[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 104 (Wednesday, July 14, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1313]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 H.R. 5730, THE ``SURFACE TRANSPORTATION EARMARK RESCISSION, SAVINGS, 
                        AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT''

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                           HON. BETSY MARKEY

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 14, 2010

  Ms. MARKEY of Colorado. Madam Speaker, today I rise to introduce the 
``Surface Transportation Earmark Rescission, Savings, and 
Accountability Act.'' This bill will eliminate a total of $713 million 
in unobligated funding for 309 Member-designated projects contained in 
previous surface transportation authorizations.
  The ``Surface Transportation Earmark Rescission, Savings, and 
Accountability Act'' will clear the books of projects that will not go 
forward and save taxpayer money.
  This bill will rescind all remaining earmarks from the Surface 
Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act, STURAA, which was 
signed into law in 1987, and the Intermodal Surface Transportation 
Efficiency Act, ISTEA, which was signed into law in 1991. This 
rescission would be effective on December 31, 2010, and would eliminate 
156 projects for a total of $264 million in savings.
  This bill will also rescind High Priority Project, HPP, designations 
contained in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, TEA 
21, that have 90 percent of the original project amount remaining 
unobligated 12 years after this bill was signed into law in 1998. This 
rescission will become effective September 30, 2011, and would 
eliminate 152 projects totaling $441 million.
  In addition to eliminating these earmarks, this bill will rescind 
$8.2 million in HPP program funds authorized under the Safe, 
Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy 
for Users, SAFETEA-LU, that were not allocated for any specific 
projects.
  Madam Speaker, many of these unobligated balances are tied to 
projects that are either no longer viable, have not received the 
necessary matching funds from State or local entities, or projects that 
have been completed yet still contain funding balances that are no 
longer needed for the designated project.
  Going forward, this bill requires the Secretary of Transportation to 
submit to the Congress an annual report identifying each project 
authorized under TEA 21 and SAFETEA-LU that contains inactive funding 
or that has been completed in the previous year. This will allow 
Congress to identify projects that are either already completed and 
have additional funding left over, or that are unlikely to move 
forward.
  Eliminating excess funds that have remained unused by States for 
nearly 20 years is a commonsense approach toward improving the 
management of federal funds.
  As we confront rising budget deficits, reduced revenues caused by the 
recession, and an ongoing investment gap in transportation 
infrastructure, it is imperative that we take every step we can to more 
efficiently and effectively manage taxpayer dollars and stretch funding 
as far as possible.
  Madam Speaker, the ``Surface Transportation Earmark Rescission, 
Savings, and Accountability Act'' accomplishes just that by eliminating 
funding for earmarks that is not being utilized. I look forward to 
debating this important effort to pass fiscally responsible 
legislation.

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