[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 108 (Thursday, August 1, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7950-S7951]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BAUCUS (for himself, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Thomas, 
        Mr. Craig, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Conrad, Mr. Bingaman, and Mr. Allard):
  S. 2884. A bill to improve transit service to rural areas, including 
for elderly and disabled; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 
Urban Affairs.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President I introduce a bill to help rural America. 
Now I am always trying to help Montana, but this bill will help every 
state. Today I introduce the MEGA RED TRANS Act. Maximum Economic 
Growth for America Through Investment in Rural, Elderly and Disabled 
Transit.
  Quite simply, there are transit needs not being met nationwide. This 
bill addresses those needs.
  This is the second bill in a series that I am introducing to 
highlight my proposals on reauthorization of TEA 21--the Transportation 
Equity Act for the 21st Century.
  Last month I introduced the MEGA TRUST Act--Maximum Growth for 
America Through the Highway Trust Fund. Today its MEGA RED TRANS.
  The Maximum Economic Growth for America Through Investment in Rural, 
Elderly and Disabled Transit Act or MEGA RED TRANS Act would ensure, 
that as Federal transit programs are reauthorized, increased funding is 
provided to meet the needs of the elderly and disabled and of rural and 
small urban areas.
  There is no question that our nation's large metropolitan areas have 
substantial transit needs that will receive attention as transit 
reauthorization legislation is developed. But the transit needs of 
rural and smaller areas, and of our elderly and disabled citizens, also 
require additional attention and funding.
  The bill would provide that additional funding in a way that does not 
impact other portions of the transit program. For example, while the 
bill would at least double every State's funding for the elderly and 
disabled transit program by FY 2004, nothing in the bill would reduce 
funding for any portion of the transit program or for any State.
  To the contrary, the bill would help strengthen the transit program 
as a whole by providing that the mass Transit Account of the Highway 
Trust Fund is credited with the interest on its balance. This is a key 
provision in the MEGA TRUST Act and is also included here in the MEGA 
RED TRANS Act.
  Specifically, the bill would set modest minimum annual 
apportionments, by State, for the elderly and disabled transit program, 
the rural transit program, and for urbanized areas with a population of 
less than 200,000.
  It would ensure that each state gets a minimum of $11 million for 
these three programs.
  For my state of Montana that is double what we get for those programs 
currently. For some other states it is more than four times what they 
receive.
  The bill would also establish a $30 million program for essential bus 
service, to help connect citizens in rural communities to the rest of 
the world by facilitating transportation between rural areas and 
airports and passenger rail stations.
  I am very aware of the role that public transit plays in the lives of 
rural citizens and the elderly and disabled. When most people hear the 
word ``transit'' they think of a light rail system. But in rural areas 
transit translates to buses and vanpools. Take Elaine Miller for 
example.
  Elaine is 73 years old and lives in Missoula, MT. She depends upon 
the city's Mountain Line public transit system for virtually all of her 
transportation needs. ``It's my car!'' she says.
  Twelve years ago, Elaine suffered a stroke and decided that it was 
simply too dangerous to drive anymore. Today she takes transit to the 
doctor and to shop. She gets her prescriptions and meets family and 
friends, all using public transit.
  As a regular rider, however, Elaine also understands the current 
limitations of transit in Missoula. ``Our bus service here needs to 
offer more service, particularly on the weekends and the evenings. I'd 
like to be able to take the bus to church,'' she says.
  The frequency of bus service in Missoula, too, can often be an issue 
for Elaine. Last week, for example, she was left waiting more than two 
hours at a local store for the next bus to take her home.
  ``We seniors know how important the bus is to our quality of life. We 
really need more bus service. Without the bus, I know that myself and 
others would just have to stay home,'' says Elaine.
  For Elaine, increased Federal investment in public transit in Montana 
would mean increased bus service in Missoula. Weekend service and 
increased frequency on current routes, she believes, are a great need.
  I'd like to discuss another example of how rural transit and transit 
for the elderly and disabled is crucial to Montana. And I am sure we 
could easily find similar examples in every state.

[[Page S7951]]

  Let's talk about Kathy Collins of Helena, MT.
  Kathy moved to Helena in 1982 from Butte, MT, an area with no 
accessible transportation. In Helena, she discovered the Dial-A-Ride 
system, where lift-equipped vehicles could easily transport her in her 
wheelchair.
  ``It was terrific. I could get to work on time. And I could even get 
home on time!'' lauds Collins.
  While she owns a minivan that she can drive to the middle school 
where she teaches, she is thankful to have a transportation option in 
inclement weather.
  ``Transit gets me to and from work in the winter time. I couldn't do 
it without them,'' she says, ``And for people who don't work, it's a 
godsend. They can't afford a taxi.''
  While the Dial-A-Ride system provides Collins with dependable 
employment transportation on weekdays, she would like to see operations 
expanded to evenings and weekends.
  ``The service is essential. You need to give people access. You need 
to give people control over their lives. You need to give people the 
mobility that the rest of the country enjoys. Just because we live in 
the boondocks doesn't mean we don't need to go anywhere.'' she says.
  I couldn't agree with her more. The MEGA RED TRANS Act will help 
these people and millions of others around the country. Considering the 
enormous impact the MEGA RED TRANS Act will have on the country, it is 
actually a very modest proposal.
  The bill would not set funding levels for the transit program as a 
whole, or for large transit systems.
  Moreover, the call for increases in the elderly and disabled, rural, 
and small urban area programs are not made in a static setting, but in 
the context of reauthorization.
  In reauthorization the overall transit program undoubtedly will grow 
by more than the modest increases required by the provisions of this 
bill. So, nothing in the bill would preclude growth in other aspects of 
the transit program.
  In sum, the bill stands for the proposition that, as the transit 
program is likely to continue to grow, no less than the funding 
increases proposed in this bill should be provided in order to better 
meet the needs of rural and small urban area transit systems and the 
transit needs of the elderly and disabled.
  I would like to thank Senators Crapo, Thomas, Johnson, Enzi, Conrad, 
Bingaman and Craig for joining me on this important piece of 
legislation.
  I'd also like to thank both the members and staff of the American Bus 
Association, The Community Transportation Association and the 
Amalgamated Transit Union, for their assistance with this legislation.
  I urge my colleagues to cosponsor this bill and to work to include it 
in the highway and transit reauthorization, next year.
                                 ______