[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 44 (Tuesday, April 21, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H2060]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              PROVIDING TRANSIT PASSES TO HOUSE EMPLOYEES

  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, in honor of tomorrow being Earth Day, I 
think it appropriate for us to pause for a moment and consider one of 
these pictures that is worth 1,000 words.
  This photo of the block above the Metro South Station immediately 
behind the Cannon Building makes crystal clear how we in the House of 
Representatives can use our resources to improve the environment around 
us.
  Tens of millions of dollars are being proposed right now to help the 
District of Columbia, an area that is in decline, that is fighting road 
congestion, air pollution, with some rather elaborate proposals. Yet 
each day 5,000 people exit this transit station on their way to work in 
and around Capitol Hill, and it suggests a simple solution to encourage 
less traffic, less sprawl, and revitalize Washington, D.C.
  Consider for a moment the over 6,000 parking spaces the House 
reserves for those employees who drive. These spots are on hold, 
guarded, secure 24 hours a day. They cost the taxpayer approximately 
$1,500 a year per employee per parking space. On the other hand, 
employees who use public transportation are totally on their own. They 
have to meet the costs of their transportation, even though they work 
side-by-side with employees for whom the $1,500 per year worth of 
transportation costs are covered by the House.
  Now, I have no problem with people who want to or must drive to work. 
I do find it odd, however, that we encourage it over taking public 
transit, particularly after we have invested over $10 billion for the 
transit program here in Washington, D.C. As an employer, we are sending 
hardly an Earth friendly message to our employees that we will only 
help them if they drive their car to work. We are ignoring those who 
take transit, the MARC train, Virginia Rail Express; you are out of 
luck.
  Imagine for a moment what this would look like if 312 drivers did not 
park their cars, and instead it could be used for a park, an expansion 
of the Library of Congress, for that visitors center that we talk 
about.
  For years, we have encouraged in the Federal Government, the private 
sector to join in the fight for cleaner air by reducing single-occupant 
vehicle trips. In and around the District of Columbia alone, over 1,000 
businesses are members of the Washington Metro Transit Authority's 
Metro Pool Program that provides a Metro check. Over 50,000 public and 
private sector employees in D.C. regularly use this service. Yet while 
we have encouraged private businesses to offer transit benefits, the 
House of Representatives is one of the few, and certainly the most 
visible Federal office not to offer transit benefits to its employees. 
It sounds a little bit hypocritical to me.
  The following Federal Agencies do offer these benefits: The Senate, 
the Senate of the United States Congress, the Office of the Architect 
of the Capitol, the Congressional Budget Office, the Bureau of Public 
Debt, the Supreme Court. Did I mention the Senate? One hundred thirty-
four other Federal employers provide over 30,000 employees benefits for 
the metropolitan area.
  I think it is time that we give House Members the same option that 
the United States Senate has had for its employees for over 5 years. I 
think we in the House are smart enough to do it, our employees deserve 
this modest tax benefit, and it is a low-cost option that will improve 
the livability for our Nation's Capital.
  I would suggest that it is time for us to look back here for a moment 
and imagine what would happen if we have only 5 percent of our 
employees who take advantage of this opportunity. We could have an 
opportunity to improve the environment, use our resources more 
effectively, and, in the long term, it would make a big difference in 
the budget of the House of Representatives.
  I would urge strongly my colleagues to join with me and over 150 
other cosponsors to add their name to House Resolution 37 that would 
provide an optional transportation benefit for House offices; that 
would provide the same $21 per month tax benefit to our employees that 
has been given to the Senate. It was based on entirely using existing 
office funds; no additional requirement is necessary.
  I hope that this is something that we can take a small step to 
recognize our obligation to the environment.

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