[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 183 (Tuesday, December 8, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H13582]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   AUTHORIZATION FOR SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION TO CONSTRUCT A VEHICLE 
                          MAINTENANCE BUILDING

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (H.R. 3224) to authorize the Board of Regents of the 
Smithsonian Institution to plan, design, and construct a vehicle 
maintenance building at the vehicle maintenance branch of the 
Smithsonian Institution located in Suitland, Maryland, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3224

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

     SECTION 1. VEHICLE MAINTENANCE BUILDING, SUITLAND, MARYLAND.

       (a) Authority To Plan, Design, and Construct.--The Board of 
     Regents of the Smithsonian Institution is authorized to plan, 
     design, and construct a vehicle maintenance building at the 
     vehicle maintenance branch of the Smithsonian Institution 
     located in Suitland, Maryland.
       (b) Purpose of Building.--The purpose of the building shall 
     be to provide a facility to be used for housing, maintaining, 
     and repairing vehicles and transportation equipment of the 
     Smithsonian Institution.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     Act $4,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Larsen of Washington). Pursuant to the 
rule, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady) and the gentleman 
from Nebraska (Mr. Terry) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
on the consideration of H.R. 3224.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3224 would authorize $4 
million in fiscal year 2010 for the Smithsonian Institution to plan, 
design and construct a vehicle maintenance building at its facilities 
in Suitland, Maryland. Our committee ordered the bill reported 
unanimously.
  The new building would absorb the vehicle maintenance functions for 
the entire Smithsonian complex in the Washington area. These are 
currently performed in a constricted and increasingly dysfunctional 
space at the General Services Building within the National Zoo in 
northwest Washington, D.C.
  The vehicle maintenance functions, which cover the maintenance, 
repair and fueling of about 780 Smithsonian-owned vehicles and pieces 
of equipment, are not compatible with the surrounding environment at 
the zoo and would be better served at the Suitland facility, which has 
more space and is isolated from public access. The space being vacated 
at the zoo would be converted to other uses.

                              {time}  1415

  The bill authorizes the planning, design and construction of this 
project, which would give the Committee on House Administration primary 
jurisdiction. The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, which 
has an additional referral, also reported this bill. The fiscal year 
2010 Interior appropriations conference report, which has been enacted 
into law, contains the necessary funding for this bill, and I urge the 
approval of the legislation.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. TERRY. I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which will provide for 
the construction of a vehicle maintenance branch at the National Zoo to 
benefit the zoo and larger Smithsonian Institution operations. The 
course of action prescribed by this bill is the result of a careful 
analysis of alternatives, which has demonstrated that the onsite 
construction of a vehicle maintenance facility would prove to be, 
roughly, 40 percent cheaper than developing an offsite facility. 
Additionally, this bill will provide for the better environmental 
stewardship in the operations of the National Zoo and of the 
Smithsonian Institution.
  I want to thank Mr. Becerra for bringing this forward. Accordingly, I 
request that my colleagues on this side of the aisle support this 
suspension.
  Mr. Speaker, I just want to thank Mr. Lungren for his efforts on this 
measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. I would like to thank Mr. Lungren, too, 
for his cooperation on this and for hurrying over just a second or two 
late.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3224, a bill to 
authorize the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution to plan, 
design and construct a vehicle maintenance facility at the vehicle 
maintenance branch of the Smithsonian Institution located in Suitland, 
Maryland.
  Currently the bulk of the Smithsonian's vehicle maintenance is 
conducted from the National Zoo's General Services Building. The 
Vehicle Maintenance Branch is responsible for maintenance, repair, and 
fueling of more than 780 Smithsonian vehicles and pieces of equipment 
valued at over $17 million. However, the vehicle maintenance operations 
over the years have become incompatible with the other needs of the 
General Services Building. After researching the potential of leasing a 
facility, the Smithsonian Institution determined the most economical 
method of housing its fleet management and maintenance operations was 
to request authority to build a facility on government-owned property 
located in Suitland, Maryland.
  Transferring the vehicle maintenance operations to a new site will 
increase the ability of the Smithsonian to use alternative fuels in its 
vehicles. The proposed site at Suitland currently has both a compressed 
natural gas fueling station and a gasoline fueling station. 
Furthermore, the Smithsonian plans to install E-85 and bio-diesel 
above-ground fuel tanks at the facility. The Zoo's General Services 
Building does not have the space available to accommodate these 
alternative fuel tanks.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3224.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3224.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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