[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 24561]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



   CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 2299, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND 
               RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2002

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. KEVIN BRADY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, November 30, 2001

  Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, last week, the House passed the 
conference report on H.R. 2299, Department of Transportation and 
Related Agencies Appropriations for FY 2002. I was pleased to support 
this legislation and would like to thank the committee for including 
language which benefits my constituents in the 8th Congressional 
District of Texas.
  First, the committee was kind enough to include report language that 
encourages the Federal Highway Administration to collaborate with the 
Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) at Texas A&M University on their 
Work Zone Safety proposal. TTI is dedicated to a program of research 
intended to enhance the overall safety associated with roadways and, at 
the same time, finding approaches for more efficiently handling the 
traffic demands.
  One important example of TTI's efforts to improve the safety of our 
roadways is through the National Work Zone Safety Information 
Clearinghouse. The only one of its kind in the United States, the 
Clearinghouse provides information and referrals to government 
agencies, public and private organizations, and the general public 
concerning the safe and effective operation of traffic work zones.
  Work zones have always been dangerous places for construction workers 
and travelers. With more and more highway construction and maintenance 
under way, most of the time traffic cannot be shut down while work is 
being done. Highway workers must often perform their jobs with traffic 
just a few feet away. Unfortunately, this has resulted in more than 
20,000 accidents in highway work zones, injuring some 5,000 people and 
killing 700 more. In my home state of Texas alone, 125 people were 
killed in a construction or maintenance work zone in 1998.
  The National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse housed at TTI 
is a part of the solution. With a toll-free call, a fax or visit to the 
Clearinghouse's website, contractors, workers and safety officials now 
have access to a wide array of information and materials. The 
Clearinghouse collects, maintains and makes available information on 
work zone safety, crash statistics, construction standards, worker 
safety training, safety products and public awareness and law 
enforcement campaigns. Through these efforts we are seeing progress, 
but more work needs to be done to help make work zones safer and save 
more lives.
  The continued efforts of TTI and the Clearinghouse are critical to 
furthering work zone safety. It is my goal to see that important 
transportation research such as the work zone safety clearinghouse 
continues to receive the support it deserves.
  I would also like to speak today about a provision that represents a 
good example of community and university partnership in my district. 
The Conference Report provides funding to Brazos Transit to purchase 
new buses and then lease them on a multi-year agreement to Texas A&M 
University at a nominal yearly fee.
  These new buses will help meet the transportation needs of the 
community by providing students living in the community with safe, 
efficient and economical transportation to and from campus. This new 
partnership will benefit Brazos Transit, Texas A&M University and most 
importantly the students.

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