[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 104 (Thursday, July 12, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1239-E1240]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES 
                        APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2013

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 29, 2012

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 5972) making 
     appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and 
     Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the 
     fiscal year ending September 30, 2013, and for other 
     purposes:

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Chair, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 5972, the 
Transportation,

[[Page E1240]]

Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2013. 
This legislation underfunds needed investments in America's 
transportation system and seriously undercuts needed public housing 
programs, a vital part of our country's safety net.
  The House Republican's ``highways only'' mentality is revealed in 
H.R. 5972, which significantly cuts funding for transit and, once 
again, eliminates all funding for high speed rail. Communities in the 
East Metro are working hard to advance new transit corridors in our 
region including Gateway, Robert Street, Rush Line, Riverview and Red 
Rock. The Republicans' proposed cuts to federal matching-funds would 
stop most of these projects in their tracks, resulting in the loss of 
thousands of construction jobs and billions of dollars in new economic 
development. Eliminating high-speed rail funding risks losing a new 
high speed link between Chicago and the Twin Cities at St. Paul's Union 
Depot.
  In addition, I am concerned with the House Republicans' refusal to 
fund the TIGER Discretionary Grant program. This program helps states 
and local governments construct major infrastructure projects. It is 
hugely popular across the country and has helped to transform 
communities since it was first established in the 2009 Recovery Act. A 
$35 million TIGER grant is helping restore the historic Union Depot in 
Lowertown St. Paul into a modern, multi-modal transportation hub. This 
project alone has created 3,000 jobs and opens to the public this fall. 
In addition, the City of St. Paul received a TIGER planning grant to 
better integrate biking and walking into the local transportation 
system. Last year, Minneapolis received a $10 million TIGER grant to 
construct the new Interchange station near Target Field. The TIGER 
program is vitally important to modernizing our region's 
infrastructure. That is why I offered an amendment to H.R. 5972 with 
Congresswoman Maxine Waters of California to restore the TIGER program 
to the bill. Unfortunately, my Republican colleagues rejected this $500 
million investment in American infrastructure and jobs. Overall, the 
transportation provisions of this bill ignore the needs of the 
communities I represent. H.R. 5972 would cost my community thousands of 
jobs and reverse years of work by business, government and citizen-
leaders in my District to build new and needed infrastructure.
  H.R. 5972 also seriously underfunds critical housing programs that 
provide shelter for our country's most vulnerable, including low-income 
families, seniors and the disabled. The inadequate funding in this bill 
for Project Based Section 8 vouchers could jeopardize housing for 3,000 
families in my District. The cuts to McKinney-Vento Homelessness Grants 
would eliminate beds for homeless individuals and families in 
Minnesota. These cuts have real, human costs. Fewer people will find a 
warm, safe place to sleep. Fewer people will be able to overcome the 
most difficult times in their lives and get back on their feet. In my 
district there is a young man, a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, who 
is struggling with profound PTSD and now facing homelessness. The 
instability of homelessness makes it much harder for him to get the 
treatment he needs and begin the process of recovery. This young man 
pledged his life to his country when we needed him. Now, he needs us.
  This bill does not represent my priorities or the priorities of the 
Minnesotans I am proud to represent.
  I urge my colleagues to oppose H.R. 5972.

                          ____________________