows:
``(D) $887,978 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015.''.
(5) High visibility enforcement program.--
(A) Authorization of appropriations.--Section 31101(a)(5)(D) of MAP-21 (126 Stat. 733) is amended to read as follows:
``(D) $5,150,273 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015.''.
(B) Law enforcement campaigns.--Section 2009(a) of SAFETEA-LU (23 U.S.C. 402 note) is amended--
(i) in the first sentence by striking ``November 20, 2015'' and inserting ``December 4, 2015''; and
(ii) in the second sentence by striking ``November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``December 4, 2015,''.
(6) Administrative expenses.--Section 31101(a)(6)(D) of MAP-21 (126 Stat. 733) is amended to read as follows:
``(D) $4,528,689 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015.''.
(b) Cooperative Research and Evaluation.--Section 403(f)(1) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by striking ``and
$348,361 of the total amount available for apportionment to the States for highway safety programs under section 402(c) in the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $443,989 of the total amount available for apportionment to the States for highway safety programs under section 402(c) in the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,''.
(c) Applicability of Title 23.--Section 31101(c) of MAP-21
(126 Stat. 733) is amended by striking ``November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``December 4, 2015,''.
SEC. 1102. EXTENSION OF FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY
ADMINISTRATION PROGRAMS.
(a) Motor Carrier Safety Grants.--Section 31104(a)(11) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(11) $38,715,847 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015.''.
(b) Administrative Expenses.--Section 31104(i)(1)(K) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(K) $45,997,268 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015.''.
(c) Grant Programs.--
(1) Commercial driver's license program improvement grants.--Section 4101(c)(1) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1715) is amended by striking ``and $4,180,328 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015'' and inserting ``and $5,327,869 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015''.
(2) Border enforcement grants.--Section 4101(c)(2) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1715) is amended by striking ``and
$4,459,016 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015'' and inserting ``and $5,683,060 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015''.
(3) Performance and registration information system management grant program.--Section 4101(c)(3) of SAFETEA-LU
(119 Stat. 1715) is amended by striking ``and $696,721 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015'' and inserting ``and $887,978 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015''.
(4) Commercial vehicle information systems and networks deployment program.--Section 4101(c)(4) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1715) is amended by striking ``and $3,483,607 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015'' and inserting ``and $4,439,891 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015''.
(5) Safety data improvement grants.--Section 4101(c)(5) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1715) is amended by striking ``and
$418,033 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015'' and inserting ``and $532,787 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015''.
(d) High-Priority Activities.--Section 31104(k)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``and up to
$2,090,164 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and up to
$2,663,934 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,''.
(e) New Entrant Audits.--Section 31144(g)(5)(B) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``and up to
$4,459,016 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and up to $5,683,060 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,''.
(f) Outreach and Education.--Section 4127(e) of SAFETEA-LU
(119 Stat. 1741) is amended by striking ``and $557,377 to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $710,383 to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,''.
(g) Grant Program for Commercial Motor Vehicle Operators.--Section 4134(c) of SAFETEA-LU (49 U.S.C. 31301 note) is amended by striking ``and $139,344 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $177,596 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,''.
SEC. 1103. 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) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) by striking ``November 20, 2015'' and inserting ``December 4, 2015''; and
(2) in subsection (b)(1)(A) by striking ``November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``December 4, 2015,''.
Subtitle C--Public Transportation Programs
SEC. 1201. FORMULA GRANTS FOR RURAL AREAS.
Section 5311(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A) by striking ``and $696,721 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $887,978 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,''; and
(2) in subparagraph (B) by striking ``and $3,483,607 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $4,439,891 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,''.
SEC. 1202. APPORTIONMENT OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR FORMULA
GRANTS.
Section 5336(h)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``and $4,180,328 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $5,327,869 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,''.
SEC. 1203. AUTHORIZATIONS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
(a) Formula Grants.--Section 5338(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1) by striking ``and $1,197,663,934 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015'' and inserting ``and $1,526,434,426 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015'';
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (A) by striking ``and $17,947,541 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $22,874,317 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,'';
(B) in subparagraph (B) by striking ``and $1,393,443 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $1,775,956 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,'';
(C) in subparagraph (C) by striking ``and $621,287,295 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $791,836,749 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,'';
(D) in subparagraph (D) by striking ``and $35,992,623 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $45,872,951 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,'';
(E) in subparagraph (E)--
(i) by striking ``and $84,693,443 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $107,942,623 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,'';
(ii) by striking ``and $4,180,328 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $5,327,869 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,''; and
(iii) by striking ``and $2,786,885 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $3,551,913 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,'';
(F) in subparagraph (F) by striking ``and $418,033 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $532,787 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,'';
(G) in subparagraph (G) by striking ``and $696,721 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $887,978 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,'';
(H) in subparagraph (H) by striking ``and $536,475 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $683,743 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,'';
(I) in subparagraph (I) by striking ``and $301,805,738 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $384,654,372 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,'';
(J) in subparagraph (J) by striking ``and $59,611,475 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $75,975,410 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,''; and
(K) in subparagraph (K) by striking ``and $73,281,148 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $93,397,541 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,''.
(b) Research, Development Demonstration and Deployment Projects.--Section 5338(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``and $9,754,098 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015'' and inserting ``and $12,431,694 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015''.
(c) Transit Cooperative Research Program.--Section 5338(c) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``and
$975,410 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015'' and inserting ``and $1,243,169 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015''.
(d) Technical Assistance and Standards Development.--Section 5338(d) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``and $975,410 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015'' and inserting ``and $1,243,169 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015''.
(e) Human Resources and Training.--Section 5338(e) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``and $696,721 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015'' and inserting ``and $887,978 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015''.
(f) Capital Investment Grants.--Section 5338(g) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``and
$265,729,508 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015'' and inserting ``and
$338,674,863 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015''.
(g) Administration.--Section 5338(h) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1) by striking ``and $14,491,803 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015'' and inserting ``and $18,469,945 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015'';
(2) in paragraph (2) by striking ``and not less than
$696,721 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and not less than $887,978 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,''; and
(3) in paragraph (3) by striking ``and not less than
$139,344 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and not less than $177,596 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,''.
SEC. 1204. BUS AND BUS FACILITIES FORMULA GRANTS.
Section 5339(d)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ``and $9,127,049 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $11,632,514 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,'';
(2) by striking ``$174,180 for such period'' and inserting
``$221,994 for such period''; and
(3) by striking ``$69,672 for such period'' and inserting
``$88,798 for such period''.
Subtitle D--Hazardous Materials
SEC. 1301. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--Section 5128(a)(4) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(4) $7,594,344 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015.''.
(b) Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Fund.--Section 5128(b)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(2) Fiscal year 2016.--From the Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Fund established under section 5116(i), the Secretary may expend for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015--
``(A) $33,388 to carry out section 5115;
``(B) $3,871,585 to carry out subsections (a) and (b) of section 5116, of which not less than $2,424,180 shall be available to carry out section 5116(b);
``(C) $26,639 to carry out section 5116(f);
``(D) $110,997 to publish and distribute the Emergency Response Guidebook under section 5116(i)(3); and
``(E) $177,596 to carry out section 5116(j).''.
(c) Hazardous Materials Training Grants.--Section 5128(c) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``and
$557,377 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on November 20, 2015,'' and inserting ``and $710,383 for the period beginning on October 1, 2015, and ending on December 4, 2015,''.
TITLE II--REVENUE PROVISIONS
SEC. 2001. EXTENSION OF HIGHWAY TRUST FUND EXPENDITURE
AUTHORITY.
(a) Highway Trust Fund.--Section 9503 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended--
(1) by striking ``November 21, 2015'' in subsections
(b)(6)(B), (c)(1), and (e)(3) and inserting ``December 5, 2015'', and
(2) by striking ``Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2015'' in subsections (c)(1) and (e)(3) and inserting
``Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2015, Part II''.
(b) Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund.--Section 9504 of such Code is amended--
(1) by striking ``Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2015'' each place it appears in subsection (b)(2) and inserting ``Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2015, Part II'', and
(2) by striking ``November 21, 2015'' in subsection (d)(2) and inserting ``December 5, 2015''.
(c) Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund.--Section 9508(e)(2) of such Code is amended by striking ``November 21, 2015'' and inserting ``December 5, 2015''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Ratcliffe). Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Hardy) and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nevada.
General Leave
Mr. HARDY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 3996.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Nevada?
There was no objection.
Mr. HARDY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3996, which extends the Federal surface transportation programs to December 4, 2015.
On November 5, the House overwhelmingly passed a multiyear surface transportation bill, with more than 360 Members voting in support. Since then, the House and Senate have made good progress in resolving the differences between our two proposals. The conference committee still needs time to publicly meet, which we will do on Wednesday, complete our negotiations, and produce a final measure that helps improve America's infrastructure. Today's extension provides a time for that process to occur, while avoiding a shutdown of transportation programs.
The bill allows the States to continue to fund transportation projects and prevents 4,100 U.S. Department of Transportation employees from being furloughed.
H.R. 3996 funds these programs at the authorized levels for fiscal year 2014. No offsets or transfers of funding to the highway trust fund are necessary for the extension since the trust fund will remain solvent during the period.
I urge support of H.R. 3996.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, today the House must consider yet another short-term extension to keep highway transit safety and HAZMAT investments limping along, this time for only 2 weeks. We must pass this bill today, however, to avert a shutdown of Federal transportation programs, which expire in just 4 days.
This stopgap measure is a means to a much-needed end, which the House and the Senate are working diligently to accomplish a long-term surface transportation bill to provide certainty to States and to address our Nation's crumbling roads, bridges, and transit systems.
Every State department of transportation, every county, every city, every contractor, every construction worker, every commuter stuck in traffic, every business that uses our roads and bridges to move goods wants Congress to break through its own gridlock and wants us to come up with a long-term bill.
I would very much like to thank Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member DeFazio, Subcommittee Chair Graves, and all the members who have worked together in the most bipartisan manner--it is bipartisanship that I believe is a model for how this House should operate--in order to craft a surface transportation authorization bill that passed by voice vote out of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and that received robust support when considered by the House after many amendments were also considered.
The conference committee is now diligently doing its work, and I look forward to continuing our talks with the Senate to produce a comprehensive bill for the President to sign. Until such time as the conference committee can complete its work, we must keep programs up and running, Mr. Speaker. This extension does just that.
This extension is a necessary step to avert a shutdown, and I will, therefore, support it. It is my sincere hope that this is the last extension, and I earnestly believe it will be because of the bipartisanship this bill has enjoyed, the very last extension we will need because it is beyond time to get serious about how we are going to fund our transportation future.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
I thank the gentleman for coming forward this evening. I have no further speakers.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. HARDY. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, the House must consider yet another short-term extension to keep highway, transit, highway safety, and hazmat investments limping along, this time for two weeks.
We must pass this bill today to avert a shutdown of Federal transportation programs, which expire in just four short days.
This stopgap measure is a means to a much-needed end toward which the House and Senate are working diligently: a long-term surface transportation bill to provide certainty to States and to address our nations' crumbling roads, bridges, and transit systems.
Every State Department of Transportation, every county, every city, every contractor, every construction worker, every commuter stuck in traffic, every business that uses our roads and bridges to move goods wants Congress to break through its own gridlock and come up with a long-term bill.
I would like to thank Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member DeFazio, Subcommittee Chairman Graves, and all of the members who have worked together in a bipartisan manner to craft a surface transportation authorization bill that passed by voice vote out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and that received robust support when considered by the House.
The Conference Committee is now diligently doing its work, and I look forward to continue our talks with the Senate to produce a comprehensive bill for the President to sign. Until such time as the Conference Committee can complete its work, we must keep programs up and running. This extension does just that.
This extension is a necessary step to avert a shutdown, and I will therefore support it. It is my sincere hope that this is the last extension we will need, because it is beyond time to get serious about how we are going to fund our transportation future.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, a senior member of the Homeland Security, I rise to speak on H.R. 3996, Surface Transportation Extension Act II of 2015,'' which reauthorizes federal-aid highway and transit programs for two weeks through December 4, 2015.
Mr. Speaker, instead of this 14-day temporary extension, I would have strongly preferred that we were debating a final Conference Report on H.R. 22, the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015, which provides for what used to be the customary six-year reauthorization of surface transportation programs to provide certainty and stability to the needed effort to repair, rebuild, and revitalize the nation's crumbling infrastructure.
The Senate Amendment to the Conference Report on H.R. 22, the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015, passed by a vote of 65-34, nearly a two-thirds majority, while the version of the bill passed by the House version of the bill, which included two Jackson Lee amendments, passed by an overwhelming bipartisan majority of 363-64.
Mr. Speaker, I reluctantly support this emergency but temporary measure because as the Department of Transportation has reported, if we do not act now highway trust fund balances will reach dangerously low levels by November 20 and result in a reduction of payments to states by an average of 28 percent.
Many states have already canceled or delayed planned construction projects, threatening 700,000 thousands of jobs, including 106,100 jobs in my home state of Texas.
Mr. Speaker, the Highway Trust Fund was created in 1956 during the Eisenhower Administration to help finance construction of the Interstate Highway System, which modernized the nation's transportation infrastructure and was instrumental in making the United States the world's dominant economic power for two generations.
Our national leaders then understood that investing in our roads and bridges strengthened our economy, created millions of good- paying jobs, and improved the quality of life for all Americans.
It is currently composed of two accounts that fund federal-aid highway and transit projects built by states.
Federal funding from the trust fund accounts for a major portion of state transportation spending.
The Highway Trust Fund is financed by gasoline and diesel taxes, which until the last decade produced a steady increase in revenues sufficient to accommodate increased levels of spending on highway and transit projects.
However, those tax rates--18.4 cents/gallon federal tax on gasoline and a 24.4 cents/gallon tax on diesel fuel--have remained unchanged since 1993 and were not indexed to inflation so the value of those revenues has eroded over the years, and, combined with the fact that vehicles have been getting increasingly better mileage, the revenues deposited into the Highway Trust Fund beginning last decade have not kept pace with highway and transit spending from the trust fund.
Consequently, since 2008, Congress has periodically had to transfer at the 11th hour general Treasury revenues into the trust fund to pay for authorized highway and transit spending levels and avoid a funding shortfall.
The total amount to date is more than $74 billion.
Obviously, this practice is economically inefficient and injects uncertainty in the highway construction plans, projects, and schedules of state and local transportation agencies, not to mention the anxiety it causes to workers and businesses who economic livelihood is dependent on those projects.
Mr. Speaker, the last transportation authorized by Congress for 4 years or more, SAFETEA-LU, expired on September 30, 2009, at the end of FY 2009.
Because Congress and the Administration could not agree to a new reauthorization, it was necessary to resort to stop-gap temporary extensions on no less than eight occasions spanning a period of 910 days before Congress finally enacted the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act'' (MAP-21 Act) on July 6, 2012, which reauthorized highway and transportation programs through Fiscal Year 2014, a little more than two years, or until September 30, 2014.
MAP-21 was intended as a short-term measure to give Congress and the Administration breathing room to reach agreement on a long-term reauthorization bill.
Yet, as Mr. Levin, the Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Committee, has often pointed out, since gaining the majority in 2010, our Republican colleagues have failed to take any action to sustain the Highway Trust Fund over the long-term and shore up vital infrastructure projects and has not held even a single hearing on financing options for the Highway Trust Fund.
Mr. Speaker, it is long past time for this Congress, and especially the House majority, to focus on the real problems and challenges facing the American people.
And one of the biggest of those challenges is ensuring that America has a transportation policy and the infrastructure needed to compete and win in the global economy of the 21st Century.
To do that we have to extend the reauthorization of current transportation programs and to authorize the transfer of the funds to the Highway Trust Fund needed to fund authorized construction projects and keep 700,000 workers, including 106,100 in Texas on the job.
But that is only a start and just a part of our job.
The real work that needs to be done in the remaining days of this Congress is to reach an agreement on H.R. 22 that the President can sign that is fair, equitable, fiscally responsible, creates jobs and leads to sustained economic growth.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Hardy) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3996.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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