[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 2 (Thursday, January 5, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E42]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        EMPLOYEE COMMUTE OPTION

                                 ______


                        HON. DONALD A. MANZULLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, January 4, 1995
  Mr. MANZULLO. Mr. Speaker, today is truly a landmark day in the 
history of this country. On November 8, the citizens spoke out against 
big government and unfunded mandates.
  We have a unique opportunity to curtail many, if not all, unfunded 
mandates this Congress. One key mandate is the employee trip reduction 
contained in the Clean Air Act of 1990.
  If you thought the electorate was angry in November, wait until they 
hear about this restriction on their ability to drive their own car to 
work. The employee trip reduction, known also as the employee commute 
option, requires businesses with over 100 employees in certain areas to 
force their employees to carpool to work. Thus, the employee commute 
option is really a misnomer, because if the States do not enforce this 
mandate, they stand to lose much needed highway funding. In my own 
State of Illinois, that is $700 million in the balance.
  In other words, implement mandated carpooling, or else. That's not 
much of an option.
  Affected areas are designated ``severe'' nonattainment regions based 
on 1987-1988-1989 statistics, even though recent data shows these 
regions have cleaned-up their air before these mandates take effect.
  The bill I am introducing today allows the States to decide if they 
want carpooling to be part of their clean air plan. It will not change 
the goals of the Clean Air Act but simply gives States the option to 
utilize carpooling as a tool to help clean the air in their specific 
region.
  My legislation sends a message to the EPA that the voters voiced back 
in November--we need common sense and flexibility in the law.
  In Illinois, it is estimated that this mandate alone will only reduce 
air pollution levels by an average of 1 percent. That small percentage 
has a price tag estimated at $200 million for businesses to enforce. 
This is a huge price tag, for a very small benefit. There are cheaper 
and better ways to achieve the same goals, but the States should have 
the flexibility to figure that out.
  Please join me and the many Members who have cosponsored my bill in 
giving the States back the authority to improve their own air quality. 
Cosponsor and pass my bill to make the employee commute option truly an 
option.


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