[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 26 (Thursday, March 12, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1815-S1816]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          THE INTERMODAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION EFFICIENCY ACT

  Mr. KERREY. Mr. President, I would like to commend my Democrat and 
Republican colleagues for their hard work in creating a transportation 
bill that will reduce traffic congestion, make our roads safer, and 
protect the U.S. environment. ISTEA, the Intermodal Surface 
Transportation Efficiency Act, is one of the most important items on 
the legislative agenda of the 105th Congress.
  The American people deserve nothing less than a world-class 
transportation system that will facilitate economic growth and improve 
transportation safety. This bill achieves that goal in a fair manner 
and guarantees that America's transportation infrastructure will be 
vital well into the next century.

[[Page S1816]]

  ISTEA is an investment in people and in communities. The Nation's 
transportation systems move $6 trillion worth of goods every year. 
Behind every one of the products that makes up that $6 trillion stands 
a hard-working person pursuing the American dream. ISTEA will create 
jobs and add to the productive capacity of our workers and the economy 
by enabling businesses to market their products quickly and 
efficiently. The American people have challenged us to provide 
infrastructure that can meet the transportation needs of one of the 
strongest economies of the world. With this bill, we are meeting their 
challenge by providing them the sources necessary to create and 
maintain the transportation infrastructure that will keep America 
strong.
  One of my top transportation priorities has been improving safety on 
America's roads and highways. Mr. President, 41,000 Americans are 
killed every year in traffic accidents. We can reduce this horrifying 
number by concentrating our resources on high-risk roads and dangerous 
intersections. We know, for example, that rural two-lane roads account 
for more than half of all traffic and nearly three-quarters of traffic 
fatalities. Better engineering and planning can reduce the accidents 
that repeatedly occur on these dangerous roads.
  I introduced several amendments to address this very serious problem. 
The first amendment systematically makes safety a priority 
consideration in highway construction and maintenance programs. This 
language sends a strong message to Federal, State, and local 
transportation planners that they need to focus on enhancing safety. 
The second amendment establishes a two-lane highway safety program to 
begin systematic reconstruction of rural two-lane arterial highways 
that are not a part of the National Highway System.
  Mr. President, I intend to speak at greater length on this when the 
opportunity comes to offer this amendment. It has not yet been 
accepted. I understand that it can be controversial because of the need 
to shift money from one area to another. Given the numbers of traffic 
fatalities on these roads, there are literally lives hanging in the 
balance. We have created a strong Interstate and National Highway 
System. It is now time to take the next step in completing this by 
improving the dangerous two-lane arterial roads that carry traffic to 
the National Highways and Interstate Highway Systems.
  In addition, I authored two amendments to address the very serious 
problem of accidents at railway crossings. I am pleased to report the 
Senate accepted both of these amendments. These provisions focus 
attention on reducing accidents by making highway rail-crossing 
improvement projects eligible for funds through the Intelligent 
Transportation Systems Program and the Innovative Bridge Research 
Program.
  In 1996 alone, there were 4,257 highway-rail crossing collisions that 
resulted in 488 deaths and over 1,600 injuries. These incidents are 
mostly preventable if adequate safety precautions are taken. As the 
volume of rail traffic continues to increase, dedicating funds to these 
dangerous crossings will help ensure the number of accidents is 
reduced. The Senate took a strong step towards reducing these 
collisions by accepting these amendments, and I strongly encourage the 
House to place a similar emphasis on highway-rail crossing safety when 
they consider ISTEA in the coming weeks.
  Mr. President, I also appreciate very much the strong vote given on 
this floor to extending the ethanol credit. But mostly I applaud the 
leadership of Republicans and Democrats who understand the importance 
of ISTEA to the American economy and the American environment and to 
those hard-working Americans who are pursuing the American dream.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record 
an article from the Omaha World-Herald dated February 26, 1998.
  There being no objection, the article was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

              [From the Omaha World-Herald, Feb. 26, 1998]

                    Congress Must Unlock Roads Funds

                            [By Rose White]

       Have you ever been in a financial situation in which 
     ``robbing Peter to pay Paul'' was the only way to get through 
     the crisis? One of Nebraska's largest agencies is currently 
     in this situation, and it's an agency from which we all 
     benefit--the State Department of Roads.
       As a result of Congress' failure to reauthorize a multi-
     year federal highway bill known as the Intermodal Surface 
     Transportation Efficiency Act, repairs on dilapidated 
     bridges, safety improvements on high-risk roads and major 
     construction projects are being forced to wait in limbo. The 
     Nebraska Department of Roads has had to borrow from the state 
     reserve fund to provide temporary relief.
       What's truly unfortunate about this situation is that the 
     money we need for this year's construction season is sitting 
     in an account waiting for congressional leaders to approve 
     reauthorization of the ISTEA. Without its passage, the 
     Nebraska Department of Roads will be powerless in executing 
     many of its long-range plans for roadway improvements.
       The temporary extension of the highway funding bill is due 
     to expire on March 31, leaving little time for legislators to 
     agree on a spending formula which will ensure its passage.
       How will failure to pass this legislation affect motorists 
     in Nebraska? It already has disrupted Nebraska's ability to 
     plan, solicit project bids and approve contracts. 
     Uncertainties about funding may cost hundreds of Nebraska 
     workers their jobs.
       With Nebraska's short road construction season, it's 
     imperative that funding be designated now or projects will 
     have to wait until next year where they will overlap with 
     1999's plans. Such overlapping will likely increase traffic 
     congestion, put motorists at a greater safety risk and create 
     shortages in manpower for construction crews.
       Failure to pass this bill has also placed many safety 
     programs in jeopardy. Programs benefiting infants through 
     senior adults will be lost because Nebraska will lose 
     $600,000 in grant funds tied to this bill. Law enforcement 
     agencies will not receive 150 in-car video cameras and will 
     lose funding for 4,200 man-hours of traffic enforcement in 
     hazardous locations. Child safety seat loaner programs will 
     have 400 fewer units to lend.

                           *   *   *   *   *

       AAA Nebraska is urging Congress to act quickly on the 
     reauthorization of the Intermodal Surface Transportation 
     Efficiency Act, including the passage of the Byrd-Gramm 
     Amendment which will increase roadway investments about 2 
     percent if budget surpluses are realized this year.
       A Senate speech by Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey is quoted in 
     the Feb. 5 Congressional Record: ``For me, ISTEA legislation 
     is one of the most important things with which this Congress 
     deals. It creates immediate jobs, employs people in my state, 
     but much more importantly, it adds to the productive capacity 
     out in the future.''
       AAA encourages Senator Kerrey to continue to fight for 
     passage of this important legislation and urges our other 
     congressional leaders representing us in Washington to do the 
     same. Nebraska is counting on it.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, parliamentary inquiry as to the next order 
of business. My understanding is we go to the bill at 10:30, at which 
time the McCain amendment is the pending business without debate?
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is correct.

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