[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 149 (Thursday, October 30, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S11444]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           THE CENTER FOR ADVANCED SIMULATION AND TECHNOLOGY

  Mr. D'AMATO. Mr. President, I rise to engage the distinguished 
Chairman of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, 
Senator Shelby, in a colloquy.
  Mr. SHELBY. I would be pleased to accommodate the Senator from New 
York.
  Mr. D'AMATO. I thank the Senator. I first would like to commend my 
friend and colleague from Alabama for the fine leadership he has shown 
in crafting the fiscal year 1998 Transportation Appropriations bill. He 
has done a wonderful job in allocating scarce federal resources 
equitably for New York and the entire nation for highway, transit, rail 
and other infrastructure needs.
  I ask my colleague if he is familiar with an intermodal 
transportation simulation and technology project on Long Island called 
the Center for Advanced Simulation and Technology (CAST)?
  Mr. SHELBY. I am familiar with it. This project is being developed at 
the National Aviation and Transportation Center on Long Island and is 
anticipated to provide an intermodal transportation simulation 
training, education and planning asset for the entire nation. A total 
of $19.5 million in federal funding over the next five years has been 
determined by officials at the National Aviation and Transportation 
Center as needed to help carry out this project. According to these 
same officials, this level of federal funding is expected to trigger at 
least $5 million in private sector contributions and up to $7.5 million 
in funding from New York State.
  Mr. D'AMATO. As my friend knows, no specific appropriation was 
provided in the fiscal year 1998 conference agreement to allow CAST to 
go forward in this fiscal year. Therefore, I would like to work with 
the Chairman, the Long Island Congressional delegation and the 
Department of Transportation in an effort to find a source of funding 
to continue work on CAST in this fiscal year.
  Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, the Senator from New York has my assurance 
that I will work with him to try and identify a source of funding that 
will allow the CAST effort to commence in fiscal year 1998.
  Mr. D'AMATO. I thank my friend and colleague.

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