[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 35 (Friday, March 22, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S2330]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire:

[[Page S2330]]

  S. 2071. A bill to amend title 23, United States Code, to prohibit 
the collection of tolls form vehicles or military equipment under the 
actual physical control of a uniformed member of the Armed Forces, and 
for other purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works
  Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to offer a 
bill that will exempt our Nation's military vehicles and equipment from 
being subject to paying tolls on America's roads, bridges and ferries. 
As the Ranking Member of Environment & Public Works Committee, which 
has jurisdiction over our highway system, and as a senior member of the 
Armed Services Committee, I believe that this an appropriate action 
long overdue. In this time of war and heightened threat to America's 
shores, the thought of all units in an Army troop convoy digging into 
their pockets to drop quarters into the nets at tollbooths on the 
Jersey turnpike is absurd. When we created the interstate highway 
system in the 1950's under the strong leadership of President 
Eisenhower, a primary motivation of the former General of the Army was 
to facilitate the movement of men and material in times of crisis. Yet 
in the intervening years, as toll roads have been established, no one 
at the Federal level has thought to exempt the armed forces form being 
slowed down to pay these levies. While the Federal Government has not 
acted, many States, most notably my State of New Hampshire, has seen 
fit to exempt those who are protecting us from paying these tolls. 
America's armed forces deserve all the help we can give them. The 
shortsighted among us might say that all we need to do is to provide 
some expedited form of payment, so that the tolls can be collected 
faster. I say that our troops deserve better. There is just no reason 
to subject our military to paying tolls in order to use America's roads 
when their only reason for being on those roads is to protect America. 
Therefore, my bill provides for a complete exemption from tolls, and 
not just half-way measures to simplify the payment. But my bill goes 
even further. In the same vein, I believe that it is essential, should 
a crisis arise, or God forbid, should America again be attacked, to 
speed our troops through the toll facilities. Accordingly, I have 
written the bill a provision to require a toll facility, in times of an 
emergency declared by the President, to reserve a dedicated support for 
America's military by voting for this important bill.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be printed in 
the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2071

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON COLLECTION OF TOLLS FROM VEHICLES 
                   AND EQUIPMENT USED BY THE ARMED FORCES.

       Section 129 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(d) Prohibition on Collection of Tolls From Vehicles and 
     Equipment Used by the Armed Forces.--
       ``(1) In general.--No tolls shall be collected from any 
     vehicle or military equipment owned by the Department of 
     Defense for the use of any toll facility described in 
     paragraph (3) when the vehicle or military equipment is under 
     the actual physical control of a uniformed member of the 
     Armed Forces.
       ``(2) Periods of national emergency.--During a period of 
     national emergency declared by the President, upon request of 
     the Secretary of Defense, a toll facility described in 
     paragraph (3)(A) shall reserve a lane of the toll facility 
     for the exclusive use of a vehicle or military equipment 
     described in paragraph (1).
       ``(3) Toll facilities.--A toll facility described in this 
     paragraph is--
       ``(A) a toll highway, bridge, or tunnel located on a public 
     road; or
       ``(B) a toll ferry boat that operates on a route classified 
     as a public road.''.
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