[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 137 (Thursday, September 15, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5638-S5639]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                  FEMA

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I want to spread on the record how much I 
appreciate the support of the Republicans in allowing us to be able to 
get on the FEMA bill. We are on that bill now. We have some amendments 
pending. If we are not able to work out an agreement on that today, we 
will have votes on a number of cloture issues relating to that most 
important legislation affecting millions of Americans who have been 
devastated by Mother Nature.
  I am disappointed, however, in one of our Republican colleagues who 
at this stage is holding up something that is so vitally necessary.
  The House sent us two pieces of legislation that passed 
overwhelmingly in the House, one that will keep 1.7 or 1.8 million 
people working on highway and other construction around the country 
dealing with highways. That is an extension of 6 months. They also sent 
to us a 4-month extension, fully funded, of the Federal Aviation 
Administration, also vitally important.
  Unless my friend, the junior Senator from Oklahoma, agrees to allow 
us to go forward, one Senator will stop 80,000 people from working. I 
hope he will reconsider. The issue he has presented is a little 
unusual. He says he doesn't like bike paths being part of the highway 
bill. Well, for most Americans they are absolutely important. They are 
good for purposes of allowing people to travel without burning all the 
fossil fuel on the highways.
  I got up this morning very early, and I went out and did my exercise. 
I am not exaggerating, there were scores, at least 30 or 40 bikes--so 
scores may be a slight exaggeration--of people not just for exercise 
but traveling to work with backpacks on. That is what bike paths are 
all about.
  We have told my friend the Senator from Oklahoma: If you don't like 
it, we will have a vote on it.
  He said: I don't want a vote.
  He said: Whatever I want, I want stuck in that bill.
  We can't do that. That isn't what the House sent us, and we can't do 
that.
  He said: Well, separate the two bills.
  We have the bills from the House of Representatives. That is the 
arrangement we have made, and it is a good arrangement to get these two 
vitally important pieces of legislation passed so that we can keep 
people--almost 2 million people--working.
  I am disappointed in that. I hope we can work something out during 
the day because it is really unfair for him to hold up this extremely 
important legislation.
  There is not a State in the Union that does not have problems with 
80,000 people laid off. In Nevada we have a new tower being built at 
McCarran Field. That is important. These people will have to stop 
working. That is wrong. One Senator? It is not fair to the Senate or to 
the country.
  Will the Chair announce the business of the day?

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