[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 51 (Tuesday, April 20, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E554-E555]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TRANSPORTATION EQUITY ACT: A LEGACY FOR USERS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. ANTHONY D. WEINER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 1, 2004

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 3550) to 
     authorize funds for Federal-aid highways, highway safety 
     programs, and transit programs, and for other purposes.

[[Page E555]]

  Mr. WEINER. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to thank the leadership of the 
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for their hard work 
shepherding through TEA-LU, a bill that I will support despite its 
flaws. The Department of Transportation studied the Nation's 
infrastructure and prescribed a $375 billion solution. I joined the 
leadership in endorsing the original version of this bill, which filled 
that prescription. Unfortunately, the administration is unwilling to 
come up with the support necessary to ensure that we are able to 
maintain and improve the Nation's infrastructure. As a result, we are 
today considering a bill that does not do nearly enough to improve the 
quality of life for individuals living in New York City and around the 
country. I look forward to working with the Committee leadership to see 
that this bill is improved in conference.
  Mr. Chairman, as this bill moves to conference, I want to highlight 
four issues that are of particular import to me and my constituents. It 
is my hope that the conferees will include these improvements in the 
conference report.
  First, this bill should ensure that resources are devoted by formula 
to states that require improvements. The minimum guarantee program 
shifts funding from states that have the greatest need--like New York--
to other states. Each year, New York provides $20 billion more to 
Washington than it gets back. New Yorkers ought not be punished for our 
efforts to conserve fuel, as any expansion of the minimum guarantee 
program would do.
  Second, this bill shortchanges New York on transit funding. Despite 
having a third of the nation's transit ridership, New York only gets 
14% of Federal funds. Transit funding should better reflect need.
  Third, I hope that conferees will ensure that states starved for a 
consistent funding stream for ferries and waterborne transportation can 
count on funding from the Ferry Boat Discretionary Fund. As a co-
chairman, with Mr. Nethercutt, of the Ferry and Waterborne 
Transportation Caucus, I am acutely aware of how much a guaranteed 
stream of funding would mean to improve both congestion and homeland 
security all across the country, and particularly in New York City, 
where roads are clogged on a normal day, and ferry transportation would 
provide not only congestion relief but another way to ensure escape 
from Manhattan in the case of a terrorist attack. At a minimum, New 
York should receive $5 million per year. I hope conferees will work 
with me and other Members who represent districts that would benefit 
from a guaranteed ferry funding stream.
  Fourth, I hope that conferees will work with me to ensure that the 
generous funding we have provided for Senior transportation in this 
bill is put to its best use. I believe that establishing a center for 
best practices and a technical assistance center, as delineated in the 
other body's Surface Transportation Authorization Bill, would provide 
an enormous service to this nation's elderly population.
  Nevertheless, Chairman Young, Mr. Oberstar, Chairman Petri, and Mr. 
Lipinski deserve the thanks and appreciation of every Member of this 
House for their tireless effort to ensure that the nation's surface 
transportation systems receive the resources required to keep America 
moving.
  Mr. Chairman, I have worked hard to ensure that this bill will make 
significant improvements to the lives of ordinary New Yorkers. Included 
in this bill are a number of projects that will enhance transportation 
throughout New York City and in my district in particular.
  At my urging, the bill includes:
  $15,000,000 for the New York City Department of Transportation to 
build the facilities and purchase the ferry boats necessary to 
establish high speed ferry service between the Rockaway Peninsula and 
Manhattan.
  $500,000 to help the New York State Department of Transportation 
install two permanent variable message signs that will display amber 
alert messages on the belt parkway.
  $500,000 for the New York City Department of Transportation to study 
and implement improvements to the area surrounding the intersections of 
Avenue U and Flatbush Avenue.
  $1,000,000 for each of the boroughs of New York City to make 
improvements to pedestrian safety, in consultation with each borough 
president.
  $250,000 for the areas surrounding each of 10 schools in New York 
City. Those funds are to be spent on efforts to improve pedestrian 
safety surrounding those 10 schools. Students walking to IS 114, PS 
200, PS 124, PS 277, Prospect Park Yeshiva, PS 81, IS 194, IS 72/PS 69, 
PS 153, and St. Roberts Bellarmine will all be better protected by 
improvements installed with funding provided in TEA-LU.
  $700,000 to abate noise emanating from state roadways located within 
New York City that are paved with concrete. ``Diamond grinding'' 
measures should significantly improve the quality of life of those 
residing within earshot of those roadways.
  $50,000 to improve the roadways surrounding the Brooklyn Children's 
Museum.
  $1,000,000 to be used to build a new facility for the Broad Channel 
Volunteer Fire Department.
  $4,000,000 to be used by the DOE Fund to establish a graffiti 
elimination program throughout the Boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn. 
Among the areas addressed by this program will be Kings Highway from 
Ocean Boulevard to McDonald Avenue.
  $3,000,000 to improve transportation facilities in the vicinity of 
West 65th Street and Broadway in conjunction with the major capital 
improvements being done at Lincoln Center.
  $1,000,000 for the New York City Department of Transportation to 
improve the streets and sidewalks of Middle Village, Queens.
  $500,000 to be equally distributed at five locations in New York City 
for the New York City Department of Transportation to enhance the 
enforcement of truck routes.
  $300,000 for Gateway National Park to improve the RIIS Park 
Boardwalk.
  $1,000,000 for Gateway National Park to establish a ferry terminal at 
Floyd Bennett Field.
  $3,000,000 to be used to improve traffic flow in the vicinity of 
Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues.
  $1,000,000 to be used by City and State Agencies to improve homeland 
security at bridges and tunnels throughout New York City.
  $500,000 to improve the roads and facilities at the Kew Gardens Long 
Island Rail Road Terminal.
  $950,000 to design and construct a bicycle and pedestrian walkway 
along the decommissioned Putnam Rail Line in the Bronx.
  $2,000,000 to improve 125th Street in Harlem in conjunction with 
improvements being made by Columbia University.
  $1,000,000 to help Easter Seals purchase and equip cars that provide 
livery service to disabled New Yorkers.
  And $1,000,000 to establish a bus rapid transit system at a location 
to be detemined in consultation with the Transportation Workers Union. 
Bus rapid transit uses a variety of traffic improvements, like 
exclusive bus lanes and coordinated signal changing, to speed bus 
travel on congested city routes.
  At the urging of Congresswoman Velazquez, Congressman Crowley and 
myself, the bill includes more than $1,500,000 for pedestrian safety 
improvements on Queens Boulevard.
  These high priority projects will make a considerable contribution to 
the lives of New York City residents. I could not have secured these 
and other programs within TEA-LU without the help and counsel of 
individuals here in Washington, as well as in Albany and New York City.
  In particular, I would like to thank both the Democratic and 
Republican staff of the Transportation Committee, both of whom worked 
tirelessly on this piece of legislation, and who deserve the entire 
House's thanks. In particular, I would like to thank Ken House, Clyde 
Woodle, Eric Vanschyndle, Ward McCarragher, Kathleen Zern, David 
Heymsfeld, Dara Schleiker, and Sheila Lockwood of Mr. Oberstar's staff. 
Additionally, I would like to thank Jim Tymon of Mr. Young's staff who 
for his willingness to work with me on the issue of Ferry 
Transportation.
  I would also like to thank Tom Kearney, Tom Herritt and their 
colleagues at the Albany Office of the Federal Highway Administration, 
Nancy Ross, Fred Neveu, Ron Epstein and their colleagues at the New 
York State Department of Transportation, and Andra Horsch and David 
Woloch and their colleagues at the New York City Department of 
Transportation.

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