[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 132 (Wednesday, September 24, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H8819-H8830]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              SURFACE TRANSPORTATION EXTENSION ACT OF 2003

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 3087) to provide an extension of highway, highway 
safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other programs funded out of 
the Highway Trust Fund pending enactment of a law reauthorizing the 
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3087

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Surface Transportation 
     Extension Act of 2003''.

     SEC. 2. ADVANCES.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall 
     apportion funds made available under section 1101(c) of the 
     Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (112 Stat. 
     116), as amended by this Act, to each State in the ratio 
     that--
       (1) the State's total fiscal year 2003 obligation authority 
     for funds apportioned for the Federal-aid highway program; 
     bears to
       (2) all States' total fiscal year 2003 obligation authority 
     for funds apportioned for the Federal-aid highway program.
       (b) Programmatic Distributions.--
       (1) Programs.--Of the funds to be apportioned to each State 
     under subsection (a), the Secretary shall ensure that the 
     State is apportioned an amount of the funds, determined under 
     paragraph (2), for the Interstate maintenance program, the 
     National Highway System program, the bridge program, the 
     surface transportation program, the congestion mitigation and 
     air quality improvement program, the recreational trails 
     program, the Appalachian development highway system program, 
     and the minimum guarantee.
       (2) In general.--The amount that each State shall be 
     apportioned under this subsection for each item referred to 
     in paragraph (1) shall be determined by multiplying--
       (A) the amount apportioned to the State under subsection 
     (a); by
       (B) the ratio that--
       (i) the amount of funds apportioned for the item to the 
     State for fiscal year 2003; bears to
       (ii) the total of the amount of funds apportioned for the 
     items to the State for fiscal year 2003.
       (3) Administration of funds.--Funds authorized by the 
     amendment made under subsection (d) shall be administered as 
     if the funds had been apportioned, allocated, deducted, or 
     set aside, as the case may be, under title 23, United States 
     Code; except that the deductions and set-asides in the 
     following sections of such title shall not apply to such 
     funds: sections 104(a)(1)(A), 104(a)(1)(B), 104(b)(1)(A), 
     104(d)(1), 104(d)(2), 104(f)(1), 104(h)(1), 118(c)(1), 
     140(b), 140(c), and 144(g)(1).
       (4) Special rules for minimum guarantee.--In carrying out 
     the minimum guarantee under section 105(c) of title 23, 
     United States Code, with funds apportioned under this section 
     for the minimum guarantee, the $2,800,000,000 set forth in 
     paragraph (1) of such section 105(c) shall be treated as 
     being $1,166,666,667 and the aggregate of amounts apportioned 
     to the States under this section for the minimum guarantee 
     shall be treated, for purposes of such section 105(c), as 
     amounts made available under section 105 of such title.
       (5) Extension of off-system bridge setaside.--Section 
     144(g)(3) of title 23, United States Code, is amended by 
     inserting after ``2003'' the following: ``and in the period 
     of October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004,''.
       (c) Repayment From Future Apportionments.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall reduce the amount that 
     would be apportioned, but for this section, to a State for 
     programs under chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code, for 
     fiscal year 2004, under a law reauthorizing the Federal-aid 
     highway program enacted after the date of enactment of this 
     Act by the amount that is apportioned to each State under 
     subsection (a) and section 5(c) for each such program.
       (2) Program category reconciliation.--The Secretary may 
     establish procedures under which funds apportioned under 
     subsection (a) for a program category for which funds are not 
     authorized under a law described in paragraph (1) may be 
     restored to the Federal-aid highway program.
       (d) Authorization of Contract Authority.--Section 1101 of 
     the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (112 Stat. 
     111-115) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(c) Advance Authorization.--
       ``(1) In general.--There shall be available from the 
     Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) to 
     carry out section 2(a) of the Surface Transportation 
     Extension Act of 2003 $13,483,458,333 for the period of 
     October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004.
       ``(2) Special rule.--Funds apportioned under section 2(a) 
     of the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2003 shall be 
     subject to a limitation on obligations for Federal-aid 
     highways and highway safety construction programs.
       ``(3) Contract authority.--Funds made available by this 
     subsection shall be available for obligation in the same 
     manner as if such funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of 
     title 23, United States Code.''.
       (e) Limitation on Obligations.--
       (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), for the period 
     of October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004, the Secretary 
     shall allocate to each State for programs funded under this 
     section and section 5(c) an amount of obligation authority 
     made available under an Act making appropriations for the 
     Department of Transportation for fiscal year 2004 that is--
       (A) equal to the greater of--
       (i) the State's unobligated balance, as of October 1, 2003, 
     of Federal-aid highway apportionments subject to any 
     limitation on obligations; except that unobligated balances 
     of contract authority from minimum guarantee and Appalachian 
     development highway system apportionments for which 
     obligation authority was made available until used shall not 
     be included for purposes of calculating a State's unobligated 
     balance of apportionments for this clause; or
       (ii) \5/12\ of the State's total fiscal year 2003 
     obligation authority for funds apportioned for the Federal-
     aid highway program; but
       (B) not greater than 75 percent of the State's total fiscal 
     year 2003 obligation authority for funds apportioned for the 
     Federal-aid highway program.
       (2) Limitation on amount.--The total of all allocations 
     under paragraph (1) and allocations, for programs funded 
     under sections 4, 5 (other than subsection (c)), and 6(a) of 
     this Act, of obligation authority made available under an Act 
     making appropriations for the Department of Transportation 
     for fiscal year 2004 shall not exceed $14,101,250,000; except 
     that this limitation shall not apply to $266,250,000 in 
     obligations for minimum guarantee for the period of October 
     1, 2003, through February 29, 2004.
       (3) Time period for obligations of funds.--A State shall 
     not obligate any funds for any Federal-aid highway program 
     project after February 29, 2004, until the date of enactment 
     of a multiyear law reauthorizing the Federal-aid highway 
     program.
       (4) Treatment of obligations.--Any obligation of an 
     allocation of obligation authority made under this subsection 
     shall be considered to be an obligation for Federal-aid 
     highways and highway safety construction programs for fiscal 
     year 2004 for the purposes of the matter under the heading 
     ``(LIMITATION ON OBLIGATIONS)'' under the heading ``FEDERAL-
     AID HIGHWAYS'' in an Act making appropriations for the 
     Department of Transportation for fiscal year 2004.

     SEC. 3. TRANSFERS OF UNOBLIGATED APPORTIONMENTS.

       (a) In General.--In addition to any other authority of a 
     State to transfer funds, for fiscal year 2004, a State may 
     transfer any funds apportioned to the State for any program 
     under section 104(b) (including amounts apportioned under 
     section 104(b)(3) or set aside, made available, or 
     suballocated under section 133(d)) or section 144 of title 
     23, United States Code, before, on, or after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, that are subject to any limitation on 
     obligations, and that are not obligated, to any other of 
     those programs.
       (b) Treatment of Transferred Funds.--Any funds transferred 
     to another program under subsection (a) shall be subject to 
     the provisions of the program to which the funds are 
     transferred, except that funds transferred to a program under 
     section 133 (other

[[Page H8820]]

     than subsections (d)(1) and (d)(2)) of title 23, United 
     States Code, shall not be subject to section 133(d) of that 
     title.
       (c) Restoration of Apportionments.--
       (1) In general.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
     enactment of a law reauthorizing the Federal-aid highway 
     program enacted after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
     Secretary of Transportation shall restore any funds that a 
     State transferred under subsection (a) for any project not 
     eligible for the funds but for this section to the program 
     category from which the funds were transferred.
       (2) Program category reconciliation.--The Secretary may 
     establish procedures under which funds transferred under 
     subsection (a) from a program category for which funds are 
     not authorized may be restored to the Federal-aid highway 
     program.
       (3) Limitation on statutory construction.--No provision of 
     law, except a statute enacted after the date of enactment of 
     this Act that expressly limits the application of this 
     subsection, shall impair the authority of the Secretary to 
     restore funds pursuant to this subsection.
       (d) Guidance.--The Secretary may issue guidance for use in 
     carrying out this section.

     SEC. 4. ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.

       (a) Authorization of Contract Authority.--There shall be 
     available from the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass 
     Transit Account) for administrative expenses of the Federal-
     aid highway program $187,500,000 for fiscal year 2004.
       (b) Contract Authority.--Funds made available by this 
     section shall be available for obligation in the same manner 
     as if such funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of title 
     23, United States Code, and shall be subject to a limitation 
     on obligations for Federal-aid highways and highway safety 
     construction programs; except that such funds shall remain 
     available until expended.

     SEC. 5. OTHER FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAY PROGRAMS.

       (a) Authorization of Appropriations Under Title I of 
     TEA21.--
       (1) Federal lands highways.--
       (A) Indian reservation roads.--Section 1101(a)(8)(A) of the 
     Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (112 Stat. 
     112) is amended--
       (i) by inserting before the period at the end the 
     following: ``and $114,583,333 for the period of October 1, 
     2003, through February 29, 2004''; and
       (ii) by adding at the end the following: ``The minimum 
     amount made available for such period that the Secretary, in 
     cooperation with the Secretary of the Interior, shall reserve 
     for Indian reservation road bridges under section 202(d)(4) 
     of title 23, United States Code, shall be $5,416,667 instead 
     of $13,000,000.''.
       (B) Public lands highways.--Section 1101(a)(8)(B) of such 
     Act (112 Stat. 112) is amended by inserting before the period 
     at the end the following: ``and $102,500,000 for the period 
     of October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004''.
       (C) Park roads and parkways.--Section 1101(a)(8)(C) of such 
     Act (112 Stat. 112) is amended by inserting before the period 
     at the end the following: ``and $68,750,000 for the period of 
     October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004''.
       (D) Refuge roads.--Section 1101(a)(8)(D) of such Act (112 
     Stat. 112) is amended by inserting before the period at the 
     end the following: ``and $8,333,333 for the period of October 
     1, 2003, through February 29, 2004''.
       (2) National corridor planning and development and 
     coordinated border infrastructure programs.--Section 
     1101(a)(9) of such Act (112 Stat. 112) is amended by 
     inserting before the period at the end the following: ``and 
     $58,333,333 for the period of October 1, 2003, through 
     February 29, 2004''.
       (3) Construction of ferry boats and ferry terminal 
     facilities.--
       (A) In general.--Section 1101(a)(10) of such Act (112 Stat. 
     113) is amended by inserting before the period at the end the 
     following: ``and $15,833,333 for the period of October 1, 
     2003, through February 29, 2004''.
       (B) Set aside for alaska, new jersey, and washington.--To 
     carry out section 1064 of the Intermodal Surface 
     Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (23 U.S.C. 129 note; 
     105 Stat. 2005; 112 Stat. 185), of funds made available by 
     the amendment made by subparagraph (A)--
       (i) $4,166,667 shall be available for section 1064(d)(2);
       (ii) $2,083,333 shall be available for section 1064(d)(3); 
     and
       (iii) $2,083,333 shall be available for section 1064(d)(4).
       (4) National scenic byways program.--Section 1101(a)(11) of 
     the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (112 Stat. 
     113) is amended--
       (A) by striking ``and'' the last place it appears; and
       (B) by inserting before the period at the end the 
     following: ``, and $11,458,333 for the period of October 1, 
     2003, through February 29, 2004''.
       (5) Value pricing pilot program.--Section 1101(a)(12) of 
     such Act (112 Stat. 113) is amended--
       (A) by striking ``and''; and
       (B) by inserting before the period at the end the 
     following: ``, and $4,583,333 for the period of October 1, 
     2003, through February 29, 2004''.
       (6) Highway use tax evasion projects.--Section 1101(a)(14) 
     of such Act (112 Stat. 113) is amended by inserting before 
     the period at the end the following: ``and $2,083,333 for the 
     period of October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004''.
       (7) Commonwealth of puerto rico highway program.--
       (A) In general.--Section 1101(a)(15) of such Act (112 Stat. 
     113) is amended by inserting before the period at the end the 
     following: ``and $45,833,333 for the period of October 1, 
     2003, through February 29, 2004''.
       (B) Conforming amendment.--Section 1214(r) of such Act (112 
     Stat. 209) is amended by striking ``2003'' and inserting 
     ``2004''.
       (8) Safety grants.--Section 1212(i)(1)(D) of such Act (23 
     U.S.C. 402 note; 112 Stat. 196; 112 Stat. 840) is amended by 
     inserting before the period at the end the following: ``and 
     $208,333 for the period of October 1, 2003, through February 
     29, 2004''.
       (9) Transportation and community and system preservation 
     pilot program.--Section 1221(e)(1) of such Act (23 U.S.C. 101 
     note; 112 Stat. 223) is amended by inserting before the 
     period at the end the following: ``and $10,416,667 for the 
     period of October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004''.
       (10) Transportation infrastructure finance and 
     innovation.--Section 188 of title 23, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (A) in subsection (a)(1)--
       (i) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (D);
       (ii) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (E) 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (iii) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(F) $58,333,333 for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004.'';
       (B) in subsection (a)(2) by inserting after ``2003'' the 
     following: ``and $833,333 for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004''; and
       (C) in subsection (c)--
       (i) by striking ``2003'' and inserting ``2004''; and
       (ii) by striking the period at the end of the table and 
     inserting the following:
  
  ``2004.............................................$1,083,333,333.''.
       (b) Authorization of Appropriations Under Title V of 
     TEA21.--
       (1) Surface transportation research.--Section 5001(a)(1) of 
     the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (112 Stat. 
     419) is amended--
       (A) by striking ``2002, and'' and inserting ``2002,''; and
       (B) by inserting after ``2003'' the following: ``, and 
     $43,750,000 for the period of October 1, 2003, through 
     February 29, 2004''.
       (2) Technology deployment program.--Section 5001(a)(2) of 
     such Act (112 Stat. 419) is amended--
       (A) by striking ``2002, and'' and inserting ``2002,''; and
       (B) by inserting after ``2003'' the following: ``, and 
     $22,916,667 for the period of October 1, 2003, through 
     February 29, 2004''.
       (3) Training and education.--Section 5001(a)(3) of such Act 
     (112 Stat. 420) is amended--
       (A) by striking ``2002, and'' and inserting ``2002,''; and
       (B) by inserting after ``2003'' the following: ``, and 
     $8,750,000 for the period of October 1, 2003, through 
     February 29, 2004''.
       (4) Bureau of transportation statistics.--Section 
     5001(a)(4) of such Act (112 Stat. 420) is amended by 
     inserting before the period at the end the following: ``, and 
     $12,916,667 for the period of October 1, 2003, through 
     February 29, 2004''.
       (5) ITS standards, research, operational tests, and 
     development.--Section 5001(a)(5) of such Act (112 Stat. 420) 
     is amended--
       (A) by striking ``2002, and'' and inserting ``2002,''; and
       (B) by inserting after ``2003'' the following: ``, and 
     $47,916,667 for the period of October 1, 2003, through 
     February 29, 2004''.
       (6) ITS deployment.--Section 5001(a)(6) of such Act (112 
     Stat. 420) is amended--
       (A) by striking ``2002, and'' and inserting ``2002,''; and
       (B) by inserting after ``2003'' the following: ``, and 
     $51,666,667 for the period of October 1, 2003, through 
     February 29, 2004''.
       (7) University transportation research.--Section 5001(a)(7) 
     of such Act (112 Stat. 420) is amended--
       (A) by striking ``2002, and'' and inserting ``2002,''; and
       (B) by inserting after ``2003'' the following: ``, and 
     $11,250,000 for the period of October 1, 2003, through 
     February 29, 2004''.
       (c) Metropolitan Planning.--
       (1) Authorization of contract authority.--There shall be 
     available from the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass 
     Transit Account) to carry out section 134 of title 23, United 
     States Code, $100,000,000 for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004.
       (2) Distribution of funds.--The Secretary shall distribute 
     funds made available by this subsection to the States in 
     accordance with section 104(f)(2) of title 23, United States 
     Code.
       (3) Contract authority.--Funds made available by this 
     subsection shall be available for obligation in the same 
     manner as if such funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of 
     title 23, United States Code, and shall be subject to a 
     limitation on obligations for Federal-aid highways and 
     highway safety construction programs.
       (d) Territories.--Section 1101 of the Transportation Equity 
     Act for the 21st Century (112 Stat. 111-115) is further 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(d) Territories.--
       ``(1) In general.--In lieu of the amounts deducted under 
     section 104(b)(1) of title 23,

[[Page H8821]]

     United States Code, there shall be available from the Highway 
     Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) for the 
     Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of 
     the Northern Mariana Islands $15,166,667 for the period of 
     October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004.
       ``(2) Contract authority.--Funds made available by this 
     subsection shall be available for obligation in the same 
     manner as if the funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of 
     title 23, United States Code, and shall be subject to a 
     limitation on obligations for Federal-aid highways and 
     highway safety construction programs.''.
       (e) Alaska Highway.--Section 1101 of such Act is further 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(e) Alaska Highway.--
       ``(1) In general.--In lieu of the amounts deducted under 
     section 104(b)(1) of title 23, United States Code, there 
     shall be available from the Highway Trust Fund (other than 
     the Mass Transit Account) for the Alaska Highway program 
     under section 218 of such title $7,833,333 for the period 
     of October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004.
       ``(2) Contract authority.--Funds made available by this 
     subsection shall be available for obligation in the same 
     manner as if the funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of 
     title 23, United States Code, and shall be subject to a 
     limitation on obligations for Federal-aid highways and 
     highway safety construction programs.''.
       (f) Operation Lifesaver.--Section 1101 of such Act is 
     further amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(f) Operation Lifesaver.--
       ``(1) In general.--In lieu of the amount set aside under 
     section 104(d)(1) of title 23, United States Code, there 
     shall be available from the Highway Trust Fund (other than 
     the Mass Transit Account) to carry out the operation 
     lifesaver program under such section $208,333 for the period 
     of October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004.
       ``(2) Contract authority.--Funds made available by this 
     subsection shall be available for obligation in the same 
     manner as if the funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of 
     title 23, United States Code, and shall be subject to a 
     limitation on obligations for Federal-aid highways and 
     highway safety construction programs.''.
       (g) Bridge Discretionary.--Section 1101 of such Act is 
     further amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(g) Bridge Discretionary.--
       ``(1) In general.--There shall be available from the 
     Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) 
     $41,666,667 to the Secretary at the discretion of the 
     Secretary to carry out section 144(g) of title 23, United 
     States Code, for the period of October 1, 2003, through 
     February 29, 2004.
       ``(2) Contract authority.--Funds made available by this 
     subsection shall be available for obligation in the same 
     manner as if the funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of 
     title 23, United States Code, and shall be subject to a 
     limitation on obligations for Federal-aid highways and 
     highway safety construction programs.''.
       (h) Interstate Maintenance.--Section 1101 of such Act is 
     further amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(h) Interstate Maintenance.--
       ``(1) In general.--There shall be available from the 
     Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) 
     $41,666,667 to the Secretary to carry out projects described 
     in section 118(c)(1) of title 23, United States Code, for the 
     period of October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004.
       ``(2) Project selection criteria.--The project selection 
     criteria in section 118(c)(2) of such title shall apply to 
     amounts made available by this subsection.
       ``(3) Contract authority.--Funds made available by this 
     subsection shall be available for obligation in the same 
     manner as if the funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of 
     title 23, United States Code, and shall be subject to a 
     limitation on obligations for Federal-aid highways and 
     highway safety construction programs; except that such funds 
     shall remain available until expended.''.
       (i) Recreational Trails Administrative Costs.--Section 1101 
     of such Act is further amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(i) Recreational Trails Administrative Costs.--
       ``(1) In general.--In lieu of the amount to be deducted 
     under section 104(h)(1) of title 23, United States Code, 
     there shall be available from the Highway Trust Fund (other 
     than the Mass Transit Account) to the Secretary to cover 
     costs of the Secretary described in such section $312,500 for 
     the period of October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004.
       ``(2) Contract authority.--Funds made available by this 
     subsection shall be available for obligation in the same 
     manner as if the funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of 
     title 23, United States Code, and shall be subject to a 
     limitation on obligations for Federal-aid highways and 
     highway safety construction programs.''.
       (j) Railway-Highway Crossing Hazard Elimination in High 
     Speed Rail Corridors.--Section 1101 of such Act is further 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(j) Railway-Highway Crossing Hazard Elimination in High 
     Speed Rail Corridors.--
       ``(1) In general.--In lieu of the amount to be deducted 
     under section 104(d)(2) of title 23, United States Code, 
     there shall be available from the Highway Trust Fund (other 
     than the Mass Transit Account) to the Secretary for 
     elimination of hazards of railway-highway crossings in 
     accordance with such section $2,187,500 for the period of 
     October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004; except that not 
     less than $104,167 instead of $250,000 shall be available for 
     the period of October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004, for 
     eligible improvements described in subparagraph (E) of such 
     section.
       ``(2) Contract authority.--Funds made available by this 
     subsection shall be available for obligation in the same 
     manner as if the funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of 
     title 23, United States Code, and shall be subject to a 
     limitation on obligations for Federal-aid highways and 
     highway safety construction programs.''.
       (k) Nondiscrimination.--Section 1101 of such Act is further 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(k) Nondiscrimination.--
       ``(1) Skills training.--In lieu of the amount to be 
     deducted under section 140(b) of title 23, United States 
     Code, there shall be available from the Highway Trust Fund 
     (other than the Mass Transit Account) to the Secretary for 
     the administration of such section $4,166,667 for the period 
     of October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004.
       ``(2) On-the-job training.--In lieu of the amount to be 
     deducted under section 140(c) of title 23, United States 
     Code, there shall be available from the Highway Trust Fund 
     (other than the Mass Transit Account) to the Secretary for 
     the administration of such section $4,166,667 for the 
     period of October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004.
       ``(3) Contract authority.--Funds made available by this 
     subsection shall be available for obligation in the same 
     manner as if the funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of 
     title 23, United States Code, and shall be subject to a 
     limitation on obligations for Federal-aid highways and 
     highway safety construction programs; except that funds made 
     available by paragraph (1) shall remain available until 
     expended.''.
       (l) Administration of Funds.--Funds authorized by the 
     amendments made by this section shall be administered as if 
     the funds had been apportioned, allocated, deducted, or set 
     aside, as the case may be, under title 23, United States 
     Code, except that the deductions under sections 104(a)(1)(A) 
     and 104(a)(1)(B) of such title shall not apply to funds made 
     available by the amendment made by subsection (a)(1) of this 
     section.
       (m) Reduction of Allocated Programs.--The Secretary of 
     Transportation shall reduce the amount that would be made 
     available, but for this section, for fiscal year 2004 for 
     allocation under a program, that is continued both by a law 
     reauthorizing such program enacted after the date of 
     enactment of this Act and by this section, by the amount made 
     available for such program by this section.
       (n) Program Category Reconciliation.--The Secretary may 
     establish procedures under which funds allocated under this 
     section for fiscal year 2004 for a program category for which 
     funds are not authorized for fiscal year 2004 under a 
     multiyear law reauthorizing the Federal-aid highway program 
     enacted after the date of enactment of this Act may be 
     restored to the Federal-aid highway program.

     SEC. 6. EXTENSION OF HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAMS.

       (a) Chapter 1 Highway Safety Programs.--
       (1) Seat belt safety incentive grants.--Section 157 of 
     title 23, United States Code, is amended--
       (A) in subsection (a)(3) by striking ``2001'' and inserting 
     ``2002'';
       (B) in subsection (a)(8)(B) by striking ``2001'' and 
     inserting ``2002'';
       (C) in subsection (b) by striking ``2002'' and inserting 
     ``2003'';
       (D) in subsection (c)(1) by striking ``2002'' and inserting 
     ``2003'';
       (E) in subsection (c)(2) by striking ``2002'' and inserting 
     ``2003'';
       (F) in subsection (f)(4) by striking ``2002'' and inserting 
     ``2003'';
       (G) in subsection (g)(1)--
       (i) by striking ``and''; and
       (ii) by inserting before the period at the end the 
     following: ``, and $46,666,667 for the period of October 1, 
     2003, through February 29, 2004'';
       (H) in the heading to subsection (g)(3)(B) by striking 
     ``2003'' and inserting ``2004''; and
       (I) in subsection (g)(3)(B) by striking ``2003'' and 
     inserting ``2004''.
       (2) Prevention of intoxicated driver incentive grants.--
     Section 163(e)(1) of such title is amended--
       (A) by striking ``and''; and
       (B) by inserting before the period at the end the 
     following: ``, and $50,000,000 for the period of October 1, 
     2003, through February 29, 2004''.
       (b) Chapter 4 Highway Safety Programs.--Section 2009(a)(1) 
     of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (112 
     Stat. 337) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and''; and
       (2) by inserting before the period at the end the 
     following: ``, and $68,750,000 for the period of October 1, 
     2003, through February 29, 2004''.
       (c) Highway Safety Research and Development.--Section 
     2009(a)(2) of such Act (112 Stat. 337) is amended by 
     inserting after ``2003'' the following: ``, and $30,000,000 
     for the period of October 1, 2003, through February 29, 
     2004''.
       (d) Occupant Protection Incentive Grants.--Section 
     2009(a)(3) of such Act (112 Stat. 337) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and''; and

[[Page H8822]]

       (2) by inserting before the period at the end the 
     following: ``, and $8,333,333 for the period of October 1, 
     2003, through February 29, 2004''.
       (e) Alcohol-Impaired Driving Countermeasures Incentive 
     Grants.--
       (1) Extension of program.--Section 410 of title 23, United 
     States Code, is amended--
       (A) in subsection (a)(3) by striking ``6'' and inserting 
     ``7''; and
       (B) in subsection (a)(4)(C) by striking ``and sixth'' and 
     inserting ``, sixth, and seventh''; and
       (2) Authorization of appropriations.--Section 2009(a)(4) of 
     such Act (112 Stat. 337) is amended--
       (A) by striking ``and'' the last place it appears; and
       (B) by inserting before the period at the end the 
     following: ``, and $16,666,667 for the period of October 1, 
     2003, through February 29, 2004''.
       (f) National Driver Register.--Section 2009(a)(6) of such 
     Act (112 Stat. 338) is amended by inserting after ``2003'' 
     the following: ``, and $833,333 for the period of October 1, 
     2003, through February 29, 2004''.
       (g) Allocations.--Section 2009(b) of such Act (112 Stat. 
     338) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1) by striking ``2003'' and inserting 
     ``2004''; and
       (2) in paragraph (2) by striking ``2003'' and inserting 
     ``2004''.
       (h) Applicability of Title 23.--Section 2009(c) of such Act 
     (112 Stat. 338) is amended by striking ``2003'' and inserting 
     ``2004''.

     SEC. 7. EXTENSION OF MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY PROGRAM.

       (a) Administrative Expenses.--
       (1) In general.--There shall be available from the Highway 
     Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) for the 
     Secretary of Transportation to pay administrative expenses of 
     the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration $71,487,500 
     for the period of October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004.
       (2) Use of funds.--Funds authorized by this subsection may 
     be used for personnel costs; administrative infrastructure; 
     rent; information technology; and programs for research and 
     technology, regulatory development, and other operating 
     expenses and similar matters.
       (b) Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program.--Section 
     31104(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(7) Not more than $68,750,000 for the period of October 
     1, 2003, through February 29, 2004.''.
       (c) Information Systems and Commercial Driver's License 
     Grants.--
       (1) Authorization of appropriation.--Section 31107(a) of 
     such title is amended--
       (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (2);
       (B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (3) and 
     inserting a semicolon;
       (C) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (4) and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (D) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(5) $8,333,333 for the period of October 1, 2003 through 
     February 29, 2004.''.
       (2) Emergency cdl grants.--From amounts made available by 
     section 31107(a) of title 49, United States Code, for the 
     period of October 1, 2003 through February 29, 2004, the 
     Secretary of Transportation may make grants of up to $416,667 
     to a State whose commercial driver's license program may fail 
     to meet the compliance requirements of section 31311(a) of 
     such title.
       (d) Crash Causation Study.--There shall be available from 
     the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) 
     for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to 
     continue the crash causation study required by section 224 of 
     the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 (49 U.S.C. 
     31100 note; 113 Stat. 1770-1771), $416,667 for the period of 
     October 1, 2003 through February 29, 2004.
       (e) Contract Authority.--Funds made available by this 
     section shall be available for obligation in the same manner 
     as if such funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of title 
     23, United States Code.

     SEC. 8. EXTENSION OF FEDERAL TRANSIT PROGRAMS.

       (a) Allocating Amounts.--Section 5309(m) of title 49, 
     United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1) by inserting ``and for the period of 
     October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004'' after ``2003'';
       (2) in paragraph (2)(B) by inserting after clause (ii) the 
     following:
       ``(iii) October 1, 2003 through february 29, 2004.--Of the 
     amounts made available under paragraph (1)(B), $4,333,333 
     shall be available for the period of October 1, 2003, through 
     February 29, 2004, for capital projects described in clause 
     (i).'';
       (3) in paragraph (3)(B) by inserting after ``2003'' the 
     following: ``(and $1,250,000 shall be available for the 
     period October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004)''; and
       (4) in paragraph (3)(C) by inserting after ``2003'' the 
     following: ``(and $20,833,334 shall be available for the 
     period October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004)''.
       (b) Apportionment of Appropriations for Fixed Guideway 
     Modernization.--
       (1) Special rule for october 1, 2003 through february 29, 
     2004.--The Secretary of Transportation shall determine the 
     amount that each urbanized area is to be apportioned for 
     fixed guideway modernization under section 5337 of title 49, 
     United States Code, on a pro rata basis to reflect the 
     partial fiscal year 2004 funding made available by sections 
     5338(b)(2)(A)(vi) and 5338(b)(2)(B)(vi) of such title.
       (2) Technical amendment.--Section 5337 of such title is 
     amended by striking the first subsection (e), relating to 
     special rule.
       (c) Formula Grants Authorizations.--Section 5338(a) of such 
     title is amended--
       (1) in the heading to paragraph (2) by inserting ``and for 
     the period of october 1, 2003, through february 29, 2004'' 
     after ``2003'';
       (2) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraphs (2)(A)(iv) 
     and (2)(B)(iv);
       (3) by striking the period at the end of paragraphs 
     (2)(A)(v) and (2)(B)(v) and inserting ``; and'';
       (4) by adding at the end of paragraph (2)(A) the following:
       ``(vi) $1,292,948,344 for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004.'';
       (5) by adding at the end in paragraph (2)(B) the following:
       ``(vi) $323,459,169 for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004.''; and
       (6) in paragraph (2)(C) by inserting after ``a fiscal 
     year'' the following: ``(other than for the period of October 
     1, 2003, through February 29, 2004)''.
       (d) Allocation of Formula Grant Funds for October 1, 2003, 
     Through February 29, 2004.--Of the aggregate of amounts made 
     available by and appropriated under section 5338(a)(2) of 
     title 49, United States Code, for the period of October 1, 
     2003, through February 29, 2004--
       (1) $2,020,813 shall be available to the Alaska Railroad 
     for improvements to its passenger operations under section 
     5307 of such title;
       (2) $20,833,334 shall be available to carry out section 
     5308 of such title; and
       (3) of the remaining amount--
       (A) 2.4 percent shall be available to provide 
     transportation services to elderly individuals and 
     individuals with disabilities under section 5310 of such 
     title;
       (B) 6.37 percent shall be available to provide financial 
     assistance for other than urbanized areas under section 5311 
     of such title; and
       (C) 91.23 percent shall be available to provide financial 
     assistance for urbanized areas under section 5307 of such 
     title.
       (e) Capital Program Authorizations.--Section 5338(b) of 
     such title is amended--
       (1) in the heading to paragraph (2) by inserting ``and for 
     the period of october 1, 2003, through february 29, 2004'' 
     after ``2003'';
       (2) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraphs (2)(A)(iv) 
     and (2)(B)(iv);
       (3) by striking the period at the end of paragraphs 
     (2)(A)(v) and (2)(B)(v) and inserting ``; and'';
       (4) by adding at the end of paragraph (2)(A) the following:
       ``(vi) $1,022,503,342 for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004.''; and
       (5) by adding at the end of paragraph (2)(B) the following:
       ``(vi) $255,801,669 for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004.''.
       (f) Planning Authorizations and Allocations.--Section 
     5338(c) is amended--
       (1) in the heading to paragraph (2) by inserting ``and for 
     the period of october 1, 2003, through february 29, 2004'' 
     after ``2003'';
       (2) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraphs (2)(A)(iv) 
     and (2)(B)(iv);
       (3) by striking the period at the end of paragraphs 
     (2)(A)(v) and (2)(B)(v) and inserting ``; and'';
       (4) by adding at the end of paragraph (2)(A) the following:
       ``(vi) $24,636,667 for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004.'';
       (5) by adding at the end of paragraph (2)(B) the following:
       ``(vi) $6,100,000 for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004.''; and
       (6) in paragraph (2)(C) by inserting ``or any portion of a 
     fiscal year'' after ``fiscal year''.
       (g) Research Authorizations.--Section 5338(d) of such title 
     is amended--
       (1) in the heading to paragraph (2) by inserting ``and for 
     the period of october 1, 2003, through february 29, 2004'' 
     after ``2003'';
       (2) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraphs (2)(A)(iv) 
     and (2)(B)(iv);
       (3) by striking the period at the end of paragraphs 
     (2)(A)(v) and (2)(B)(v) and inserting ``; and'';
       (4) by adding at the end of paragraph (2)(A) the following:
       ``(vi) $16,536,667 for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004.'';
       (5) by adding at the end of paragraph (2)(B) the following:
       ``(vi) $4,095,000 for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004.''; and
       (6) in paragraph (2)(C) by inserting after ``a fiscal 
     year'' the following: ``(other than for the period of October 
     1, 2003, through February 29, 2004)''.
       (h) Allocation of Research Funds for October 1, 2003, 
     Through February 29, 2004.--Of the funds made available by or 
     appropriated under section 5338(d)(2) of title 49, United 
     States Code, for the period of October 1, 2003, through 
     February 29, 2004--
       (1) not less than $2,187,500 shall be available for 
     providing rural transportation assistance under section 
     5311(b)(2) of such title;
       (2) not less than $3,437,500 shall be available for 
     carrying out transit cooperative research programs under 
     section 5313(a) of such title;
       (3) not less than $1,666,667 shall be available to carry 
     out programs under the National Transit Institute under 
     section 5315 of such title, including not more than $416,667 
     shall be available to carry out section 5315(a)(16) of such 
     title; and
       (4) the remainder shall be available for carrying out 
     national planning and research

[[Page H8823]]

     programs under sections 5311(b)(2), 5312, 5313(a), 5314, and 
     5322 of such title.
       (i) University Transportation Research Authorizations.--
     Section 5338(e) of such title is amended--
       (1) in the heading to paragraph (2) by inserting ``and for 
     the period of october 1, 2003, through february 29, 2004'' 
     after ``2003'';
       (2) in paragraph (2)(A) by inserting after ``2003'' the 
     following: ``and $2,020,833 for the period of October 1, 
     2003, through February 29, 2004'';
       (3) in paragraph (2)(B) by inserting after ``2003'' the 
     following: ``and $505,833 for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004''; and
       (4) in clauses (i) and (iii) of paragraph (2)(C) by 
     inserting after ``fiscal year'' the following: ``(other than 
     for the period of October 1, 2003, through February 29, 
     2004)''.
       (j) Allocation of University Transportation Research 
     Funds.--
       (1) In general.--Of the amounts made available under 
     section 5338(e)(2)(A) of title 49, United States Code, for 
     the period October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004--
       (A) $833,333 shall be available for the center identified 
     in section 5505(j)(4)(A) of such title; and
       (B) $833,333 shall be available for the center identified 
     in section 5505(j)(4)(F) of such title.
       (2) Training and curriculum development.--Notwithstanding 
     section 5338(e)(2) of such title, any amounts made available 
     under such section for such period that remain after 
     distribution under paragraph (1), shall be available for the 
     purposes identified in section 3015(d) of the Transportation 
     Equity Act for the 21st Century (112 Stat. 857).
       (3) Conforming amendment.--Section 3015(d)(2) of the 
     Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (112 Stat. 
     857) is amended by inserting ``and in the period October 31, 
     2003, through February 29, 2004'' after ``2003''.
       (k) Administration Authorizations.--Section 5338(f) of such 
     title is amended--
       (1) in the heading to paragraph (2) by inserting ``and for 
     the period of october 1, 2003, through february 29, 2004'' 
     after ``2003'';
       (2) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraphs (2)(A)(iv) 
     and (2)(B)(iv);
       (3) by striking the period at the end of paragraphs 
     (2)(A)(v) and (2)(B)(v) and inserting ``; and'';
       (4) by adding at the end of paragraph (2)(A) the following:
       ``(vi) $24,585,834 for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004.''; and
       (5) by adding at the end of paragraph (2)(B) the following:
       ``(vi) $6,150,833 for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004.''.
       (l) Job Access and Reverse Commute Program.--Section 
     3037(l) of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century 
     (49 U.S.C. 5309 note; 112 Stat. 391-392) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraphs (1)(A)(iv) 
     and (1)(B)(iv);
       (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraphs 
     (1)(A)(v) and (1)(B)(v) and inserting ``; and'';
       (3) by adding at the end of paragraph (1)(A) the following:
       ``(vi) $50,519,167 for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004.'';
       (4) by adding at the end of paragraph (1)(B) the following:
       ``(vi) $12,638,333 for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004.''; and
       (5) by inserting before the period at the end of paragraph 
     (2) the following: ``; except that in the period of October 
     1, 2003, through February 29, 2004, $4,166,667 shall be used 
     for such projects''.
       (m) Rural Transportation Accessibility Incentive Program.--
     Section 3038(g) of such Act (49 U.S.C. 5310 note; 112 Stat. 
     393) is amended--
       (1) by adding at the end of paragraph (1) the following:
       ``(F) $2,187,500 for the period of October 1, 2003, through 
     February 29, 2004.''; and
       (2) in paragraph (2) by inserting after ``2003'' the 
     following: ``(and $708,333 shall be available for the period 
     of October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004)''.
       (n) Urbanized Area Formula Grants.--Section 5307(b) of 
     title 49, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in the heading to paragraph (2) by inserting ``and for 
     the period of october 1, 2003, through february 29, 2004'' 
     after ``2003'';
       (2) in paragraph (2)(A)--
       (A) by inserting ``and for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004'' after ``2003,'';
       (B) by striking ``or'' at the end of clause (ii);
       (C) by striking the period at the end of clause (iii) and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (D) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(iv) a portion of the area was not designated as an 
     urbanized area as determined under the 1990 Federal decennial 
     census and received assistance under section 5311 in fiscal 
     year 2002.'';
       (3) by adding at the end of paragraph (2)(B) the following: 
     ``Each portion of an area not designated as an urbanized area 
     under the 1990 Federal decennial census and eligible to 
     receive funds under subparagraph (A)(iv) shall receive an 
     amount of funds made available to carry out this section that 
     is no less than the amount the portion of the area received 
     under section 5311 in fiscal year 2002.''.
       (o) Obligation Ceiling.--Section 3040 of the Transportation 
     Equity Act for the 21st Century (112 Stat. 394) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (4);
       (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (5) and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(6) $3,042,501,691 for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004.''.
       (p) Fuel Cell Bus and Bus Facilities Program.--Section 
     3015(b) of such Act (112 Stat. 361) is amended by inserting 
     ``(or, in the case of the period of October 1, 2003, through 
     February 29, 2004, $2,020,833)'' after ``$4,850,000''.
       (q) Advanced Technology Pilot Project.--Section 3015(c)(2) 
     of such Act (49 U.S.C. 322 note; 112 Stat. 361) is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``and for the period of October 1, 2003, 
     through February 29, 2004, after ``2003,''; and
       (2) by inserting ``and $2,083,333 for such period'' after 
     ``$5,000,000 per fiscal year''.
       (r) Projects for New Fixed Guideway Systems and Extensions 
     to Existing Systems.--Subsections (a), (b), and (c)(1) of 
     section 3030 of such Act (112 Stat. 373-381) are amended by 
     inserting ``and for the period of October 1, 2003, through 
     February 29, 2004,'' after ``2003''.
       (s) New Jersey Urban Core Project.--Subparagraphs (A), (B), 
     and (C) of section 3031(a)(3) of the Intermodal Surface 
     Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (105 Stat. 2122; 112 
     Stat. 379) are amended by inserting ``and for the period of 
     October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004,'' after 
     ``2003,''.
       (t) Treatment of Funds.--Amounts made available under the 
     amendments made by this section shall be treated for purposes 
     of section 1101(b) of the Transportation Equity Act for the 
     21st Century (23 U.S.C. 101 note) as amounts made available 
     for programs under title III of such Act.

     SEC. 9. SPORT FISHING AND BOATING SAFETY.

       (a) Funding for National Outreach and Communications 
     Program.--Section 4(c) of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish 
     Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 777c(c)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (4);
       (2) by inserting ``and'' after the semicolon at the end of 
     paragraph (5); and
       (3) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following:
       ``(6) $4,166,667 for the period of October 1, 2003, through 
     February 29, 2004;''.
       (b) Clean Vessel Act Funding.--Section 4(b) of such Act (16 
     U.S.C. 777c(b)) is amended:
       (1) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (5);
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:
       ``(4) First 5 months of fiscal year 2004.--For the period 
     of October 1, 2003, through February 29, 2004, of the balance 
     of each annual appropriation remaining after making the 
     distribution under subsection (a), an amount equal to 
     $34,166,667, reduced by 82 percent of the amount appropriated 
     for that fiscal year from the Boat Safety Account of the 
     Aquatic Resources Trust Fund established by section 9504 of 
     the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to carry out the purposes 
     of section 13106(a) of title 46, United States Code, shall be 
     used as follows:
       ``(A) $4,166,667 shall be available to the Secretary of the 
     Interior for 3 fiscal years for obligation for qualified 
     projects under section 5604(c) of the Clean Vessel Act of 
     1992 (33 U.S.C. 1322 note).
       ``(B) $3,333,333 shall be available to the Secretary of the 
     Interior for 3 fiscal years for obligation for qualified 
     projects under section 7404(d) of the Sportfishing and 
     Boating Safety Act of 1998 (16 U.S.C. 777g-1(d)).
       ``(C) The balance remaining after the application of 
     subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall be transferred to the 
     Secretary of Transportation and shall be expended for State 
     recreational boating safety programs under section 13106 of 
     title 46, United States Code.''.
       (c) Boat Safety Funds.--Section 13106(c) of title 46, 
     United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
       ``(c) Of the amount transferred to the Secretary of 
     Transportation under paragraph (4) of section 4(b) of the 
     Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C. 
     777c(b)), $2,083,333 is available to the Secretary for 
     payment of expenses of the Coast Guard for personnel and 
     activities directly related to coordinating and carrying out 
     the national recreational boating safety program under this 
     title, of which $833,333 shall be available to the Secretary 
     only to ensure compliance with chapter 43 of this title. No 
     funds available to the Secretary under this subsection may be 
     used to replace funding traditionally provided through 
     general appropriations, nor for any purposes except those 
     purposes authorized by this section. Amounts made available 
     by this subsection shall remain available until expended. The 
     Secretary shall publish annually in the Federal Register a 
     detailed accounting of the projects, programs, and activities 
     funded under this subsection.''.

     SEC. 10. BUDGET LIMITATIONS.

       (a) Adjustments to Annualized Discretionary Spending 
     Limits.--In the matter that precedes subparagraph (A) of 
     section 251(b)(2) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
     Deficit Control Act of 1985, strike ``through 2002''.
       (b) Discretionary Spending Limits.--Section 251(c) of the 
     Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 is 
     amended as follows:
       (1) Strike paragraphs (1) through (7) and redesignate 
     paragraph (8) (which relates to fiscal year 2004) as 
     paragraph (1) and in such

[[Page H8824]]

     redesignated paragraph strike ``(1) with respect to fiscal 
     year 2004'', redesignate the remaining matter as subparagraph 
     (C), and before such redesignated matter insert the 
     following:
       ``(1) with respect to fiscal year 2004--
       ``(A) for the highway category: $31,834,000,000 in outlays;
       ``(B) for the mass transit category: $1,462,000,000 in new 
     budget authority and $6,629,000,000 in outlays; and''.
       (2) Redesignate paragraphs (9) through (16) as paragraphs 
     (2) through (9).
       (c) Category Defined.--Section 250(c)(4) of the Balanced 
     Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (B) by inserting after ``Century'' the 
     following: ``and the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 
     2003''; and
       (2) in subparagraph (C)--
       (A) by inserting after ``Century'' the first place it 
     appears the following: ``and the Surface Transportation 
     Extension Act of 2003''; and
       (B) by striking ``that Act'' and inserting ``those Acts''.
       (d) Conformance With the Concurrent Resolution on the 
     Budget for Fiscal Year 2004.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, all adjustments made pursuant to section 
     110(a)(2) of title 23, United States Code, to sums 
     authorized to be appropriated from the Highway Trust Fund 
     (other than the Mass Transit Account) to carry out each of 
     the Federal-aid highway and highway safety construction 
     programs (other than emergency relief) in fiscal year 2004 
     shall be deemed to be zero.
       (e) Sense of Congress on Adjustment to Align Highway 
     Spending With Revenues.--It is the sense of Congress that, in 
     any multiyear reauthorization of the Federal-aid highway 
     program, the alignment of highway spending with revenues 
     under section 251(b)(1)(B)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and 
     Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 should be restructured 
     to minimize year-to-year fluctuations in highway spending 
     levels and to ensure the uniform enforcement of such levels.

     SEC. 11. LEVEL OF OBLIGATION LIMITATIONS.

       (a) Highway Category.--Section 8103(a) of the 
     Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (2 U.S.C. 901 
     note; 112 Stat. 492) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (4);
       (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (5) and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(6) for fiscal year 2004, $34,498,000,000.''.
       (b) Mass Transit Category.--Section 8103(b) of such Act (2 
     U.S.C. 901 note; 112 Stat. 492) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (4);
       (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (5) and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(6) for fiscal year 2004, $7,303,000,000.''.
       (c) Treatment of Funds.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, funds made available under this Act, 
     including the amendments made by this Act, shall be deemed to 
     be zero for the purposes of section 110 of the title 23, 
     United States Code.

     SEC. 12. EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF TRUST FUNDS 
                   FOR OBLIGATIONS UNDER TEA-21.

       (a) Highway Trust Fund.--
       (1) In general.--Paragraph (1) of section 9503(c) of the 
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended--
       (A) in the matter before subparagraph (A), by striking 
     ``October 1, 2003'' and inserting ``March 1, 2004'',
       (B) by striking ``or'' at the end of subparagraph (D),
       (C) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (E) 
     and inserting ``, or'',
       (D) by inserting after subparagraph (E), the following new 
     subparagraph:
       ``(F) authorized to be paid out of the Highway Trust Fund 
     under the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2003.'', 
     and
       (E) in the matter after subparagraph (F), as added by this 
     paragraph, by striking ``TEA 21 Restoration Act'' and 
     inserting ``Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2003''.
       (2) Mass transit account.--Paragraph (3) of section 9503(e) 
     of such Code is amended--
       (A) in the matter before subparagraph (A), by striking 
     ``October 1, 2003'' and inserting ``March 1, 2004'',
       (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``or'' at the end of 
     such subparagraph,
       (C) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ``or '' after 
     ``Century,'',
       (D) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new 
     subparagraph:
       ``(D) the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2003,'', 
     and
       (E) in the matter after subparagraph (D), as added by this 
     paragraph, by striking ``TEA 21 Restoration Act'' and 
     inserting ``Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2003''.
       (3) Exception to limitation on transfers.--Subparagraph (B) 
     of section 9503(b)(5) of such Code is amended by striking 
     ``October 1, 2003'' and inserting ``March 1, 2004''.
       (b) Aquatic Resources Trust Fund.--
       (1) Sport fish restoration account.--Paragraph (2) of 
     section 9504(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is 
     amended--
       (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``Wildlife and Sport 
     Fish Restoration Programs Improvement Act of 2000'' and 
     inserting ``Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2003'', 
     and
       (B) in subparagraphs (B) and (C), by striking ``TEA 21 
     Restoration Act'' in each such subparagraph and inserting 
     ``Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2003''.
       (2) Boat safety account.--Subsection (c) of section 9504 of 
     such Code is amended--
       (A) by striking ``October 1, 2003'' and inserting ``March 
     1, 2004'', and
       (B) by striking ``TEA 21 Restoration Act'' and inserting 
     ``Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2003''.
       (3) Exception to limitation on transfers.--Paragraph (2) of 
     section 9504(d) of such Code is amended by striking ``October 
     1, 2003'' and inserting ``March 1, 2004''.
       (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
     shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (d) Temporary Rule Regarding Adjustments.--During the 
     period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and 
     ending on February 29, 2004, for purposes of making any 
     estimate under section 9503(d) of the Internal Revenue Code 
     of 1986 of receipts of the Highway Trust Fund, the Secretary 
     of the Treasury shall treat--
       (1) each expiring provision of paragraphs (1) through (4) 
     of section 9503(b) of such Code which is related to 
     appropriations or transfers to such Fund to have been 
     extended through the end of the 24-month period referred to 
     in section 9503(d)(1)(B) of such Code, and
       (2) with respect to each tax imposed under the sections 
     referred to in section 9503(b)(1) of such Code, the rate of 
     such tax during the 24-month period referred to in section 
     9503(d)(1)(B) of such Code to be the same as the rate of such 
     tax as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Alaska (Mr. Young) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young).

                              {time}  1515

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge immediate passage of H.R. 3087, the 
Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2003. The immediate enactment 
of this legislation is necessary to continue the highway construction, 
highway safety, transit, motor carrier and surface transportation 
research programs within the Department of Transportation for an 
additional 5 months after fiscal year 2003 and ends on September 30, 
2003, just 6 days from today.
  If Congress does not pass a bill and send it to the President before 
the end of this fiscal year, four Department of Transportation agencies 
will close their doors and furlough their employees until Congress 
enacts an extension. Failure to pass a bill before the end of September 
also means that no State will be reimbursed for the Federal share of 
their transportation project costs, thus subjecting the Federal 
Government to breach of contract claims by the States. Moreover, high-
wage infrastructure construction jobs, engineers, planners and other 
related jobs, would be lost. New highway projects will be shelved, 
safety grants will not be provided to the States, transit construction 
will be halted, and the Federal enforcement of motor carrier safety 
regulation on the highways and at the borders will end.
  I would like to thank at this time the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. 
Nussle) and his staff for their cooperation in drafting provisions of 
this bill under the jurisdiction of the Committee on the Budget. I 
would also like to thank the gentleman from California (Chairman 
Thomas) and his staff for their assistance in preparing the provisions 
in the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means.
  H.R. 3087 provides over $14 billion in contract authority to the 
States to continue Federal highway programs and over $3 billion to 
continue grants to transit agencies around the country. It provides 
$142 million for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and 
$125 million to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for 
highway safety grants.
  Although this extension will provide funding for 5 months, on March 1 
Congress will be faced with the same situation we face now; all the 
programs and the operation of the agencies will come to a screeching 
halt again.
  I want to stress my continued commitment to the multiyear 
reauthorization bill, but I am also committed to introducing a bill 
that meets the needs and improves our highways and transit systems and 
provides jobs. Obviously, we have to find the revenues necessary to 
enact the authorization that best meets the needs of the country.

[[Page H8825]]

  It is my intent, all with the help of God and everybody else, to 
introduce a bill before we adjourn this session of Congress. I am 
working very closely with the ranking minority member, the gentleman 
from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), to achieve a bipartisan agreement that 
will result in the best possible bill.
  We expect to produce legislation that is developed in consultation 
with the Members of this House to solve their transportation problems, 
provide more equity to the States and reduce gridlock throughout the 
Nation. In the interim, Congress must pass H.R. 3087 so that these 
important infrastructure programs and the jobs associated with them can 
continue.
  I am submitting my full statement for the record, but I want to 
clarify that while I support the bill that is before the House today, I 
also introduced H.R. 3088, which was not scheduled. H.R. 3088 would 
have kept these programs operating through March, and also had a grace 
period during which the States could have been reimbursed for their 
expenditures and also could have used some of their unobligated funds.
  My personal view is that we should have passed a 6-month extension 
with a grace period, but I am trying to work cooperatively with the 
other body and with the leadership. I have been assured today that H.R. 
3087 passes, and, when it does, the other body will take it up and pass 
it without amendment and send it to the President immediately so there 
are no disruptions of these programs. My support today is based on that 
assurance. That is the reason I have compromised on the length of the 
extension and the removal of the grace period for the States. We do not 
have the time to continue a debate on this extension. It must go to the 
President immediately and become law.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge immediate passage of H.R. 3087, the 
Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2003.
  The immediate enactment of this legislation is necessary to continue 
the highway construction, highway safety, transit, motor carrier, and 
surface transportation research programs within the Department of 
Transportation for an additional 5 months after fiscal year 2003 ends 
on September 30, 2003, just 6 days from today.
  If Congress does not pass a bill and send it to the President before 
the end of this fiscal year, four Department of Transportation agencies 
will close their doors and furlough their employees until Congress 
enacts an extension.
  Failure to pass a bill before the end of September also means that no 
State will be reimbursed for the Federal share of their transportation 
projects costs, thus subjecting the Federal Government to breach of 
contract claims by the States.
  Moreover, high wage infrastructure construction jobs, engineers, 
planners and other related jobs will be lost.
  New highway projects will be shelved, safety grants will not be 
provided to States, transit construction will be halted, and Federal 
enforcement of motor carrier safety regulations on the highways and at 
the borders will end.
  The total amounts provided in H.R. 3087 reflects 5/12s of the budget 
authority and associated outlays in the 2004 budget resolution that 
Congress passed this year.
  I would like to thank Chairman Jim Nussle and his staff for their 
cooperation in drafting the provisions of this bill under the 
jurisdiction of the budget committee.
  I also want to thank Chairman Bill Thomas and his staff for their 
assistance in preparing the provisions in the jurisdiction of the Ways 
and Means Committee.
  H.R. 3087 provides over $14 billion in contract authority to the 
States to continue the Federal Highway Program and over $3 billion to 
continue grants to transit agencies around the country.
  It provides $142 million for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration to make grants to the States to enforce commercial 
safety regulations and to continue truck and bus inspections at our 
southern border with Mexico.
  H.R. 3087 provides $125 million to the National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration for highway safety grants, occupant protection 
grants, and alcohol driving countermeasure grants.
  This legislation will allow the temporary transfer of funds among 
core highway programs, to give States flexibility in administering 
their programs under a short-term extension.
  However, the bill provides that any transfers will be restored when 
the next highway and transit authorization bill is passed.
  Although this extension will provide funding for 5 months, on March 1 
Congress will be faced with the same situation we face now. All of the 
programs and the operations of the agencies will come to a screeching 
halt again.
  I want to stress my continued commitment to a multi-year 
reauthorization bill but, and I also remain committed to introducing a 
bill that meets the needs and improves our highways and transit systems 
and provides jobs.
  On a national basis, congestion costs more than $67 billion 
annually--more than 3.6 billion hours of delay and 5.7 billion gallons 
of excess fuel consumed.
  The average driver is losing more than a week and a half of work, 62 
hours a year, sitting in gridlock. The average cost of congestion per 
peak road traveler is $1,160 a year.
  For every $1 billion invested in Federal highway and transit 
spending, 47,500 jobs are created or sustained.
  Nearly a third of all fatal crashes each year are caused by 
substandard road conditions and roadside hazards.
  More than 42,000 Americans are killed and 3.3 million are seriously 
injured each year on the Nation's highways.
  Obviously, we have to find the revenues necessary to enact the 
authorization that best meets the needs of the country.
  It is my intent to introduce a bill before we adjourn this session of 
Congress. I am working cooperatively with my ranking minority member, 
Congressman Oberstar to achieve a bipartisan agreement that will result 
in the best possible bill. We expect to produce legislation that is 
developed in consultation with the Members of this House to solve our 
transportation problems, provide more equity to states, and reduce 
gridlock throughout the Nation.
  In the interim, Congress must pass H.R. 3087 so that these important 
infrastructure programs and the jobs associated with them can continue.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise in support of H.R. 3087, to extend our 
highway safety motor carrier safety programs for the next 5 months.
  I extend my commiserations to our chairman, who had the honesty and 
the integrity to say we really should be here doing a 6-month 
extension. He knows, I know, and we both agreed, and 74 members of our 
committee agreed in cosponsoring the 6-month extension, that is the 
right policy to do for this country, and he has labored mightily with 
the other body, as we affectionately say in this House, to reason, 
rightly and properly, to get the right policy. But it could not be 
done, unfortunately.
  The bill before us will extend to February 29 the funding for our 
transportation programs at 5/12ths of the fiscal year 2004 budget 
resolution. I want to specify those dollar amounts: Highways, $14.73 
billion; transit, $3.04 billion; motor carrier safety and National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, $266.32 million; for a total of 
$18.04 billion.
  Members and the State transportation departments that they represent 
should have no concerns about the continued flow of dollars for our 
highway and transit programs. We are assuring that those dollars move 
forward, because we also extend the landmark legacy of TEA-21, which is 
the budget firewalls guaranteed account, which assures that the dollars 
collected at the pump will be translated into highway and transit 
projects on the other side, and that all of those dollars will be 
invested in the Nation's surface transportation infrastructure, and not 
to mask the growing size of the Federal deficit.
  But this stopgap is no substitute for the long-term bill. We need to 
work together, as the chairman has said, to fashion the 6-year bill 
that will be the successor to TEA-21, and that, in my expectation and 
every reasonable assessment of the Nation's congestion problems, 
transportation needs in urban, suburban and rural areas, adds up to 
$375 billion in needs over the next 6 years, a 60 percent increase over 
TEA-21.
  We have the formula with which to do that. We have the Member 
understanding, the Member resolve and the staff expertise to craft that 
legislation, get it done, and move forward, lest we come to a point 
where this statement has yet again to be made: ``Time is running out in 
our effort to reauthorize our Federal highway, mass transit and other 
related transit programs.''
  That is taken from a statement I made on this floor, together with 
then Chairman Bud Shuster, March 9, 1998.

[[Page H8826]]

We had just come to the end of a 6-month extension of our 
transportation program, of ISTEA. We had crafted a bill in committee 
known as BESTEA. We were ready to bring that bill to the House floor. 
But, because of obstructions from the other body, problems with the 
House leadership and problems with the executive branch at the time, we 
were bottled up. So we came to this floor at that point to extend those 
programs 2 more months. They would run out May 1, so we extended it to 
June 11, and on June 8, President Clinton signed TEA-21 into law.
  We have always done our work in this Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure. We work together. We did our job. But there were others 
who did not do theirs.
  I went on to say, ``If we do not pass this extension, funds will run 
out by May 1. States will face the summer construction season without 
assurance of Federal transportation funds.''
  We are here recounting the same story.
  ``We have to move on a multiyear surface transportation bill, but we 
need to ensure that the bill we produce adequately addresses the 
Nation's transportation needs. The bill we have crafted in committee 
provides the level of funding necessary to build, repair and maintain 
our crumbling infrastructure, to improve mass transit and other 
alternative modes, enhance safety, protect the environment, and the 
bill has strong bipartisan support and is a testimony to Transportation 
Committee Chairman Bud Shuster's leadership.''
  I would say the same, the bill that we can craft in this committee 
will be a tribute to the leadership of the gentleman from Alaska 
(Chairman Young) and that of the gentleman from Wisconsin (Chairman 
Petri) and our ranking member, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Lipinski.)
  We are at the point we were 6 years ago. We are resolved to move 
ahead, move ahead resolutely, to do the right thing for public policy, 
to provide the funding levels that we know are needed by this country 
to move our transportation system ahead, to attack congestion at its 
source and to sustain the mobility of this great Nation of ours.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman 
from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Surface 
Transportation, who does an outstanding job.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, this stopgap measure is needed to give the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and our colleagues on 
the Senate authorizing committees time to finalize the long-term 
surface transportation authorization bill.
  Though much work has been done on the bill, there are challenges 
remaining, including identifying the needed resources to support a $375 
billion level of funding over 6 years and addressing the concerns of 
donor States who want to get a better return on their contribution to 
the Highway Trust Fund.
  This short-term extension is a must-pass bill. If Congress does not 
pass a bill and send it to the President before the end of the month, 
four Department of Transportation agencies will close their doors and 
furlough their employees: The Federal Highway Administration, the 
Federal Transit Administration, the National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
  Without passage of this extension, new highway projects will be 
shelved, safety grants will not be provided to States, transit 
construction will be halted, and Federal enforcement of motor carrier 
safety regulations on the highways and at the borders will end.
  The bill before us provides over $17 billion in new funding 
authority, which reflects 5 months' worth or \5/12\ths of the budget 
authority and associated outlays in the 2004 budget resolution that 
Congress passed earlier this year.
  Some groups have expressed concern about a provision in H.R. 3087 
that allows the temporary transfer of funds among core highway programs 
to give States flexibility, if needed, in administering their programs 
under a short-term extension. However, this bill provides that any 
transfers will be restored when the next highway bill and transit 
authorization bill is passed.
  When this provision was included in the surface transportation 
extension bill that bridged the gap between ISTEA and TEA-21, nearly 
half the States did not utilize this authority at all, and every State 
fully restored all transferred funds. We will monitor this process 
closely again to ensure that increased flexibility does not lead to 
funds being used for ineligible purposes, and that funds are not 
needlessly transferred.
  I urge my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 3087 today. It is 
vitally important that this bill be passed by both the House and Senate 
and delivered to the President before September 30. Our economy cannot 
withstand the shutdown of the national surface transportation program.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski), the ranking member on the 
Subcommittee on Surface Transportation.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member, my good friend 
the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), for yielding time, and I 
want to state that I rise in very strong support of H.R. 3087. We know 
why we have to pass this legislation. It is a 5-month extension. We 
have to keep the projects that are going on continuing to move through 
the system. We have to continue to keep people working. So there is no 
doubt in my mind that this bill should be passed, will be passed, and 
has to be passed.
  I believe that we on the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman Young), the ranking 
member, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), the chairman of 
the subcommittee, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) and myself 
and the staff on both sides of the committee, have worked very, very 
hard in producing a 6-year bill. I think we have overwhelming support 
on the committee for a bill that will generate $375 billion.

                              {time}  1530

  That is what not only we believe is necessary for an adequate bill, 
but I believe that people in the administration feel that way and 
people in the Senate feel that way. The Senate itself has come up with 
a bill of approximately $317 billion. They feel that that is probably 
the most that we can get.
  But I think that most of us in the House on the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure still refuse to accept the scaling 
down of this bill. I believe that we can get $375 billion by spending 
down the trust fund, by collecting the interest into the trust fund 
that now goes to general revenue, by making a couple of fixes 
pertaining to the ethanol situation, and by either bonding, indexing, 
or increasing the user fee, and remember, it is a user fee. No greater 
American than Ronald Reagan said it was a user fee. He said a nickel 
for America is not too much to expect.
  So we on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on both 
sides of the aisle I know will redouble our effort between now and the 
time that this extension expires to bring in a bill that will 
adequately address the infrastructure and transportation and transit 
needs of this Republic. I know that the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. 
Petri) is committed to that, I know that the gentleman from Alaska 
(Chairman Young) is committed to that, I know that the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Ranking Member Oberstar) is committed to that, and I am 
certainly committed to that.
  So let us move forward with this 5-month extension, but let us 
redouble our efforts to produce a bill that brings the American people 
$375 billion.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman 
from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra).
  Mr. HOEKSTRA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3087 to 
extend current law for 5 months to ensure that our Nation's highways 
and transit systems continue to operate as Congress deliberates on 
long-term reauthorization of Federal aid.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Alaska (Chairman Young) and the 
gentleman from Wisconsin (Chairman Petri) for their leadership, as well 
as the ranking members of the full committee and the subcommittee, for 
their vision for a transportation program that will not only maintain, 
but modernize and improve our Nation's ailing transportation system. I 
know it is not

[[Page H8827]]

an ideal situation to be here today to consider a short-term extension; 
but recognizing the difficult issues involved in reaching a consensus 
on a robust and comprehensive 6-year bill, it is necessary to take this 
action.
  Although I support and recognize the urgent need for enacting this 
short-term extension, I must reluctantly point out that this 
legislation ties transportation funding levels to the fiscal year 2004 
budget resolution. This means new money will be apportioned to States 
based on the same inequitable distribution formulas that have 
disadvantaged donor States such as Michigan for decades. For too long, 
the State of Michigan has sent more Federal fuel tax money to 
Washington than it has received in return. In fact, on a 4-year average 
under TEA 21, Michigan ranks 48 out of all States on the return of 
Federal highway funds. Michigan is not receiving its fair share.
  I continue to be encouraged by the willingness and desire of the 
gentleman from Alaska (Chairman Young) and the gentleman from Wisconsin 
(Chairman Petri) to pursue a plan that achieves equity for donor States 
such as Michigan as they address the serious infrastructure needs of 
this country. Hopefully, over the next 5 months, we will make progress 
on legislation to reach the goal of a 95 percent guarantee for all 
States. However, regardless of the next course of action at the end of 
February, it will be unacceptable for any transportation funding to 
neglect donor State equity.
  Again, I look forward to working with the chairmen of the full 
committee and the subcommittee and our ranking members to address the 
wide range of issues that they are wrestling with, and I look forward 
to helping them in any way that I can.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton).
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I thank our hard-working ranking member for 
yielding me this time, and I thank both of our ranking members and both 
of our Chairs of our committee and our subcommittee for the diligent 
work they have put in. I congratulate them on that and on trying to get 
us as far as we could thus far.
  We are on suspension, which is really the only thing we could do, and 
it probably is the easiest thing we can do; and when you are doing the 
easiest thing, you have to watch out. Everybody knows that if something 
happened after 5 months and we were not ready, we would have to be 
right back here extending this bill. We just have to. We are not going 
to let a transportation bill expire. That is why I am sorry it is not 
for 6 months.
  I am glad we are doing this on the floor today. For me it is a 
message for now and it is a message for the future. In this jobless 
recovery, folks out there need to know that we are working on jobs, and 
when they hear this bill is on the floor, they think, oh, goodness, at 
least they are not going to cut off what jobs are still going and maybe 
there will be some jobs coming. I am terribly concerned about a jobless 
rate of 6.4 percent, and 6.9 percent in my own district. Among African 
Americans, it is an amazing 11.5 percent, more than twice what it is 
for whites, and 5.5 percent for Hispanics, 50 percent higher than it is 
for whites. I hope we will not forget what this bill means to 
Americans: roads. Transportation means that we are going to put people 
to work, and today we are saying that we are trying our best to do 
that.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to second the remarks of our ranking member about 
funding, the $375 million figure. I have begun to understand that 
figure as I became a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, and 
more and more of what I am asking for roads really has to do with 
security. The money I am asking for really has to do with things like 
bridges and tunnels because you cannot get out of the District of 
Columbia the way it is now if there were an emergency.
  So I ask us all to focus on this bill, to focus on getting it done 
now, and to focus on doing what we have to do to get it out at the 
earliest possible moment.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I agree with what the gentlewoman has talked about, 
about getting out of Washington, D.C. As the gentlewoman knows, I am 
very sympathetic; and we will be addressing it in the full bill to try 
to solve some of those problems of having the ability to get the people 
out of Washington, if necessary, in a quick fashion.
  Our biggest goal of, I believe, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. 
Oberstar) and members of the committee is to really address the issues 
of congestion across this whole Nation. I have had the privilege of 
being in 40 different States in the last 2 years. The gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) has traveled with me and the gentleman from 
Wisconsin (Mr. Petri). We go across this Nation, and we find a 
tremendous equal problem in every big city. New York, with all due 
respect to New York, if that one bridge was blown up, you would have 12 
million people stranded with no way to supply. San Francisco and, I 
would suggest, L.A., Houston. So we have a national problem about 
congestion and the ability to move product and people to and fro; and 
it is my hope on this committee, with the members of this committee and 
with the help of the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) and the 
staffs which we have, we will work really hard and we will be able to 
introduce a bill before we break this session that will meet those 
needs.
  Mr. Speaker, if I had full authority, we would not only meet the 
needs; we would be able to have the money. But under this system, this 
is a two-tiered system; it has to go from this committee to another 
committee, and that committee will have the responsibility of trying to 
raise the funds to meet the needs that we are going to pass out of the 
committee to do the job for the people, to be able to move the people 
in case of an emergency, but also to make sure that commerce continues 
to grow. Without the ability to grow, without the ability to have 
transportation, our economy will shrink. So that is my goal on the 
committee, and I am confident we can achieve those goals. The American 
public wants to do this. I am confident that as time goes by there will 
be a greater bit of wisdom in certain parts of this great city of ours 
to understand the needs as I have presented to the committee and the 
committee will be able to send to the House.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy in 
permitting me to speak on this.
  While I too regret that we are not going to have a longer bill, it is 
better to allow more time and allow the bipartisan leadership of our 
committee to craft adequate funding, funding that the people want and 
Congress will support, if we are able to bring it to the floor, far 
better than to have an inadequate funding level that we are saddled 
with over the next 6 years.
  One point I want to make this afternoon, however, is that there is a 
broad coalition of support for the policy structure of TEA 21. It is 
not broken and it does not need to be fixed. Recently the House sent a 
strong message when it soundly rejected the weakening of guaranteed 
funding for transportation enhancement activities as outlined in TEA 
21. It would send the wrong message about our commitment if we would 
allow dollars to be redirected from investments critical in areas like 
highway safety, transportation enhancement activities, metropolitan 
congestion, and clean air. These are part of the coalition that are 
going to permit our leadership to bring a strong package to the floor 
and get overwhelming support.
  So I was concerned about the provision that had State departments of 
transportation having wider latitude to shift dollars. I am pleased 
that we are going to be clear that this provision will not extend the 
transferability clause. I am pleased that there is a commitment to make 
sure that it does not ultimately result in shortchanging the programs. 
I appreciate anything we can do to clarify this, because this is the 
single most important economic development issue, the single most 
important environmental issue; and, yes, as we have heard, it has 
critical national security components.
  I appreciate the work that is being done within our committee, with 
our

[[Page H8828]]

leadership, and I appreciate the ability on the floor today to clarify 
exactly what the intent is, so we build the coalition, not weaken it, 
and give the American public legislation that they deserve.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I will insert into the Record at 
this point a letter from the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nussle), the 
chairman of the Committee on the Budget, to myself regarding H.R. 3087.
                                         House of Representatives,


                                      Committee on the Budget,

                               Washington, DC, September 23, 2003.
     Hon. Don Young,
     Chairman, Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure,
     Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Young: I understand that the House is 
     expected to consider a five-month extension of TEA21 and 
     concerns have arisen as to whether this would have adverse 
     budgetary implications for highway, highway safety, and mass 
     transit programs when a long-term extension is considered 
     next year.
       In particular, concerns have been raised that the Committee 
     on Transportation and Infrastructure would be penalized 
     should the short-term extension expire before the 
     Congressional Budget Office (CBO) releases it baseline 
     projections early next year. As you know, CBO is generally 
     prohibited from assuming the continuation of any expired 
     mandatory program.
       I am confident your committee will not be penalized for any 
     temporary lapse in its spending authorities. For purposes of 
     enforcing either the 2004 or 2005 budget resolution, the 
     appropriate baseline would be the baseline underlying the 
     budget resolution. The 2004 budget resolution assumes a 
     multi-year extension of TEA21, and I can assure you that the 
     House budget resolution for 2005 will also assume such an 
     extension and I will work to maintain that position in 
     conference.
       Further, it would be my intent, if necessary, to request 
     that CBO produce an alternative baseline that assumes a full 
     year extension and I would use this baseline to develop the 
     FY 2005 budget resolution. Accordingly, it will make little 
     difference as to whether the House ultimately adopts a five- 
     or six month extension. Either way, I will make every attempt 
     to ensure that the operative baseline reflects the 
     continuation of these critical highway, highway safety, and 
     mass transit programs.
       If I may be of any assistance as you move this important 
     bill, please do not hesitate to contact me or Rich Meade, 
     Chief of Staff of the Budget Committee, at 6-7270.
           Sincerely,
                                                       Jim Nussle,
                                                         Chairman.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the 
distinguished gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Tauscher).
  Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to engage the subcommittee 
chairman, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri), and the ranking 
member, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), in a colloquy.
  I am concerned about the transfer authority provided under sections 
3(a) and (b) of the bill. This provision, as I understand it, allows 
States during this interim period to transfer funds from critical 
highway safety, transportation enhancement, and congestion mitigation 
and air quality programs. I want to be assured that the real intent of 
this provision is to give States additional authority for those cases 
where it is needed on a project-by-project basis to move funds beyond 
which current law would allow.
  Further, it is my understanding that in cases where funds are 
transferred, section 3(c) specifically requires the restoration of any 
transferred funds promptly after the date of enactment of any 
subsequent law reauthorizing the Federal aid highway program, whether 
it be a short-term extension act or multiyear reauthorization 
legislation.
  Therefore, this transferability provision expires at the end of the 
5-month period on February 29, 2004; and any funds borrowed are 
required to be restored.
  I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri), the chairman of 
the Subcommittee on Highways, Transit, and Pipelines.
  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, the gentlewoman from California is correct. 
Section 3(c) specifically states that the transferability provision 
applies only during this 5-month period, and any funds used will be 
restored.
  Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I yield to the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar), the ranking member of the 
committee.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the issue the gentlewoman has 
raised. It is identical to the issue the gentleman from Oregon 
addressed in the well just moments ago.
  Although the bill allows States to transfer funds among programs 
during this 5-month period where they deem necessary, the restoration 
of any funds borrowed will begin upon enactment of any subsequent law 
reauthorizing the program, whether a short-term additional extension or 
a multiyear reauthorization. The restoration of funds is specifically 
required by section 3(c) of the pending bill.
  I further want to make clear that I will not support efforts to 
change the effect of section 3(c) of the bill to allow the transfer 
authority to be extended beyond February 29, 2004. I thank the 
gentlewoman for her vigilance and the gentleman from Oregon similarly.
  Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the help of the gentleman 
from Wisconsin (Chairman Petri) and the gentleman from Minnesota 
(Ranking Member Oberstar) on this. I really understand the 
clarification, and I support the bill.

                              {time}  1545

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. OBERSTAR asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I wish to include in the Record the 
statement I referred to earlier of March 9, 1998 on our previous TEA 21 
legislation. I just want to underscore the importance of what we are 
doing. A very short-term extension, a very short leash on this program. 
And to also point out how critically important it is going to be for us 
not only to do our work in the committee which I am confident, absent 
external pressures, we can accomplish, but also to move that bill 
through this body and get into conference with the other body and 
resolve what will be clearly differences between the two Houses; that 
is going to take considerable amounts of time and effort.
  I would ideally like to see in the balance of this year, not just, I 
am not just talking about the legislative session, but the balance of 
this calendar year, that this body will stay in session, so that when 
we do, and I am confident that we will, complete work in our committee 
on a bill, a 6-year extension, we could bring it to this floor and pass 
it to this body before the end of this calendar year, so that we are 
ready to go at the beginning of next year with conference.
  But absent that, look at this time frame. We will convene in January. 
Typically, the House, then exhausted from its holiday recess, will 
recess again to await the message of the President on the State of the 
Union. And then having heard that message on the State of the Union, 
exhausted from the burdens imposed on us by the President, we will 
recess again and not come back until the beginning of February.
  Now, the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) is smiling but he has been 
here 2 years longer than I, and he knows exactly what happens in this 
body, and that is exactly what will happen.
  So then we will come back here some time in February and hope we can 
escape from under the burden of the Presidents' Day recess and then 
pass that bill. And then we will have the blink of an eye in which to 
conference with the other body and bring a bill back before the end of 
February.
  I am afraid if we do not get this bill done, through this body by the 
Christmas recess, then we will be back here on this floor once again 
pleading for another extension of time to keep transportation programs 
from once again expiring. So our responsibility is serious, is 
substantial. We have a big job to do. I am confident we can get it done 
in our committee. I am just not confident about the overall structure 
and the time frame remaining in this session.
  I do not want to be back on this floor saying again what I said 6 
years ago, time is running out.

               Time Is Running Out for a New Highway Bill

                         (By James L. Oberstar)

       Time is running out in our effort to reauthorize our 
     federal highway, mass transit and other related 
     transportation programs.

[[Page H8829]]

     The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1992 
     expired last September 30, and the fund provided by the six-
     month extension approved in the waning days of the 1997 
     session will run out by May 1. Without new Congressional 
     action, states will have to face the summer construction 
     season without an assurance of federal transportation funds.
       It is imperative we move as soon as possible on a new, 
     multiyear surface transportation bill, but we also need to 
     ensure that the bill we produce adequately addresses the 
     nation's transportation needs. In the House, H.R. 2400, the 
     Building Efficient Surface Transportation Enhancement Act 
     (BESTEA), is pending in the Committee on Transportation and 
     Infrastructure. This bill, I firmly believe, provides the 
     level of funding necessary to build, repair and maintain our 
     crumbling infrastructure, improve mass transit and other 
     alternative modes, enhance safety, and protect the 
     environment. The bill has strong bipartisan support and is a 
     testimony to Transportation Committee Chairman Bud Shuster's 
     (R-Pa.) leadership.
       In recent weeks, the Senate has moved ahead on its ISTEA 
     successor, and I applaud my Senate colleagues for that. I 
     also applaud their efforts to increase funding, especially 
     for mass transit programs, and bring the spending levels in 
     their bill closer to those in BESTEA. However, the Senate 
     bill's funding levels rely heavily on budget authority, 
     promises that may or may not lead to actual funding.
       In the House, we are working to overcome the spending 
     restrictions imposed by last year's balanced budget 
     agreement. While I support the effort to eliminate the budget 
     deficit, recent projections by the Office of Management and 
     Budget and the Congressional Budget Office have shown that 
     the budget deficit will actually be eliminated this year, 
     years ahead of the schedule anticipated by the budget 
     agreement. Still, Budget Committee Chairman John Kasich (R-
     Ohio) and others insist on strict adherence to the 
     conservative spending limits contained in that agreement.
       To his credit, Speaker Newt Gingrich has formed a task 
     force to look into the issue. The Speaker himself chairs the 
     task force, which also includes Chairman Shuster, Kasich, and 
     Surface Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Thomas Petri (R-
     Wis.). This task force has been charged with finding a way to 
     make more funds available for transportation programs without 
     violating the integrity of the budget agreement. This is a 
     difficult task, and I wish them success.
       In some quarters, this issue is being characterized as an 
     effort to take funding away from education, defense, 
     agriculture and other discretionary programs and spend that 
     money on roads, bridges and mass transit. That is not true. 
     Funding for transportation is drawn from a trust fund 
     dedicated to this purpose.
       Federal fuel taxes (currently 18.4 cents per gallon of 
     gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon of diesel fuel) are 
     collected from motorists, truckers and other road users for 
     maintenance and enhancement of our transportation 
     infrastructure. These taxes are deposited in the Highway 
     Trust Fund.
       The budget agreement, however, maintains a high surplus in 
     the trust fund in order to cover overspending elsewhere in 
     the budget and present the illusion of balance. The Highway 
     Trust Fund was never intended to cover deficits in other 
     programs or to act as a bank for the rest of the government. 
     To allow such an enormous surplus to accumulate in order to 
     spend more money on non-transportation programs is a major 
     breach of faith with users to pay the fuel taxes and expect--
     and deserve--these funds to be spent for transportation 
     purposes.
       As we work to eliminate our federal budget deficit, this 
     country also faces a huge and growing infrastructure deficit. 
     Almost 254,000 miles of highway pavement are in poor 
     condition. One of every three bridges is structurally 
     deficient of functionally obsolete. Nearly one of every two 
     transit rail yards, stations and bridges is in poor 
     condition. Yet, every year federal, state and local 
     governments spend $17 billion less than the amount needed 
     simply to maintain these facilities at their current 
     condition and capacity.
       BESTEA would help overcome this infrastructure deficit, 
     authorizing $179.8 billion, a 48 percent increase over ISTEA, 
     for highway programs and $36.7 billion, a 15 percent 
     increase, in transit funding through 2003.
       Reauthorization of ISTEA will set our national 
     transportation priorities well into the 21st Century. 
     Chairman Shuster, Chairman Petri, Subcommittee Ranking 
     Democrat Nick Joe Rahall (D-W.V.) and I believe BESTEA 
     continues and improves upon the transportation policies and 
     programs set forth in ISTEA. We will continue to work 
     together and are determined to bring BESTEA to a vote on the 
     House floor in time to rescue the states from the 
     transportation-funding limbo in which they will find 
     themselves in six weeks if we do not act quickly.
       Time is running out.

  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I will state that the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. 
Oberstar) makes a great statement, and I am well aware of what he said 
about the time frame.
  As we know, my druthers were 6 months. That probably would not have 
solved the problem. But it is my goal to have a bill before this 
session is closed down, introduced and vetted, and it is our hope that 
we can do our job as the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, and that this House will move a bill over to the other 
body before the deadline; and I believe we can do that.
  Now, whether the other body can achieve its goals with five 
committees that handle this legislation is another story, let alone the 
conference. So it is going to be very difficult. But our job in this 
House, and I hope the gentleman agrees with me, is to do our job and to 
move the legislation, to move the ball forward, get it to the goal 
line, and then, hopefully, they will have the wisdom to drive it over 
and make a touchdown with the help of the other body. If not, 
unfortunately, we will probably be back here, but that is not my 
intent. My intent is to achieve that goal. But now we have to pass 
this, get it down to the President, have him sign it so our highways 
across this Nation can continue to be built, the jobs will still be in 
place, and the infrastructure can continue to grow as it needs to be.
  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I am voting for this bill because 
without enactment of such an extension the current transportation law 
will expire on September 30, 2003 and it is important that 
transportation programs and projects continue while Congress continues 
to work toward their long-term renewal.
  However, I am concerned about a provision in this bill that would 
grant States the ability to transfer unobligated funds between 
transportation programs during the extension period.
  Regional governments in my State have similar concerns. They have let 
me know that they are worried that shifting funds from transportation 
enhancement and safety activities, mitigation for metropolitan traffic 
congestion, and clean air programs could seriously undermine planning 
activities for these projects and cause critical delays and 
disruptions.
  There appears to be little need or justification for this provision, 
and I will continue to resist any attempt to weaken guaranteed funding 
for transportation enhancement activities when the transportation bill 
is reauthorized on a long-term basis.
  In the meantime, I strongly urge the Colorado Department of 
Transportation to work cooperatively with local entities, particularly 
the Denver Regional Council of Governments, to ensure that these 
enhancement programs are safeguarded during the extension period.
  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the temporary 
extension of TEA-21 if it ultimately produces a robust and substantive 
six-year reauthorization bill.
  However, there are some concerns regarding the 5-month extension of 
TEA-21.
  The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has traditionally 
worked in a bipartisan manner. We are the largest Committee in Congress 
working through several jurisdictions and grappling with, along with 
transportation, many pertinent issues such as air quality, economic 
development, health, goods movement and the job creation and economic 
stimulus just to name a few.
  The Transportation reauthorization bill is far reaching and 
traditionally acts as an immediate economic stimulus to our nation's 
economy.
  As a Committee we are committed to producing transportation 
reauthorization bill that meets the immediate and long-term needs of 
the American people.
  As a former Speaker of the House once said ``All politics are 
local.''
  Nothing could be closer to the truth. I would only add that in the 
case of transportation ``all politics are local and so are their 
transportation funding decisions.''
  Since the passage of ISTEA, the question of how to meet the Nation's 
transportation infrastructure needs has been addressed increasingly at 
the regional and local levels of government.
  Local officials have risen to the challenge of maintaining, 
improving, and expanding the surface transportation system, and their 
efforts through joint powers of authority have contributed to the 
highly successful programming of surface transportation projects in 
TEA-21.
  Both ISTEA and TEA-21 fostered that successful programming by 
delegating greater responsibility to Metropolitan Planning 
Organizations, a policy further expanded upon by the California State 
Legislature to ensure a programming partnership between State and local 
government.

  Accordingly, Southern California recognizes the importance of 
continuing and further expanding suballocation provisions into any 
extension of the federal-aid highway program.
  My concerns are that this extension does not incorporate the 
suballocation process to adequately address regional transportation 
priorities. Instead, States are granted flexibility in

[[Page H8830]]

obligating federal-aid highway funds, potentially jeopardizing local 
efforts to resolve transportation and air quality challenges.
  This provision of State flexibility may produce unintended 
consequences. Any significant changes in the flow of Federal funds 
could be detrimental to the region's ability to implement 
Transportation Control Measure (TCM) projects to alleviate traffic 
congestion and reduce emissions.
  To date, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) 
region has made great strides in implementing TCM strategies.
  Without sufficient transportation control measures, Southern 
California's air quality conformity status could be jeopardized. A 
conformity lapse could result in the loss of approximately $8 billion 
in near-term programming capacity.
  What is needed in this extension and in the reauthorization of TEA-21 
is the further delegation of programming authority to regions to work 
directly with their communities in making investment choices that are 
critical to ensuring safe and efficient transportation systems 
throughout the Nation.
  The extension bill does require that States reimburse localities once 
TEA-21 is reauthorized.
  My further concern is how long can we ask our local and regional 
transportation entities to do without funding?
  We are here today voting on a 5 month extension bill; 5 months from 
now I do not want to stand here speaking on another extension bill.
  We cannot afford to keep putting off our responsibilities to provide 
adequate and timely transportation funding to the American people and 
to our constituents.
  Finally, I want to reiterate that I support this 5-month extension of 
TEA-21 if it keeps our national, regional and local transportation 
needs at the forefront of our Congressional priorities.
  All politics are local and so are their transportation funding 
decisions. We must be prepared to act swiftly and decisively on the 
reauthorization of TEA-21 when Congress returns to work in January.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the 
Transportation Committee, I would like to thank Chairman Young, 
Chairman Petri, Ranking Member Oberstar, and Ranking Member Lipinski 
for their leadership as our Committee continues to push a long-term 
surface transportation reauthorization bill.
  I appreciate that they have made this an inclusive process.
  Unfortunately, the Bush Administration and the House and Senate 
Republican leaderships now obstruct our efforts to pass a full 6 year 
reauthorization bill that we urgently need to bolster our economy and 
create desperately-needed jobs.
  In tonight's Democratic special order, I will talk about the economic 
stimulus and job creation that Chairman Young's $375 billion dollar 
bill will provide our sluggish economy.
  But right now, I want to highlight a serious concern I have regarding 
this short term extension.
  The extra flexibility given to the States in this extension may 
create a dangerous challenge to the transportation priorities 
identified by local officials.
  My district is in non-attainment, and the City of Dallas, like every 
other city in this country, is in a serious budget crunch.
  If cities and MPO's do not receive adequate funding--even for a short 
time--congestion and air quality problems may worsen.
  I would like to remind the leadership of the Transportation Committee 
that I, along with many of our colleagues, will not accept extra 
flexibility afforded to the States if we have to pass another extension 
after this one.
  Cities and MPO's rely on federal transportation dollars just as the 
States do, and we should not disrupt a funding distribution scheme that 
we know works very well.
  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3087 and to offer 
my continued commitment to passing a long-term surface transportation 
bill that will adequately fund the transportation needs of our Nation.
  Investment in our Nation's transportation infrastructure is central 
to a strong economy. High-quality roads enable the efficient movement 
of people and goods throughout the country, facilitate just-in-time 
delivery and move interstate and international trade across our 
borders. By contrast, congestion and traffic gridlock cause workers and 
others to lose valuable time and result in dramatically higher fuel 
consumption. Improved transit systems contain unban sprawl, promote 
economic growth and get people to work and to entertainment in a cost-
effective, environmentally friendly manner. I firmly believe that a 
strong investment in transportation infrastructure will provide a 
stimulus for economic growth at a time when our economy needs a kick 
start.
  An efficently operating transportation system is vital to the 
economic health of my home State of Michigan. As the global center of 
the automobile industry, our manufacturers, among others, depend on the 
ability to ship and receive their products without delay. Manufacturers 
in West Michigan must be able to get their component parts to their 
destinations ``just in time'' for their use in the manufacturing 
process. This sytem breaks down when delivery trucks are struck in 
traffic, causing significant lost productivity.
  The national economic and social costs of congestion are staggering: 
$67 billion annually in lost productivity and wasted motor fuel; 3.6 
billion hours of delay; 5.7 billion gallons in excess fuel; 1,160 in 
costs to the average peak road traveler; and more than a week-and-a-
half of work (62 hours a year) per worker lost while sitting in 
gridlock.

  My constituents have been calling out for Congress to take steps to 
stimulate our economy. What better way to do so than to pass a robust, 
long-term transportation infrastructure bill?
  I understand that this short-term extension is necessary to keep our 
surface transportation programs operating past September 30 and to give 
us more time to complete our work on a long-term bill. I also 
understand that this extension will not make major programmatic or 
funding changes from our current programs. But, I do want to take this 
opportunity to make one comment about funding equity. Michigan ranks 
48th out of all States in terms of the rate of return for all federal 
highway funds. Michigan currently receives only a 43 percent return for 
transit funds. Since the inception of the federal highway system in 
1956, Michigan has paid $1.71 billion more into the Highway Trust Fund 
than it has received back, the fourth highest amount among all States. 
I am a cosponsor of Mr. DeLay's SHARE bill to mandate a 95 percent rate 
of return for highway funds for all States, because Michigan needs to 
get its fair share. I also support the Transportation Committee 
leadership's reauthorization funding levels because their proposal will 
help bring equity to transportation funding and help bridge the 
historic gap between donor and donee States. We must pass a long-term 
bill that will address the equity needs of donor States and provide 
necessary improvements to our roads, bridges and transit systems.
  I look forward to continuing work with Chairman Young and my fellow 
Members of the Transportation Committee on the reauthorization of TEA-
21.
  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, I am voting in favor of this bill today 
because not doing so would cause irreparable harm to the States.
  The current highway funding bill expires 6 days from today, and 
unless ewe pass this extension, highway and transit programs will 
effectively be shut down. Passage of the measure before the House will 
extend the highway program for 5 months, until February 29, 2004.
  The reason we are in the unenviable position of passing a short-term 
extension is due to the intransigence of some in the White House and in 
the Congress, who refuse to provide the funds necessary for an adequate 
reauthorization bill that fairly addresses the inequities of the 
current mechanisms by which the Federal government funds roads and 
transit in this country.
  My home State of Michigan is a donor State, which means it sends more 
in gas tax revenue to Washington than it receives back in highway 
funding. For the past 5 years, Michigan has received on average 88 
cents back for every dollar sent to Washington. At the same time, 25 
States and the District of Columbia receive more than a dollar back for 
every dollar sent to Washington. The bill we are voting on continues 
this inequitable formula for another 5 months. It is to do more to 
level the playing field.
  I have joined 141 of my colleagues in the House in cosponsoring 
legislation requiring a minimum return of 95 percent for all States. We 
can bring this policy change about in a number of ways, but the status 
quo is simply not acceptable.
  Mr. Speaker, we are simply passing a stopgap measure today. The time 
had come for the leadership in this House to buckle down and bring 
forth a long-term reauthorization bill that provides fair equity to all 
States and affords them the ability to enact their long-term goals.
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shaw). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) that the House suspend 
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3087, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________