[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 60 (Tuesday, May 10, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4883-S4884]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NATIONAL ASPHALT PAVEMENT ASSOCIATION

  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
now proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 135, which was submitted 
earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resoluton (S. Res. 135) congratulatng the National 
     Asphalt Pavement Association on its 50th anniversary and 
     recognizing the contributions of members of the Association 
     to the United States.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I wish to speak about S. Res. 135 which 
recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of the National Asphalt 
Pavement Association, NAPA, as it celebrates it 50th Anniversary on May 
17, 2005. I am joined by my colleagues, Senators Bond, Jeffords and 
Baucus. NAPA is the only national association that exclusively 
represents an industry comprised of 1,500 asphalt companies nationwide, 
employing over 300,000 men and women.
  Today when we think of highways and roads, we think of the cars and 
trucks that use these facilities. We think of the agricultural products 
being shipped from farm to market, or packages being shipped from 
factories right to our homes. We think of mothers picking up their 
children after

[[Page S4884]]

school, and families taking trips to the beach during the summer. Of 
course, we also think of commutes to and from work.
  What I have just described is our American economy in motion, and 
none of it would be possible without quality highway pavements of which 
asphalt is one. Just 50 years ago, the country faced a transportation 
crisis. In 1955, it was not easy to travel from city to city because 
the Interstate Highway System did not exist. The roads were unsafe, 
slow, and difficult to use. Traveling from city to city, which today 
could be done in hours took days.
  In the early 20th century, asphalt pavements helped get America out 
of the mud. In the latter half of that century, the new Interstate 
Highway System improved our mobility and helped sustain our country's 
economic growth. The Interstate Highway System's pavements literally 
were the foundation upon which the United States and her people were 
able to emerge as the leaders of the world.
  It was no accident that NAPA was formed just as the Federal-Aid 
Highway Act of 1956 was winding its way through Congress. The industry 
was challenged by the need to construct long lasting pavements that 
could meet the tougher standards of the Interstate Highway System. In 
rising to that challenge, the first ambitious program announced by the 
association was the Quality Improvement Program. Ever since then, 
dedication to helping its members deliver the best quality asphalt 
pavement has been a top priority.
  I am very proud of the fact that the late John W. Kelly, of the firm 
Amis & Kelly Construction Company in Oklahoma City, was one of the 
founding fathers of NAPA. From 1958 to 1960, John W. Kelly served as 
the second president of the Association. NAPA has also enjoyed 50 years 
of strong partnership with the Oklahoma Asphalt Pavement Association 
which was formed in 1952.
  I congratulate NAPA and its members for 50 years of leadership and 
involvement in constructing a world-class road system.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 135) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 135

       Whereas in 2005, the National Asphalt Pavement Association 
     (incorporated on May 17, 1955, as the National Bituminous 
     Concrete Association) celebrates its 50th anniversary;
       Whereas the members of the National Asphalt Pavement 
     Association play a key role in strengthening the economy of 
     the United States and promoting the mobility of citizens of 
     the United States by providing hot-mix asphalt used in the 
     construction of the 41,000-mile Interstate Highway System and 
     other highways, streets, roads, parking lots, and airports;
       Whereas the National Asphalt Pavement Association has 
     focused on continually improving the quality of asphalt 
     pavement by establishing a quality improvement program;
       Whereas the National Asphalt Pavement Association has 
     facilitated technology transfer and advanced new asphalt 
     pavement technologies through partnerships, scanning tours, 
     publications, and presentations;
       Whereas the National Asphalt Pavement Association, through 
     members of the Association, has fostered and encouraged young 
     people to pursue careers in civil engineering by establishing 
     the National Asphalt Pavement Association Research and 
     Education Foundation to provide scholarships, sponsor 
     educational exhibitions, and fund research of national 
     significance relating to hot-mix asphalt;
       Whereas the National Asphalt Pavement Association, through 
     members of the Association, endowed the National Center for 
     Asphalt Technology, the world's premier institution for 
     asphalt research, and continues to fund the activities of the 
     Center; and
       Whereas the National Asphalt Pavement Association will 
     continue to contribute to research to ensure that the 
     Interstate Highway System will be designed and constructed 
     for perpetual use in order to meet the growing economic and 
     national security needs of the United States: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates the National Asphalt Pavement Association 
     on its 50th anniversary; and
       (2) recognizes and celebrates the achievements of the 
     members of the National Asphalt Pavement Association for 
     their contributions to the economic well-being of the 
     citizens of the United States.

                          ____________________