[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 122 (Thursday, July 31, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S5234]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. BOOKER:
  S. 2761. A bill to amend title 23, United States Code, to permit the 
consolidation of metropolitan planning organizations, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. BOOKER. Mr. President, I rise to talk about our Nation's 
infrastructure and how Congress needs a long-term transportation bill 
that empowers local and regional planning authorities.
  Infrastructure drives our economy. New Jersey alone has more than 
38,000 miles of public roads, and nearly 1,000 miles of rail freight 
lines, connecting every corner of my State to consumers and networks 
throughout the region.
  This means jobs. It means quality of life. It means investment in our 
communities and moving us forward.
  Currently, just 8 percent of our Federal highway dollars are 
controlled by regional and local interests.
  In order to increase the role of local communities in our 
transportation policy decisions, I introduced today The Local 
Empowerment Act, which would reward high-performing Metropolitan 
Planning Organizations, MPO's, with additional, directly-allocated 
funds.
  MPO's that coordinate well with other MPOs in the region, consider 
performance goals as part of their planning, have equitable approaches 
to decision making, and demonstrate high technical capacity would be 
rewarded with additional resources to support their local priorities.
  Consider the fact that \3/4\ of GDP is generated from within metro 
areas, 65 percent of the population resides in metro areas, and 95 
percent of all public transportation passenger miles traveled take 
place in metro areas.
  As the mayor of Newark, NJ, I learned through first-hand experience 
how important it is that the federal government partner with local 
communities to make substantial, long-term investments in our 
transportation infrastructure.
  Federal transportation policy must provide local and regional 
stakeholders with resources and decision-making power, and take into 
account how local communities are being impacted by congestion, air 
pollution and our broader investment decisions.
  At all levels of government, there is a dire need for additional, 
creative policy options that will rind more projects, create more jobs, 
and rehabilitate and rebuild our crumbling infrastructure.
  I would like to highlight the leadership of Anthony Foxx, Secretary 
of Transportation, for proposing a program along the lines of this 
legislation.
  Secretary Foxx, like me a former mayor, understands how important it 
is that Federal programs empower local entities and I urge my 
colleagues to join in supporting this legislation.

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