[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 30 (Wednesday, March 2, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H1482-H1494]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION EXTENSION ACT OF 2011
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 128, I call up
the bill (H.R. 662) to provide an extension of Federal-aid highway,
highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other programs
funded out of the Highway Trust Fund pending enactment of a multiyear
law reauthorizing such programs, and ask for its immediate
consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 128, the bill
is considered read.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 662
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Surface
Transportation Extension Act of 2011''.
(b) Reconciliation of Funds.--The Secretary of
Transportation shall reduce the amount apportioned or
allocated for a program, project, or activity under this Act
in fiscal year 2011 by amounts apportioned or allocated
pursuant to the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2010
and the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2010, Part II
for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on
March 4, 2011.
(c) Table of Contents.--
Sec. 1. Short title; reconciliation of funds.
TITLE I--FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAYS
Sec. 101. Extension of Federal-aid highway programs.
TITLE II--EXTENSION OF HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAMS
Sec. 201. Extension of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
highway safety programs.
Sec. 202. Extension of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
programs.
Sec. 203. Additional programs.
TITLE III--PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS
Sec. 301. Allocation of funds for planning programs.
Sec. 302. Special rule for urbanized area formula grants.
Sec. 303. Allocating amounts for capital investment grants.
Sec. 304. Apportionment of formula grants for other than urbanized
areas.
Sec. 305. Apportionment based on fixed guideway factors.
Sec. 306. Authorizations for public transportation.
Sec. 307. Amendments to SAFETEA-LU.
Sec. 308. Level of obligation limitations.
TITLE IV--EXTENSION OF EXPENDITURE AUTHORITY
Sec. 401. Extension of expenditure authority.
TITLE I--FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAYS
SEC. 101. EXTENSION OF FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAY PROGRAMS.
(a) In General.--Section 411 of the Surface Transportation
Extension Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-147; 124 Stat. 78) is
amended--
(1) by striking ``the period beginning on October 1, 2010,
and ending on March 4, 2011'' each place it appears (except
in subsection (c)(2)) and inserting ``fiscal year 2011''; and
(2) in subsection (a) by striking ``March 4, 2011'' and
inserting ``September 30, 2011''.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 411(b)(2) of
the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2010 (124 Stat.
79) is amended by striking ``\155/365\ of''.
(c) Use of Funds.--Section 411(c) of the Surface
Transportation Extension Act of 2010 (124 Stat. 79) is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking ``\155/365\ of''; and
(B) by striking ``the period beginning on October 1, 2010,
and ending on March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``fiscal year
2011'';
(2) in paragraph (4)--
(A) in subparagraph (A)(ii) by striking ``, except that
during such period obligations subject to such limitation
shall not exceed \155/365\ of the limitation on obligations
included in an Act making appropriations for fiscal year
2011''; and
(B) in subparagraph (B)(ii)(II) by striking
``$271,356,164'' and inserting ``$639,000,000''; and
(3) by striking paragraph (5);
(d) Extension and Flexibility for Certain Allocated
Programs.--Section 411(d) of the Surface Transportation
Extension Act of 2010 (124 Stat. 80) is amended--
(1) by striking ``\155/365\ of'' each place it appears; and
(2) in paragraph (4)(A) by striking ``2009'' and inserting
``2010''.
(e) Extension of Authorizations Under Title V of SAFETEA-
LU.--Section 411(e) of the Surface Transportation Extension
Act of 2010 (124 Stat. 82) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(B) by striking ``\155/365\''; and
(2) in paragraph (3)(A) by striking ``2009'' and inserting
``2010''.
(f) Administrative Expenses.--Section 412(a)(2) of the
Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-
147; 124 Stat. 83) is amended to read as follows:
``(2) $422,425,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
TITLE II--EXTENSION OF HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAMS
SEC. 201. EXTENSION OF NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY
ADMINISTRATION HIGHWAY SAFETY PROGRAMS.
(a) Chapter 4 Highway Safety Programs.--Section 2001(a)(1)
of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1519) is amended by striking ``and
$99,795,000 for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and
ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting ``and $235,000,000
for fiscal year 2011.''.
(b) Highway Safety Research and Development.--Section
2001(a)(2) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1519) is amended by
striking ``and $45,967,000 for the period beginning on
October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting
``and $108,244,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(c) Occupant Protection Incentive Grants.--Section
2001(a)(3) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1519) is amended by
striking ``and $10,616,000 for the period beginning on
October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting
``and $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(d) Safety Belt Performance Grants.--Section 2001(a)(4) of
SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1519) is amended by striking ``and
$52,870,000 for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and
ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting ``and $124,500,000
for fiscal year 2011.''.
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(e) State Traffic Safety Information System Improvements.--
Section 2001(a)(5) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1519) is amended
by striking ``and $14,651,000 for the period beginning on
October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting
``and $34,500,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(f) Alcohol-Impaired Driving Countermeasures Incentive
Grant Program.--Section 2001(a)(6) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat.
1519) is amended by striking ``and $59,027,000 for the period
beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011.''
and inserting ``and $139,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(g) National Driver Register.--Section 2001(a)(7) of
SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1520) is amended by striking ``and
$1,748,000 for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and
ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting ``and $4,116,000 for
fiscal year 2011.''.
(h) High Visibility Enforcement Program.--Section
2001(a)(8) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1520) is amended by
striking ``and $12,315,000 for the period beginning on
October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting
``and $29,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(i) Motorcyclist Safety.--Section 2001(a)(9) of SAFETEA-LU
(119 Stat. 1520) is amended by striking ``and $2,973,000 for
the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March
4, 2011.'' and inserting ``and $7,000,000 for fiscal year
2011.''.
(j) Child Safety and Child Booster Seat Safety Incentive
Grants.--Section 2001(a)(10) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1520)
is amended by striking ``and $2,973,000 for the period
beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011.''
and inserting ``and $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(k) Administrative Expenses.--Section 2001(a)(11) of
SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1520) is amended by striking ``and
$10,756,000 for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and
ending on March 4, 2011.'' and inserting ``and $25,328,000
for fiscal year 2011.''.
SEC. 202. EXTENSION OF FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY
ADMINISTRATION PROGRAMS.
(a) Motor Carrier Safety Grants.--Section 31104(a)(7) of
title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(7) $209,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(b) Administrative Expenses.--Section 31104(i)(1)(G) of
title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(G) $244,144,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(c) Grant Programs.--Section 4101(c) of SAFETEA-LU (119
Stat. 1715) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1) by striking ``2009'' and all that
follows before the period and inserting ``2011'';
(2) in paragraph (2) by striking ``, 2007'' and all that
follows before the period and inserting ``through 2011'';
(3) in paragraph (3) by striking ``, 2007'' and all that
follows before the period and inserting ``through 2011'';
(4) in paragraph (4) by striking ``2009'' and all that
follows before the period and inserting ``2011''; and
(5) in paragraph (5) by striking ``2009'' and all that
follows before the period and inserting ``2011''.
(d) High-Priority Activities.--Section 31104(k)(2) of title
49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``through 2010
and $6,370,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010, and
ending on March 4, 2011'' and inserting ``through 2011''.
(e) New Entrant Audits.--Section 31144(g)(5)(B) of title
49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``(and up to
$12,315,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010, and
ending on March 4, 2011)''.
(f) Commercial Driver's License Information System
Modernization.--Section 4123(d)(6) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat.
1736) is amended to read as follows:
``(6) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(g) Outreach and Education.--Section 4127(e) of SAFETEA-LU
(119 Stat. 1741) is amended by striking ``2010,'' and all
that follows before ``to carry out'' and inserting ``2010,
and 2011''.
(h) Grant Program for Commercial Motor Vehicle Operators.--
Section 4134(c) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1744) is amended by
striking ``2009'' and all that follows before ``to carry
out'' and inserting ``2011''.
(i) Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee.--Section
4144(d) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1748) is amended by striking
``March 4, 2011'' and inserting ``September 30, 2011''.
(j) Working Group for Development of Practices and
Procedures to Enhance Federal-State Relations.--Section
4213(d) of SAFETEA-LU (49 U.S.C. 14710 note; 119 Stat. 1759)
is amended by striking ``March 4, 2011'' and inserting
``September 30, 2011''.
SEC. 203. ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS.
(a) Hazardous Materials Research Projects.--Section 7131(c)
of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1910) is amended by striking
``through 2010 and $531,000 for the period beginning on
October 1, 2010, and ending on March 4, 2011'' and inserting
``through 2011''.
(b) Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act.--Section 4
of the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act (16 U.S.C.
777c) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a) by striking ``through 2010, and for
the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on March
4, 2011,'' and inserting ``through 2011,''; and
(2) in subsection (b)(1)(A) by striking ``through 2010, and
for the period beginning on October 1, 2010, and ending on
March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``through 2011''.
TITLE III--PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMS
SEC. 301. ALLOCATION OF FUNDS FOR PLANNING PROGRAMS.
Section 5305(g) of title 49, United States Code, is amended
by striking ``2010, and for the period beginning October 1,
2010, and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``2011''.
SEC. 302. SPECIAL RULE FOR URBANIZED AREA FORMULA GRANTS.
Section 5307(b)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) by striking the paragraph heading and inserting
``Special rule for fiscal years 2005 through 2011.--'';
(2) in subparagraph (A) by striking ``2010, and the period
beginning October 1, 2010, and ending March 4, 2011,'' and
inserting ``2011,''; and
(3) in subparagraph (E)--
(A) by striking the subparagraph heading and inserting
``Maximum amounts in fiscal years 2008 through 2011.--''; and
(B) in the matter preceding clause (i) by striking ``In
fiscal years 2008 through 2010, and during the period
beginning October 1, 2010, and ending March 4, 2011,'' and
inserting ``In each of fiscal years 2008 through 2011''.
SEC. 303. ALLOCATING AMOUNTS FOR CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANTS.
Section 5309(m) of title 49, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking the paragraph heading and inserting
``Fiscal years 2006 through 2011.--'';
(B) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) by striking
``2010, and during the period beginning October 1, 2010, and
ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``2011''; and
(C) in subparagraph (A)(i) by striking ``2010, and
$84,931,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and
ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``2011'';
(2) in paragraph (6)--
(A) in subparagraph (B) by striking ``2010, and $6,369,000
shall be available for the period beginning October 1, 2010
and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``2011''; and
(B) in subparagraph (C) by striking ``2010, and $2,123,000
shall be available for the period beginning October 1, 2010
and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``2011''; and
(3) in paragraph (7)--
(A) in subparagraph (A)--
(i) by striking ``(A) Ferry boat systems.--'' and all that
follows through ``(i) Fiscal years 2006 through 2010.--
$10,000,000 shall be available in each of fiscal years 2006
through 2010'' and inserting the following:
``(A) Ferry boat systems.--$10,000,000 shall be available
in each of fiscal years 2006 through 2011'';
(ii) by striking clause (ii);
(iii) by redesignating subclauses (I) through (VIII) as
clauses (i) through (viii), respectively, and moving the text
of such clauses 2 ems to the left; and
(iv) by inserting a period at the end of clause (iv) (as so
redesignated);
(B) in subparagraph (B)--
(i) by striking ``for the period beginning October 1, 2010
and ending March 4, 2011''; and
(ii) by adding after clause (v) the following:
``(vi) $13,500,000 for fiscal year 2011.'';
(C) in subparagraph (C) by striking ``, and during the
period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,'';
(D) in subparagraph (D) by striking ``, and not less than
$14,863,000 shall be available for the period beginning
October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,''; and
(E) in subparagraph (E) by striking ``, and $1,273,000
shall be available for the period beginning October 1, 2010
and ending March 4, 2011,''.
SEC. 304. APPORTIONMENT OF FORMULA GRANTS FOR OTHER THAN
URBANIZED AREAS.
Section 5311(c)(1)(F) of title 49, United States Code, is
amended to read as follows:
``(F) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
SEC. 305. APPORTIONMENT BASED ON FIXED GUIDEWAY FACTORS.
Section 5337 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph
(1), by striking ``2010'' and inserting ``2011''; and
(2) by striking subsection (g).
SEC. 306. AUTHORIZATIONS FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
(a) Formula and Bus Grants.--Section 5338(b) of title 49,
United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking paragraph (1)(F) and inserting the
following:
``(F) $8,360,565,000 for fiscal year 2011.''; and
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (A) by striking ``$48,198,000 for the
period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,''
and inserting ``$113,500,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(B) in subparagraph (B) by striking ``$1,766,730,000 for
the period beginning October 1, 2010, and ending March 4,
2011,'' and inserting ``$4,160,365,000 for fiscal year
2011'';
(C) in subparagraph (C) by striking ``$21,869,000 for the
period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,''
and inserting ``$51,500,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(D) in subparagraph (D) by striking ``$707,691,000 for the
period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,''
and inserting ``$1,666,500,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(E) in subparagraph (E) by striking ``$417,863,000 for the
period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,''
and inserting ``$984,000,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(F) in subparagraph (F) by striking ``$56,691,000 for the
period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,''
and inserting ``$133,500,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
[[Page H1484]]
(G) in subparagraph (G) by striking ``$197,465,000 for the
period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,''
and inserting ``$465,000,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(H) in subparagraph (H) by striking ``$69,856,000 for the
period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,''
and inserting ``$164,500,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(I) in subparagraph (I) by striking ``$39,280,000 for the
period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,''
and inserting ``$92,500,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(J) in subparagraph (J) by striking ``$11,423,000 for the
period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,''
and inserting ``$26,900,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(K) in subparagraph (K) by striking ``$1,486,000 for the
period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,''
and inserting ``$3,500,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(L) in subparagraph (L) by striking ``$10,616,000 for the
period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,''
and inserting ``$25,000,000 for fiscal year 2011'';
(M) in subparagraph (M) by striking ``$197,465,000 for the
period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,''
and inserting ``$465,000,000 for fiscal year 2011''; and
(N) in subparagraph (N) by striking ``$3,736,000 for the
period beginning October 1, 2010 and ending March 4, 2011,''
and inserting ``$8,800,000 for fiscal year 2011''.
(b) Capital Investment Grants.--Section 5338(c)(6) of title
49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(6) $2,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
(c) Research and University Research Centers.--Section
5338(d) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) by striking
``$29,619,000 for the period beginning October 1, 2010 and
ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``$69,750,000 for
fiscal year 2011''; and
(B) in subparagraph (A) by striking ``fiscal year 2009''
and inserting ``each of fiscal years 2009, 2010, and 2011'';
(2) in paragraph (2)(A)--
(A) in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) by striking ``2009''
and inserting ``2011''; and
(B) in clauses (v), (vi), (vii), and (viii) by striking
``and 2009'' and inserting ``through 2011''; and
(3) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:
``(3) Funding.--If the Secretary determines that a project
or activity described in paragraph (2) received sufficient
funds in fiscal year 2010, or a previous fiscal year, to
carry out the purpose for which the project or activity was
authorized, the Secretary may not allocate any amounts under
paragraph (2) for the project or activity for fiscal year
2011, or any subsequent fiscal year.''.
(d) Administration.--Section 5338(e)(6) of title 49, United
States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(6) $98,911,000 for fiscal year 2011.''.
SEC. 307. AMENDMENTS TO SAFETEA-LU.
(a) Contracted Paratransit Pilot.--Section 3009(i)(1) of
SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1572) is amended by striking ``2010,
and for the period beginning October 1, 2010, and ending
March 4, 2011'' and inserting ``2011''.
(b) Public-Private Partnership Pilot Program.--Section 3011
of SAFETEA-LU (49 U.S.C. 5309 note; 119 Stat. 1588) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (c)(5) by striking ``2010 and the period
beginning October 1, 2010, and ending March 4, 2011'' and
inserting ``2011''; and
(2) in subsection (d) by striking ``2010, and for the
period beginning October 1, 2010, and ending March 4, 2011''
and inserting ``2011''.
(c) Elderly Individuals and Individuals With Disabilities
Pilot Program.--Section 3012(b)(8) of SAFETEA-LU (49 U.S.C.
5310 note; 119 Stat. 1593) is amended by striking ``March 4,
2011'' and inserting ``September 30, 2011''.
(d) Obligation Ceiling.--Section 3040(7) of SAFETEA-LU (119
Stat. 1639) is amended to read as follows:
``(7) $10,507,752,000 for fiscal year 2011, of which not
more than $8,360,565,000 shall be from the Mass Transit
Account.''.
(e) Project Authorizations for New Fixed Guideway Capital
Projects.--Section 3043 of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1640) is
amended--
(1) in subsection (b), in the matter preceding paragraph
(1), by striking ``2010, and for the period beginning October
1, 2010, and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``2011'';
and
(2) in subsection (c), in the matter preceding paragraph
(1), by striking ``2010, and for the period beginning October
1, 2010, and ending March 4, 2011,'' and inserting ``2011''.
(f) Allocations for National Research and Technology
Programs.--Section 3046 of SAFETEA-LU (49 U.S.C. 5338 note;
119 Stat. 1706) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b) by striking ``or period''; and
(2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
``(c) Additional Appropriations.--The Secretary shall
allocate amounts appropriated pursuant to section 5338(d) of
title 49, United States Code, for national research and
technology programs under sections 5312, 5314, and 5322 of
such title for fiscal years 2010 and 2011, in amounts equal
to the amounts allocated for fiscal year 2009 under each of
paragraphs (2), (3), (5), and (8) through (25) of subsection
(a).''.
SEC. 308. LEVEL OF OBLIGATION LIMITATIONS.
(a) Highway Category.--Section 8003(a) of SAFETEA-LU (2
U.S.C. 901 note; 119 Stat. 1917) is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (5);
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (6) and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by striking paragraph (7) and inserting the following:
``(7) for fiscal year 2011, $42,469,970,178.''.
(b) Mass Transit Category.--Section 8003(b) of SAFETEA-LU
(2 U.S.C. 901 note; 119 Stat. 1917) is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (5);
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (6) and
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by striking paragraph (7) and inserting the following:
``(7) for fiscal year 2011, $10,338,065,000.''.
TITLE IV--EXTENSION OF EXPENDITURE AUTHORITY
SEC. 401. EXTENSION OF EXPENDITURE AUTHORITY.
(a) Highway Trust Fund.--Section 9503 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 is amended--
(1) by striking ``March 5, 2011'' in subsections (b)(6)(B)
and (c)(1) and inserting ``October 1, 2011'',
(2) by striking ``the Surface Transportation Extension Act
of 2010, Part II'' in subsections (c)(1) and (e)(3) and
inserting ``the Surface Transportation Extension Act of
2011'', and
(3) by striking ``March 5, 2011'' in subsection (e)(3) and
inserting ``October 1, 2011''.
(b) Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund.--Section
9504 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended--
(1) by striking ``Surface Transportation Extension Act of
2010, Part II'' each place it appears in subsection (b)(2)
and inserting ``Surface Transportation Extension Act of
2011'', and
(2) by striking ``March 5, 2011'' in subsection (d)(2) and
inserting ``October 1, 2011''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall take effect on March 4, 2011.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. After 1 hour of debate on the bill, it shall
be in order to consider the amendment printed in House Report 112-20,
if offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) or his designee,
which shall be considered read, and shall be separately debatable for
10 minutes equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an
opponent.
The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) and the gentleman from West
Virginia (Mr. Rahall) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
General Leave
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous materials on H.R. 662.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I come to the floor today to pass the extension of our major surface
transportation legislation, that's H.R. 662.
I would like to first lead off by informing Members and the Speaker
that this extension is a spending freeze at 2010 levels through
September 30.
We find ourself in a situation where the major transportation
legislation that authorizes all of the policies, the various projects,
all the funding levels and all of the activities that are so important
to job creation, to building the Nation's infrastructure, that
legislation expired September 30, 2009.
In the past Congress, since that time, we have passed a number of
short-term extensions. We are now on the sixth extension of that
legislation.
What happens when the Congress does this is we end up sending the
worst message and the worst policy possible across the Nation, across
the land, to our States and our localities that are trying to build the
Nation's infrastructure and trying to determine what Federal policy,
what their partnership and funding relationship will be with the
Federal Government.
Right now, in a time in which across this Nation we are experiencing
some of the worst unemployment, in my district I have some areas with
17 percent unemployment. And where is that unemployment? That's in the
construction industry.
So it's critical that we pass an extension of the current legislation
and extension that we are on, the sixth extension that we are on, and
we do that before Friday. Friday is when the current extension expires.
Again, this is important for jobs. Why? Our State transportation
departments have only been able to do small
[[Page H1485]]
projects. Now, they have done some sidewalks, and they have done some
repaving, and they have done some minor construction projects. But
because they don't have a dependable Federal partner and the hiccup
manner in which we have provided policy judgment funding direction as
far as our Federal law for major transportation projects, because it's
been done in such a helter-skelter fashion, people are not employed.
Projects do not move forward. This is the worst time that this could
happen. I am determined that that won't happen again.
Now, I might like to do a short-term extension, and some people have
said we should do that. But the responsible thing for us to do now is
to pass through the fiscal year--and this extension takes us to
September 30--so States can plan, so people can get back to work, so we
have some semblance of policy regarding building the Nation's
infrastructure in place now. People are crying out for jobs across this
country, and we may not pass any other piece of legislation this year
but our transportation and infrastructure legislation.
This, and the FAA reauthorization, in addition to highway and surface
and all the other modes, our FAA extensions have become almost the
saddest commentary you could have on building, again, the Nation's
important infrastructure. We have done 17 extensions of the FAA
legislation, so our airports and others can't plan. Now, we are not
going to let that happen under our watch. We are going to set policy
today and extend until the end of this fiscal year in a responsible
manner.
Some people on the conservative side of the aisle, and I will match
my credentials with any of them, want to know about the money that's
being spent.
{time} 1500
This is not money that's general revenue. This is entirely within the
trust fund, the Federal Highway and Transit Trust Fund.
When we came here, we also said we were going to force the Congress
to spend more money in general revenue than we had in that fund, and
this extension adheres to the policy that we won't be reckless in
spending and we won't spend beyond what we have in the fund. This
extension only expends funds from within that trust fund. So I want my
conservative friends--and I consider myself in the conservative fiscal
corner, the responsible corner in spending--to know that that is the
way this is crafted. So, again, I think we have an obligation to move
forward. We are doing it on a sound basis. We are freezing at the 2010
levels. And we will be able, at least until September, to get people to
work.
Now, I know sometimes I can move legislation along in this body, and
I work hard sometimes to do that. But I can tell you I cannot pass a
full authorization bill by this Friday. We just took over, again, some
of these responsibilities a few weeks ago. We've had six extensions. I
don't want to get to, again, into a situation where we are doing these
short-term, job-killing extensions.
So that's the reason that we're here. That's the responsibility that
we have as a Congress in moving forward and again setting that policy
and setting a timeframe in which our States and others who actually do
these projects can operate. And again, it's being done within the
responsible parameters that this new Congress and the House of
Representatives has set forward.
I do want to say, finally, that I thank my colleague, Mr. Rahall, who
is the ranking member, for his interest in moving forward with a long-
term bill. In reaching out, we held the first of our hearings, and
we're doing these around the country. We've done more than a dozen from
the Atlantic to the Pacific. We started in Beckley, West Virginia, a
little over a week ago, in the hometown of the ranking member because
we want our permanent legislation to be long term, a 6-year bill, to
have in place sound policy. We want it done on a bipartisan basis. And
to ensure also that it was done on a bicameral basis, we did almost an
unprecedented hearing with Senator Boxer, the gentlelady from
California, who chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee of
the United States Senate. We did a joint bicameral, bipartisan hearing
in Los Angeles last week to kick off our larger effort to, again, have
in place the very best policy regarding our infrastructure for the
Nation.
So with those comments, again, I want to thank folks that we have an
agreement here to move forward. We need to do that. We need to get
people working in this country and do it in a responsible fashion. And
I believe that H.R. 662 will do that.
House of Representatives,
Committee on Ways and Means,
Washington, DC, February 28, 2011.
Hon. John Mica,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Mica: I am writing concerning H.R. 662, the
``Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011,'' which is
scheduled for floor consideration this week.
As you know, the Committee on Ways and Means has
jurisdiction over the Internal Revenue Code. Title IV of this
bill amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and thus falls
within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Ways and Means.
However, in order to expedite this legislation for floor
consideration, the Committee will forgo action on this bill.
This is being done with the understanding that it does not in
any way prejudice the Committee with respect to the
appointment of conferees or its jurisdictional prerogatives
on this or similar legislation.
I would appreciate your response to this letter, confirming
this understanding with respect to H.R. 662, and would ask
that a copy of our exchange of letters on this matter be
included in the Congressional Record during floor
consideration.
Sincerely,
Dave Camp,
Chairman.
____
House of Representatives,
Committee on Ways and Means,
Washington, DC, March 1, 2011.
Hon. Dave Camp,
Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R.
662, the ``Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011.''
The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure recognizes
that the Committee on Ways and Means has a jurisdictional
interest in H.R. 662, and I appreciate your effort to
facilitate consideration of this bill.
I also concur with you that forgoing action on this bill
does not in any way prejudice the Committee on Ways and Means
with respect to its jurisdictional prerogatives on this bill
or similar legislation in the future, and I would support
your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate number of
conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this
legislation.
I will include our letters on H.R. 662 in the Congressional
Record during floor consideration of the bill. Again, I
appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation and I
look forward to working with the Committee on Ways and Means
as the bill moves through the legislative process.
Sincerely,
John L. Mica,
Chairman.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 662, the Surface
Transportation Extension Act of 2011. As my chairman has said, this
legislation extends the Federal-aid highway, public transit, and
highway and motor carrier safety programs through the end of the fiscal
year September 30, 2011.
I commend the chairman of the committee, Mr. Mica, for his bringing
this bill before us today. I also associate myself with the remarks
that he has just said in support thereof. I commend him for the
listening tour that he has embarked around the country, as well as a
few formal hearings thrown in his listening tour. This gives the
country and new Members of this body an opportunity to learn a great
deal about what reauthorization of our surface transportation programs
really means when it comes to jobs and when it comes to infrastructure,
particularly within each Member of Congress' congressional district.
Extending these programs is absolutely critical to keep our economy
on the road to recovery, and I strongly support this bill--as did my
colleagues on both sides of the aisle--when we passed it out of the
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee 2 weeks ago by unanimous
consent. I also want to support and commend our ranking member on the
Highways and Transit Subcommittee, Mr. DeFazio, for his tremendous work
in previous years and on bringing the current bill before us as well,
and we will hear from him in a moment.
While I do strongly support this bill, Madam Speaker, what I cannot
support are Republican attempts to gut investments that grow our
economy. The Republican spending bill that passed 2
[[Page H1486]]
weeks ago will destroy over 300,000 good-paying transportation jobs--
jobs lost in every State of this great country. What I cannot support
is dangerous and draconian cuts across the board to investments in
America's future. And these cuts are coming just at a time that our
economy is turning the corner. And what I cannot support is cutting the
job-creating muscle of our budget, which investment in our
infrastructure is, when we should be focusing on trimming the fat. In
order to keep pace with India, China, and other international
competitors, we need to invest more, not less, in America's
infrastructure. If we stop investing in the future, there's simply no
way we can retire the debt of the past.
The bill before us today is identical to legislation that the House
passed last fall. Regrettably, at that time, Republicans objected to
it, and the Senate Republican leadership insisted that the surface
transportation programs expire on March 4, 2011. I'm glad that my
Republican colleagues have now come around and recognized the need to
extend these vital programs through the fiscal year. I hope all Members
will vote for this bipartisan extension to keep America's economy
moving.
If Congress does not extend the surface transportation programs, the
U.S. Department of Transportation will stop reimbursing States for
expenditures on approved projects, and thousands of construction
projects across the Nation could come to a screeching halt. According
to DOT, a delay in enactment of this bill will shut down more than $800
million next week in highway reimbursements and transit grants to
States and urban areas, endangering more than 28,000 jobs and
multimillion dollar construction projects across the country.
This bill provides a certainty that the construction industry needs
to continue the slow climb back from the greatest recession since World
War II. It also enables Congress the necessary time to work toward
passage of a long-term surface transportation authorization bill later
this year. Enactment of this extension act will enable us to redirect
our focus to developing a long-term bill that begins to address the
Nation's enormous infrastructure needs and will create millions of
family-wage jobs.
I also today call upon the administration to join us in this effort
to get behind this reauthorization bill and give it the necessary
support from the executive branch that it needs. I urge my colleagues
to join me in supporting H.R. 662.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Tennessee, who is one of the primary leaders in the
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the chair of the Highways
and Transit Subcommittee, Mr. Duncan.
Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this
time.
Madam Speaker, H.R. 662, the Surface Transportation Extension Act of
2011, extends the highway, transit, and highway safety programs through
the end of the fiscal year at the 2010 funding levels. It does not make
any programmatic or policy changes but instead only continues what is
currently in law.
I'm proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill with the chairman,
my subcommittee vice chair, Mr. Hanna, Ranking Member Rahall, and
Subcommittee Ranking Member DeFazio. I want to commend Chairman Mica
for his hearings and listening sessions that he's done all over this
country. I had the privilege of attending several of those, and we
heard from local and State officials all over this Nation about their
needs.
Without this extension, these programs are set to expire on Friday.
This extension will allow the highway and transit programs to continue
to operate as the spring construction season kicks off. With
unemployment in the construction industry at an all-time high, it is
imperative that we extend the surface transportation programs through
the end of the fiscal year.
A front page story in USA Today last week said that gas would soon go
to $5 a gallon or higher. We need more domestic oil production in this
country. We simply cannot allow or let environmental radicals drive the
price of gas to $5 or higher. This will hurt many poor and lower income
and working people and stop our recovery in its tracks.
{time} 1510
This bill is important to our economy. Additionally, this extension
will provide a level of predictability for State DOTs and local transit
agencies to embark on major construction projects that will create
jobs; and as I said, it will certainly stimulate the economy.
I support the passage of this legislation, and I urge my colleagues
to do the same.
Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), the ranking member of the Highways and Transit
Subcommittee.
Mr. DeFAZIO. I thank the ranking member and the chairman of the full
committee and subcommittee and others who support this essential
legislation.
It is kind of sad that we are actually in this position. We are
looking at the seventh extension of the surface transportation
reauthorization. Because of events in the last Congress, lack of
support from the administration, opposition from others, and basically
no action to the Senate side, we ground to a halt in reauthorizing this
vital legislation. That is too bad.
Had we taken a fraction of the money spent on the so-called stimulus
and instead invested it in fully funding a 6-year surface
transportation authorization, we could have created millions of jobs,
and not just construction jobs--engineering jobs, manufacturing jobs,
high-tech jobs--because we have the most effective buy America
requirements on our transportation acquisitions in this country.
So, for instance, Oregon Iron Works is building the first made in
America streetcar in 70 years. All of the components that go into that
are being made here in the United States of America. They are very
skilled workers, a very sophisticated product. You buy a bus made in
America, the tires, everything has to be made in America. You build a
bridge, the steel has to come from America except for a few loopholes
in the law that we have to plug.
If we begin to deal honestly with our backlog, 150,000 bridges on the
national highway system are substandard and in need of either
significant repair or replacement. That is a lot of steel. That is a
lot of work. That is also a lot of detours for trucks and others trying
to use the national highway system.
Then you can look at the surface of our national highway system
itself, not just the bridges; 40 percent of the pavement is in fair to
poor condition. You've all experienced that--potholes blowing out
tires, breaking axles, causing higher fuel consumption, accidents, all
sorts of problems. That needs to be taken care of.
And then we have our transit systems. Actually right here in
Washington, D.C., they are killing people on Metro because they haven't
the money to make the capital investments they need to have a modern
light rail system in this country, and they are running cars that
shouldn't be on the tracks any more.
So we are really at a crisis point. I had taken to giving speeches
when I chaired the committee about how we were falling to Third World
status for infrastructure. And my colleague, the gentleman from Oregon
(Mr. Blumenauer), came up to me after a speech once and said that is
insulting and it's wrong.
I said, not really, Earl. You know the problems.
He said, no, to say that we're Third World. Most Third World
countries are investing a much greater percentage in their gross
domestic product in transportation and infrastructure than we are in
the United States of America.
So I have taken to calling us fourth world; formerly First World,
vaulting over to the back of the line to have the worst infrastructure
of any modern nation on Earth. It's not right. It doesn't serve our
businesses or our communities well.
The Obama administration did not take up this campaign adequately in
the last Congress. I tried valiantly. They got hung up on the idea that
we need to invest more money. We do need to invest more money. We had
two commissions that were constituted when the Republicans controlled
the House, the Senate and the White
[[Page H1487]]
House. Both commissions came to the same conclusion: we are spending
somewhere around 30-40 percent of what we need on an annual basis to
have a 21st-century transportation system. We are spending about 30
percent less than we need to maintain the current deteriorated rate of
infrastructure in this country. We're not even maintaining the
Eisenhower legacy. Come on, let's get real.
Now, unfortunately, on the Republican side of the aisle, they have
adopted an arbitrary rule: no new revenues for anything. Now, they
ought to rethink that. Let's think about capital budgets. If you build
a bridge, it lasts 100 years. We could justify borrowing money for
that. Maybe we could justify raising some revenues to pay for that--
perhaps from the oil companies, who knows, and put a lot of people to
work and improve our infrastructure; but that is a nonstarter so far. I
hope that changes.
If we look at this as a way to put America back to work to make us
more competitive in the international economy, we should be talking
about rebuilding our infrastructure. It is the last place we should
cut. And, unfortunately, some cuts have already been proposed and made
in transportation. That's not where we should be cutting, and those who
would advocate further cuts are wrong. This is a trust funded program.
The program itself, 96 percent of the funding in this extension comes
from the gas taxes every American has paid, the diesel taxes every
trucker has paid, and the money paid in other miscellaneous taxes.
We need this bill today. It is a starting point for a robust
reauthorization later this year. I look forward to working with the
chairman and the new chairman of the subcommittee on that robust
reauthorization.
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Shuster), another leader of the
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the chair of the Rail
Subcommittee.
Mr. SHUSTER. I thank my friend for yielding.
Here we are again, a seventh time for an extension. I agree with my
friend from Oregon who pointed out that this administration stopped us
from passing a transportation bill under Chairman Oberstar. Mr. Mica
was the ranking member. So here we are again, a seventh extension on
the highway bill.
As the chairman pointed out, this freezes the authorizing funds at FY
2010 levels, and it will go until September 30 to give us the time
necessary to craft a new transportation bill.
I want to point out that this is a clean extension. It is what is in
current law. There are no policy or program changes, and this does not
continue any stimulus funding. This extension, coupled with the CR, is
going to reduce spending by about a billion dollars. We are going to
make a reduction in transit new starts by over $400 million,
discontinue highway appropriation earmarks by $900 million, eliminate
unauthorized transit programs by over $200 million, and unauthorized
TIGER grants by $600 million. So there are some significant reductions;
and, again, this current extension has to be passed by Friday.
If we don't move this forward, we will feel this throughout the
economy, throughout this Nation. Today, this week, in the past couple
of weeks, State DOTs have been letting contracts, putting bids out to
get contractors in place to be able to start the spring, summer, and
fall contracting season. If we shut down this program, there will be
immediate furloughs and suspension of payments to States.
Again, I would like to remind my colleagues, especially on my side of
the aisle, this is money that is being reimbursed to the States for
work that has already been completed to the tune of about $150 million
a day, is going out to States to be able to pay those contractors to
keep them working and building bridges and roads around this country.
So we are in an extremely difficult time to put these payments in
jeopardy. Again, this gives us the time to craft a transportation bill
by September 30, to put out there.
When we do that, we are going to go through this transportation bill
and cut and reform and change. Some of you may have seen the GAO
report. I haven't looked at it completely, but I know there are many,
many programs in the Department of Transportation across the government
that duplicate effort that, quite frankly, we don't know where the
money is going. And some of these programs, we are not even sure who is
watching the spending of it. They can't account for it.
So this transportation bill we'll move in September is going to do
all of those types of things to improve what we do here in Washington
and be a good partner to the States when it comes to building and
maintaining a national transportation system.
So I urge all of my colleagues to support this extension.
Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, I come to the floor to support this
extension. I appreciated the comments from Chair Mica talking about the
involvement with the Senate and the House working together and the
listening sessions that are taking place around the country. I am
absolutely convinced that my friend, Mr. Mica, is sincere in his
interest in infrastructure. I have had the pleasure of working with Mr.
Rahall, Mr. Duncan, Mr. DeFazio. There is a team in place, people who
are interested in moving this forward.
{time} 1520
It's absolutely imperative that we extend the reauthorization through
this construction cycle. And making the decision now, setting it to
work, so people can plan and act. It's not as good as a reauthorization
by any stretch of the imagination, but it gets us through this
construction cycle and it avoids another unfortunate situation.
We are 7\1/2\ years into a 6-year reauthorization. No one is happy
about that. It's sort of the tenor of the times, however, because I was
on the committee when we were struggling with 12 extensions in the last
reauthorization. We need to do better. I am all for looking at
squeezing out any inefficiency, examining programs to focus them, make
them work better. But the simple fact is we need to spend more on
infrastructure, not less.
Those commissions, the nonpartisan independent commissions that my
friend from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) referenced with business leaders,
environmentalists, government leaders at other levels, organized labor,
are very focused on this. They documented the need to do more.
The fact is that the American public is already paying a huge cost in
addition to their road fees by wasting their time in damage to their
vehicles and interrupting the flow of commerce. We're already paying
the price. My personal goal as a member of the Budget and Ways and
Means Committees is to work with the authorizing committee so they have
the resources. We have people from the Chamber of Commerce, organized
labor, local governments, AAA, truckers, bicyclists, the Women's
Federated Garden Club of America, all coming together to provide
support for the resources. We need to work this dance out between the
House, the Senate and the administration to be able to have the
resources so that the committee can put forth a robust bill for our
future.
It's true we're not going to reauthorize this bill in this week.
We're not going to reauthorize it this spring. It will be a stretch to
reauthorize it before this extension expires. But the time to get busy
is now. I appreciate the approach that's being taken by the committee,
bringing people together.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. RAHALL. I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Thank you.
I am hopeful that instead of cutting transportation, which is
envisioned in the CR, that would cost us 200,000 or 300,000 jobs at
precisely the time that we need economic activity, that we can have a
truce on the budget wars. Let's acknowledge that we will have a tight
and focused reauthorization meeting the wide range of transportation
needs, deal with how we build and renew America, get the economy
started again, strengthen the quality of life in our communities, and
make our families safer, healthier and more economically secure. It
starts by approving this extension today.
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2\1/2\ minutes to
another
[[Page H1488]]
outstanding member and a new member of our committee who has great
local government experience as a former mayor, the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Barletta).
Mr. BARLETTA. I thank the chairman for yielding.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to urge the passage of H.R. 662, the
Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2011.
As I heard from my friends and neighbors back home, job creation and
rebuilding our economy is the most important issue facing us.
Transportation funding means not only construction jobs but also for
surveyors, heavy machinists, asphalt companies, grocers, hotels and
restaurants.
Historically, studies have shown that for every dollar spent on
investments in transportation and infrastructure, the gross domestic
product grows by $1.59, and for every $1 million spent on highways, 47
jobs are created.
Poor roads and congestion are costing my constituents. The American
Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials estimates
that poor road conditions cost this country $355 billion annually. H.R.
662 is a clean extension that would fund ongoing operations through
September 30, 2011.
Failing to extend this bill would hurt my district in terms of jobs,
safety and costs to my constituents in wasted fuel and lost
productivity.
The 2011 construction season is just getting under way. Any
disruption in funding will delay the construction industry's ability to
create jobs and complete much-needed improvement projects. With
unemployment in the construction sector at a staggering 22.5 percent,
we must pass the extension and put more hardworking Americans back to
work.
As a member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I
look forward to working with my colleagues to pass long-term
legislation that will meet our future transportation needs. This
extension gives Congress the time and ability to produce a smart,
fiscally responsible bill.
I urge support of H.R. 662.
Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).
Mr. COHEN. I want to thank Ranking Member Rahall for the time.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 662, the Surface
Transportation Authorization Act of 2011. Last Friday, I was in
Millington, Tennessee and I joined with Chairman Mica and Mr. Fincher
on a transportation bill listening session. Chairman Mica went all
across the country listening to folks on the needs of transportation.
We heard from all kinds of folks saying how important this is for the
future of our country, getting goods to market, and improving our
infrastructure. The listening session focused on those needs of a new
surface transportation authorization. And while this legislation is
just another extension of SAFETEA-LU, it is important that we act
quickly and extend the surface transportation authorization before it
expires on Friday.
My hope is that H.R. 662 will be the final short-term extension
Congress uses to extend SAFETEA-LU because this country needs a
comprehensive, long-term surface transportation authorization. Chairman
Mica has promised everybody on the tour that we're not going to have
more extensions, that we're going to pass a bill just like we did with
the FAA reauthorization. Seven extensions was enough. We need to move
this country forward and get those programs started.
By continuing to extend SAFETEA-LU and not passing a new
authorization, Congress has created uncertainty in the transportation
sector which has limited the ability to invest in a crumbling
infrastructure network. The importance of immediate passage cannot be
emphasized enough. Not only will reauthorization create millions of
quality jobs--jobs that are needed by Americans now and that have been
neglected thus far in Congress--and provide States and MPOs a known,
dedicated funding stream, but it will also address the dire need for
investment in the Nation's transportation system.
In the 2012 Department of Transportation budget proposal, President
Obama lays out a bold vision for a surface transportation
authorization. The President understands the United States will not
maintain its mantle as the greatest Nation in the world without an
intermodal transportation system that enables America to compete in the
21st century global economy.
To that end, the President has called for a $556 billion, 6-year
surface transportation authorization that includes a $50 billion ``up
front'' economic boost to jump-start job creation. Jobs.
As the President said in his State of the Union, now is not the time
to stand pat. This is why I believe we need to pass a surface
transportation bill that increases revenue, makes a significant
investment in maintaining existing infrastructure, and spurs
development of innovative infrastructure networks such as high-speed
rail and aerotropolis transportation systems.
I appreciate Chairman Mica including aerotropolis language in the FAA
reauthorization bill and look forward to seeing that same language
included in the surface transportation reauthorization act which was
discussed in Memphis.
As New York Times columnist Paul Krugman said, ``We must win the
future, not eat it.'' I look forward to working with Chairman Mica,
Subcommittee Chairman Duncan, and Ranking Members Rahall and DeFazio in
seeing that we pass a comprehensive surface transportation
authorization that strengthens our infrastructure, spurs innovation,
creates jobs, ensures safety and wins the future. We are winners.
{time} 1530
Mr. MICA. I would like to inquire as to the balance of time on each
side.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida has 15 minutes
remaining, and the gentleman from West Virginia has 14 minutes
remaining.
Mr. MICA. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to a valued member of
our committee, the distinguished gentlelady from California (Ms.
Richardson).
Ms. RICHARDSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 662,
the Surface Transportation Extension Act. I am hopeful that passing
this extension will give us the adequate time we all need on the
committee to pass a full 6-year reauthorization.
Last year, the committee initiated a very good start. In fact, we
suggested spending a minimum of $500 billion of investment, and the
administration recently released budget calls for approximately that
same amount, of $556 billion, over the next 6 years. This includes an
extra $50 billion boost next year to provide for an immediate economic
stimulus, which we all know we need.
I heard one of my colleagues on the other side reference unemployment
in construction. In my district, it's over 40 percent, so this has got
to be done, and it has got to be done now.
While the President's budget calls for a significant increase in our
spending, we should all remember that it still falls well short of the
$225 billion per year investment that is really required from all
sources, recommended by the Transportation Policy and Revenue Study
Commission, a bipartisan commission that was created by Congress to
study this very issue.
Our infrastructure is in a state of disrepair, and congestion costs
us more than $78 billion per year. The quality of our transportation
system is deteriorating. Almost 61,000 miles--37 percent--of our roads
are in poor or fair condition. More than 152,000 bridges--25 percent--
are structurally deficient. So, when we talk about cutting, we are all
mindful of the need to make adjustments and to be good stewards of
these dollars, but we shouldn't cut just for the sake of cutting. That
is the wrong approach and the wrong thing to do.
In my district--home to four major highways, a transit system, three
airports, and more than 40 percent of our entire Nation's cargo going
through it--these congested roads and crumbling bridges are in dire
need, and we need help now. A robust surface transportation bill will
help the people in my district and across this country get where they
need to go; it will improve safety; and it will help put people back to
work.
I was talking to some of my colleagues, and they were telling me that
Mr. Shuster, when he was the chair of this committee, worked on both
sides of the aisle. I was told, when we had that very difficult vote,
he worked with this side, and we moved forward a very successful bill.
In that spirit,
[[Page H1489]]
when Mr. Mica mentioned that he was going to have his listening tours,
I took him at his word. I've attended two, and I intend upon attending
one more.
Out of those listening tours, we've heard a lot of things from
people. One of the things I'd like to suggest we continue is really
that of open discussion--an open discussion about HMT, an open
discussion about TIFIA, an open discussion about really implementing a
true national goods movement strategy--all of which my staff and I have
worked on in order to bring forward very thoughtful legislation that I
hope will be sincerely considered. The gas tax alone will not work, so
I urge Mr. Mica to please work with us as we are working with you
today.
Many people asked me today, You're going to vote for this rule? I
said, Yes, because I'm willing to work across the aisle with Mr. Mica
to get this done and with Mr. Shuster as well. We are going to have to
consider new ideas to be able to help institute this public-private
partnership that we all know needs to be a part of this discussion.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 662, which should really be the
building block of our 6-year reauthorization. It deserves the
bipartisan support of this Congress and of the American people.
Mr. Rahall, I appreciate all of the efforts that you have made so
far. I know you are very committed to getting this done. There is hard
work ahead, and I look forward to working with your new leadership as
well as with our ranking member, Mr. DeFazio.
Mr. MICA. I have no further requests for time, and I continue to
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RAHALL. I yield myself the balance of my time to close.
Madam Speaker, once again, I do appreciate the work of Chairman Mica
in his bringing this extension to the floor of the House--as he has
already noted, the sixth extension of SAFETEA-LU. This will take us to
the end of the fiscal year. It will give us the spring and the summer
to continue to work together in the bipartisan spirit with which
Chairman Mica has started his tenure as chairman of our committee, and
I do look forward to continuing to work with him.
I, once again, call upon the administration to work with us as well
under the very capable leadership of Secretary LaHood. I am sure that
the administration will work with us if it will just give us some
proposals and will put some concrete ideas upon the table with which we
can work in a bipartisan and bicameral measure.
This is a job-saving piece of legislation. Although a permanent
reauthorization would provide a much greater degree of certainty, it
helps provide some degree of certainty to our construction industry so
that it can plan and invest in what are not short-term jobs but,
rather, good, long paying, family wage jobs for our people. That's what
we're talking about when we talk about investments in infrastructure.
That's what we're talking about in this legislation; so I urge my
colleagues, as I conclude, to support this in a bipartisan fashion.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. MICA. I yield myself the balance of my time.
Each of us who is sent to Congress, Madam Speaker, has certain
responsibilities. First, we have responsibilities to our constituents
in our districts. Then we are sent here, and by the grace of the good
Lord, on our side the steering committee, the approval of leadership
and our colleagues, we get to do certain tasks.
Mine is now to try to shepherd forward transportation policy for our
country. That's an important responsibility, again, because we have
millions of Americans who don't have jobs. Probably the hardest thing
that I face when I go home or when I talk to folks across the country
and in my district are the people who have lost their homes, who can't
make their mortgage payments or who are struggling. They want to go to
work, most of them I've talked to, and they don't have the opportunity.
Now, I know a new Congress has come, and that new Congress has been
sent a very clear message about spending, about conserving assets and
resources here. I think that Congress gets it and that the American
people have mandated that approach. We can also many times be here,
doing things that might prove a political point; but from time to time,
we have to step back, and we have to do something for the very good of
the country. I think this is one of those times that we have an
important obligation.
What will happen on Friday, if we don't act accordingly today and
pass H.R. 662, is literally a disaster because we will shut down all of
the transportation projects across the land, those projects that have
any connection to the Federal Government.
Now, we have also said that we can't pass in continuing resolutions
the authorization for legislation, so that's the situation we find
ourselves in today. We have a bipartisan agreement to move forward. We
have an opportunity to actually expand and define the time in which we
can accomplish the important work of government.
Some people say, oh, these are just transportation projects. Yet, if
you go back to the very beginning of the Nation, they came together
first for national security; but then the Founding Fathers--Washington,
Jefferson--were pretty smart. They also wanted to be able to do
infrastructure projects that transcended arbitrary political
boundaries. I love to read about Washington and his vision to open the
canals and the post roads. Some of the first work of the Congress was
to authorize transportation and infrastructure projects for the Nation,
through the vision of people like Lincoln, to connect the continent. So
that kind of leadership has come from people in the past, and we have
that responsibility today to move forward.
So I think that people can go home after they vote for this and say,
I did something positive. We acted in a fiscally responsible way. We're
dealing with the trust fund money that people have paid in. When they
put gallons of gasoline in their cars, they paid 18.4 cents, which went
into the trust fund.
{time} 1640
We didn't spend recklessly, but we did act responsibly and we're
getting people working again. And we did it in a period of time, not
the hiccup and the sporadic six passed extensions, in a timeframe in
which we can actually get major infrastructure projects, people working
again. So I think we can all take heart in a bipartisan effort that
we've had here that Congress can work and the people's work can get
done by people coming together.
I know we still have disagreements on policy, and I've pledged to
work on both sides. I even offered to buy the beer and pizza when we
finish the listening tours. And with Senator Boxer, she wanted, I
think, fruit drinks, and I'll even throw those in, too, if we can come
together and establish sound policy for the Nation so infrastructure
can move forward. And we can do it. I really think we can do it.
So we have 6 months of definition. We have 6 months to get the rest
of the job done. But I'm confident that everybody here today can join
and we can make a difference, a difference for those people wanting us
to be responsible and do what they sent us here for.
Ms. JACKSON LEE of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of
H.R. 662 the Surface Transportation Extension Act. This legislation
would provide a necessary short term extension of surface
transportation programs through September 20, 2011. I strongly prefer
more comprehensive, multi-year appropriations legislation that more
adequately funds the transportation and infrastructure projects that we
as Members have identified in our districts as crucial to our economic
recovery. The bridges, highways, rail systems necessary to our economic
recovery and sustained economic growth and global competitiveness are
not built in a year.
However, I cannot support letting the sun set on necessary funding of
critical surface transportation and infrastructure projects while we
pursue longer term solutions in the face of a misplaced focus on
spending cuts. I will not allow this on my watch. My colleagues here in
Congress must not allow this to occur either. We must work together to
forge a bipartisan long-term solution to our nation's transportation
and infrastructure needs.
Economic experts universally agree that funding the critical and
necessary infrastructure projects nationwide creates jobs for America
and increases our level of global competitiveness. There is an intense
competition between fiscal responsibility and investment in job growth
and infrastructure. We must make investments in job creating
infrastructure projects in order to grow the U.S. economy.
[[Page H1490]]
We must be winners in contest for economic change now and for our
children's future. We cannot be the losers. We must catch the wave of
economic growth or be crushed by it. China, India and Europe understand
this because they have committed to greater investments in their
infrastructure.
As I think of my home District, the 18th Congressional District in
Houston, Texas and its busy port, much like the other ports around this
great nation, I am compelled to urge my colleagues to consider the
pressing national necessity of decongesting the surface transportation,
both rail and highway, that moves the goods in and out of those ports.
We must improve this surface transportation system in order to
accommodate national economic health, global competitiveness, and to
avoid harm to agriculture industry, maritime jobs and manufacturing
jobs. Maritime jobs and construction jobs for infrastructure provide
a good middle class wage, allow workers to get educations at night, and
lower crime rates in our cities.
We must invest in High Speed Rail. We have about 500 miles of high
speed rail in process, but China has about 10,000 miles being built. We
need to have a domestic talent pool with the required knowledge, skills
and trained workers to do projects like high speed rail or we will be
paying for skilled Chinese companies to do it for us.
Infrastructure Investment is a Non-Partisan Issue: If the AFL-CIO and
U.S. Chamber of Commerce have teamed up to promote infrastructure
investment, then surely the Democrats and Republicans in this Congress
can do the same. Moreover, now is the time for us to consider the
creation of a long overdue National Infrastructure Bank and Public-
Private partnerships to shift our infrastructure improvement into full
gear. We should not shy away from this issue when a nation is waiting
for us to do our part to restore our economy through fortification of
our infrastructure. It is time for another large, bold, national
forward thinking infrastructure project like interstate highway system.
Governors and Mayors at ground level around this nation will quickly
confirm that Infrastructure investments create jobs, help balance
budgets, and grow both state and national economies. We must listen to
our local elected officials who must fix the potholes, repair the
crumbling bridges and tunnels or be held directly accountable by their
constituents on every street corner. Our local elected officials will
quickly tell us that infrastructure investment creates jobs, because it
attracts business.
The American Association of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gives U.S.
Infrastructure the Grade of ``D'' in its 2009 Report Card.
Infrastructure Investment equals Jobs. But, the U.S. is falling behind
its competitors in infrastructure development (especially China, India
and Europe). The bottom line is that Transportation and Infrastructure
Investment is needed for a Strong Economy.
So, I say to my colleagues that we must pass H.R. 662. A delay in
enactment of this extension will shut down more than $800 million next
week in highway reimbursements and transit grants to States and urban
areas, endangering more than 28,000 jobs and multi-million dollar
construction projects across the country.
I must say that I am very disturbed that we cannot get our colleagues
to cooperate in a bi-partisan manner to pass essential appropriations
bills and must instead resort to short-term measures. However, for the
good people of the 18th Congressional District of Texas, the State of
Texas, and our national well being, I cannot let time expire on
critical transportation and infrastructure funding. It is imperative
that we pass H.R. 662 to continue to fund transportation and
infrastructure programs without interruption. We must keep this nation
moving forward toward progress.
I would also urge my colleagues in the House and the Senate chambers
to reconsider the local transportation and infrastructure expenditures
that Members have identified in the 111th Congress and in the 112th
Congress for inclusion in appropriations measures. Members of Congress
are in a front line position to identify useful and necessary projects
in their districts that require funding. These projects create jobs,
rebuild our infrastructure and benefit our districts, our states and
our country, as well. Though, I recommended funding for critical
transportation and infrastructure projects in Houston, Texas, during
the 111th Congress, this funding was excluded from the Continuing
Resolution passed in December 2010 and an opportunity to improve our
national economy was lost.
As we move forward, it is my hope that both chambers in the House and
Senate will take a bipartisan approach to moving vitally important
appropriations legislation which includes useful, necessary, job
creating and economy-building projects from our districts. This is the
fiscally responsibly course and grows and strengthens our economy in
the long run.
In summation, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this H.R. 662
as we continue the work of funding our nation's critical transportation
and infrastructure projects.
Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of
extending surface transportation funding for the remainder of the 2011
fiscal year before the authorization expires at the end of this week,
on March 4th. I support the highway program; it is a critical part of
an efficient and effective 21st century transportation infrastructure
in the United States. However, I want to highlight a concern I have
with an extraneous provision that is included in the language of this
extension.
Section 308 of this bill attempts to extend the budget ``firewalls''
in Section 8003 of SAFETEA-LU for highway and transit categories to
protect those programs from having to compete for funding against all
other discretionary programs should Congress put in place overall
discretionary spending caps. More specifically, Section 8003 amends
Section 251(b) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act
of 1985 that expired on September 30, 2002--a law that is squarely
within the jurisdiction of the House Budget Committee.
Section 308 of this extension has no substantive effect not only
because there are no overall spending caps for FY 2011, but because
Clause 3 of Rule XXI in the new House Rules for the 112th Congress
eliminated the requirement to uphold such firewalls.
However, if the intention is that this provision should have a
substantive effect, it is premature.
There are many tough choices ahead given the fiscal realities we
face. We clearly need to set caps on spending. Funding guarantees that
protect a certain category of spending prevent lawmakers from having
the flexibility to balance other needs within an overall discretionary
spending cap. Given the nation's trillion dollar deficits and $14
trillion in debt, Congress should be working to remove, not continue,
spending floors in statute.
Furthermore, these highway and transit firewalls were originally
established to protect the user-pays/user benefits principle.
Unfortunately, the opposite has happened. The Highway Trust Fund is
insolvent and has required $35 billion in bailouts since 2008. The
Congressional Budget Office projects shortfalls of $140 billion over
the next ten years.
These spending guarantees have pushed the Highway Trust Fund deeper
into insolvency and have forced it to rely more and more on borrowed
money. I am concerned that continuing even the appearance of firewalls
for these categories in this extension suggests that spending on these
programs is a higher priority than getting deficits under control. It
also suggests that surface transportation should get first claim on the
Treasury over other priorities for discretionary spending such as
Veterans medical care or funding for our troops.
Congress may decide that ultimately highways and transit have such a
high priority that we should continue to run high deficits to pay for
them, but we should do that as part of the budget process and not part
of a short-term highway extension that must be passed quickly or the
entire program shuts down.
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Amendment Offered by Mr. Mica
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Page 12, line 4, strike ``through 2011'' and insert
``through 2011,''.
Page 15, line 4, strike ``for the period'' and insert
``$5,732,000 for the period''.
Page 15, line 12, strike ``October 1, 2010'' and insert
``October 1, 2010,''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 128, the
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) and a Member opposed each will
control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, again, this is a purely technical amendment
and reviewed by both sides of the aisle in both bodies. We found three
technical changes to correct drafting errors in H.R. 662. We want this
to go to the President. We want it signed, and we want to make certain
that it has all the technical provisions necessary and clear language.
So the amendment adds two commas to the bill on page 12 and also
another on 15. And on page 15, it also strikes an authorization in the
current extension that H.R. 662 failed to strike. So it's purely
technical in nature, but we do want it correct.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I rise to claim the time in opposition,
though I am not opposed to the amendment.
[[Page H1491]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from West
Virginia is recognized for 5 minutes.
There was no objection.
Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the manager's
amendment. The chairman has adequately explained it, and I fully concur
and urge its adoption.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. MICA. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the amendment offered by
the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica).
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. POLIS. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 422,
nays 0, not voting 10, as follows:
[Roll No. 158]
YEAS--422
Ackerman
Adams
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Altmire
Amash
Andrews
Austria
Baca
Bachmann
Bachus
Baldwin
Barletta
Barrow
Bartlett
Barton (TX)
Bass (CA)
Bass (NH)
Becerra
Benishek
Berg
Berkley
Berman
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Bishop (UT)
Black
Bonner
Bono Mack
Boren
Boswell
Boustany
Brady (PA)
Brady (TX)
Braley (IA)
Brooks
Broun (GA)
Brown (FL)
Buchanan
Bucshon
Buerkle
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Butterfield
Calvert
Camp
Campbell
Canseco
Cantor
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carney
Carson (IN)
Carter
Cassidy
Castor (FL)
Chabot
Chaffetz
Chandler
Chu
Cicilline
Clarke (MI)
Clarke (NY)
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Coble
Coffman (CO)
Cohen
Cole
Conaway
Connolly (VA)
Conyers
Costello
Courtney
Cravaack
Crawford
Crenshaw
Critz
Crowley
Cuellar
Culberson
Cummings
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
Davis (KY)
DeFazio
DeGette
DeLauro
Denham
Dent
Deutch
Diaz-Balart
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Dold
Donnelly (IN)
Doyle
Dreier
Duffy
Duncan (SC)
Duncan (TN)
Edwards
Ellison
Ellmers
Emerson
Engel
Eshoo
Farenthold
Farr
Fattah
Filner
Fincher
Fitzpatrick
Flake
Fleischmann
Fleming
Flores
Forbes
Fortenberry
Foxx
Frank (MA)
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Fudge
Gallegly
Garamendi
Gardner
Garrett
Gerlach
Gibbs
Gibson
Gohmert
Gonzalez
Goodlatte
Gosar
Gowdy
Granger
Graves (GA)
Graves (MO)
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Griffin (AR)
Griffith (VA)
Grijalva
Grimm
Guinta
Guthrie
Gutierrez
Hall
Hanabusa
Harper
Harris
Hartzler
Hastings (FL)
Hastings (WA)
Hayworth
Heck
Heinrich
Heller
Hensarling
Herger
Herrera Beutler
Higgins
Himes
Hinchey
Hirono
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hoyer
Huelskamp
Huizenga (MI)
Hultgren
Hunter
Hurt
Inslee
Israel
Issa
Jackson (IL)
Jackson Lee (TX)
Jenkins
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson, E. B.
Johnson, Sam
Jones
Jordan
Keating
Kelly
Kildee
Kind
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kinzinger (IL)
Kissell
Kline
Kucinich
Labrador
Lamborn
Lance
Landry
Langevin
Lankford
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latham
LaTourette
Latta
Lee (CA)
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (GA)
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Long
Lowey
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Lujan
Lummis
Lungren, Daniel E.
Lynch
Mack
Maloney
Manzullo
Marchant
Marino
Markey
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy (CA)
McCarthy (NY)
McCaul
McClintock
McCollum
McCotter
McDermott
McGovern
McHenry
McIntyre
McKeon
McKinley
McMorris Rodgers
McNerney
Meehan
Meeks
Mica
Michaud
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller (NC)
Miller, Gary
Miller, George
Moore
Moran
Mulvaney
Murphy (CT)
Murphy (PA)
Myrick
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Neugebauer
Noem
Nugent
Nunes
Nunnelee
Olson
Olver
Owens
Palazzo
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor (AZ)
Paul
Paulsen
Payne
Pearce
Pelosi
Pence
Perlmutter
Peters
Peterson
Petri
Pingree (ME)
Pitts
Platts
Poe (TX)
Polis
Pompeo
Posey
Price (GA)
Price (NC)
Quayle
Quigley
Rahall
Rangel
Reed
Rehberg
Reichert
Renacci
Reyes
Ribble
Richardson
Richmond
Rigell
Rivera
Roby
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Rokita
Rooney
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross (AR)
Ross (FL)
Rothman (NJ)
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Runyan
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Ryan (WI)
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Scalise
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schilling
Schmidt
Schock
Schrader
Schwartz
Schweikert
Scott (SC)
Scott (VA)
Scott, Austin
Scott, David
Sensenbrenner
Serrano
Sessions
Sewell
Sherman
Shimkus
Shuler
Shuster
Simpson
Sires
Slaughter
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Southerland
Speier
Stark
Stearns
Stivers
Stutzman
Sullivan
Sutton
Terry
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Tiberi
Tierney
Tipton
Tonko
Towns
Tsongas
Turner
Upton
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walberg
Walden
Walsh (IL)
Walz (MN)
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watt
Waxman
Webster
Weiner
Welch
West
Westmoreland
Whitfield
Wilson (FL)
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Wolf
Womack
Woodall
Woolsey
Wu
Yarmuth
Yoder
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
Young (IN)
NOT VOTING--10
Blackburn
Blumenauer
Cooper
Costa
DesJarlais
Giffords
Gingrey (GA)
Hanna
Hinojosa
Kaptur
{time} 1609
So the amendment was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Stated for:
Mr. DesJARLAIS. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 158, I was unavoidably
detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Chaffetz). Pursuant to House Resolution
128, the previous question is ordered on the bill.
The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was
read the third time.
Motion to Recommit
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is the gentleman opposed to the bill?
Mr. POLIS. I am opposed in its current form.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the motion to
recommit.
The Clerk read as follows:
Mr. Polis moves to recommit the bill H.R. 662 to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure with
instructions to report the same back to the House forthwith
with the following amendment:
At the end of the bill, add the following (and conform the
table of contents accordingly):
TITLE V--GRAVINA ISLAND BRIDGE AND KNIK ARM BRIDGE RESCISSIONS
SEC. 501. RESCISSION OF GRAVINA ISLAND AND KNIK ARM BRIDGE
EARMARKS.
There are hereby rescinded all unobligated balances,
remaining available as of March 2, 2011, of contract
authority provided or reserved for planning, design, or
construction of the Gravina Island bridge, Alaska, or the
Knik Arm bridge, Alaska, under the following provisions of
law:
(1) Section 144(f)(1)(A)(ii) of title 23, United States
Code.
(2) Item number 14 of the table contained in section
1302(e) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1205).
(3) Item numbers 406, 2465, 3323, and 3677 of the table
contained in section 1702 of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1256).
(4) Item numbers 2 and 10 of the table contained in section
1934(c) of SAFETEA-LU (119 Stat. 1485).
SEC. 502. PROHIBITION ON FUNDING OF GRAVINA ISLAND AND KNIK
ARM BRIDGES.
None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to
plan, design, or construct the Gravina Island bridge, Alaska,
or the Knik Arm bridge, Alaska.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Colorado is recognized for 5 minutes in support of his motion.
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, usually when something is killed, it stays
dead. But just like in a bad zombie movie, some bad earmarks refuse to
die and return to life time and time again as wasteful spending. That's
what's happened with this bill and what this amendment corrects.
There isn't an American taxpayer out there who hasn't heard of the
Bridge to Nowhere. The Bridge to Nowhere has become synonymous with
government waste.
What Americans may be shocked to find out is a significant portion of
the $454 million that Congress provided through eight separate earmarks
in SAFETEA-LU is still available in Alaska to build these bridges. We
fix that with this amendment and eliminate these return-from-the-dead
earmarks
[[Page H1492]]
with this amendment to save taxpayers money and restore credibility to
Congress.
Although Congress has tried to stop these bridges to nowhere by
giving Alaska the authority to use its earmarked funds on other
transportation projects, Alaska has still used $71 million of Federal
funds provided under SAFETEA-LU to continue work on two bridges to
nowhere. Sadly, Alaska's earmarked bridges to nowhere, like zombies
eating the brains of taxpayers, refuse to die.
Frankly, like most Americans I thought Federal funding for the
bridges to nowhere was a thing of the past. ABC News reported in 2007
the Bridge to Nowhere is gone. This bridge had collapsed even before it
was built after an onslaught of angry editorials, furious anti-pork
citizen groups, and caustic jokes on late-night TV.
But, unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, this zombie has climbed from its
grave and is terrorizing American taxpayers to the tune of $180 million
in deficit spending to build two bridges, one of which is a bridge that
from an engineering perspective is comparable to the Golden Gate Bridge
to an island with 50 people.
Now, but wait, we are not calling it an earmark because we have
abolished earmarks in this Congress. So, instead, we are taking
Republican earmarks from previous sessions of Congress and calling them
something else.
Is that the new spending plan? Is that how we are going to balance
the budget? Now, many Republicans in this body have used the bridges to
nowhere as an example of wasteful spending.
My colleague and friend from Texas (Mr. Neugebauer) stated that
``while some earmarks fund worthy projects, there are some, such as the
infamous `Bridge to Nowhere' that are wasteful uses of taxpayer
money.''
My friend from Indiana (Mr. Pence) said, ``All spending bills passed
in 2007 included some 11,000 earmarks. Those earmarks included wasteful
spending for items such as a $20 million ferry are in Alaska benefiting
just 40 people. That, of course, followed the infamous Bridge to
Nowhere earmark from the 2005 highway bill.''
So here we have a wasteful expenditure that not only had its origin
as an earmark but has been used by fiscal hawks from both sides of the
aisle as the very example of a wasteful earmark.
If Alaska wants to build a bridge to nowhere or a road to nowhere or
a road to somewhere, bridge to somewhere, go ahead and do it, just do
it without Federal tax dollars.
My colleague from Michigan (Mr. Walberg) said: ``Taxpayers are tired
of their hard-earned money paying for things like a Bridge to Nowhere
in Alaska, fruit fly research in France and a hippie museum in New
York.''
Well, this bill doesn't fund a fruit fly museum in France or a hippie
museum; but unless we act by passing this amendment, it will allow $183
million of taxpayer money to be spent for bridges for nowhere, wasteful
spending we can't afford.
Despite claims that the Bridge to Nowhere earmarks were eliminated,
Alaska spent over $71 million of Federal money. You know, in 2006, when
the Republicans lost their majority and entered the minority, Mr.
Cantor, the leader, said Republicans have become ``a party of the
Bridge to Nowhere.'' Well, Mr. Speaker, it looks like too little has
changed.
Unless this amendment passes, the Republicans once again will become
a party lost on the Bridge to Nowhere. This motion rescinds all
remaining funds, about $183 million provided for the planning, design
and construction of the two bridges under SAFETEA-LU. In addition, the
amendment prohibits the use of funds to finance these bridge projects.
This is a very simple choice. There is no politics in this. We are
not changing other parts of the bill, trying to catch people up. We are
not putting up a vote to trap people for 30-second spots to say they
are for pornography, like has been done in previous sessions while the
bill is gutted elsewhere. What we are simply providing is a clean vote
on the Bridge to Nowhere.
According to the CBO, this motion will reduce the deficit by $160
million by eliminating funding for these two bridges, nothing else.
Listen, for us to have the credibility as a Congress to make the tough
cuts we need to balance the budget, to work together to pass a CR that
cuts spending, to reduce spending in future years, Congress must have
moral standing. Continuing to provide funding to be used for these
bridges, the infamous Alaska bridges to nowhere, which most Americans
like me thought were already dead, is not the way for Congress to build
trust with the American people.
So we have a choice today. We can vote to continue these most
egregious earmarks; or we can stand by our words, our vows, and our
values and vote for this amendment and finally put an end to wasteful
spending and pet projects.
Let me close with some words of wisdom from my colleague from West
Virginia, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito: ``The days of members
slipping in 'the bridge to nowhere' in the dead of night are over.'' I
urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to shine the light of day
on this insidious example of pork, remove it from the bill and pass the
House amendment.
Summary
In 2005, the Safe, Accountable, Efficient Transportation
Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) (P.L. 109-59)
provided a total of $454 million for the construction of two
bridges in Alaska--the Gravina Island bridge and the Knik Arm
bridge--through eight separate earmarks in the law. Since
2005, the public, media, and Members of Congress have
questioned the merits of these projects and condemned the use
of scarce Federal surface transportation funds to finance
these projects, commonly referred to as the ``Bridges to
Nowhere.''
SAFETEA-LU provides $223 million of Federal-aid highway
funds for the Gravina Island bridge. The $304 million bridge
under consideration, which rivals the Golden Gate Bridge in
size and scope, would serve an island of 50 people, who can
access Ketchikan, Alaska, via a five-minute ferry ride.
In addition, the act provides $231 million of Federal-aid
highway funds for the Knik Arm Crossing project. The Knik Arm
bridge is a project to build a 1.6-mile long bridge, 790-foot
tunnel, and 18 miles of connecting roads at a cost of
approximately $1.6 billion, including approximately $740
million for phase 1 of the project.
Despite claims that the ``Bridges to Nowhere'' earmarks
were eliminated, Alaska has spent more than $71 million of
Federal SAFETEA-LU funds to proceed with these bridge
projects and accompanying access roads over the past six
years.
The Motion to Recommit rescinds all remaining funds--
approximately $183 million--provided for planning, design,
and construction of the Gravina Island and Knik Arm bridges
under SAFETEA-LU. In addition, the motion prohibits the use
of any funds provided under the Surface Transportation
Extension Act of 2011 to finance these bridge projects.
According to the Congressional Budget Office, the Motion to
Recommit will reduce the Federal deficit by approximately
$160 million over the next 10 years.
These earmarks also contribute to Alaska's high rate of
return for its gas tax contributions. Over the six-year
period of SAFETEA-LU (FY 2004 through FY 2009), Alaska
received an average $5.20 for each dollar that the State
contributed to the Highway Trust Fund.
Gravina Island Bridge
Gravina Island is a small land mass (21 miles long and 9.5
miles wide) located in Ketchikan Gateway, Alaska. According
to the latest Census data, the island has a population of 50
people. Ketchikan International Airport is located on the
island. The island can be accessed by a five-minute ferry
ride across Tongass Narrows from Ketchikan, and an average of
10,000 vehicles per month use the ferry crossing. A ferry
arrives and departs every 15 to 30 minutes.
Alaska received a total of $223 million in SAFETEA-LU to
finance the construction of the Gravina Island bridge and
accompanying access roads. Although Congress expanded the
eligible uses of the earmarked funds in legislation
subsequent to SAFETEA-LU, Alaska continues to be able to use
these funds on the bridge and access road projects. In 2008,
Alaska completed construction of the Gravina Island Highway
to provide access to the proposed bridge. Alaska used $37.6
million of Federal funds provided under SAFETEA-LU for the
project. Given that the bridge does not exist at this point,
the road currently leads nowhere.
According to the Alaska State Legislature Budget and Audit
Committee, Alaska has specifically reserved $75.9 million of
the remaining SAFETEA-LU funds to improve access to Gravina
Island and is currently conducting a supplemental
environmental impact statement that includes construction of
a $304 million bridge as an alternative.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, $125.8
million remains available for expenditure from the amounts
provided in SAFETEA-LU for the Gravina Island bridge.
Knik Arm Bridge
The Knik Arm Bridge project proposes the construction of a
1.6-mile bridge across Knik Arm connecting Anchorage with the
borough of Mat-Su, along with 18 miles of access
[[Page H1493]]
roads to the bridge, at a cost of approximately $1.6 billion,
including $740 million for construction of the bridge in
phase 1 of the project. In 2003, Alaska established the Knik
Arm Bridge and Toll Authority to construct the bridge. On
December 15, 2010, the Federal Highway Administration
approved the Environmental Impact Statement Record of
Decision to construct the 8,200-foot bridge, 790-foot tunnel,
and 18 miles of access roads.
Alaska received a total of $231 million in SAFETEA-LU to
finance the planning, design, and construction of the Knik
Arm bridge and accompanying access roads. Although Congress
expanded the eligible uses of the earmarked funds in
legislation subsequent to SAFETEA-LU, Alaska has used $45.4
million of Federal funds provided under SAFETEA-LU for the
project.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, $57.4
million remains available for expenditure from the amounts
provided in SAFETEA-LU for the Knik Arm bridge.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to
recommit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida is recognized for
5 minutes.
Mr. MICA. Well, congratulations my colleagues. Welcome to the era of
smoke and mirrors, and that's exactly what this motion to recommit is;
and I urge its defeat.
You heard the gentleman describing bridges. He, again, is trying to
mislead the entire House on this particular motion to recommit. It is
smoke and mirrors.
I urge the defeat of the motion to recommit.
{time} 1620
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is
ordered on the motion to recommit.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the noes appeared to have it.
Recorded Vote
Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, the Chair
will reduce to 5 minutes the minimum time for electronic vote on the
question of passage.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 181,
noes 246, answered ``present'' 2, not voting 3, as follows:
[Roll No. 159]
AYES--181
Ackerman
Altmire
Andrews
Baca
Baldwin
Barrow
Bass (CA)
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Blumenauer
Boswell
Brady (PA)
Braley (IA)
Brown (FL)
Butterfield
Capps
Capuano
Carnahan
Carney
Carson (IN)
Castor (FL)
Chandler
Chu
Cicilline
Clarke (MI)
Clarke (NY)
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Connolly (VA)
Conyers
Cooper
Costello
Courtney
Critz
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
DeGette
DeLauro
Deutch
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Donnelly (IN)
Doyle
Edwards
Ellison
Engel
Eshoo
Farr
Fattah
Filner
Frank (MA)
Fudge
Garamendi
Gonzalez
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hanabusa
Hastings (FL)
Heinrich
Higgins
Himes
Hinchey
Hirono
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hoyer
Inslee
Israel
Jackson (IL)
Jackson Lee (TX)
Johnson (GA)
Kaptur
Keating
Kildee
Kind
Kissell
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lee (CA)
Levin
Lewis (GA)
Lipinski
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lujan
Lynch
Maloney
Markey
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy (NY)
McCollum
McDermott
McGovern
McIntyre
McNerney
Meeks
Michaud
Miller (NC)
Miller, George
Moore
Moran
Murphy (CT)
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Olver
Owens
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor (AZ)
Payne
Pelosi
Perlmutter
Peters
Pingree (ME)
Polis
Price (NC)
Quigley
Rahall
Rangel
Reyes
Richardson
Richmond
Ross (AR)
Rothman (NJ)
Roybal-Allard
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schwartz
Scott (VA)
Scott, David
Serrano
Sewell
Sherman
Sires
Slaughter
Smith (WA)
Speier
Stark
Sutton
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Tierney
Tonko
Towns
Tsongas
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walz (MN)
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Welch
Wilson (FL)
Woolsey
Wu
Yarmuth
NOES--246
Adams
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Amash
Austria
Bachmann
Bachus
Barletta
Bartlett
Barton (TX)
Bass (NH)
Benishek
Berg
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop (UT)
Black
Blackburn
Bonner
Bono Mack
Boren
Boustany
Brady (TX)
Brooks
Broun (GA)
Buchanan
Bucshon
Buerkle
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Calvert
Camp
Campbell
Canseco
Cantor
Capito
Cardoza
Carter
Cassidy
Chabot
Chaffetz
Coble
Coffman (CO)
Cole
Conaway
Costa
Cravaack
Crawford
Crenshaw
Culberson
Davis (KY)
Denham
Dent
DesJarlais
Diaz-Balart
Dold
Dreier
Duffy
Duncan (SC)
Duncan (TN)
Ellmers
Emerson
Farenthold
Fincher
Fitzpatrick
Flake
Fleischmann
Fleming
Flores
Forbes
Fortenberry
Foxx
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Gardner
Garrett
Gerlach
Gibbs
Gibson
Gingrey (GA)
Gohmert
Goodlatte
Gosar
Gowdy
Granger
Graves (GA)
Graves (MO)
Griffin (AR)
Griffith (VA)
Grimm
Guinta
Guthrie
Hall
Harper
Harris
Hartzler
Hastings (WA)
Hayworth
Heck
Heller
Hensarling
Herger
Herrera Beutler
Huelskamp
Huizenga (MI)
Hultgren
Hunter
Hurt
Issa
Jenkins
Johnson (IL)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson, E. B.
Johnson, Sam
Jones
Jordan
Kelly
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kinzinger (IL)
Kline
Kucinich
Labrador
Lamborn
Lance
Landry
Lankford
Latham
LaTourette
Latta
Lewis (CA)
LoBiondo
Long
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Lummis
Lungren, Daniel E.
Mack
Manzullo
Marchant
Marino
McCarthy (CA)
McCaul
McClintock
McCotter
McHenry
McKeon
McKinley
McMorris Rodgers
Meehan
Mica
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller, Gary
Mulvaney
Murphy (PA)
Myrick
Neugebauer
Noem
Nugent
Nunes
Nunnelee
Olson
Palazzo
Paul
Paulsen
Pearce
Pence
Peterson
Petri
Pitts
Platts
Poe (TX)
Pompeo
Posey
Price (GA)
Quayle
Reed
Rehberg
Reichert
Renacci
Ribble
Rigell
Rivera
Roby
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Rokita
Rooney
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross (FL)
Royce
Runyan
Ryan (WI)
Scalise
Schilling
Schmidt
Schock
Schweikert
Scott (SC)
Scott, Austin
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shimkus
Shuler
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Southerland
Stearns
Stivers
Stutzman
Sullivan
Terry
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Tiberi
Tipton
Turner
Upton
Walberg
Walden
Walsh (IL)
Webster
West
Westmoreland
Whitfield
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Wolf
Womack
Woodall
Yoder
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
Young (IN)
ANSWERED ``PRESENT''--2
DeFazio
Schrader
NOT VOTING--3
Giffords
Hanna
Hinojosa
Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore
The SPEAKER pro tempore (during the vote). One minute is remaining in
this vote.
{time} 1637
Ms. BROWN of Florida changed her vote from ``no'' to ``aye.''
So the motion to recommit was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Recorded Vote
Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. This will be a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 421,
noes 4, not voting 7, as follows:
[Roll No. 160]
AYES--421
Ackerman
Adams
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Altmire
Andrews
Austria
Baca
Bachmann
Bachus
Baldwin
Barletta
Barrow
Bartlett
Barton (TX)
Bass (CA)
Bass (NH)
Becerra
Benishek
Berkley
Berman
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Bishop (UT)
Black
Blackburn
Blumenauer
Bonner
Bono Mack
Boren
Boswell
Boustany
Brady (PA)
Brady (TX)
Braley (IA)
Brooks
Broun (GA)
Brown (FL)
Buchanan
Bucshon
Buerkle
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Butterfield
Calvert
Camp
Campbell
Canseco
Cantor
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carney
Carson (IN)
Carter
Cassidy
Castor (FL)
Chabot
Chaffetz
Chandler
Chu
Cicilline
Clarke (MI)
[[Page H1494]]
Clarke (NY)
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Coble
Coffman (CO)
Cohen
Cole
Conaway
Connolly (VA)
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Courtney
Cravaack
Crawford
Crenshaw
Critz
Crowley
Cuellar
Culberson
Cummings
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
Davis (KY)
DeFazio
DeGette
DeLauro
Denham
Dent
DesJarlais
Deutch
Diaz-Balart
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Dold
Donnelly (IN)
Doyle
Dreier
Duffy
Duncan (SC)
Duncan (TN)
Edwards
Ellison
Ellmers
Emerson
Engel
Eshoo
Farenthold
Farr
Fattah
Filner
Fincher
Fitzpatrick
Fleischmann
Fleming
Flores
Forbes
Fortenberry
Foxx
Frank (MA)
Franks (AZ)
Fudge
Gallegly
Garamendi
Gardner
Garrett
Gerlach
Gibbs
Gibson
Gingrey (GA)
Gohmert
Gonzalez
Goodlatte
Gosar
Gowdy
Granger
Graves (GA)
Graves (MO)
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Griffin (AR)
Griffith (VA)
Grijalva
Grimm
Guinta
Guthrie
Gutierrez
Hall
Hanabusa
Harper
Harris
Hartzler
Hastings (FL)
Hastings (WA)
Hayworth
Heck
Heinrich
Heller
Hensarling
Herger
Herrera Beutler
Higgins
Himes
Hinchey
Hirono
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hoyer
Huelskamp
Huizenga (MI)
Hultgren
Hunter
Hurt
Inslee
Israel
Issa
Jackson (IL)
Jackson Lee (TX)
Jenkins
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson, E. B.
Johnson, Sam
Jones
Jordan
Kaptur
Keating
Kelly
Kildee
Kind
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kinzinger (IL)
Kissell
Kline
Kucinich
Labrador
Lamborn
Lance
Landry
Langevin
Lankford
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latham
LaTourette
Latta
Lee (CA)
Levin
Lewis (CA)
Lewis (GA)
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Long
Lowey
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Lujan
Lummis
Lungren, Daniel E.
Lynch
Mack
Maloney
Manzullo
Marchant
Marino
Markey
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy (CA)
McCarthy (NY)
McCaul
McClintock
McCollum
McCotter
McDermott
McGovern
McHenry
McIntyre
McKeon
McKinley
McMorris Rodgers
McNerney
Meehan
Meeks
Mica
Michaud
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller (NC)
Miller, Gary
Miller, George
Moore
Moran
Mulvaney
Murphy (CT)
Murphy (PA)
Myrick
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Neugebauer
Noem
Nugent
Nunes
Nunnelee
Olson
Olver
Owens
Palazzo
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor (AZ)
Paulsen
Payne
Pearce
Pelosi
Pence
Perlmutter
Peters
Peterson
Petri
Pingree (ME)
Pitts
Platts
Poe (TX)
Pompeo
Posey
Price (GA)
Price (NC)
Quayle
Quigley
Rahall
Rangel
Reed
Rehberg
Reichert
Renacci
Reyes
Ribble
Richardson
Richmond
Rigell
Rivera
Roby
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Rokita
Rooney
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross (AR)
Ross (FL)
Rothman (NJ)
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Runyan
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Ryan (WI)
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Scalise
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schilling
Schmidt
Schock
Schrader
Schwartz
Schweikert
Scott (SC)
Scott (VA)
Scott, Austin
Scott, David
Sensenbrenner
Serrano
Sessions
Sewell
Sherman
Shimkus
Shuler
Shuster
Simpson
Sires
Slaughter
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Southerland
Speier
Stark
Stivers
Stutzman
Sullivan
Sutton
Terry
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Tiberi
Tierney
Tipton
Tonko
Towns
Tsongas
Turner
Upton
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walberg
Walden
Walsh (IL)
Walz (MN)
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watt
Waxman
Webster
Weiner
Welch
West
Westmoreland
Wilson (FL)
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Wolf
Womack
Woodall
Woolsey
Wu
Yarmuth
Yoder
Young (AK)
Young (FL)
Young (IN)
NOES--4
Amash
Flake
Polis
Stearns
NOT VOTING--7
Berg
Frelinghuysen
Giffords
Hanna
Hinojosa
Paul
Whitfield
Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore
The SPEAKER pro tempore (during the vote). One minute remains in this
vote.
{time} 1643
So the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Stated for:
Mr. BERG. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 160 I was inadvertently
detained.
Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''
____________________