[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 157 (Wednesday, September 28, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H8159-H8160]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 AMENDING THE DELAWARE WATER GAP NATIONAL RECREATION AREA IMPROVEMENT 
ACT TO EXTEND THE EXCEPTION TO THE CLOSURE OF CERTAIN ROADS WITHIN THE 
      RECREATION AREA FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

  Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 6364) to amend the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area 
Improvement Act to extend the exception to the closure of certain roads 
within the Recreation Area for local businesses, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6364

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. USE OF CERTAIN ROADS WITHIN THE DELAWARE WATER GAP 
                   NATIONAL RECREATION AREA.

       Section 4(b) of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation 
     Area Improvement Act (Public Law 109-156; 119 Stat. 2948) is 
     amended in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
     ``Until'' and all that follows through ``subsection (a)'' and 
     inserting ``Until September 30, 2026, subsection (a)''.

     SEC. 2. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

       The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
     complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall 
     be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 
     ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, 
     submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 
     Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such 
     statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Michigan (Ms. Tlaib) and the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Fulcher) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Michigan.


                             General Leave

  Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may

[[Page H8160]]

have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include additional material on the measure under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6364 introduced 
by my colleague, Representative Matt Cartwright. This bill will amend 
the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Improvement Act to 
extend the use of Highway 209 within the recreation area until 2026.
  Mr. Speaker, in 1981, the section of Highway 209 that runs through 
the recreation area was transferred from the State to the National Park 
Service.
  In 1983, Congress enacted a provision of law that closed that section 
of Highway 209 to commercial traffic, with an important exception for 
vehicles serving businesses located in or adjacent to the recreation 
area. Since then, the United States Congress has extended the exemption 
multiple times, with the latest exemption set to expire on September 30 
of this year.
  Mr. Speaker, without this exemption, commercial vehicles have limited 
acceptable alternatives. Commercial traffic would have to travel a 
minimum of 10 extra miles to avoid the recreation area.
  This permitted access contributes to economic vitality that impacts 
that community, the public safety, and the quality of life of the 
park's adjacent communities.
  I, again, thank my good colleague, Representative Cartwright, for 
introducing this important legislation and championing this bill on 
behalf of his constituents.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FULCHER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 6364 would extend the use of U.S. Route 209, a 
Federally owned road within the boundaries of the Delaware Water Gap 
National Recreation Area for commercial vehicles in 2026.
  While I support this bill today due to the public safety issues 
involved, I would note that the bill was brought to the House floor 
prior to the committee requesting technical assistance from the 
National Park Service.
  At legislative hearing on this bill, the National Park Service 
requested the opportunity to work with the committee on a technical 
edit to the public law referenced in the bill. Instead of waiting for 
administrative feedback, the bill was rushed to the floor, and as a 
result, may fail to achieve its goal of actually enhancing public 
safety.
  Legislation placed on the suspension calendar should be thoroughly 
vetted to ensure it will execute correctly and achieve desired 
outcomes. I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to work 
with us to ensure that legislation considered on the floor is fully 
vetted in the future.
  Mr. Speaker, that said, I support this bill, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright), the main sponsor of the 
bill.
  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Michigan 
for the opportunity to speak about this important bill, H.R. 6364, 
which would extend the use of Federally owned portions of Highway 209 
by certain commercial vehicles serving northeastern Pennsylvania small 
businesses.
  The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area stretches across 
Pennsylvania and New Jersey, preserving 70,000 acres of land on both 
sides of the Delaware River.
  Highway 209, which runs through Pennsylvania northwards into New 
York, cuts directly through the middle of this national recreation 
area. Up until the 1980s, there was heavy truck traffic all along Route 
209, a heavily trafficked truck route.
  In 1981, the National Park Service received jurisdiction over the 
section of Route 209 within that national recreation area. Then 2 years 
later, the 1983 Supplemental Appropriations Act closed this Federally 
owned segment of Highway 209 to all commercial traffic, with one 
exception: for light commercial vehicles serving businesses or people 
located in, or along, the boundaries of the national recreation area.
  Since then, this limited exemption for commercial vehicles has been 
reauthorized by Congress multiple times on a bipartisan basis. In fact, 
former Pennsylvania Republican Representative Tom Marino and I co-led 
this same bill in 2018, this commercial vehicle exemption, that passed 
this body by voice vote and was signed into law by former President 
Trump. When that exemption expired last year, Congress included a short 
1-year extension in the FY22 omnibus bill.
  Mr. Speaker, that exemption expires the day after tomorrow, September 
30. If Congress fails to renew the exemption, commercial traffic in 
northeastern Pennsylvania will be faced with limited acceptable 
alternatives. Commercial vehicles based in places like Monroe and Pike 
counties, in my district, would have to travel, as the gentlewoman 
mentioned, an extra 10 miles to avoid the Delaware Water Gap National 
Recreation Area, and small businesses locally would be hurt needlessly.
  Mr. Speaker, that is why I have introduced H.R. 6364, which would 
simply extend the existing commercial vehicle exemption until September 
30, 2026.
  With this extension, qualifying commercial vehicles will be allowed 
to continue using the Federally owned portion of Route 209, with an 
annual permit.
  My bill would also ensure that emergency vehicles and school buses 
could continue utilizing sections of Highway 209 within the boundaries 
of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, toll-free.

  This is a commonsense bipartisan piece of legislation that is not 
only supported by the National Park Service and local officials but is 
also broadly supported here in the House, having passed unanimously out 
of the House Committee on Natural Resources in July.
  Mr. Speaker, I will say, despite what my friend across the aisle has 
said, the National Park Service has confirmed that the exemption 
authorized under this bill poses no safety concerns.
  On behalf of the entire Commonwealth, I thank Pennsylvania Republican 
Representatives Meuser and Fitzpatrick for cosponsoring this bill, as 
well as Senators Toomey and Casey, who are championing this very same 
measure in the Senate.
  This legislation would go a long way toward protecting northeastern 
Pennsylvania small businesses and our regional economy, and so it is 
gratifying to see that we have bipartisan support for it again.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote 
for the bill.
  Mr. FULCHER. Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Tlaib) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 6364, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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