[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 12, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E358]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RESPONSIBLY AND PROFESSIONALLY INVIGORATING DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2013

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                               speech of

                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 6, 2014

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2641) to 
     provide for improved coordination of agency actions in the 
     preparation and adoption of environmental documents for 
     permitting determinations, and for other purposes:

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2641, which 
would limit public input in the federal decision-making process and 
short-circuit responsible review of taxpayer-funded projects.
  This legislation would create a new, convoluted review process for 
certain projects, setting rigid, arbitrary deadlines for even the most 
complex and hazardous plans and deeming them approved if the deadlines 
are not met. It allows for clear conflict of interest by giving project 
sponsors the authority to do their own environmental review. Finally, 
it confuses the process and risks litigation by blurring lines between 
state and federal law, and agency and private sector authority.
  Complicating our public input process will not jumpstart construction 
projects. The only way to do that is by replenishing the Highway Trust 
Fund to repair our crumbling roads and bridges, and investing in the 
backlog of already-approved water resources projects that are on hold 
due to lack of funds. I urge my colleagues to support infrastructure 
investment and vote no on this bill.

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