[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Page 25145]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                    IN RECOGNITION OF DAVID M. LANEY

 Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Mr. 
David M. Laney, who soon will complete his term as a member of the 
Texas Transportation Commission. Governor George W. Bush appointed Mr. 
Laney to the commission in April 1995, designating him chairman and 
Commissioner of Transportation. In April 2000, he stepped down as 
Commissioner of Transportation, serving the remainder of his term as a 
member of the commission.
  During his term on the commission, Mr. Laney has been the champion of 
the state's efforts to increase the state's share of federal 
transportation dollars returning to Texas. As chairman, he was a 
partner to the Texas Congressional delegation's efforts to develop 
fairer highway funding formulas, promoting the efforts of a coalition 
of ``donor'' states to work with Congress toward achieving at least a 
90.5 percent return on payments into the Highway Trust Fund. As a 
result of our efforts, Texas received an increase of more than $700 
million annually in federal highway funds and David Laney deserves a 
great deal of the credit.
  In addition, he promoted increased federal funding for the nation's 
general aviation and reliever airports, which Congress provided in the 
Aviation Investment Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR 21). Finally, 
Mr. Laney has been a strong advocate for the state's small urban and 
rural transit systems, working with Congress to provide much needed 
discretionary funding to address the vehicle replacement needs of these 
vital transportation systems, the most extensive in the nation. With 
these additional funds for Texas transportation programs, the 
commission will be better able to meet the tremendous transportation 
demands of the growing regional and international trade traffic in 
Texas.
  With a look to the future, as Commissioner of Transportation Mr. 
Laney led the Texas Department of Transportation in its efforts to 
obtain the flexible financing tools it needs to help address 
transportation needs in Texas. He was successful in working with the 
Texas Legislature to create the Texas Turnpike Authority Division of 
the department, which provides toll-funding options for the state's 
major transportation projects. With his strong support and 
encouragement, the division has applied for and expects to receive an 
$800 million loan under the federal Transportation Infrastructure 
Finance and Innovation Act for a major Central Texas turnpike project. 
Under Mr. Laney's leadership, the commission has used the Texas State 
Infrastructure Bank, authorized under the National Highway System 
Designation Act of 1995, to provide needed assistance to localities to 
help move forward important transportation projects.
  Mr. Laney also initiated a major Texas border strategy to address the 
demands of international trade traffic.
  Throughout his tenure on the commission, Mr. Laney has provided 
strong and confident leadership to the Texas Department of 
Transportation, promoting the development of a first-class Texas 
transportation system. His legacy is a transportation agency with a 
menu of solid financial and operational tools providing a safe, 
effective, and environmentally-sensitive transportation system for the 
people of Texas and the nation. His dedication to transportation and 
his strong leadership on the commission will be missed.
  Mr. President, I know my fellow Texans join me in this expression of 
appreciation to David Laney for his exemplary leadership on the Texas 
Transportation Commission.

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