[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 133 (Thursday, September 25, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1900-E1901]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      REAUTHORIZATION OF THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY AND TRANSIT PROGRAMS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 25, 2003

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, we must quickly enact a multiyear surface 
transportation bill to provide the assured and continuing funding of 
transportation programs that is so vital to the Nation, to the States, 
and to our local communities. But, we must also ensure that the bill 
that we pass adequately addresses the Nation's transportation needs.
  The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is crafting a 
bipartisan bill to do just that: to provide the necessary 
infrastructure investment ($375 billion over six years) to begin to 
improve our Nation's highway and transit infrastructure. Our country's 
economic strength, out ability to create jobs and improve business 
productivity, and out desire to create a safe, efficient, and secure 
transportation system are all dependent upon increasing investment in 
our Nation's infrastructure.
  We are fortunate to have a strong surface transportation system 
today. But that system is being challenged by a continuing growth in 
passenger travel and an ever-increasing demand for fast, efficient 
movement of freight.

[[Page E1901]]

As a result, highway travel is growing at 2.3 percent per year and is 
now 2.8 trillion vehicle miles traveled per year. Commercial trucks 
alone move 14,000 ton-miles of freight each year for each person in the 
country. The demand for transit has increased exponentially. In recent 
years, transit ridership has increased by almost one million trips per 
day.
  Congestion in our surface transportation system, especially urban 
congestion, is worsening as demand continues to outstrip the ability to 
add capacity. In the Nation's largest 75 large urban areas, an average 
commuter encountered 62 hours of delay in the year 2000. In that same 
year, congestion costs for these 75 urban areas totaled a whopping 
$67.5 billion--3.6 billion hours of delay and 5.7 billion gallons of 
excess fuel consumption.
  The challenges of travel growth are compounded by the overwhelming 
investment needs of our transportation systems. Just a few months ago, 
the Department of Transportation (DOT) submitted its report on the 
conditions and performance of our Nation's highways, bridges, and 
transit systems. DOT's Conditions and Performance Report estimates that 
all levels of government should be spending a combined average of $127 
billion per year to maintain and improve these transportation systems. 
Based on the historic Federal cost share, the needs assessment suggests 
a Federal highway and transit program of $51 to $76 billion per year. 
This level of funding is in marked contrast to the Administration's 
proposal to spend just $37 billion on highways and transit in 2004 and 
only slightly higher levels in subsequent years.
  Regrettably, this Administration has thrown up roadblocks to 
increased infrastructure investment at every turn. The Administration's 
proposed $247 billion six-year reauthorization bill (SAFETEA), has a 
great name, but little else--it dose not even begin to provide the 
level of funding necessary to address our infrastructure needs. 
Moreover the Administration, which has presided over the loss of an 
astonishing 3.3 million jobs, has sent repeated signals that it opposes 
any effort to increase infrastructure investment.

  We cannot afford to shortchange our Nation's transportation systems. 
To effectively reduce congestion, to increase mobility, to truly 
improve highway safety, and to achieve continuing long-term increases 
in productivity and economic growth, we must invest in our Nation's 
transportation future. And we must do it now.
  That is why the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has 
proposed a highway and transit program to invest $375 billion in our 
Nation's highways and transit systems over the next six years.
  There are stark contrasts between our Committee's proposal and the 
Administration's proposal.
  First, the Committee's proposal meets the investment needs identified 
in DOT's Conditions and Performance Report to maintain and improve our 
highways, bridges and transit. The Administration's proposal does not 
meet those needs.
  Second, the Committee's proposal will provide badly needed economic 
stimulus and do so much more extensively than the Administration's 
proposal. According to the Administration's own statistical models, the 
Committee's proposal will create millions of new, family-wage 
construction jobs. The Federal Highway Administration reports that 
every $1 billion of federal funds invested in highway infrastructure 
creates 47,500 jobs and $6.2 billion in economic activity. Moreover, a 
recent study found that the Committee's bipartisan proposal to invest 
$375 billion in surface transportation over the next six years would 
add $290 billion more to the Nation's Gross Domestic Product than the 
Administration's proposal. The Committee's proposal would also lead to 
an additional $129 billion of household disposable income and an 
additional $98 billion in consumer spending--millions of new, good-
paying jobs, billions of dollars of new consumer spending; now that's 
the way to get the economy growing again!
  Third, the across-the-board increased investment of the Committee's 
proposal will help us stem the highway death toll that grows ever 
higher. Last year, 42,850 people died and almost three million more 
were injured on our highways, the highest number of highway deaths 
since 1990. In addition to the enormous personal toll of these 
accidents, the economic cost is a staggering $230 billion a year! To 
stern this tide, our Committee's bipartisan TEA 21 reauthorization bill 
significantly increases, and provides more overall funding, for 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor carrier 
safety, and highway safety construction programs than does the 
Administration's proposal.
  Mr. Speaker, Congress must act on a full, six-year reauthorization as 
quickly as possible. Doing so will create jobs and stimulate economic 
growth, both badly needed in today's economy. We can effectively reduce 
congestion, increase safety, and improve mobility throughout the Nation 
if we invest in our Nation's highways and transit systems in an amount 
that is sufficient to meet our Nation's growing needs.
  I look forward to working with Chairman Young, Subcommittee Chairman 
Petri, Subcommittee Ranking Member Lipinski, and all of the Members of 
our Committee and of this House, to invest in our Nation's 
transportation future.

                          ____________________