[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 67 (Tuesday, May 5, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2612-S2613]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HIGHWAY TRUST FUND AND FISA

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, on another matter, the Senate has a lot to 
do before the recess for Memorial Day. We need to finish the Corker-
Cardin Iran legislation. We need to wrap up work on the budget 
resolution. But in addition to those two important pieces of 
legislation, there are other pressing needs. Surface transportation 
expires while we are on recess.
  The highway trust fund runs out of money, and the authorization for 
the Federal highway program expires later this month. There are 63,500 
bridges that are structurally deficient, and more than 50 percent of 
our roads are in disrepair. That is according to the Federal Highway 
Administration. Without reliable funding, our highways and bridges will 
only get worse, and that is an understatement.
  Six States already are delaying or canceling important transportation 
projects because of questions over future funding--Arkansas, Delaware, 
Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Wyoming.
  The ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, the senior Senator 
from Vermont, said today that in Vermont--this tiny State, area-wise 
and population-wise, with about 600,000 people in it--their 
construction timeframe is very, very narrow. They can't do construction 
during most of the year. They need to plan way ahead of time, and they 
can't do that if there is nothing to plan. States need certainty from 
Washington that they will receive their highway dollars before 
construction leaders put shovels in the ground.
  Nevada needs that certainty. Tourism in Nevada welcomes over 50 
million visitors annually, resulting in 17 billion miles traveled over 
our roads and highways. Nevada has $47.3 billion in statewide 
transportation needs. That is just one State.
  We must ensure our Nation's highway system has the necessary funds to 
address the pressing needs, and they are not there. Transportation 
would be the first easy place to find agreement in Congress, and it is 
hard to comprehend, but the Republican majority in the Senate has not 
held a single hearing on this most important piece of legislation--not 
a single hearing, nothing.

  We want to work with Republicans to address our Nation's crumbling 
infrastructure. We understand the importance of transportation 
investment for working families across the country. Yet, stunningly, 
Republicans have effectively put our Nation's transportation system on 
the back burner. Hearing the Republican leader's statement this 
morning, I guess that is going to continue. Procrastination is 
dangerous to American drivers and hurtful to our economy. The U.S. 
highway system is central to our Nation's economic competitiveness. It 
is how we move goods and services. It is central to American families 
who use our roads and bridges each day to go to work and take their 
child to school. Congress should do more to support these working 
families and businesses.
  For every $1 billion we spend on infrastructure projects, we create 
47,500 jobs. Without strong Federal infrastructure funding, the 
American Society of Civil Engineers predicts that our country could 
lose $1 trillion in sales. That is almost 3.5 million jobs. Putting 
critical transportation investments on the back burner is not an 
effective way to govern, and I would hope we can have something done on 
highways before we go home for our recess. How can we be home in good 
conscience and say we tried but couldn't get it done?

[[Page S2613]]

  We also have to reform and reauthorize FISA, the Foreign Intelligence 
Surveillance Act. It is one thing that has kept us safe. The FISA 
provisions were expanded in the PATRIOT Act and they expire June 1. 
Senators Leahy and Lee, a bipartisan team of Senators, have introduced 
a bill that would reform these important provisions so they strike the 
right balance between protecting our Nation's security and preserving 
America's civil liberties. An identical bill was reported out of the 
House Judiciary Committee with a strong bipartisan vote of 25 to 2. The 
House is out this week, but I hope they take it up next week. I am told 
they are going to. This is an issue that warrants our full debate and 
deserves the Senate's attention before we leave. We have a lot to do 
and not much time. I hope Senate Republicans will help us move these 
important pieces of legislation without allowing either one to lapse. 
That is going out of business.

                          ____________________