[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 91 (Thursday, July 13, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1404]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        FORMATION OF THE RURAL PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS OF AMERICA

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                         HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 13, 2006

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the formation of 
Rural Planning Organizations of America, RPO America, a new national 
organization dedicated to improving the planning and development of 
America's rural transportation network. Under the sponsorship of the 
National Association of Development Organizations, NADO, RPO America is 
serving as the first and only national forum and professional peer 
network for the emerging field of rural transportation planning.
  This new group is important not only for the coordination, management 
and planning of our Nation's rural transportation infrastructure and 
systems, but also for linking our rural communities' economic 
development initiatives with State and local transportation programs. 
As I have stated for the record countless times, the development and 
maintenance of our Nation's public transportation infrastructure--
including highways and bridges, transit services, ports, airports and 
intermodal facilities--is fundamental and at the core of our Nation's 
long-term economic competitiveness strategy.
  Since the passage of the 1998 Transportation Equity Act for the 21st 
Century, TEA-21, nearly 30 States now voluntarily support, fund and 
partner with a growing network of multicounty rural planning 
organizations. These locally governed regional transportation planning 
agencies are working to enhance State and local coordination, project 
prioritization, roadway safety and comprehensive transportation 
planning in our Nation's non-metropolitan regions.
  While our Nation's metropolitan areas have enjoyed special Federal 
status and funding for transportation planning during the past half 
century, our rural regions are just getting started. Through training, 
research, peer information exchanges and other professional development 
services, the members of RPO America are striving to enhance the 
safety, mobility and economic competitiveness of small town and rural 
America. I commend NADO for providing the leadership and vision in 
forming RPO America.

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