[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 34 (Tuesday, March 24, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H1382]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               H.R. 2400, SURFACE TRANSPORTATION FUNDING

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 21, 1997, the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) is 
recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure will finish its consideration of H.R. 
2400, which authorizes surface transportation funding for the next 6 
years, better known as BESTEA. This is the most important domestic bill 
of this Congress and, indeed, well into the next century. It provides 
for rails, roads and pathways that bind our Nation's cities and regions 
into one country.
  In 1991, ISTEA, the groundbreaking legislation, promoted efficient 
use of scarce resources by encouraging balanced transportation systems 
and long-range planning. As a supporter of ISTEA's principles, I have 
been pleased with the progress of BESTEA through Congress. I want to 
thank our chairman and ranking members for their terrific work. Thanks 
to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) and 
the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Rahall), H.R. 2400 is proof that 
in the spirit of bipartisanship, building on sound policy, everyone can 
win.
  BESTEA continues the ISTEA tradition of encouraging real 
transportation solutions. Our citizens know from experience that an 
unbalanced, unplanned transportation system can waste millions of their 
dollars while eliminating their choices and even destroying their 
communities. ISTEA contained a mix of incentives, instructions and 
opportunities for citizen participation that helped guarantee that 
Federal dollars will be spent wisely.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a comprehensive bill. Its greatest achievement 
is in promoting the two pillars of sound transportation: balance and 
local decision-making. A balanced transportation system is more 
efficient, cost effective, and it gives people choices about how they 
get to where they need to go to live, work, and play.
  Mr. Speaker, I am particularly pleased that in BESTEA all modes of 
transportation are supported. BESTEA does great things for bicycling 
with strong support of the Congressional Bicycle Caucus and a national 
campaign to promote bikes. It requires increased consideration of 
safety for cyclists. It adds important provisions to require that bike 
and pedestrian facilities be considered when new roads are planned, and 
it increases overall funding for the Enhancements and CMAQ programs, 
which have been the key to over $1 billion in cycling facilities.

  BESTEA does great things for transit and transit does great things 
for our communities, returning $4 in benefits in the environment, 
social and infrastructure for every dollar that we invest. Millions of 
us, whether we use transit or not, have reasons to be grateful for the 
record funding level of $36 billion over the next 6 years.
  BESTEA does great things for rail, one of the most cost-effective 
ways to move passengers and freight. Rail helps to relieve pressure on 
our crowded highways and airports, adding capacity at a fraction of the 
cost.
  BESTEA does great things for drivers. These funds are essential for 
badly needed maintenance and repair of our roads and bridges and to add 
capacity where it is truly needed. The best thing for motorists is that 
balancing the transportation system means giving people alternatives 
which in turn reduces congestion, pollution and even road rage. Even if 
we do not use the alternatives, the experience for the motorist is 
improved.
  BESTEA also maintains the local decision-making, one of the most 
important but underappreciated things the Federal Government has done 
for communities in the last 25 years.
  I have to say that one omission does, in fact, concern me. For in 
1991, with the passage of ISTEA, Congress required States and larger 
communities to develop realistic plans that linked transportation and 
land use. Transportation plans were intended to avoid wasting scarce 
resources.
  Unfortunately, BESTEA takes a step backward by making this planning 
optional. This means, as a practical matter, some of the States which 
have the greatest need are less likely to do the integrating planning 
for the future.
  We have been working on improving the planning language for BESTEA 
for months and this struggle will continue through final passage. We 
cannot afford to throw money at transportation solutions that will only 
cause more problems in the long run. Planning does not mean dictating 
results; it simply ensures that communities cannot get away with 
ignoring problems, or worse, shifting them on to their neighbors. These 
are unarguably Federal priorities.
  I think the text that best captures the spirit of the ISTEA 
reauthorization is to be found in the 58th chapter, 12th verse of 
Isaiah:

       Those from among you.
       Shall build the waste places;
       You shall rise up the foundations of many generations;
       And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
       The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.

  I think ISTEA makes progress towards this timeless goal and I, along 
with the prophet Isaiah, am pleased to support it.

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