[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 27 (Friday, February 18, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E270]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             FULL-YEAR CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2011

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                               speech of

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 15, 2011

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1) making 
     appropriations for the Department of Defense and the other 
     departments and agencies of the Government for the fiscal 
     year ending September 30, 2011, and for other purposes:

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of this 
amendment.
  The Continuing Resolution on the floor today makes irresponsible and 
dangerous cuts in transportation and development, doing harm to a 
construction sector already facing 20 percent unemployment and delaying 
the investments needed to bring our nation's infrastructure into a 
state of good repair. These cuts, which are opposed by our business 
community, come with a price--lost productivity, less safety, and a 
higher cost for repairs later as our system continues to deteriorate.
  Eliminating funding for DC Metro is just one example of the 
Republicans' penny-wise, pound-foolish approach to deficit reduction. 
The Federal Government relies on the Metro system to bring thousands of 
employees to work every day--to the Pentagon, to the Department of 
Homeland Security, to all the Federal agencies that help provide 
services to the American people. More than half of Metrorail stations 
serve Federal facilities. When the Metro does not work, the government 
cannot work.
  This $150 million investment makes the capital improvements that are 
necessary to make the system safe and reliable. And every dollar is 
matched by our local partners in Maryland, DC, and Virginia. These 
funds are budgeted to make critical safety improvements, replace aging 
rail cars, and rebuild miles of track. Without them, we will see 
reduced reliability and degraded customer service.
  Mr. Chair, short-sighted cuts to infrastructure eliminate home-grown 
jobs and delay critical improvements that would make transportation 
safer and more efficient. If we do not make these investments now, we 
will certainly pay more later. I urge my colleagues to support this 
amendment, and oppose these reckless, job-killing cuts to critical 
infrastructure programs.

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