[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 12, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H2068-H2069]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1615
  BI-STATE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, BY THE STATES OF MISSOURI AND ILLINOIS

  Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
joint resolution (H.J. Res. 78), to grant the consent of the Congress 
to certain additional powers conferred upon the Bi-State Development 
Agency by the States of Missouri and Illinois, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H.J. Res. 78

       Whereas the Congress in consenting to the compact between 
     Missouri and Illinois creating the Bi-State Development 
     Agency and the Bi-State Metropolitan District provided that 
     no power shall be exercised by the Bi-State Agency under the 
     provisions of article III of such compact until such power 
     has been conferred upon the Bi-State Agency by the 
     legislatures of the States to the compact and approved by an 
     Act of Congress; and
       Whereas such States have now enacted certain legislation in 
     order to confer certain additional powers on such Bi-State 
     Development Agency: Now, therefore be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That (a) the 
     consent of Congress is hereby given to the additional powers 
     conferred on the Bi-State Development Agency of the Compact 
     Between Missouri and Illinois approved under the Joint 
     Resolution of August 31, 1950 (64 Stat. 568) by

[[Page H2069]]

     section 70.378 of the Act of May 26, 1993 (1993 Mo. Laws 382) 
     and section 5 of Public Act 88-611, Laws of Illinois 1994.
       (b) The powers consented to in subsection (a) and conferred 
     by the laws referred to in such subsection shall take effect 
     on January 1, 1995.
       Sec. 2. The provisions of the Joint Resolution of August 
     31, 1950 (64 Stat. 568) shall apply to the additional powers 
     approved under this joint resolution to the same extent as if 
     such additional powers were conferred under the provisions of 
     the compact consented to in such Joint Resolution.
       Sec. 3. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this joint 
     resolution is expressly reserved.
       Sec. 4. The right is hereby reserved to the Congress to 
     require the disclosure and furnishings of such information or 
     data by the Bi-State Development Agency as is deemed 
     appropriate by the Congress.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania [Mr. Gekas] and the gentleman from Rhode Island [Mr. Reed] 
will each be recognized for 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Gekas].
  Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, as everyone knows by now, the Constitution of the United 
States empowers, no, directs the Congress to approve any kind of 
compact that may be entered into by any of the several States. If more 
than one State wishes to join with another in a joint venture, the 
consent of the Congress must be sought and obtained under the 
Constitution.
  So, from time to time, we here in the House, in fact the entire 
Congress has to entertain importunings from various States to approve 
such compacts.
  Back in 1950 there was such a compact approved by the Congress 
between Missouri and Illinois having to do with a joint venture across 
the river that divides them, and that compact was approved. That had to 
do with planning, development, et cetera. Now, the two States have 
found reason to come back to the Congress because one of the agencies 
that they empowered began operating a light-rail transit system and 
requested that the respective legislatures authorize it to appoint or 
employ a security force to prevent fare evasion and other misconduct on 
the system.
  So, the Illinois Legislature and the Missouri Legislature did exactly 
that, passed their own concurrent legislation, as it were, which they 
referred to us for our consent, and that is the gist of this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, we ask that the Congress approve it with first a vote 
here in the House. Our subcommittee and the full committee approved the 
passing of this legislation and have brought it to this stage in the 
legislative process.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bill. I know of no objections 
to this legislation. House Joint Resolution 78 seeks congressional 
approval for additional powers conferred on the Bi-State Development 
Agency of Missouri and Illinois by those two State legislatures. These 
additional powers involve the jurisdiction of various local police 
officers to make arrests on the light-rail system and the agency's 
efforts to prosecute fare evaders.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge speedy passage of this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Joint 
Resolution 78, of which I am a cosponsor. This legislation is necessary 
to give enforcement authority to the Bi-State Development Agency, the 
local organization that operates the mass transit system in the St. 
Louis metropolitan region. Bi-State was originally established by the 
States of Illinois and Missouri and approved by the U.S. Congress. 
However, that compact did not give Bi-State the authority to appoint or 
employ a security force or to enact rules and regulations governing 
fare evasion and other conduct.
  As Bi-State has expanded from providing transit via buses to the 
large-scale and widely known success of the MetroLink light rail 
system, its needs have changed. With its growth and new 
responsibilities, the agency now requires more authority to enact rules 
and regulations on fare collection and to employ a security force. 
MetroLink passengers currently pay fares through a barrier-free, self-
service, proof-of-payment system. This system, while successful, needs 
a consistent enforcement policy to ensure fare compliance.
  The agency does not currently have the authority to enact these rules 
under the original compact approved by the U.S. Congress. Because both 
the Illinois and Missouri Legislatures have acted to extend Bi-State's 
authority and because local officials and Members of Congress from the 
region support the change, I urge my colleagues to support passage of 
this legislation.
  Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Gekas] that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the joint resolution, House Joint Resolution 78, as 
amended.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5, rule I, and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.


                             general leave

  Mr. GEKAS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on the joint resolution just considered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.

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