[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 176 (Wednesday, November 14, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H13889-H13891]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 3074, 
  TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York (Mr. Arcuri) is 
recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, for purpose of debate only, I yield the 
customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-
Balart). All time yielded during consideration of this rule is for 
debate only.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be 
given 5 legislative days in which to extend their remarks on House 
Resolution 817.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ARCURI. Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 817 provides for 
consideration of the conference report to accompany H.R. 3074, the 
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act.
  I want to thank the distinguished chairman of the Appropriations 
Committee and the ranking member for bringing a conference report to 
the floor that makes critical investment in our Nation's transportation 
infrastructure at levels guaranteed in SAFETEA-LU.
  The conference report also rejects the administration's proposed 
funding cuts to the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport 
Improvement Program, highway programs, and critical housing and 
community development programs.
  The conference report provides $151 million more than current funding 
for the FAA, $765 million more than the President's request for FAA 
Airport Improvement Program, which provides grants for airport 
planning, construction and development.
  Recipients of AIP funds such as Griffiss Park Airfield in my upstate 
New York district have benefited greatly from this program. Over the 
last few years, AIP funds have helped Griffiss continue to fully 
develop as a regional aviation facility, become the new home for the 
Oneida County Airport, create long-term regional economic growth for a 
region seeking to attract new investment.
  The conference report also maintains our commitment to keeping our 
airways safe by providing $7 billion for air traffic organization, 
including $16 million to hire more than 1,400 new air traffic 
controllers to replenish the work force as the rate of retiring air 
traffic controllers continues to grow, and provides critical funding to 
hire and train more safety inspectors and for other aviation safety 
activities.
  Mr. Speaker, this conference report provides $3.5 billion more than 
current

[[Page H13890]]

levels for the Transportation Department. These additional funds will 
provide for much needed investments in our Nation's highways, road 
construction and repair, and transportation safety.
  This conference report boosts funding for the Federal Transit 
Administration by providing $227 million more than the President's 
request for mass transit programs. Local transit authorities, such as 
the Central New York Regional Transit Authority and Centro in my 
district, will now be able to expand their hybrid bus fleet and 
continue to provide low-cost, convenient, clean and energy-efficient 
transportation services to commuters in both upstate New York and in 
New York City.
  This conference report also increases funding for the Housing and 
Urban Development Department by $3.1 billion above the President's 
request.
  The President's budget request sought to eliminate funding for the 
HOPE VI program, but I am so pleased that this legislation will 
maintain our commitment to providing affordable housing for the many 
disadvantaged individuals across our country, individuals that still 
struggle daily to meet their family's needs, even while working full-
time jobs.
  In 2003, the City of Utica, New York was the recipient of an $11.5 
million HOPE VI grant for revitalization of a local residential 
community. This grant has allowed for significant improvements in 
safety and greater access to service and facilities for its residents. 
It would be a shame if similar communities around the country were 
unable to reap the benefits of the HOPE VI program.
  The conference report restores funding for the Community Development 
Block Grant program, which this administration has cut since 2001 by 
nearly 35 percent. This conference report provides $922 million more 
than the President's request for CDBG grants, which allow local 
governments in cities such as Utica, Rome and Auburn, New York to 
provide critical service to revitalize neighborhoods, promote economic 
development and improve quality of life for those starved of financial 
resources.
  Localities across my upstate New York district rely on CDBG funds to 
support vital redevelopment efforts that improve housing, assist local 
businesses, and offer services that promote safety and reduce crime. 
CDBG funds have been used by the City of Utica to prepare sites like 
those in the Corn Hill area for new housing construction by demolishing 
existing structures, replacing antiquated sewer lines, planting trees, 
constructing new sidewalks and curbs and paving streets, improving the 
quality of life for all the citizens of that city.
  CDBG funds have been used in the City of Auburn to provide small 
business assistance loans to help new businesses make it through their 
first critical year of start-up, retain their employees, and grow their 
business. CDBG funds are also used by Auburn to support after-school 
programs, child care subsidies, and even counseling for children in 
crisis.
  In the City of Rome, these funds are also used to assist new small 
businesses and also to assist low- to moderate-income persons make 
needed health and safety improvements to their homes, such as helping 
seniors with the installation of ramps and railings that allow them to 
remain living in their homes, and helping people deal with emergencies 
like failure and roof collapse. These are important parts of this bill.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, there are, I'm 
certain, very important programs that are funded by the legislation 
being brought forth today. And without any doubt, the Transportation 
and HUD appropriations bill is one of the most important appropriations 
bills that we face and we consider and we pass every year.
  What is unfortunate is that it has been brought forth, it has been 
brought to this floor by the majority in a manner that is consistent 
with a pattern that is most unfortunate, objectionable.
  As a matter of fact, that pattern, another aspect of that pattern is 
the subject of an editorial today by a newspaper that analyzes and 
informs on a daily basis with regard to this Congress. The newspaper is 
called Roll Call, and it has an editorial today about another aspect of 
the pattern that is most unfortunate and that we're seeing with the way 
in which this, albeit, very important piece of legislation is being 
brought forth today. Because it wasn't until, and we'll talk a little 
bit about the other aspect of the pattern that is the object of the 
Roll Call editorial in a minute. But with regard to this legislation, 
it was publicly available at 7 p.m., approximately, last night for the 
first time.

                              {time}  1430

  By the way, not in a very accessible way, in a format that's not very 
accessible: it was put online. There was no way to look at all of the 
legislation in that manner, in the format in which it was made 
available around 7 p.m. last night.
  Now, Mr. Speaker, in the rules of the House, there is a requirement 
that before an appropriations bill is considered by this House, 3 days, 
72 hours, must pass. That rule was waived by the majority in the Rules 
Committee last night.
  Now, in addition to that rule, there is a custom and a custom that is 
repeatedly made reference to. As a matter of fact, it's not only 
custom, but in the promises made by the new majority in a document 
during the campaign the last election, the new majority in a document 
entitled ``A New Direction for America,'' they talked about that at the 
very least, if not 3 days for an appropriations bill to be able to be 
considered by the membership before it is brought forth that there 
should be at least 24 hours. I read from the document ``A New Direction 
for America": ``Members should have at least 24 hours to examine bill 
and conference reports texts prior to floor consideration.''
  So not only do we not have the 3 days because that's waived by the 
rule, it's a rule but it was waived by the majority of the Rules 
Committee, which is what we saw last night, but, in addition, not even 
the 24 hours now for Members to be able to look at the legislation that 
is before them. Most unfortunate. It violates the promise of the 
majority in addition to what I would say is an elemental required 
fairness for this process to work.
  Now, I talked about the pattern. It's not just the lack of 24-hour 
notice; it's a pattern. Let's look at Roll Call today. They talk about 
the fact that there have been multiple threats by the majority to 
restrict something that hasn't been restricted since 1822, and that is 
one of the few legislative means, procedural means by which the 
minority can seek to amend legislation, and it's called, Mr. Speaker, 
the motion to recommit. And that hasn't been restricted since 1822. The 
majority has repeatedly now during this year, the first year of this 
Congress, this year that is already coming to an end, it's talked about 
that it wants to restrict that right that the minority has, one of the 
few vehicles that the minority has had since 1822 to try to amend 
legislation.
  Roll Call, a newspaper, Mr. Speaker, that covers what we do here, 
observes us very carefully, has an editorial in today's edition: 
``Despite promises to manage the House on a more open basis than 
Republicans did during their 12-year rule,'' Roll Call says today in an 
editorial, ``Democrats have prohibited any floor amendments at more 
than double the rate of the previous Congress.''
  And then Roll Call goes on to ask the Democrats not to do what they 
have threatened to do, and that is restrict the procedural vehicle that 
has been available and unrestricted since 1822, the motion to recommit. 
So note, Mr. Speaker, the pattern.
  Now, I wish, I really wish, because of the importance of the programs 
funded by this legislation that we could discuss those programs. But 
when we are seeing this pattern of unfairness, of constant tightening, 
restricting the legislative process despite, and in contrast to, the 
promises made by the majority included in this ``A New Direction for 
America'' where they said, well, if we're not going to give 3 days, 
which is what the rules require, because sometimes we might have to 
waive that in the interest of time, then at least 24 hours. So, no, 
this legislation, the first time it was posted was 7 p.m. That's when 
it could be seen.

[[Page H13891]]

  By the way, I am informed by people who are a lot more expert than I 
am at the format by which the legislation was posted at 7 p.m. that at 
7 p.m. with that format, the details of the legislation could not be 
accessed. So really, Mr. Speaker, what we are talking about is a lot 
less than even that time if we wouldn't have come to the floor until 7 
p.m., which is what the New Direction for America promised, the 
majority repeatedly promised, and which would have been elementally 
fair in addition to in compliance with the promise of the majority.
  Mr. Speaker, at this time I would ask my friend, and he is my friend, 
Mr. Arcuri from New York, how many speakers he has wishing to speak.
  Mr. ARCURI. I have no other speakers.

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