[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 127 (Friday, August 3, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H9675-H9681]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1715
 AUTHORIZING ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR EMERGENCY REPAIRS AND RECONSTRUCTION 
          OF INTERSTATE I-35 BRIDGE IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3311) to authorize additional funds for emergency repairs 
and reconstruction of the Interstate I-35 bridge located in 
Minneapolis, Minnesota, that collapsed on August 1, 2007, to waive the 
$100,000,000 limitation on emergency relief funds for those emergency 
repairs and reconstruction, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3311

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY RELIEF FUNDING.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation is 
     authorized to carry out a project for the repair and 
     reconstruction of the Interstate I-35W bridge located in 
     Minneapolis, Minnesota, that collapsed on August 1, 2007.
       (b) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of the 
     project carried out under this section shall be 100 percent.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated $250,000,000 to carry out this section. 
     Such sums shall remain available until expended.

     SEC. 2. WAIVER OF EMERGENCY RELIEF LIMITATION.

       The limitation contained in section 125(d)(1) of title 23, 
     United States Code, of $100,000,000 shall not apply to 
     expenditures under section 125 of such title for the repair 
     or reconstruction of the Interstate I-35W bridge located in 
     Minneapolis, Minnesota, that collapsed on August 1, 2007.

     SEC. 3. EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY FOR TRANSIT AND TRAVEL 
                   INFORMATION SERVICES.

       Section 1112 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient 
     Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (119 Stat. 
     1171) is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``(a) In General.--'' before ``There''; 
     and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(b) Minnesota.--
       ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any provision of chapter 
     1 of title 23, United States Code, the Secretary may--
       ``(A) use funds authorized to carry out the emergency 
     relief program under section 125 of such title for the repair 
     and reconstruction of the Interstate I-35W bridge in 
     Minneapolis, Minnesota, that collapsed on August 1, 2007; and
       ``(B) use not to exceed $5,000,000 of the funds authorized 
     to carry out the emergency relief program under section 125 
     of such title to reimburse the Minnesota State department of 
     transportation for actual and necessary costs of maintenance 
     and operation, less the amount of fares earned, for 
     additional public transportation services and

[[Page H9676]]

     traveler information services which are provided by the 
     Metropolitan Council (of Minnesota) as a temporary substitute 
     for highway traffic service following the collapse of the 
     Interstate I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on August 
     1, 2007, until highway traffic service is restored on such 
     bridge.
       ``(2) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of 
     activities reimbursed under this subsection shall be 100 
     percent.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Ross). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) and the gentleman from Florida 
(Mr. Mica) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.


                             General Leave

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
on the bill, H.R. 3311, and include extraneous material in the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Minnesota?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, at the outset, let me express my great appreciation to 
my colleagues in the Minnesota delegation for their cohesion and their 
support of legislative action to respond promptly to the needs of the 
people of Minneapolis and the State of Minnesota. Mr. Ramstad, Mr. 
Kline, Mrs. Bachmann, Mr. Ellison, in whose district this tragedy 
occurred, Ms. McCollum, Mr. Walz, Mr. Peterson have all united as one 
in support of the needs of the people and in common mourning for the 
tragedy that occurred.
  All of us were struck deeply within our souls over this tragedy. Ms. 
McCollum's daughter, just miraculously almost, passed over this bridge 
shortly before it collapsed.
  I want to express my great appreciation to the gentleman from 
Florida, the ranking member of the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, Mr. Mica, and his staff and to Mr. Petri, the ranking 
member of the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Mr. DeFazio of 
Oregon, Chair of the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, for the 
cooperation, for the splendid efforts made, and for the common cause in 
which we all persevered to bring this legislation promptly to the 
House, as we are doing today.
  And, again, I'm very grateful to the gentleman from Florida for his 
participation.
  Bridges are built to last, not forever, but for a very long time. The 
title, in Latin, of the leader of the Catholic church is Pontifex 
Maximus, the maximum bridge builder. And when that title was adopted, 
bridges were built to last. The one in Rome has lasted 2,000 years, a 
marble arch bridge.
  But in our day and time, not much that we build lasts forever, and 
that is why we have a bridge inspection program. That is why we 
annually evaluate the condition, structure and structural integrity of 
bridges and their operational capacity and ability; and why, in the 
current law, SAFETEA-LU, with the help of then Chairman Young, I 
included language to authorize the funding of a new technology 
comparable to the technology used in aviation to determine the 
structural integrity of aircraft wings, movable surfaces and fuselage, 
to find hairline cracks using technology that can discover microscopic 
cracks not visible to the naked eye and then measure their propagation 
and do the same with bridges.
  The Minnesota Department of Transportation was offered the 
opportunity to use that technology, and I am disappointed that the 
State rejected the opportunity to use that technology to test the 
structural integrity of the bridge that collapsed.
  In March of 2004, I sent Members of the House a letter and 
information providing data developed, at my request, by the Bureau of 
Transportation Statistics showing the number and location of 
structurally deficient bridges in the national highway system in each 
Member's congressional district.
  Now, not many Members followed up on that, but I just happen to have 
in front of me the letter addressed to the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. 
Abercrombie) who did respond. The letter pointed out the number of 
structurally deficient bridges in each Member's district and then 
pointed out that, in 2002, the U.S. Department of Transportation found 
that 167,566 of the Nation's bridges are structurally deficient or 
functionally obsolete. Since then, that number has grown to, of the 
597,340 bridges in the national bridge inventory, 26 percent are 
structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
  Then the cost to repair and bring to a good state of maintenance, the 
cost in 2004, was estimated at $9.4 billion a year to maintain. In the 
SAFETEA-LU legislation, we provided $4 billion a year. It should have 
been at $5 billion. If the original introduced bill Mr. Young and I 
introduced in October of 2003 had prevailed, we'd have been at $5 
billion a year. We are where we are.
  But this is the map, in smaller form, that we sent out to all Members 
of the House in 2004. For the State of Minnesota, it lists all the 
structurally deficient bridges. There are 19 on this list updated 
today.
  The State of Minnesota has 13,000 bridges. 1,135 are structurally 
deficient. 451 are functionally obsolescent. That's 12.2 percent. 
That's one of the lowest percentages in the country, but it underscores 
the serious problem of the State of Minnesota and of the Nation's 
bridges.
  We come to the floor today united in purpose to help the State 
rebuild this structure. The estimate from the Minnesota Department of 
Transportation is in the range of $200 plus million, which may grow, 
depending on the bridge abutments on both sides of the river; and the 
structural integrity of those facilities has yet to be fully evaluated. 
So the $250 million is a soundly based estimate, based on engineering 
evaluations, and is a fair number, and so is the funding that we 
provide in the legislation to compensate the State for the shift from 
highway transportation to transit as occurred in California, in Oakland 
earlier this year in April when their bridge collapsed due to a tanker 
truck collapse.
  Those are the basic figures. Those are the justifications. We've 
limited, capped the dollar amount for transit at $5 million in response 
to a question from the other body, and we have a well-supported figure 
of $250 million for the reconstruction out of general revenue funds.
  I appeal for the support of this body for this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3311 and join the 
gentleman from Minnesota whose State and area has been hit by this 
terrible, horrible tragedy that's taken lives.
  And on our side of the aisle, when we do have a national tragedy of 
this nature, we do try to pull together in a bipartisan manner to 
address the needs of people who have suffered this type of, again, 
horrible disaster.
  I know that the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) has taken a 
leadership role today in approving this money; and I'm pleased, as the 
Republican leader, to also come forward and lend our support for this 
authorization.
  Now, many people have asked me what we're doing here today. And we 
are authorizing $250 million for repair and reconstruction of the I-35 
bridge over the Mississippi River. Now that's authorization and Federal 
authorization. It is not funding, and there must be appropriations.
  I might say that we're doing that because the authorization fund, the 
Highway Emergency Relief Fund, unfortunately, we had $100 million and 
it's depleted. Not only is that $100 million depleted but also the 
reserve and additional money that was put in in the supplemental is 
depleted. So that's why we're doing this for our friends and colleagues 
and those who have suffered this loss in Minnesota.
  It's my hope that this bridge will be built in rapid order and 
replaced; and I know that the good custodians in Minnesota, with their 
Transportation Department, will work to see that happen.
  But let me say that the Minnesota bridge is only, unfortunately, the 
tip of the iceberg in an aging infrastructure and transportation system 
that we have in this country. We have, out of almost 600,000 bridges, 
about 80,000 bridges that are structurally deficient. Twenty-seven 
percent of our bridges are structurally deficient or obsolete, 
according to one of the most recent studies; and the infrastructure, 
not

[[Page H9677]]

just in bridges but in highways, in ports, in airports, in rail, is 
inadequate and it's outdated.
  I proposed as a solution recently a national strategic transportation 
plan. The American Council of Civil Engineers has estimated this will 
take $1.7 trillion.
  We need a national plan to restore our infrastructure from sea to 
shining sea, where we have congestion, where we have bridges falling 
into our rivers and where we have inadequate infrastructure on which to 
conduct the business of this country or just get around our congested 
communities.
  So we need a bigger plan, and then we need a way to finance that 
plan, and I look forward to working with all of the Members in trying 
to develop that plan and with this administration and the next 
administration.

                              {time}  1730

  So finally, as I close with my initial thoughts, I want to say that 
our prayers go out to the people of Minnesota, especially the families 
of those affected by this tragedy. And I pledge from our side of the 
aisle again to work with every Member in Congress and with the folks in 
Minnesota to bring things back to regular order there.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Minneapolis (Mr. Ellison).
  Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, let me first thank the distinguished 
chairman of the Transportation Committee and also thank all the members 
of the Minneapolis delegation and every single Member of this esteemed 
body. This is the greatest deliberative body in the world and in the 
history of the world. And the evidence of that is that not only, not 
only does this body thoroughly debate issues, but when tragedy strikes 
one, people respond in the most humanitarian way. Even though we have 
strong points of difference of opinion, when tragedy strikes America, 
we have no Republicans, we have no Democrats. We just have Members of 
Congress who are responsive to the people of this country.
  So, Mr. Chair, I want to thank you for your bold, decisive action. I 
want to thank all the members of the community in Minnesota who have 
responded, not only the official responders but the good Samaritans as 
well. And let me urge every Member to support this most important 
measure that will restore our country.
  But, again, it is the tip of the iceberg. We need a new national 
commitment to the infrastructure of this country.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the 
Republican subcommittee leader on the Highways Subcommittee in the 
House of Representatives, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan).
  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida, Ranking 
Member Mica, for yielding me this time.
  I rise in strong support of this bill, offered by our distinguished 
chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, my good 
friend (Mr. Oberstar), along with my good friend (Mr. Mica).
  Our condolences, in fact the condolences of the entire Nation, go out 
to the people of Minnesota who were affected by this terrible tragedy.
  And I want to recognize Mr. Oberstar's leadership and his efforts to 
provide an immediate response to this incident. Less than 18 hours 
after the I-35W bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River, Mr. 
Oberstar introduced this bill, H.R. 3311.
  This bill authorizes funding to help the Minneapolis-St. Paul 
metropolitan area get back on its feet. It authorizes $250 million from 
the Federal Highway Administration's Emergency Relief Program for the 
repair and reconstruction of the I-35W bridge that collapsed Wednesday 
night.
  Yesterday, the Secretary of Transportation, Mary Peters, went to 
Minneapolis, visited the site, and immediately made available $5 
million to pay for traffic-flow adjustments and debris removal 
associated with this disaster. But this bill takes the first step in 
providing funding to repair and rebuild this bridge.
  While we will not know for several months the final cost to repair 
and rebuild the I-35W bridge, this bill demonstrates the House's 
support and certainly the strong commitment from our committee to 
rebuild this bridge and restore some sense of normalcy to the 
Minneapolis-St. Paul region.
  Mr. Speaker, there was a column in The Washington Post today that 
repeated some of the statistics you have just heard from the gentleman 
from Georgia about the number of deficient bridges, but this columnist 
also said this: ``It's unrealistic to think this disaster is going to 
spur the Nation to seriously address all its infrastructure problems. 
We'll talk about the issue for a while, then go out and buy another TV. 
But we can, and should, at least do a more rigorous inventory and 
identify the structures that pose the most peril. Yes, it's boring 
stuff to even think about. But just look at the alternative.''
  Those are very true words, Mr. Speaker, and I pledge the support of 
our subcommittee and to work with all the leadership on our committee 
to not do what this columnist has said and just forget about this or 
move on to something else too quickly. We owe that to the people of 
Minneapolis, Minnesota.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the 
distinguished gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum).
  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chair, 2 days ago my 
daughter did have a best friend who was crossing the Mississippi River. 
She crossed long before the bridge collapsed. Only 2 days ago the world 
witnessed the collapse of a massive bridge that crosses the Mississippi 
River, America's heartland.
  The world is now witnessing America's heroism, our first responders, 
our community leaders, and all of our citizens coming together to 
rescue victims, to heal the injured, and to mourn those lost. As of 
today, we know more than 130 people have been treated for injuries, 5 
individuals have lost their lives, including 2 of my constituents.
  I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to the families of the 
known victims: Sherry Lou Engebretsen of Shoreview, Patrick Holmes of 
Mounds View, Julia Blackhawk of Savage, and Artemeeo Trinidad-Meena of 
Minneapolis.
  Minneapolis and my home of St. Paul, we are the Twin Cities. Together 
our cities are united, along with all of our surrounding communities, 
in responding to this disaster and addressing the massive 
redistribution of traffic to meet the needs of commuters and businesses 
as a result of the bridge collapse.
  My dear friend from Minneapolis, Congressman Keith Ellison, has my 
full support as our communities work together to heal and rebuild. The 
people of Minneapolis are fortunate to have Congressman Ellison working 
for them, and we are all proud to stand with him, as his constituents 
are.
  Minnesota is also blessed to have Chairman Oberstar leading the 
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the House. Chairman 
Oberstar is leading this bill and will lead our Nation forward.
  Minnesotans are facing the pain, the loss, and the immense 
transportation challenges resulting from this bridge collapse. But 
every American in every State now feels an unavoidable fear about 
everyday risks. This week the phrase ``structurally deficient'' became 
part of our Nation's vocabulary. This week millions of Americans use 
bridges that have been deemed structurally deficient or, even worse, 
functionally obsolete. Imagine trusting your family's safety and well-
being to a bridge that is ``functionally obsolete.''
  American families should not have to worry about this. Passage of 
this bill will do one small step in rebuilding and uniting a community 
and a State, but we must make sure that every American family feels 
safe.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the 
distinguished former Chair of the T&I Committee and the senior 
Republican on the T&I Committee, Transportation and Infrastructure, the 
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young).
  (Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I first want to congratulate the 
chairman, Mr. Oberstar, and the Minnesota delegation in expediting this 
process

[[Page H9678]]

with the leadership of Mr. Mica and the leadership of both sides.
  I don't do this often when I say I told you so. As chairman, with Mr. 
Oberstar, we tried to put the money in to identify the weaknesses of 
the bridges and to repair them, and we were unsuccessful. We ended up 
with a $286 billion bill instead of a $375 billion bill.
  Mr. and Mrs. America, I believe it is time for us to wake up. We have 
to repair our outdated infrastructure, especially our bridges. You have 
heard statistics, 11,000 and on and on, how many are deficient. But 
there are about 500 in the same shape as the bridge in Minnesota right 
now that are a potential death trap to constituencies.
  We have to, as a Congress, grasp this problem and, yes, lo and 
behold, I would even suggest fund this problem with a tax. May the sky 
not fall on me, but with a tax. Make it a 3-year tax. Make it a 5-cent 
tax, and they will say we can't do that. But I would suggest 
respectfully that the American people will understand the importance if 
we fund it and if we address the issue of the bridges. We should do 
this.
  And maybe this is a wake-up call, and I hope The Post is wrong, that 
we all don't go back to sleep and watch football this fall and forget 
this tragic accident, because if we do so, then we are not fulfilling 
our obligation and our duty.
  So I stand here before you today saying I told you so. But I am also 
saying let's act as we should to protect our people in every one of our 
States.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 10 seconds.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Alaska for his leadership on 
SAFETEA-LU and for the participation we enjoyed together in crafting 
that and previous legislation. I thank him for his comments, with which 
I concur.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the Speaker, the 
gentlewoman from California.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  I thank you, Mr. Oberstar, you and Mr. Mica, for your leadership in 
bringing this important legislation to the floor in such an expeditious 
manner so we can remove all doubt in anyone's mind in Minnesota that we 
are there for them.
  A disaster of this kind, I know, coming from California where we have 
had our earthquakes and others coming from places that had been struck 
by one disaster or another, that people wonder if the compact between 
themselves and the government is real, and today you are telling them 
that it is so. We can extend all of the sympathy in our hearts to the 
people who have lost their loved ones or who have been injured or have 
just been struck by the tragedy in such an extraordinary way, but we 
also have to not only extend compassion but present assistance. And for 
that I want to thank you Mr. Oberstar, and Mr. Walz, Congresswoman 
McCollum, Mr. Ellison. My sympathy to you and your constituents for all 
that you are suffering, Mr. Peterson, as well from the State of 
Minnesota and our Republican colleagues from the State of Minnesota as 
well.
  Sometimes in the course of events, there comes a coming together of a 
person and an event that is almost God given. And I think that is this 
case, Mr. Oberstar. No one in the country knows more than you do about 
the infrastructure of our country, the needs that we have out there, 
and the solutions that are the best ones. We are sad that your State 
was stricken, but maybe it is fortuitous for the country because it hit 
home for you. The spotlight is on your State. The spotlight is on your 
committee as we reach out with this $250 million for the highway 
emergency fund. I think that the opportunity that is there and the 
knowledge, wisdom, solutions that you know better than anyone will 
serve our country very well.
  I really appreciated the remarks of the gentleman from Alaska. We do 
have to make an investment in our infrastructure. In this case, no 
maintenance is the most expensive maintenance, as the people in 
Minnesota found out as some of their loved ones paid with their lives. 
So we have to figure out a way to pay as we go, no deficit spending, 
but understand that a capital budget is necessary to invest in the 
infrastructure of our country. It is what we owe the American people. 
It is about our environment, by relieving congestion. It is about 
quality time for families to spend less time on the roads. And as we 
learned, of course, and always knew but what was driven home in 
Minnesota, it is about the safety of our people.
  Imagine, to be a mom or dad and to have a loved one leave home, a 
husband or wife, sister or brother, leave home in the morning or 
sometime during the day, of all the things you can protect your 
children from, of all the anticipation that you can have, you would 
never think, What if the bridge goes down? We want to remove that fear 
from America's families.

                              {time}  1745

  I know, Mr. Oberstar, that you are in a position to do so. I'm sure 
you will let us know how we can all help. And, Mr. Mica, you as well. 
This is bringing us together this evening in a very special way. I hope 
it is a comfort to the families who lost their loved ones that so many 
people in our country feel this as a personal loss and are praying for 
them at this very difficult time.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2\1/2\ minutes to 
probably one of the most capable and compassionate Members of the House 
I know and the senior Republican of the Minnesota delegation, the 
gentleman, Mr. Ramstad.
  Mr. RAMSTAD. I thank the distinguished ranking member, my friend, for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, no Minnesotan will ever forget August 1, 2007. No 
Minnesotan will ever forget the day the I-35W bridge collapsed into the 
Mississippi River. No Minnesotan will forget the tragic loss of life, 
the serious injuries, and the incredible devastation caused by the 
falling eight-lane bridge. Our thoughts and prayers are with the 
victims, the survivors and their families as well as the brave first 
responders who have worked night and day on rescue and recovery 
operations.
  My special thanks go out to the firefighters, the law enforcement 
personnel, the EMS personnel as well as the Minnesota National Guard 
and countless Good Samaritans for their heroic rescue and recovery 
efforts.
  A special thanks, Mr. Speaker, to Governor Pawlenty for his great 
leadership as well as Hennepin County sheriff Rich Stanek, Minneapolis 
mayor R.T. Rybak, Representative Keith Ellison, and the rest of our 
Minnesota congressional delegation who have come together. I want to 
particularly thank the dean of our delegation, Chairman Jim Oberstar, 
for his extraordinary leadership in moving this delegation bill before 
the House today.
  Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask all of our colleagues for their 
overwhelming bipartisan support to pass this crucial bill tonight so we 
can authorize funds for emergency repairs and reconstruction of the I-
35 bridge that collapsed last Wednesday. Also, Mr. Speaker, we need the 
funds for much-needed emergency relief as well.
  At this time of great need, Mr. Speaker, the good people of Minnesota 
are very grateful. We thank all of you for your support. We thank the 
Nation for their thoughts and prayers. We thank God that we live in a 
country where we can come together to help each other at our time of 
greatest need.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Walz).
  Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. I thank the distinguished gentleman, my fellow 
Minnesotan, the chairman of Transportation, and, as the Speaker of the 
House so aptly put, no one in this country knows more about this issue. 
If there's anyone that comes close, it's the distinguished ranking 
member from Florida, a gentleman that as sitting on the Transportation 
Committee, I've come to see the wisdom of his words and the commitment 
to this country's infrastructure. So I think the Speaker of the House 
is right, two gentlemen that are showing incredible leadership on this 
and that our Nation should feel incredibly proud to have you there. I 
thank you both.
  A special thank you to all my colleagues in this House. The citizens 
of Minnesota in responding to this have witnessed something that I 
think most of us here should be incredibly proud of. In less than 48 
hours of this tragedy, this body came together, crafted a piece of 
legislation to provide relief,

[[Page H9679]]

and is prepared tonight to deliver that forward to them. To the people 
who are out there, those citizens, those first responders, our elected 
officials, from Governor Pawlenty to Mayor Rybak and right down the 
line have been there working together, showing that this great Nation 
when we put our mind to it and come together to relieve the suffering 
of one another can get exactly that done.
  It's with a heavy heart that all of us are here, but it's one of 
optimism and forward-looking that we will address the needs of 
Minnesota, and, as the distinguished gentleman from Alaska so aptly 
put, we're prepared to make sure that this never happens again and 
another family never has to find out that a bridge collapsed as their 
family members were coming home.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2\1/2\ minutes to 
another outstanding Member of the Minnesota delegation, Mr. Kline.
  Mr. KLINE of Minnesota. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  I want to add my thanks to all of our colleagues here in the House, 
the Minnesota delegation certainly, and, of course, as Mr. Ramstad 
said, to our dean, the chairman of the Transportation Committee, Mr. 
Oberstar.
  While reports continue to be updated due to the ongoing recovery 
operations, the number of victims is already shocking to us in 
Minnesota. But these numbers are not simply statistics that might roll 
off the tongue as a footnote to a tragedy which Governor Tim Pawlenty 
accurately described as, quote, a catastrophe of historic proportions 
for Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, these numbers are people. These numbers are 
the family, friends and neighbors who were simply going home to their 
loved ones after what appeared to be just another workday. Among the 
deceased is a mother of two from Savage, Minnesota, in my congressional 
district, and my heart and prayers go to her family and to all the 
victims.
  Although this is a time of sorrow for many, there are countless 
stories emerging already about the generosity and compassion of the 
citizens of Minnesota. From organizing blood drives and volunteers, to 
caring for the needs of the recovery workers, Minnesotans are going 
above and beyond the call of duty.
  Mr. Speaker, as the citizens of Minnesota have come together during 
this difficult time, my colleagues in the Minnesota delegation and I 
remain committed to helping restore the I-35W bridge. Together, we're 
working to provide the Federal resources necessary to recover from this 
tragedy, and the fine effort brought forward by our chairman, Mr. 
Oberstar, putting forth $250 million is so important to us in 
Minnesota.
  In the wake of this disaster, it is difficult to imagine when all the 
questions will be answered, but the day will come when recovery efforts 
will be complete, investigations will conclude, and eventually a new I-
35 bridge will reunite the banks of the Mississippi River.
  Mr. Speaker, again our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the 
victims and their families and with all Minnesotans as we recover and 
rebuild. Again, I want to thank the gentleman, the chairman, Mr. 
Oberstar, for authoring this legislation.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. I would like to inquire how much time remains on both 
sides.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Minnesota has 5\1/2\ 
minutes remaining. The gentleman from Florida has 7 minutes remaining.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Wisconsin, our neighboring State (Mr. Kind).
  Mr. KIND. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, 2 days ago our Nation watched with shock and horror as 
the I-35 bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. 
Many of the residents of my congressional district in western Wisconsin 
make a daily commute to their jobs in the twin cities. Many of them 
over this very bridge. Their safety and the safety of all of our 
residents is our utmost concern. Our thoughts and prayers go out this 
evening to the victims of that great tragedy along with their families 
and the community.
  But at moments of great tragedy, Mr. Speaker, there are also moments 
of great triumph, of strangers coming to the aid of strangers, the 
first responders answering that emergency call, health care providers 
administering first aid and taking care of the injured during this 
great tragedy. And now it's our turn. It's our turn as a Nation. It's 
our turn as a Congress to come together and make sure we pass this 
authorization for the appropriation of funds so we can begin rebuilding 
this important bridge but also help the community rebuild and to ensure 
that this tragedy is never repeated anywhere else throughout the 
country.
  I commend the leadership of the Transportation Committee, the 
chairman and the ranking member, the members of the committee, but 
especially the Minnesota delegation for how they've been able to rally 
amongst themselves but also to get this body to come together during 
this time of crucial need to do the right thing, step up and to assume 
our responsibility as a great Nation and come to the aid of those who 
have suffered during this tragedy.
  I encourage my colleagues to support this measure.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the newest 
Member of the Minnesota delegation, a rising star in Congress, and the 
people of Minnesota are very fortunate to have her here at this time 
(Mrs. Bachmann).
  Mrs. BACHMANN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time 
to me.
  In what feels now like a lifetime ago but was in fact only 2 days 
ago, on August 1, the world changed forever for the people of our State 
of Minnesota. Our people witnessed an event so unlikely, the sudden and 
complete collapse of nearly 2,000 feet of eight lanes of highway, 
propelling nearly 50 cars in midair for a horrific 60-foot plunge into 
the currents of the Mississippi River. An event so unlikely that we in 
Minnesota collectively remain shocked and filled with sorrow, knowing 
the inevitable sad news that is yet to come once our heroic first 
responders have freed our fellow Americans who even now as we stand 
here remain trapped underwater.
  Minnesota needs the help and the prayers of all Americans and we 
appreciate the overwhelming support in our time of need. I know I speak 
for my husband Marcus and myself. We offer our deepest sympathies, as 
does everyone in our delegation, to the family and the friends of those 
who were killed.
  Mr. Speaker, America believes in extending a helping hand to people 
who are in trouble due to no fault of their own, and I want to assure 
the residents of Minnesota today that we will have help in cleaning up 
and rebuilding. We will have help until the job is done. Because 
Congress understands, Republicans, Democrats, we're all Americans in 
this and we understand that this is not just an emergency for a day or 
for a week. We will provide the support and the work that is necessary 
to rebuild the lives and the communities that were damaged until this 
tragedy is over. And that is what makes America so great.
  This bill is just our first step toward recovery. I thank Chairman 
Oberstar for his brilliant work, working around the clock to bring this 
to the floor. It's inspiring the way so many have come together and 
worked together over these last few days.
  I join my colleagues from Minnesota, a great State that each one of 
us loves so much, in requesting your support to rebuild this bridge. 
Once again, I know we can count on you, the Members of this great 
deliberative body, to rebuild the great city of Minneapolis and again 
to make it whole.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished 
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kagen), a member of the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure.
  Mr. KAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3311, and 
let's build that bridge together. This is an emergency resolution, to 
repair and reconstruct a functionally obsolete bridge, the I-35, which 
spanned two peoples, brought two peoples together, across a divide.
  And much in the same way, isn't it time that we begin to work 
together here in Congress? And by working together we will not just 
build a bridge across a divide but build a bridge between the parties 
which some in our

[[Page H9680]]

land may feel are also functionally obsolete.

                              {time}  1800

  Here in Congress we can build a bridge together, and while we're at 
it, let's build a better Nation together as well. Because it's not 
about the party you're in, it's about doing the Nation's business and 
building a Nation for all of us.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 3 minutes to one of the 
most distinguished and senior Members, not only in Congress, but the 
senior member of the Florida delegation, former chairman of the 
Appropriations Committee, Mr. Young, my friend.
  Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Florida 
for yielding the time to me.
  I rise in strong support of the legislation to provide relief in 
response to the tragedy surrounding the collapse of Interstate 35W 
Bridge spanning the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.
  The people in my area of Florida remember this type of grief, and we 
share the grief of the people of Minnesota. It was during a violent 
storm at 7:38 a.m. the morning of May 9, 1980, that a freighter, the 
Summit Venture, slammed into the Sunshine Skyway Bridge which spans 
Tampa Bay to connect my district to Manatee County in the south, across 
Tampa Bay. Thirty-five people in their vehicles fell more than 1,200 
feet into the waters of Tampa Bay that morning, fell to their deaths.
  The Sunshine Skyway is a Florida landmark. The scenes of the mangled 
bridge missing 1,260 feet of the center span of the southbound lanes of 
the bridge was a daily reminder of the tragedy, and we remember, and we 
remember for the people of Minnesota.
  Only two people survived the accident in Florida, one whose car 
skidded to a halt at the bridge's edge and the other who survived his 
pick-up truck's fall into the water and swam to safety.
  For 7 years, the damaged span stood as a constant reminder. Congress, 
however, began the healing process very shortly after that tragedy, as 
we do today for the Minnesota tragedy.
  I thank and compliment and commend Chairman Oberstar and Mr. Mica, my 
good friend and colleague from Florida, who worked so hard on all of 
these issues and for moving this legislation quickly in a bipartisan 
way to bring support for the people of Minnesota.
  The House responded to my request for funding to help rebuild the 
Sunshine Skyway Bridge quickly in the same type of fashion. So, as I 
said, we remember and we share the grief that you suffer today because 
we went through it back in 1980; and this Member stands ready to help 
in any way that we can to not only pass this authorization bill but to 
pass the appropriations that go along with it.
  I thank my friend, Mr. Mica, for yielding the time to me. He is an 
outstanding leader in our delegation; and he does, I think, an 
exceptional job for all of us.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is 
remaining?
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida has 2 minutes 
remaining. The gentleman from Minnesota has 2\1/2\ minutes remaining.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I will yield myself the balance of our time.
  Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, Mr. Oberstar, I thank you for paying 
attention to the important responsibility you have, not only as Chair 
of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee but as a good 
steward for the people of your State in a time of need.
  And, you know, it's amazing what we can do in this House. It's 
absolutely incredible. Mr. Young has been here for many years, and I 
have always looked up to him as one of our leaders. We started some 
years ago, senior to me, but I followed his career and what he has been 
able to do on a bipartisan basis.
  And when we do have an emergency, whether it's 9/11 or whether it's a 
bridge that collapses in Minnesota, it's amazing what this House of 
Representatives can do when it comes together in a bipartisan fashion. 
That tragedy just occurred a matter of hours ago, and here we are, in 
our system, working together, helping those people. We're not going to 
solve this all by the Federal Government; and, as I said, this is only 
an authorization. But people are in need, and we came together, as this 
body is designed to do.
  But, as I said, the bridge is just the tip of the iceberg, so to 
speak. Our Nation's infrastructure is collapsing. Our Nation's 
infrastructure is obsolete. We have got to come together.
  We came together, Mr. Oberstar and I, with a Water Resources bill 
that hadn't been passed in 7 years, but we brought it here, it is now 
pending final approval, to build the Nation's dams and infrastructure, 
also important. And we see that if you don't pay now, you will pay 
later.
  So we can do this. We can make the investment to build the 
infrastructure that makes our economy grow, that makes this a great 
country and allows free enterprise to give us the great life that we've 
had in this wonderful country.
  So I look forward, Mr. Oberstar, to finalizing this with you and 
helping the people in this time of need and also in taking on a 
leadership position as we make the investment in our country that is so 
necessary in our infrastructure.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of our time.
  I think the applause on our side for all of the speakers shows the 
depth of feeling, the depth of appreciation that the Minnesota 
delegation feels toward each other, toward others in the body who have 
spoken tonight, toward our ranking member, Mr. Mica, to whom, once 
again, I express my appreciation for the responsiveness and to prompt 
action on this matter.
  And to the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Young, I remember so well the 
Sunshine Skyway Bridge tragedy and later included it in a hearing that 
then Mr. Clinger, my ranking member on the Investigation and Oversight 
Subcommittee, held hearings that included that tragedy. I was here to 
vote on the funding for that restoration of that bridge, and I 
appreciate the gentleman's recollection.
  We will look back, I guess, in a few days, on this moment as a 
welcome respite from the cacophony of dissidence that we have heard in 
the last several hours in this body. Unfortunately, tragedy, loss of 
life and injury has brought us together, but it shows the greatness of 
this House of Representatives, that it can come together and find 
common cause and move ahead.
  I hope that respite from cacophony will prevail in the other body as 
we send this legislation forward and that there will not be, as has 
been threatened, procedural issues raised or jurisdictional matters 
that may be raised that might deter a provision of this legislation to 
provide respite from the congestion that will result in the 
reconstruction of this bridge and that already is occurring in the city 
of Minneapolis.
  The House provided respite for Oakland, San Francisco in the collapse 
of the 580 and 880 structures just earlier this year, in April. We 
provide almost identical language and support in this legislation. I 
just hope the other body will not raise objections and move this 
legislation forward, because those are relatively minor matters that be 
can resolved in the management by DOT of that transit language.
  I want to thank all our colleagues for the dignity of this discussion 
tonight and for the support expressed for the people of Minnesota by 
the rest of the Nation. We thank you, thank all our colleagues, and we 
ask for a wholehearted vote in support of this legislation.
  Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the 
good people of Minnesota who have banded together to begin the healing 
process. When that bridge fell, every citizen of my State felt the 
grief and the pain together. It has certainly been a difficult couple 
of days for everyone, but I am so proud of the first responders, of the 
volunteers, and of my colleagues here in the House. I'd like to give a 
special thanks to Chairman Oberstar, for acting so quickly. He has 
represented Minnesota, and the House, very well. I'd also like to say 
that Representative Ellison has done a remarkable job in representing 
his district during these last 48 hours.
  It is a shame that it sometimes takes the worst events to bring out 
the best in people, but I am so proud of the wonderful actions 
Minnesotans have taken to help the victims of

[[Page H9681]]

the I35W bridge. I think the people involved in the recovery actions 
have truly demonstrated the incredible character of Minnesota's 
citizens.
  Nothing can replace what was lost on Wednesday. No amount of money 
will do that. Neither will a new bridge. But this bill is a strong step 
on the road to healing. Thank you Chairman Oberstar, thank you to the 
members of the Minnesota Delegation and thank you to all my colleagues 
who have helped support the citizens of my State.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3311, as amended.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, this 15-
minute vote on the motion to suspend will be followed by a 5-minute 
vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 421, 
nays 0, not voting 11, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 819]

                               YEAS--421

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Aderholt
     Akin
     Alexander
     Allen
     Altmire
     Andrews
     Arcuri
     Baca
     Bachmann
     Bachus
     Baird
     Baker
     Baldwin
     Barrett (SC)
     Barrow
     Bartlett (MD)
     Barton (TX)
     Bean
     Becerra
     Berkley
     Berman
     Berry
     Biggert
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NY)
     Blackburn
     Blumenauer
     Blunt
     Boehner
     Bonner
     Bono
     Boozman
     Boren
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boustany
     Boyd (FL)
     Boyda (KS)
     Brady (PA)
     Brady (TX)
     Braley (IA)
     Broun (GA)
     Brown (SC)
     Brown, Corrine
     Brown-Waite, Ginny
     Buchanan
     Burgess
     Burton (IN)
     Butterfield
     Buyer
     Calvert
     Camp (MI)
     Campbell (CA)
     Cannon
     Cantor
     Capito
     Capps
     Capuano
     Cardoza
     Carnahan
     Carney
     Carson
     Carter
     Castle
     Castor
     Chabot
     Chandler
     Clay
     Clyburn
     Coble
     Cohen
     Cole (OK)
     Conaway
     Conyers
     Cooper
     Costa
     Costello
     Courtney
     Cramer
     Crowley
     Cubin
     Cuellar
     Culberson
     Cummings
     Davis (AL)
     Davis (CA)
     Davis (IL)
     Davis, David
     Davis, Lincoln
     Davis, Tom
     Deal (GA)
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     Dent
     Diaz-Balart, L.
     Diaz-Balart, M.
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Donnelly
     Doolittle
     Doyle
     Drake
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Edwards
     Ehlers
     Ellison
     Ellsworth
     Emanuel
     Emerson
     Engel
     English (PA)
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Everett
     Fallin
     Farr
     Fattah
     Ferguson
     Filner
     Flake
     Forbes
     Fortenberry
     Fossella
     Foxx
     Frank (MA)
     Franks (AZ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallegly
     Garrett (NJ)
     Gerlach
     Giffords
     Gilchrest
     Gillibrand
     Gillmor
     Gingrey
     Gohmert
     Gonzalez
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Gordon
     Granger
     Graves
     Green, Al
     Green, Gene
     Grijalva
     Gutierrez
     Hall (NY)
     Hall (TX)
     Hare
     Harman
     Hastert
     Hastings (FL)
     Hastings (WA)
     Heller
     Hensarling
     Herger
     Herseth Sandlin
     Higgins
     Hill
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hirono
     Hobson
     Hodes
     Hoekstra
     Holden
     Holt
     Honda
     Hooley
     Hoyer
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Inglis (SC)
     Inslee
     Israel
     Issa
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Jindal
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (IL)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Jones (NC)
     Jones (OH)
     Jordan
     Kagen
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Keller
     Kennedy
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind
     King (IA)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kirk
     Klein (FL)
     Kline (MN)
     Knollenberg
     Kucinich
     Kuhl (NY)
     LaHood
     Lamborn
     Lampson
     Langevin
     Lantos
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Lee
     Levin
     Lewis (GA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Lipinski
     LoBiondo
     Loebsack
     Lofgren, Zoe
     Lowey
     Lucas
     Lungren, Daniel E.
     Lynch
     Mack
     Mahoney (FL)
     Maloney (NY)
     Manzullo
     Marchant
     Markey
     Marshall
     Matheson
     Matsui
     McCarthy (CA)
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCaul (TX)
     McCollum (MN)
     McCotter
     McCrery
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McHenry
     McHugh
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     McMorris Rodgers
     McNerney
     McNulty
     Meek (FL)
     Meeks (NY)
     Melancon
     Mica
     Michaud
     Miller (FL)
     Miller (MI)
     Miller (NC)
     Miller, Gary
     Miller, George
     Mitchell
     Mollohan
     Moore (KS)
     Moore (WI)
     Moran (KS)
     Moran (VA)
     Murphy (CT)
     Murphy, Patrick
     Murphy, Tim
     Murtha
     Musgrave
     Myrick
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal (MA)
     Neugebauer
     Nunes
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Pallone
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Payne
     Pearce
     Pence
     Perlmutter
     Peterson (MN)
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pickering
     Pitts
     Platts
     Poe
     Pomeroy
     Porter
     Price (GA)
     Price (NC)
     Pryce (OH)
     Putnam
     Radanovich
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Rangel
     Regula
     Rehberg
     Reichert
     Renzi
     Reyes
     Reynolds
     Rodriguez
     Rogers (AL)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rogers (MI)
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roskam
     Ross
     Rothman
     Roybal-Allard
     Royce
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Ryan (OH)
     Ryan (WI)
     Salazar
     Sali
     Sanchez, Linda T.
     Sanchez, Loretta
     Sarbanes
     Saxton
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schmidt
     Schwartz
     Scott (GA)
     Scott (VA)
     Sensenbrenner
     Serrano
     Sessions
     Sestak
     Shadegg
     Shays
     Shea-Porter
     Sherman
     Shimkus
     Shuler
     Shuster
     Simpson
     Sires
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (TX)
     Smith (WA)
     Snyder
     Solis
     Souder
     Space
     Spratt
     Stark
     Stearns
     Stupak
     Sullivan
     Sutton
     Tancredo
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Taylor
     Terry
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thornberry
     Tiahrt
     Tiberi
     Tierney
     Towns
     Turner
     Udall (CO)
     Udall (NM)
     Upton
     Van Hollen
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walberg
     Walden (OR)
     Walsh (NY)
     Walz (MN)
     Wamp
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson
     Watt
     Waxman
     Weiner
     Welch (VT)
     Weldon (FL)
     Weller
     Westmoreland
     Wexler
     Whitfield
     Wicker
     Wilson (NM)
     Wilson (OH)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wolf
     Woolsey
     Wu
     Wynn
     Yarmuth
     Young (AK)
     Young (FL)

                             NOT VOTING--11

     Bishop (UT)
     Clarke
     Cleaver
     Crenshaw
     Davis (KY)
     Davis, Jo Ann
     Feeney
     Hayes
     Johnson, Sam
     Lewis (CA)
     Paul

                              {time}  1830

  Mr. HALL of Texas, Mrs. CUBIN, Mr. SHERMAN, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. SALI 
changed their vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
  So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and 
the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
  Stated for:
  Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 819, I was 
unavoidably detained dealing with a serious health issue with my ill 
mother who is being prepared for movement to a long-term care facility; 
had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

                          ____________________