[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 129 (Tuesday, July 30, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5172-S5173]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



              America's Transportation Infrastructure Act

  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, yesterday I joined the fellow leaders of 
the Environment and Public Works Committee to introduce America's 
Transportation Infrastructure Act, a 5-year reauthorization bill that 
would deliver resources to repair and maintain critical surface 
transportation infrastructure.
  Today the committee approved our comprehensive legislation with a 
strong bipartisan vote of 21 to 0 this morning.
  As the chair of the EPW's Transportation and Infrastructure 
Subcommittee, I am incredibly proud of this legislation, which is the 
result of months of serious negotiations with the full committee 
chairman, Senator Barrasso, and Ranking Member Carper, my subcommittee, 
and my ranking member, Senator Cardin of Maryland.
  It was not always easy, but I think we have produced a bill that 
achieves our priorities and secures needed investments in our Nation's 
infrastructure. First and foremost, the bill provides additional 
funding for highway investment. How many times do we hear: We don't 
have enough money to complete this. We can't get it done.
  This also maintains the States' shares through formula dollars. That 
means a rising tide lifts all boats, whether a State is urban or rural, 
like my home State of West Virginia.
  The majority of these funds--90 percent--are distributed by the 
formula to the States, providing maximum flexibility to our State 
programs, and with a full 5-year reauthorization, State DOTs will have 
the certainty they need to plan their investments without fear of 
lapses in their contracting authority. After all, it is the States, not 
the bureaucrats in Washington, that know their communities' needs the 
best.
  Our legislation would get rid of some of the obstacles the States 
face as they work to start and finalize infrastructure plans. They take 
forever, and they cost so much. The bill incorporates the Trump 
administration's focus on One Federal Decision. Under that policy, the 
U.S. Department of Transportation is in charge of leading the 
regulatory review process--One Federal Decision--and it would 
consolidate the review of other Federal agencies like the EPA, the 
Corps of Engineers, and others who weigh in on these projects. That 
means the States will not end up in a regulatory purgatory, going back 
and forth from agency to agency seeking endless approvals.
  DOT would also maintain a Federal dashboard system so the States can 
see where they stand in the process.
  America's Transportation Infrastructure Act directs the Department of 
Transportation to work to complete its review process within 2 years 
and to push other agencies to expedite their regulatory reviews. 
Everything drags on so much, and it makes it so long and expensive. 
This would push our agencies to expedite their regulatory reviews under 
its own categorical exclusions. That is a fancy term for when the 
Department doesn't think a full, costly, and time-consuming permitting 
process is necessary for a straightforward infrastructure project such 
as replacing a bridge from right where it is and putting a new bridge 
right where it is. It takes forever. So we would eliminate that.
  We also worked in a bipartisan way to promote natural infrastructure 
that will help reduce costs and timelines, diminish environmental 
impacts, and improve the resiliency of our infrastructure to natural 
disasters such as floods that are so common in my part of the country.
  West Virginia has the unfortunate title of being in the top five 
States of structurally deficient bridges. That is why I am very proud 
that America's Transportation and Infrastructure Act includes language 
I cosponsored with Senator Brown implementing the new Bridge Investment 
Program.
  This program will infuse $6 billion over 5 years in additional 
funding to fix bridges in poor condition--dedicated funding that is 
essential to addressing this problem.
  When faced with the decision on using scarce taxpayer dollars on a 
new highway expansion or improving bridge safety, too often--it is too 
tempting--States opt for the appeal of a ribbon-cutting on a new 
stretch of highway. Now, hopefully, they won't have to make that choice 
and we can reduce both congestion and the odds of a bridge failure--
something that not only threatens our lives but also cuts off a 
community while they wait for a costly replacement.
  The climate and resilience portion of America's Transportation 
Infrastructure Act will reduce emissions from the transportation sector 
and ensure that the taxpayers are not repeatedly replacing 
infrastructure affected by natural disasters.
  This portion of the bill also includes important bipartisan 
legislation that I cosponsored. The first is called the USE IT Act. 
This would facilitate the deployment of carbon capture, utilization, 
and storage technologies by reducing regulatory obligations that the 
project stakeholders would face. It also includes the Diesel Emissions 
Reduction Act, which will provide funding to States and communities to 
replace older, smog-producing vehicles--like obsolete schoolbuses--with 
modern vehicles that use diesel, propane, natural gas, and electricity.
  Most importantly for West Virginia and for broader Appalachia, this 
legislation includes several provisions, which I wrote, to accelerate 
the completion of the Appalachian Development Highway System and 
reauthorize the economic development activities of the Appalachian 
Regional Commission. The commission was first authorized in 1965. The 
Appalachian Development Highway System was designed to better integrate 
our region with the Midwest, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and South. For an 
economically-distressed area with communities that are relatively 
isolated, this infrastructure network is vital. It is vital for 
attracting investment, creating new economic opportunities, and 
improving quality of life.
  The Appalachian Regional Commission has found that the highway system 
has already created and supported more than 168,000 jobs and generated 
$7.8 billion in wage income that otherwise would not have existed. 
Those wages, in turn, drive local and Federal

[[Page S5173]]

tax bases. Completing this system would generate an additional $8.7 
billion in annual economic activity. It would support another 46,000 
jobs and lead to an additional $2.7 billion in worker income. These are 
very significant numbers. I can't really overstate the impact this 
additional economic activity would have in our region.
  Unfortunately, the Appalachian Development Highway System is only 90 
percent complete. The remaining 10 percent generally represents the 
most challenging mountain terrain, and that means these are the 
costliest and most environmentally complicated miles to complete. We 
have to get this done.
  The highway system was started almost 55 years ago. America is better 
than letting an infrastructure priority just sit around for more than 
half a century with no end in sight due to lack of funding or 
regulatory uncertainty. This was also a promise made to the people of 
Appalachia.
  The Appalachian Development Highway System completion was identified 
as being in our national interest in the last two highway bills. But it 
is America's Transportation Infrastructure Act that will actually 
provide a mechanism to move us toward the finish line.
  Beyond the regulatory reforms I just spoke about, my language allows 
States that for whatever reason have accrued significant Appalachian 
Development Highway System balances to exchange those dollars with 
States like West Virginia that are still working to complete projects, 
like our Corridor H. But we lack the resources to engineer and 
construct these challenging remaining miles. In return, those States 
that turn their dollars back in to the Appalachian Development Highway 
System will receive dollars that they could use for any project in 
their State that would otherwise be eligible as a Federal highway 
project. That means that States can respond to the changing 
transportation needs in their particular area. They use excess dollars 
from an undersubscribed Federal loan program, which has historically 
not contributed to infrastructure investment in rural America.
  This would be a win for all States involved. Those needing additional 
funding will be able to continue to advance the Appalachian Development 
Highway System, and States that have needed to shift their focus--say 
on growing urban transportation needs--will have the added flexibility 
to be able to do that.
  I appreciate my fellow Appalachian Development Highway System State 
committee colleagues for working with me to include this provision, as 
well as Leader McConnell's support on this section of the bill and our 
counterpart legislation, the Advancing Infrastructure Development in 
Appalachia Act.
  The committee also included language that I wrote and worked with 
those individuals on to reauthorize the Appalachian Regional 
Commission--a key economic development agency--at $180 million a year. 
My provision also doubles to $20 million the funding available for 
something that I care deeply about, and that is broadband deployment in 
Appalachia, which is a critical tool for connecting our communities and 
making and keeping our region more competitive.
  I thank Leader McConnell and Ranking Member Cardin and Senator Wicker 
for their support of this language and the stand-alone ARC 
authorization bill.
  Leader McConnell also joined me in authorizing the ARC to provide up 
to $5 million in grants to support the development of a central 
Appalachian natural gas liquids storage hub, along with the associated 
downstream manufacturing sector for it. This infrastructure project 
would be huge for the economies of West Virginia, Kentucky, 
Pennsylvania, and Ohio. In fact, the American Chemistry Council 
estimates that this regional market and downstream manufacturing would 
generate $36 billion in capital investment and more than 100,000 jobs. 
It would also help keep a much larger share of the economic value and 
employment opportunity in our States where the resources are, compared 
to just producing and then exporting the gas and associated natural gas 
liquids to other parts of the country or abroad.
  Secretary Perry and the Department of Energy have also endorsed the 
concept of this project, as well as the significant economic and energy 
security dividends that it would pay for Appalachia and the entire 
United States.
  This is somewhat of a modest investment given the significant private 
sector capital needed to build this out, but it is essential that the 
Federal Government send clear messages to potential investors that it 
supports this driver of economic growth in an area that would greatly 
benefit.

  This legislation gives the ARC the power to lead the way.
  Investment in our country's infrastructure is vital to the many 
aspects of our American life, from keeping us competitive in the global 
economy and keeping our drivers safe--there are a lot of safety aspects 
in this bill--to reducing irritating congestion and minimizing impacts 
to the economy.
  America's Transportation Infrastructure Act delivers on all these 
fronts and ensures that rural America will benefit equally from these 
investments. Not only will our legislation help rebuild and repair our 
infrastructure system, but it will also help us create new 
infrastructure opportunities for generations to come.
  I appreciate my colleagues' collaboration. My colleague from Rhode 
Island is on the floor. He was on the committee this morning when we 
both voted in favor of this legislation. It is a bipartisan bill 
working to make sure that this country sees a 5-year highway 
reauthorization and all the benefits it would provide.
  I think all my Senate colleagues will find a lot to like in this 
legislation. I am hoping we get it on the floor in the fall. I 
encourage their support when it comes time for a vote.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. McSally). The Senator from Rhode Island.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Madam President, I thank the distinguished Senator 
from West Virginia for her work on the highway bill that we voted out 
of the Environment and Public Works Committee today and on our 
industrial emissions bill and on carbon capture. It has been a terrific 
working relationship.