[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 134 (Friday, October 11, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1854-E1855]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO RETIRING MEMBERS OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE 
                               COMMITTEE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 10, 2002

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, last evening in the main hearing room of 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, we held a reception 
honoring eight Members who are retiring from the House at the end of 
this Congress. In the spirit of bipartisanship that so truly 
characterizes our committee, Chairman Don Young and I joined voices in 
tribute to these eight men--three Republicans and five Democrats--who 
are moving on to new challenges: Brian Kerns of Indiana, John Thune of 
South Dakota, Steve Horn of California, John Baldacci of Maine, Frank 
Mascara of Pennsylvania, Jim Barcia of Michigan, Bob Clement of 
Tennessee, and Bob Borski of Pennsylvania.
  Before I go any further, Mr. Speaker, I would like to take the 
opportunity to recognize the leadership of Chairman Young and call 
attention to some of the accomplishments of the Transportation and 
Infrastructure Committee during the 107th Congress: The Railroad 
Retirement Act, the Kennedy Center Act, and the Aviation and 
Transportation Security Act, represent what our Committee does best--
moving bipartisan bills to the President's desk. I look forward to 
working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the 108th 
Congress on TEA 21 reauthorization, AIR 21 reauthorization, RIDE 21, 
and water and other critical infrastructure investment legislation, 
regardless of whether Republicans or Democrats are in the majority.
  Mr. Speaker, on the Republic side, the Committee is losing three of 
our colleagues, Cong. Brian Kerns, Cong. John Thune, and Cong. Steve 
Horn. Cong. Kerns (Indiana) joined the Committee last year with a fresh 
perspective on our Committee's issues that will be missed. Cong. Kerns 
and I share a common background: we both served as Administrative 
Assistant to the Member we replaced. Of course, Cong. Kerns was also a 
TV reporter, so our work histories diverge there.
  Cong. Thune represents the state of South Dakota and he has been a 
consistent advocate for rural America and the Great Plains. I have had 
the opportunity to share an occasional workout with Cong. Thune in the 
Members' Gym. Let me tell you, when Cong. Thune approaches the weight 
machines, the machine start to shudder.
  Cong. Steve Horn has not only effectively advocated the interests of 
the Long Beach and Los Angeles ports, but he has also spent the last 
decade in Congress working to improve the accountability and management 
of the Federal government and its agencies. His thoughtful, academic 
approach to these issues will be greatly missed by our Committee and 
this institution, as will his historical perspective on the legislative 
process, reading back to his service on the staff of California's 
highly respected Senator Tom Kuchel.
  On the Democratic side, we are losing five colleagues, each of whom 
has contributed enormously to the work of our Committee.
  Cong. John Baldacci--Cong. Baldacci was elected in 1994--a real 
accomplishment for a Democrat in a year when the Republicans were 
sweeping to control of the House and Senate--and joined our Committee 
in 1998. He has served as an active Member of our highway and aviation 
subcommittees. Cong. Baldacci has been an aggressive advocate on behalf 
of Maine. Whether it's ensuring that the Federal Aviation 
Administration Reauthorization Act includes funding for the Essential 
Air Service program or clarifying that the Committee's airline 
antitrust immunity bill does not adversely affect small communities, 
Cong. Baldacci has actively worked to help Maine keep its air service.
  Cong. Frank Mascara--Cong. Mascara is another one of the rare 
Democrats elected in 1994 and joined our committee at the beginning of 
his tenure. Prior to being elected to the House of Representatives, 
Cong. Mascara served as Chairman of the Pennsylvania Regional Planning 
Commission. As this Committee developed TEA 21, we called upon Frank 
Mascara's planning expertise and seasonal understanding of highway 
issues to help ensure that our Federal highway, transit, and highway 
safety policy would achieve the intended objectives.
  Cong. Jim Barcia--Cong. Barcia joined our committee in 1993. As a 
Member from Northern Michigan, whose district runs along the shores of 
Lake Huron, Jim has played an active role in water resources issues 
throughout his service. He spent the last several years aggressively 
working on a program to improve our Nation's wastewater infrastructure 
and authorize grants to states and cities for combined sewer overflow 
and sanitary sewer overflow projects. In the 106th Congress, his 
efforts paid off and we included his bill (H.R. 828) in the omnibus 
Labor-HHS appropriations act at the end of the Congress. The Wet 
Weather Quality Act authorizes $1.5 billion to control overflows from 
combined and sanitary sewers and $45 million in EPA assistance for an 
urban wet weather watershed pilot program.

[[Page E1855]]

  Cong. Bob Clement--Cong. Clement, elected in 1988 and currently 
Ranking Member of the Railroads Subcommittee, has worked on a 
bipartisan basis with his counterpart, Subcommittee Chairman Jack 
Quinn, to rebuild our Nation's railroad infrastructure. They have 
worked together to move the Shortline Railroad Infrastructure bill, the 
Amtrak Reauthorization bill, and RIDE 21. Although movement on those 
bills has stalled, Bob Clement hasn't given up and continues to work to 
improve our Nation's rail infrastructure. In addition, Cong. Clement 
and Chairman Quinn have had numerous meetings with the Office of 
Management and Budget and the Department of Transportation regarding 
the Administration's failure to approve any rail loans or loan 
guarantees under the Railroad Rehabilitation and Infrastructure 
Financing (RRIF) program.
  Cong. Clement has also aggressively worked on behalf of the Tennessee 
Valley Authority and commuter rail. His bill (TRAIN 21) would help 
resolve a growing problem in Nashville and throughout the Nation--the 
ability of commuter railroads to get access to freight railroad rights-
of-way.
  He leaves us to seek a seat in the Other Body, and I pass onto him 
the advice I received many years ago when I myself heard the Sirens' 
call to that body: There are more bleached bones scattered along the 
path between the House and Senate Office Buildings than there are on 
the Old Chisholm Trail.
  Cong. Bob Borski--Bob Borski has spent two decades serving this 
Committee. From 1995 to 2001, Cong. Borski served as Ranking Member of 
the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment. Bob Borski was 
raised in the great bipartisan tradition of this Committee and he 
brought that willingness to work together to the Clean Water, 
Brownfields, and Superfund issues of the Subcommittee--the issues that 
are often the most difficult for our Committee to bridge the partisan 
divide. He spent countless hours working with then-Subcommittee 
Chairman Boehlert, then-Chairman Shuster, EPA Administrator Browner, 
and me to bridge the divide on the Superfund bill. In the end, this 
Committee passed a Superfund bill (H.R. 1300) that reauthorized the 
program; provided for the redevelopment of brownfields; provided 
exemptions and limitations on Superfund liability for small businesses, 
innocent landowners, and recyclers; and called for funding the program 
with a reauthorization of the Superfund Trust Fund taxes. Our committee 
approved the bill on a vote of 69 to 2--a tribute to Cong. Borski's 
perseverance, patience, and willingness to find common ground.
  In this Congress, Cong. Borski has served as Ranking Member of the 
Highways and Transit Subcommittee. He and Subcommittee Chairman Petri 
have held more than a dozen hearings on TEA 21 reauthorization and 
Cong. Borski has aggressively worked to ensure that we have a balanced 
transportation system. Earlier this week, Cong. Borski attended the 
American Public Transportation Association's annual conference where he 
received its distinguished person of the year award. How often does an 
association, with a major reauthorization bill just around the corner, 
honor a retiring Member of Congress? It is a tribute to Cong. Borski 
that APTA rightly recognized the role that he has played in ensuring 
that our communities have transportation choices, like transit rail 
systems, pedestrian walkways, Amtrak, and bike paths.
  I will miss him, not only for his policy expertise but also for his 
friendship. I have always considered Bob a close friend and a kindred 
spirit. I know his heart and home are in Philadelphia but I hope he 
will often come back to see us here.
  And that sentiment is true for each of our departing colleagues. On 
behalf of all Democrats on the Transportation and Infrastructure 
Committee, I thank them for their distinguished public service and wish 
them well in their new careers.

                          ____________________