[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 130 (Wednesday, July 31, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5211-S5212]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



           Transportation Infrastructure Reauthorization Act

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, an unusual event occurred yesterday in the 
Environment and Public Works Committee--a major bill reauthorizing 
America's transportation infrastructure for 5 years passed the 
committee by a 21-to-0 vote. That is the way we should be able to 
operate on a subject that I think enjoys universal support in the 
Senate; that is, making sure the Federal partnership for infrastructure 
is not only reauthorized but also increased because we know the 
infrastructure needs of this country have only gotten more challenging.
  I want to start by complimenting the leadership of the Environment 
and Public Works Committee. Chairman Barrasso and Ranking Member Carper 
worked very closely together on this bill, including the input of all 
members of the committee as well as Members of the Senate.
  The Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, chaired by 
Senator Capito, and I am the ranking Democrat on the committee, also 
worked very well in developing this Transportation Infrastructure 
Reauthorization Act.
  As I pointed out originally, the needs are urgent, and the leadership 
of the committee recognized that. In every one of our States, we know 
the unmet needs of infrastructure, maintaining our existing 
infrastructure, and replacing our bridges that are falling down, 
dealing with our transit systems, dealing with the needs to deal with 
congestion.
  We know there are so many issues out there, and it is important for 
us to give a clear signal that we intend to have a long-term 
reauthorization, 5 years, so there is predictability, so our States and 
local governments know that these projects that require longer term 
planning will have a Federal partner that is available and reliable.
  It also increases the funding, the first year by 10 percent and 
increases it by certain percentages thereafter, recognizing we need to 
do more. There are several new initiatives building on existing 
programs that I think are worthy of mentioning.
  Let me just go over a few of the real highlights of this 
infrastructure bill. First, it has a climate change title. This is the 
first time we have done this--a separate title to deal with the 
realities of climate change.
  I need only remind my colleagues of what happened this month in 
Maryland when we had 4 inches of rain that flooded Maryland roads. We 
have to deal with the realities. We have to deal with resiliency and 
adaptation in regard to what is happening with climate change. This 
title deals with that.
  Transportation is the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions. We 
need infrastructure that deals with the realities of reducing carbon 
emissions. This title provides for financial help for building an 
infrastructure for electric and alternative fuel vehicles. That is a 
reality of consumer desire as well as dealing with the realities of 
climate change.
  We give local discretion for funds to initiate emission reduction 
strategies. That could include simple things like providing 
alternatives for the use of our cars for people who want to walk and 
bike rather than having to get into their cars. It is a major 
commitment for which we are going to provide resources, in partnership 
with local governments, to deal with the realities of our 
responsibility in the transportation sector to reduce carbon emissions.
  We also deal with the realities of congestion. I can tell the 
Presiding Officer, as I told my colleagues on the Environment and 
Public Works Committee, that I face it every day twice a day. I commute 
from Baltimore here to work and have to deal with the realities of 
congestion.
  It has been estimated that the delays caused by congestion and the 
excessive fuels that are used by congestion cost our economy over $300 
billion every year. So there is not only a quality-of-life issue 
involved in our taking on congestion, there is also an economic reason 
to take on the issues of congestion.
  Of course, it is also linked to our commitment to deal with the 
climate change issues by reducing unnecessary fuel consumption, which 
adds to carbon emissions.
  The legislation provides funding for new initiatives so that we can 
get solutions to deal with the problems of congestion, the multimobile 
solutions that are available in many communities. We work and allow the 
locals to give us ideas and help fund those to reduce congestion.
  As I mentioned earlier, we have a real challenge on dealing with our 
bridges. Many of our bridges are in need of replacement. Many are in 
need of desperate repair. I can mention many in Maryland. In the 
southern part of our State, we have the Nice Bridge and the Johnson 
Bridge, both in need of replacement or repair. This legislation 
provides additional resources to deal with bridges in our country.
  There are certain highways that have been built that no longer really 
serve the function--or may never serve the function--of moving people 
from one area to another but instead are dividing communities. So the 
legislation

[[Page S5212]]

has a unique section that allows us to identify those types of highways 
that are no longer needed and that are dividing and isolating 
communities so we can get those highways removed.
  I am proud that this legislation builds on the Transportation 
Alternative Program that I helped author on the reauthorization bill 
with my partner Senator Wicker. I thank him for his help. It allows for 
much more local discretion on how transportation funds are spent. It 
allows local communities to have a source of Federal support to deal 
with local safety issues, for developing trails for pedestrian and bike 
paths so that the quality of life and safety of the local community are 
taken into consideration on the use of Federal highway funds.
  It provides flexibility to local government. In the first year, we 
provide $1.2 billion for transportation alternative programs with a 
steady growth in the ensuing 4 years.
  I also want to acknowledge the section in the bill that deals with 
freight traffic. It is a growing field. We expect it to continue to 
grow. There are funds that are provided in here to deal with the 
realities of moving freight through our highway surface transportation 
system.
  In that regard, I was pleased that this past week we were able to 
announce an INFRA grant for Maryland of $125 million for the Howard 
Street Tunnel. This is a tunnel that is 120 years old and runs through 
Baltimore. The replacement of this tunnel will allow for double 
stacking of rail freight, which is what you need to do today if you are 
going to have efficiency and be economically competitive. This grant 
will help us replace that tunnel and help create more jobs in 
Baltimore, in Maryland, and in our entire region of the country and 
will provide for more efficiencies on truck traffic.
  I say that because, today, because of the inefficiencies of rail, we 
have trucks that are stacked up in the Port of Baltimore, which is 
inefficient for the truck operators and, again, adds to the climate 
problems of excessive use of fuels.
  There is a section in here that deals with safety, as we should. In 
2017, 37,000 people died in our transportation areas. We need to 
improve that. There are some important provisions in this legislation 
that deal with safety issues.
  The bill also deals with reauthorizing the Appalachian Regional 
Commission. I particularly thank Senator Capito for her leadership on 
this issue. Reauthorization is important for the entire region, 
including the western part of the State of Maryland.
  This is the first step--and I hope a successful step--for the 
completion of the reauthorization of surface transportation by this 
Congress before the end of this year. I hope we can get it moving. I 
hope we can get it enacted, certainly, in time, so there is no lapse in 
Federal partnerships dealing with transportation.
  I know we have other committees that need to act on a comprehensive 
transportation bill. Many of us serve on those other committees. If we 
follow the example of the Environment and Public Works Committee--21 to 
0--if we listen to each other, if we do that, we can succeed in passing 
a strong reauthorization of surface transportation that will help 
modernize America's transportation needs, which will be good for our 
economy, good for our environment, and good for the quality of life of 
all Americans.
  I urge my colleagues to follow that example, and let's get this work 
done.
  With that, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Democratic whip.