[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 161 (Friday, November 7, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H11123-H11125]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      LIGHT RAIL IN HOUSTON, TEXAS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, many times I have come to the 
floor of the House to express what I believe should be the chief 
responsibility of the Federal Government, problem solvers, working with 
local communities to enhance the quality of life of all of our citizens 
throughout America.
  So today I take the special privilege of saluting my local community 
in Houston, Texas. It has been a 30-year journey, 30 years of trials 
and tribulations, of misrepresentations of the facts, and yet we have 
overcome it.

                              {time}  1300

  But I do not fault those who opposed rail in totality because I do 
believe in democracy, and a vigorous debate has occurred in Houston, 
Texas on the question of implementing a light rail system. Those that 
hear my voice might say that that is probably not one of the more 
serious issues that we have in our community and in our Nation, but all 
of the long work of my community leaders, the Metro board, the City of 
Houston, deserve the tribute because in Houston it is a serious matter.
  I do want to thank the mayor of the City of Houston, Lee P. Brown, 
and I am delighted to have been one of the strongest stalwarts and 
supporters of the Metro system over the last 30 years. One would not 
like to count those long journeys that we have had to take and the 
stark and strong opposition that we have had. And so I pay tribute to 
the members of the Metro board, former Ambassador Arthur Louis 
Schechter, the chairman; Mr. Thomas E. Whitson, vice chairman; Mr. 
Jackie Freeman, secretary; Mr. James E. Cumming; Dr. Samuel J. Gilbert, 
Sr.; Dr. Carol Lewis; Mr. Art Morales; Ms. Janie Reyes; and Mr. Don 
Wang. I also pay tribute to Metro's political action committee, 
Citizens for Public Transportation, led by Mr. Ed Wolfe; Community 
Outreach and Governmental Affairs Division led by Mr. Frank Russ and 
Mr. Tom Jasien; and most importantly the people of the Houston 
communities, all of the Houston communities and Harris County in the 
Metro service area who will benefit from this tremendous victory, all 
of my constituents in the 18th Congressional District who came together 
to cast a total of almost 400,000 votes and the majority of those 
supported the implementation of a Metro system.
  What does it mean? It means that we will have a 50 percent increase 
in Metro's existing bus service. We will have

[[Page H11124]]

new light rail, new commuter service and we will have no new taxes. We 
realize that in order to enhance the quality of life for the physically 
challenged and others who are disabled, for veterans, we will need a 
real light rail system in Houston.
  Let me share with you that the distance between the earth and the sun 
is about 93 million miles. Houstonians drive about 156 million miles a 
day through a weave of roadway that will further ensure the congestion 
and the entanglement on our freeways and highways and byways. 
Furthermore, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality tells us 
that one-third of Houston's air pollution comes from our cars and 
trucks. Since light rail is powered by electricity, it produces no on-
site emissions. Houston residents need and deserve nonpolluting 
transportation choices like light rail, and now the plans will come to 
fruition.
  Over the years we will support a 72-mile system that will go into 
Sunnyside and Akers Home and into the Gulf Gate region, into East End, 
into areas near the small cities. And I want to thank my friends in 
Fort Bend and out in the Woodlands. We will be looking forward to a 
commuter rail that will take us to the airport, to the Fort Bend area, 
to Sugarland and certainly to the northwest area. We are looking for 
the support of our entire community, the county officials, city 
officials, and it is imperative that the next mayor of the City of 
Houston be a vigorous supporter of light rail. The citizens will 
tolerate nothing less, that that person be vigorous and that they will 
not be overcome by special interests that will tell them that we cannot 
move on the 39-mile system and then the 72-mile system. It is 
interesting to watch those who are physically challenged relish to have 
a system that is accessible to the disabled and then to our senior 
citizens who need to have, if you will, low-priced but good service, 
clean service, mobility systems that they can access. And our senior 
citizens who we are fighting for on this floor to give them a 
guaranteed Medicare prescription drug benefit need the complement of 
good rail systems and a good Social Security system. That is what we 
have planned for them in Houston with the vote of the Metro system.
  Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record my op-ed in the Houston 
Chronicle on Derailing Metro Transit Plan Isn't an Alternative and here 
we support in totality the Metro plan that has passed and the 72 miles.
  Hooray. Congratulations to our city for doing the smart thing and 
being smart on transit. You deserve congratulations today.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to a local victory--
I pay tribute to the Houston Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO) of 
Harris County, Houston Texas for having successfully won the vote of 
approval for its light rail project in a referendum held on November 4.
  Because of the undaunted effort of (1) the Houston METRO Board of 
Directors which consists of former Ambassador Arthur Louis Schechter--
Chairman, Mr. Thomas E. Whitson--Vice Chairman, Mr. Jackie Freeman--
Secretary, Mr. James E. Cumming, Dr. Samuel J. Gilbert, Sr., Dr. Carol 
Abel Lewis, Mr. Art Morales, Ms. Janie Palomo Reyes, and Mr. Don J. 
Wang; (2) METRO's Political Action Committee ``Citizens for Public 
Transportation'' led by its able Chairman Mr. Ed Wolfe; (3) METRO's 
Community Outreach and Governmental Affairs Division with Mr. Frank 
Russ and Mr. Tom Jasien; and (4) most importantly the people of the 
Houston communities who will benefit from this tremendous victory.
  The victorious results of the November 4 referendum--of a total 
366,226 votes cast from a pool of citizens of Harris County, Ft. Bend 
County, and Montgomery County, 189,443 (52%) voted for METRO Solutions 
and 176,783 voted against it--was the fruit of over two (2) years of 
hard work by the METRO Board, Staff, PAC, and the community all working 
together as a cohesive unit. Now, we may concentrate on the actual 
benefits that the METRO Solutions plan will achieve: 50% increase in 
METRO's existing bus service, including approximately 44 new local, 
signature express, and Park & Ride bus routes; Nine (9) new Transit 
Centers and nine (9) new Park & Ride lots, as well as expansion and 
upgrading existing facilities; Expansion of the METRORail line and 
commuter line components. The overall plan includes 72.8 miles of rail; 
Extension of the payments to local governments for street and other 
mobility improvements for five additional years (2010-2014); Initiating 
of the first 10 years of construction, which includes 22 miles of rail 
with no new taxes!
  Road and freeway improvements, as well as the construction of an 
enhanced public transportation system, will now be put in place to 
alleviate problems such as congestion and pollution while generating 
significant tax dollars. Statistically, Houstonians travel more miles 
per day than there are miles between the Earth and the sun. The 
distance between the Earth and the sun is about 93 million miles. 
Houstonians drive about 156 million miles per day! Houston has one of 
the worst air quality problems in the nation. Furthermore, the Texas 
Commission on Environmental Quality tells us that one-third of 
Houston's air pollution comes from our cars and trucks. Since light 
rail is powered by electricity, it produces no on-site emissions. 
Houston residents need and deserve non-polluting transportation choices 
like light rail and now the plans will come to fruition.
  This victory demonstrates that despite the force of an extremely 
well-financed opposition driven by special interests and partisan 
influence, the great effort and the will of the people overcame in the 
end. I would actually like to thank my friend on the other side of the 
aisle, Mr. DeLay for his efforts to aid in giving METRO the funds it 
needed to conduct the studies that concluded that the METRO Solutions 
plan is smart.
  Congratulations to METRO and congratulations to the local government.

              [From the Houston Chronicle, Oct. 23, 2003]

             Derailing Metro Transit Plan Isn't Alternative

                        (By Sheila Jackson Lee)

       Just over one century ago, in 1880, Houston, the powerhouse 
     of Texas business, had a population of only approximately 
     16,000 people, according to a federal census. Since then, the 
     metropolis has seen unprecedented growth to become one of 
     America's most populous cities. That's why we need a public 
     transportation system that is funded by the public and will 
     be used by the public.
       The greater Houston area is subdivided into six counties: 
     Chambers, Fort Bend, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller, 
     Harris County proudly hosts the city of Houston, and that is 
     where the largest part of the population is concentrated. In 
     2000, approximately 3.5 million people lived in Harris County 
     alone. Over the next 20 years, the population of the Houston 
     region will continue to grow. In fact, the influx of more 
     than 2 million additional people in Harris County and another 
     million in the surrounding counties is expected. With respect 
     to transportation, Houston and Harris County already 
     experience serious problems. The imminent increase in 
     population will only exacerbate the problems and will have a 
     negative impact on the overall quality of life in the region. 
     All forms of infrastructure improvements must provide the 
     solution.
       Road and freeway improvements, as well as the construction 
     of an enhanced public transportation system, will alleviate 
     the problems while generating significant tax dollars. 
     Statistically, Houstonians travel more miles per day than 
     there are miles between the Earth and the Sun. The distance 
     between the Earth and the Sun is about 93 million miles. 
     Houstonians drive about 156 million miles per day!
       The Metropolitan Transit Authority has worked over the past 
     two years to create a long-range plan for mass transit in the 
     Houston area called Metro Solutions. Texas has a 
     Transportation Code, and it is authorized to act in this 
     field of local government through Metro. Given the need 
     for the service to be provided by Metro's plan and the 
     state's jurisdiction to implement a plant that has been 
     accepted by the public, why does the federal government 
     and a member of the House Appropriations Committee need to 
     interfere with its progress?
       This member has worked to hinder this highly beneficial 
     transportation project for quite some time. In fact, his 
     amendment to the Transportation, Treasury, and Independent 
     Agencies Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2004, also known 
     as H.R. 2989 and incorporated as Section 163, aimed directly 
     at this project with proposed restrictions that are both 
     redundant and unnecessary. This member introduced Section 163 
     under the guise of ensuring that the citizens in the transit 
     authority service area had an opportunity to voice their 
     desires with respect to the light-rail proposal. He took 
     these measures despite his knowledge that the Metro board has 
     been diligently working with the community to establish 
     development plans that do not violate Texas law and despite 
     the fact that Chapter 451 of the Texas Transportation Code 
     requires the referendum process that will take place on Nov. 
     4.
       Furthermore, his actions likely precipitated the issuance 
     of an opinion by the Federal Transit Administration's chief 
     counsel as to the denial of funds for the Advanced Transit 
     Plan largely due to the redundant prohibitions of Section 
     163. Although Metro has called for a referendum pursuant to 
     Chapter 451 of the Texas Transportation Code, in addition to 
     having held several public hearings on the matter, the FTA, 
     by way of this opinion, had summarily deemed the process 
     insufficient for purposes of the Section 163 prohibitions. 
     Because neither H.R. 2989 nor Section 163 is law, the FTA 
     opinion effectively disrupted and interfered with the local 
     administration of a transportation project that has been 
     fully accepted and supported by members of the community.

[[Page H11125]]

       In addition to the fact that the basis for this opinion was 
     premature, i.e., the fact that both Section 163 and H.R. 2989 
     are not law as yet, the Metro board held a meeting to change 
     the language of its referendum ballot for Nov. 4 to further 
     conform to these prohibitions that are not yet law. This 
     ballot was then accepted by the Department of Transportation 
     for compliance with federal regulations. Metro held 178 
     public and stakeholder meetings during its development of the 
     Metro Solutions plan between December 2001 and July 2003.
       The alternative plan backed by Metro Solutions opponents 
     and formulated by the Houston-Galveston Area Council, the 
     ``100 Percent Solution'' plan, is still in draft form and has 
     not yet had specific public involvement for the additional 
     5,000 lane-miles on top of the already planned 5,600 lane-
     miles. In terms of economic benefits projected for Metro 
     solutions, between $130 million and $200 million per year in 
     regulatory costs will be saved to reduce pollution emissions.
       The opponents of Metro solutions offer the 100 Percent plan 
     as an alternative. However, it is not an alternative. First, 
     unlike the Metro solutions plan, the 100 Percent plan is an 
     unfinished study and not a plan at all. Secondly, Metro 
     Solutions covers only a portion of the eight-county region, 
     while the 100 Percent plan contemplates the incorporation of 
     the Regional Transportation Plan, or RTP, which is a 
     multimodal plan that covers the entire eight-county region. 
     The RTP is not an alternative to Metro Solutions--it includes 
     Metro Solutions. Also, unlike Metro Solutions, the 100 
     Percent plan is based on a wish list of regional road and 
     transit projects that have no identified funding and would 
     require significant amounts of right of way. The claim by 
     Metro Solutions opponents that the 100 Percent solution plan 
     can reduce congestion depends upon the sudden appearance of 
     this wish list of projects that the federal government 
     currently prohibits local officials from planning and 
     programming, as they have no existing revenue streams to fund 
     such projects.
       In conclusion, there is no need to impede or to derail the 
     Metro Solutions plan. Houston is the only city in the United 
     States that was affected by funding restrictions of H.R. 
     2989. As a result, the city has been singled out and excluded 
     from the 25 slices of a funding pie worth $1.2 billion 
     federal dollars. Dallas is slated to receive $30 million 
     under the act. The referendum vote on Nov. 4 will translate 
     to more needed rail, more buses and more roads with no new 
     taxes. Metro Solutions is a public transportation plan that 
     will serve the public--therefore, the will of the community 
     should supersede any federal special interests. I strongly 
     urge a yes vote on the Metro referendum.

                          ____________________