[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 110 (Wednesday, July 30, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8311-S8312]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  1998

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the clerk will 
report H.R. 2169.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 2169) making appropriations for the Department 
     of Transportation and related agencies for the fiscal year 
     ending September 30, 1998, and for other purposes.

  The Senate resumed consideration of the bill.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, included in the fiscal year 1998 
Transportation appropriations bill is an amendment that directs the 
Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] to work with one segment of the 
aviation industry to develop an expeditious way to comply with the 
pilot record sharing legislation, enacted last year.
  When we passed the pilot record sharing legislation as part of the 
FAA Reauthorization Act, ``air carriers'' were required to obtain 
certain records, including FAA records, on pilots. The term air carrier 
includes more than just airlines. It also includes, for example, on-
demand non-scheduled carriers. These carriers tend to hire pilots on an 
as-needed basis, and need the information from the FAA in a more timely 
manner than airlines.
  The FAA is aware that these carriers need to be able to respond 
quickly to information requests from the on-demand segment of the 
industry, and are striving to get the required information to them 
within 15 days. Ultimately, the information should be available on a 
real time basis through desk top computers. The amendment recognizes 
that the FAA must work with industry to figure out a means to comply 
with the law, and then implement those changes.
  There are many ways for the FAA to facilitate the passing of the 
information, and discussions should commence with the industry. 
Compliance is critical, but we cannot ask the impossible of the 
industry or the FAA. I also want to note that the directive in the 
Appropriations bill does not authorize any new program, but merely 
directs the FAA to work with the industry to implement last year's 
legislation. As a result, I do not believe that we are legislating on 
an Appropriations bill.
  I want to thank the chairman, Senator Shelby, and the ranking member, 
Senator Lautenberg, for their acceptance of the amendment.
  Mr. D'AMATO. Mr. President, the Senate has accepted an amendment that 
Senator Moynihan and I offered to the fiscal year 1998 Transportation 
appropriations bill that I believe will help provide a measure of 
financial relief to the working men and women of Nassau, Suffolk, 
Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties. Residents of these counties 
pay a premium price to commute each day into New York City by commuter 
railroad. Roughly half of these commuters then have to pay another fare 
to get to their final destination by bus or subway. Our amendment will 
require the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority [MTA] to 
conduct a study to determine the feasibility of providing a free subway 
or bus transfer to those persons who use the Long Island Rail Road 
[LIRR] or Metro North commuter railroad so that these daily riders may 
decrease their commuting costs.
  Recently, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority [MTA] 
announced its MetroCard Gold program. This program for the first time 
provides free transfers for those who transfer between New York City 
buses and subways. In essence, the commuter who until now commuted from 
a two-fare zone now pays only one fare. This program will greatly 
benefit city commuters, saving them approximately $750 per year. It 
will also have a positive impact on the local economy and the 
environment.
  In addition, at my urging, the MTA will extend this single fare 
policy for similar bus-to-bus and bus-to-subway transfers for the MTA's 
40,000 Long Island Bus commuters traveling between Long Island and New 
York City. It is estimated that these commuters will realize an average 
yearly savings of approximately $900 based on current fare structures.
  The intended goal of this policy is to create a seamless, integrated 
transportation system that will benefit commuters in the most transit-
dependent region of our country and, indeed, the world. I commend 
Governor George Pataki and MTA Chairman Virgil Conway for this forward 
thinking initiative. What now needs to be determined is if this policy 
can be expanded. My amendment will require the Metropolitan 
Transportation Authority [MTA] to conduct a feasibility study, from 
funds made available to the MTA from the Federal Transit 
Administration, on extending this policy to New York's two commuter 
railroads.
  New York is home to the two largest commuter railroads in the 
Nation--the Long Island Rail Road [LIRR] and the Metro North railroad. 
Each day, approximately 235,000 commuters depend on these two railroads 
to get to work and back home again. Almost half of these commuters--
108,000 or 46 percent--transfer to subways and buses once they arrive 
in New York City. They also repeat the trip in the evening as they head 
back to the train station. These are commuters who may pay $125, $175, 
$225 or more per month to take these two commuter railroads. On top of 
that, they can pay an additional $750 over the course of a year for 
that portion of their commute that occurs on the city's subways and 
buses.
  If we really want to create a seamless transit system, one that 
encourages more people to take the train and leave their cars at home, 
then Metro North and Long Island Rail Road commuters should be offered 
a free transfer to the City's subways and buses. In addition to the 
financial savings for commuters, the benefits to public health, the 
environment and the preservation of natural resources as well as the 
enhancements to the quality of life for these commuters should be 
powerful incentives to extend this single-fare policy.
  More than 100,000 Long Island Rail Road and Metro North rail 
commuters use New York's subway and bus systems daily. If it is 
feasible--and taking into consideration all factors--then the commuters 
who use Long Island Rail Road [LIRR] or Metro North and the New York 
City subway or bus systems should receive similar benefits as are 
available under the MTA's single-fare policy. This amendment will move 
us one step closer to that goal.
  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I would like to ask the distinguished 
chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation appropriations if he 
would respond to questions that I have regarding the bill.
  Mr. SHELBY. I would be happy to respond to the questions from the 
Senator from California.
  Mrs. BOXER. I first want to thank the chairman for his work in 
developing this major appropriations bill that

[[Page S8312]]

is so vital to our Nation's economic productivity and quality of life. 
This was an important undertaking that presented many difficult issues. 
I applaud him for his patience and his willingness to meet with me and 
my constituents in California on one of those issues involving a fixed-
guideway transit project.
  As the chairman knows, my State has many requests for transportation 
investments, particularly in the area of bus and bus facilities. I 
would like to bring to the chairman's attention two projects in 
particular which were not funded in either the Senate or the House 
bills. The first was a request from the Los Angeles Metropolitan 
Transit Operators Coalition, which represents 8 municipal transit 
operators serving more than 63 million passengers annually in 36 cities 
of Los Angeles County. The coalition was formed to obtain economies of 
scale in procuring replacement and expansion buses and to provide 
critical alternative fuel facilities. These clean-fuel buses are vital 
for the Los Angeles area which has the most severe air pollution in the 
country. The second project involves replacement and expansion buses 
for the growing city of Santa Clarita.
  I ask the chairman if he would support some funding for these two 
projects when he meets in conference with the House on the 
Transportation appropriations bill?
  Mr. SHELBY. I understand the Senator's concerns about funding for bus 
and bus facilities in California and the subcommittee did face very 
difficult choices for funding. I will be happy to work with the Senator 
on these issues in the conference committee.
  Mrs. BOXER. I thank the Senator and ask if he would respond to an 
additional question.
  Mr. SHELBY. I would be happy to.
  Mrs. BOXER. As the Senator knows, the advanced technology transit bus 
[ATTB] under development in California has the potential to be the 
next-generation urban transit bus. It has already demonstrated its 
ability to provide maintenance savings, accommodation for the disabled, 
and to be a platform for a variety of clean-fuel technologies. The 
committee agreed at my request to provide some funding for the project 
under the bus program. I now understand that the chairman did meet the 
President's request for full funding of the project at $10 million 
under the Transit Planning and Research Program and ask that he support 
transferring the $2 million earmarked elsewhere for the ATTB in the bus 
program funding to Foothill Transit.
  Mr. SHELBY. Yes, the committee fully funded the President's request 
under the Transit Planning and Research Program. I will be happy to 
work with the distinguished Senator from California during conference 
committee consideration of this issue.
  Mrs. BOXER. I thank the Senator for his continued cooperation and 
leadership on the Transportation appropriations bill.
  Mr. GRAMM. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second?
  There is a sufficient second.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question occurs on passage of the bill, as 
amended.
  The yeas and nays have been ordered. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
  Mr. NICKLES. I announce that the Senator from North Carolina [Mr. 
Faircloth] is necessarily absent.
  The result was announced--yeas 98, nays 1, as follows:

                      [Rollcall Vote No. 208 Leg.]

                                YEAS--98

     Abraham
     Akaka
     Allard
     Ashcroft
     Baucus
     Bennett
     Biden
     Bingaman
     Bond
     Boxer
     Breaux
     Brownback
     Bryan
     Bumpers
     Burns
     Byrd
     Campbell
     Chafee
     Cleland
     Coats
     Cochran
     Collins
     Conrad
     Coverdell
     Craig
     D'Amato
     Daschle
     DeWine
     Dodd
     Domenici
     Dorgan
     Durbin
     Enzi
     Feingold
     Feinstein
     Ford
     Frist
     Glenn
     Gorton
     Graham
     Gramm
     Grams
     Grassley
     Gregg
     Hagel
     Harkin
     Hatch
     Helms
     Hollings
     Hutchinson
     Hutchison
     Inhofe
     Inouye
     Jeffords
     Johnson
     Kempthorne
     Kennedy
     Kerrey
     Kerry
     Kohl
     Kyl
     Landrieu
     Lautenberg
     Leahy
     Levin
     Lieberman
     Lott
     Lugar
     Mack
     McCain
     McConnell
     Mikulski
     Moseley-Braun
     Moynihan
     Murkowski
     Murray
     Nickles
     Reed
     Reid
     Robb
     Roberts
     Rockefeller
     Santorum
     Sarbanes
     Sessions
     Shelby
     Smith (NH)
     Smith (OR)
     Snowe
     Specter
     Stevens
     Thomas
     Thompson
     Thurmond
     Torricelli
     Warner
     Wellstone
     Wyden

                                NAYS--1

     Roth
       
       

                             NOT VOTING--1

     Faircloth
       
       
  The bill (H.R. 2169), as amended, was passed.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under a previous order, the Senate insists on 
its amendment, requests a conference with the House, and the Chair is 
authorized to appoint conferees.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Hutchinson) appointed Mr. Shelby, Mr. 
Domenici, Mr. Specter, Mr. Bond, Mr. Gorton, Mr. Bennett, Mr. 
Faircloth, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Byrd, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. 
Reid, Mr. Kohl, and Mrs. Murray conferees on the part of the Senate.
  Mr. INHOFE addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma.

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