[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 14]
[House]
[Pages 19372-19374]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF SURFACE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE TO 
INTERSTATE AND INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE AND THE TRAVELING PUBLIC AND THE 
 CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE TRUCKING, RAIL, AND PASSENGER TRANSIT INDUSTRIES 
            TO THE ECONOMIC WELL BEING OF THE UNITED STATES

  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 567) recognizing the importance of surface 
transportation infrastructure to interstate and international commerce 
and the traveling public and the contributions of the trucking, rail, 
and passenger transit industries to the economic well being of the 
United States, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H. Res. 567

       Whereas prior to 1890, the United States lacked a holistic, 
     intermodal surface transportation system that linked rural 
     towns and farmland to urban areas and cities for the purposes 
     of travel and interstate commerce;
       Whereas the emergence of the automobile and truck after 
     1900 created a public demand and economic need for improved 
     roads, highways, and byways;
       Whereas the United States transportation construction 
     industry has built 3,900,000 miles of roadways, 200,000 miles 
     of freight and passenger railroad track, and 5,800 miles of 
     mass transit track with more than 2,300 stations;
       Whereas the construction of roads and highways requires the 
     skills of numerous occupations, including those in the 
     contracting, engineering, planning and design, materials 
     supply, manufacturing, distribution, and safety industries;
       Whereas by 2020 the number of registered vehicles in the 
     United States is expected to grow from 225,000,000 to about 
     275,000,000, requiring improvements to roads and highways;
       Whereas the industries which design, construct, and 
     maintain roads and highways generate $200,000,000,000 for the 
     economy annually and sustain about 2,200,000 jobs;
       Whereas the advent of the truck, and technological advances 
     expanding its cargo capacity, dramatically increased the 
     ability of the United States to transport goods more quickly 
     and efficiently;
       Whereas the trucking industry had $606,000,000,000 in gross 
     freight revenues, representing 87.5 percent of the Nation's 
     freight bill in 2000;
       Whereas intercity trucks logged 1,093,000,000 ton-miles in 
     1999, representing almost 30 percent of the total domestic 
     intercity ton-miles logged by all modes;
       Whereas commercial trucks consumed more than 44,000,000,000 
     gallons of fuel and paid $30,500,000,000 in Federal and State 
     highway-user taxes in 1999;
       Whereas by 2013 the total number of commercial trucks will 
     increase by a third, from 6,000,000 to 8,000,000;
       Whereas there were 3,090,000 truck drivers in 2000 and 
     9,900,000 employed throughout the United States economy in 
     jobs that relate to the trucking industry in 1999;
       Whereas trucks transported more than 83 percent of the 
     value of trade between the United States and Mexico and more 
     than 73 percent between the United States and Canada in 1999;
       Whereas prior to the development of a national system of 
     roads and highways for automobiles and trucks, the railway 
     system served as the primary mode of interstate travel for 
     the American public and facilitated goods movement throughout 
     the United States;
       Whereas America's freight railroads carry more than 40 
     percent of the Nation's intercity freight, including 
     approximately 70 percent of vehicles from domestic 
     manufacturers and more than 65 percent of the Nation's coal 
     to coal-fired plants;
       Whereas railroads in the United States originated nearly 
     33,000,000 carloads of freight, including more than 9,000,000 
     intermodal trailers and containers, and had a freight volume 
     of 1,530,000,000,000 ton-miles in 2000;
       Whereas on average it costs 29 percent less to move freight 
     by rail in 2000 than it did in 1981 and 59 percent less in 
     inflation-adjusted dollars;
       Whereas from 1980 to 2001 Class I freight railroads 
     invested more than $290,000,000,000 to maintain and improve 
     infrastructure and equipment and reduced the number of train 
     accidents per million train-miles by 64 percent;
       Whereas the railroad industry employed more than 230,000 
     workers in 2001, including engineers, conductors, clerks, 
     executives, and maintenance workers;
       Whereas railways and railroads move people and commodities 
     in an efficient way and contribute more than $30,000,000,000 
     to the economy through wages, fringe benefits, purchases, and 
     taxes;
       Whereas intercity buses provided passenger and package 
     express service to over 4,000 communities nationwide, most of 
     which have no other form of public intercity transportation;
       Whereas intercity buses carry over 770,000,000 passengers 
     annually and provide a variety of services, including fixed-
     route, charter and tour, airport express, and long-haul 
     commutes;

[[Page 19373]]

       Whereas intercity buses provide an integral link in the 
     intermodal network serving airports, train stations, and 
     transit hubs throughout the Nation;
       Whereas the public transportation system in the United 
     States includes buses, trolley-buses, vanpools, jitneys, 
     heavy railways, light railways, commuter railways, cable 
     cars, monorails, aerial tramways, and ferryboats;
       Whereas Americans used public transportation a record 
     9,500,000,000 times in 2001 and transit ridership has grown 
     23 percent since 1995;
       Whereas public expenditures to operate, maintain, and 
     invest in public transportation systems in America amount to 
     about $23,500,000,000 each year;
       Whereas there are more than 360,000 transit employees who 
     work to operate, maintain, and manage America's public 
     transportation system;
       Whereas public transit helps to reduce vehicular traffic 
     congestion on roads and highways and leads to cleaner air;
       Whereas public transit continues to be one of the safest 
     modes of travel and helps conserve energy and reduce 
     America's dependency on foreign oil; and
       Whereas public transit has provided the elderly and 
     millions of Americans with disabilities expanded mobility and 
     freedom to travel United States: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes the 
     transportation construction, trucking, railroad, intercity 
     bus, and passenger transit industries, and those 
     professionals who design, operate, build, and maintain the 
     rights of way along which trucks, freight trains, buses, and 
     commuter trains travel--
       (1) for the immense contribution they make to the economy 
     by facilitating international and interstate commerce;
       (2) for their contribution to the freedom of the traveling 
     public which uses roads, highways, and railways for the 
     purposes of business and leisure; and
       (3) for their conscientious effort to improve safety, 
     increase efficiency, and better the environment in 
     communities throughout the United States.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia 
(Ms. Norton) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette).


                             General Leave

  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on H. Res. 567, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LaTOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all time 
allotted to me be allotted to the gentleman from California (Mr. Gary 
G. Miller), and I further ask unanimous consent that he be permitted to 
yield time from that time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  I rise today in support of House Res. 567, ``Recognizing the 
importance of surface transportation infrastructure to interstate and 
international commerce and the traveling public and the contributions 
of the transportation construction, trucking, rail, intercity bus and 
passenger industries to the economic well being of the United States.''
  On October 1, I introduced this bill, along with 11 of my colleagues, 
to show the Congress's gratitude to the men and women who continue to 
provide America with an efficient and reliable transportation system.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill recognizes the vital role the transportation 
construction, trucking, rail, intercity bus and passenger transit 
industries play in the United States' economic well-being.
  The trucking industry alone has transported more than 83 percent of 
the volume traded between the U.S. and Mexico, and more than 73 percent 
between the U.S. and Canada in 1999. There are now 6 million commercial 
trucks, and that number will increase to 8 million by 2013. Between the 
growing number of trucks and the fact that the registered vehicles are 
expected to increase from 225 million to 275 million by 2020, we are 
fortunate to have such an efficient and reliable transportation 
construction industry.
  The transportation construction industry sustains 2.2 million jobs 
and has provided us with 3.9 million miles of roadway. America's 
freight railroads are responsible for carrying 70 percent of the 
vehicles from domestic manufacturers. America's freight railroads also 
carry more than 40 percent of the Nation's intercity freight. While the 
rail industry has met the growing economic demand, it has also lowered 
the cost of moving freight by 29 percent since 1981. Public train 
ridership has also grown by 23 percent since 1995.
  Public transit also plays a significant role in providing added 
convenience to Americans' lives. Public transit as a whole helps to 
reduce vehicular traffic congestion on roads and highways and leads to 
cleaner air. Intercity buses alone carry over 770 million passengers a 
year. In 2000, the total public expenditures to operate, maintain, and 
invest in public transportation systems reached $23.5 billion.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the surface transportation 
infrastructure community for the immense contributions they have made 
at both an economic and societal level. The surface transportation 
community has continually bettered the transport of goods and services 
and facilitated transit for the traveling public.
  I would like to thank the gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young) and the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) and their staffs for the hard 
work they have given on this measure. I know I speak on behalf of 
Congress when I commend the hard-working men and women in the surface 
transportation industry who are continually giving their services to 
provide America with a reliable transportation network.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I rise in support of H. Res. 567, as amended, that recognizes the 
significance of the surface transportation infrastructure to interstate 
and international commerce and the traveling public and recognizes the 
contributions of the trucking, rail, intercity bus and passenger 
transit industries to the economic well-being of the United States. As 
the Nation moves toward a more competitive global economy, the state of 
our surface transportation infrastructure increases in importance. The 
investments made in the Nation's transportation infrastructure also 
provide good family wage-paying jobs and contributes significantly to 
the Nation's health.
  Throughout the 107th Congress, the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure has worked diligently to advocate adequate funding for 
transportation programs.
  Mr. Speaker, I cannot stand here in praise of surface transportation 
without drawing to the attention of the House a genuine surface 
transportation emergency. As we praise surface transportation, we are 
aiding and abetting the decline and worsening of a major indispensable 
component of that system. We saw this emergency arise just weeks ago, 
and we abetted it then. It was clear that Amtrak could not continue to 
go forward without first emergency funding and then an appropriation 
that would guarantee the rail service in the United States of America 
would continue. In fact, the administration came forward with $100 
million in loan-guarantee funding, pending congressional consideration 
of the Amtrak appropriation.
  Mr. Speaker, the emergency is now upon us, and it is upon us hot and 
heavy. The Committee on Appropriations has just denied Amtrak's request 
for $1.2 billion that is necessary to keep the full system running. 
Instead, they appropriated $762 million. Now, this amount, and here I 
am bringing to the floor what the Department of Transportation 
Inspector General says, is not enough to continue current operations, 
which he sets at $1.2 billion. This appropriation went down on a 
straight party line vote.
  Now, understand what we have done. These folks say they must have 
$1.2 billion to continue the intercity railway transportation of the 
United States, which criss-crosses this country. We have cut it by one-
third. I am going to

[[Page 19374]]

take my time to indicate what that one-third means and what districts 
in this House are going to wake up without railway transportation if we 
leave it that way.
  This amount is less than one-half of the funding for the entire 
national network of passenger rail transportation that is now in place. 
What it means, I say to my colleagues, is this: that in order to get 
down to this $150 million, which is all that would be allowed to be 
spent in 2003, 13 of the 18 long-distance train routes would have to 
go. That is 2.3 million riders. Let me be more specific, because I want 
to find out, well, how does that break out when we get down to brass 
tacks. How it breaks out is this, listen for our cities, because these 
are the cities that are going to be without national intercity 
passenger rail travel: Dallas, Denver, New Orleans, San Antonio, Salt 
Lake City, Tucson, Atlanta, Little Rock, Pittsburgh, and Houston. They 
would lose all passenger service. I am here to sound the alarm. I have 
not named Washington, D.C., but I believe I must bring to the attention 
of my colleagues the rollcall I just went through who is in fact in 
danger.
  The administration, despite its study after study, has come forward 
with absolutely no Federal plan. Instead, it sends the railroad to two 
sources, one is the private sector. Are we kidding? Do we know why 
there is an Amtrak? Because the private sector went broke and said to 
the Federal Government, if you do not take over passenger service, 
there is not going to be any. There would not be any Amtrak if the 
private sector could do it unsubsidized. Okay, said the administration, 
then go to the States. That is even more outrageous, more distressing. 
Every State in the Union is facing a horrific deficit, every State in 
the Union. They are running the worst deficits in a generation, and 
that is because of the sad state of the national economy, not because 
of anything the States have done. So we are sending them to the States?
  The Dow Jones was at a 5-year low today, I say to my colleagues. 
Check it out. Today it was at a 5-year low. What does that tell us 
about the national economy? What does that tell us about going to the 
States to save Amtrak? The States will tell us, at the very least, I 
gave at the office, because the States have already contributed $1 
billion. Where is our contribution of $1 billion?
  The administration came forward with something called the Amtrak 
Reform Council. Oh, how misnamed can an entity be. They have indeed 
studied the issue, and then they studied it again and they are still 
studying it. No plan, still. That is a bankrupt strategy; and, I say to 
my colleagues, if we go home with a third of the amount Amtrak needs 
cut, we will have a bankrupt railroad system when we return. I do not 
even want to get into what this means to the economies of certain 
sections of the country, like the Mid-Atlantic States, the Northeast, 
and certainly the Midwest States that are going to lose all service.
  We subsidize every major form of transportation. I sit on the 
Subcommittee on Aviation. We just came forward with another 
subcommittee bill to help aviation out just last week. Thank goodness 
we give millions to buses and Metro, to roads. That is in our 
tradition, and I am glad of it. Do we really expect to provide 
passenger service in the 21st century in our country completely 
unsubsidized? If so, we would be the only self-supporting rail system 
in the world. We are not nearly that good, nor is any other society.
  Mr. Speaker, we may be the only world economic power in the world 
today, but if we do not take action before the 107th Congress closes, 
we will be a second-class transportation power without a fully 
operating rail system. It would do irreparable harm to our 
transportation system and to our country to let Amtrak sink. We must do 
more than pass cosmetic resolutions such as the one we pass today. I 
ask my colleagues to help me and to help ourselves to save the Nation's 
passenger railroad system.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 567, which 
recognizes the importance of surface transportation infrastructure to 
interstate and international commerce and the traveling public, and 
recognizes the contributions of the trucking, rail, and passenger 
transit industries to the economic well being of the United States.
  The Nation's surface transportation industries, and the workers they 
employ, have made immense contributions to the quality of life in our 
communities, the nation's economy, and our competitiveness in the world 
marketplace. Each day, the American people and American businesses 
benefit from reduced travel times, increased productivity, and improved 
safety as a result of their efforts.
  Throughout our Nation's history, economic growth, prosperity, and 
opportunity have followed from the development and operation of the 
Nation's infrastructure. From the ``internal improvements'' of the 
early 1800s--such as canals, locks, and roads--to the Interstate 
Highway System of today, infrastructure improvements have been the 
foundation of our economic growth. To take just one example, between 
1980 and 1991, almost one-fifth of the increase in productivity in the 
U.S. economy was attributable to investment in highways.
  Our Nation's highways, transit and rail systems not only provide the 
backbone of our economy by moving people and goods, they also employ 
millions of workers and generate a significant share of total economic 
output. In 1999, transportation-related goods and services generated 11 
percent of our total Gross Domestic Product.
  In addition to facilitating economic growth, our transportation 
system has a significant impact on the daily lives of nearly all 
Americans. Americans rely on safe and efficient modes of transportation 
in their day-to-day activities. The average household spends about 18 
percent of it income on transportation, more than any other expense 
except housing.
  Surface transportation industries, and the workers they employ, have 
accomplished a great deal. But their work is not finished. We hope 
their achievements will inspire a renewed dedication to keeping 
America's transportation system the finest in the world.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the 
balance of my time.

                              {time}  1945

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Flake). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, House Resolution 567, as 
amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was 
agreed to.
  The title was amended so as to read: ``Resolution recognizing the 
importance of surface transportation infrastructure to interstate and 
international commerce and the traveling public and the contributions 
of the trucking, rail, intercity bus, and passenger transit industries 
to the economic well-being of the United States.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________