[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 18]
[House]
[Page 24263]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         HOUSTON'S RAIL PROJECT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I wish to join my colleagues 
in offering my sympathy to the O'Neill family for their loss.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share some thoughts about what I believe 
the role of this House, and certainly the role of those who are part of 
the people's House, who represent the millions of Americans across the 
Nation, and how their roles should be one of advocacy, assistance and 
empowerment.
  Sometimes one might be a little less than enthusiastic and certainly 
concerned to bring a local matter to the floor of this body, because we 
are here to work on behalf of all of the American people. But as I 
looked at this issue that has been plaguing Houston for almost 25 
years, I believe that the precedent being set here is one where I need 
to warn my colleagues and make them well aware of how sometimes the 
works of Members can be used to undermine the efforts of local 
communities.
  In Houston, Texas, since 1978, we have had a large, fair and moderate 
majority who have wanted to see rail implemented in our community. 
During the course of that time, we have had a number of elections, 
perhaps thousands of community hearings and meetings, and many times 
came nearly to the brink of success in seeing rail voted in in Houston. 
But each time there was something to thwart its way: Politics, 
differences of opinions, or mayoral races. But never did that reflect 
the total voice of the people. Special interests have been involved and 
engaged, and they have used elected officials in any way that they can.
  As we move toward FY 2004, I am very proud to say that the Houston 
Metro has done something that probably no other agency advocating rail 
or light rail or commuter rail in Houston has done. They have put 
forward plans that have had any number of extensive hearings in our 
community. They have worked with small cities, they have worked with 
surrounding counties, and they have come up with a regional mobility 
plan. They worked with elected officials, county officials, county 
commissioners, the mayor's office, the small, local, city mayoral 
offices, various Members of Congress, and United States Senators. All 
of them have been engaged in this much-needed effort in Houston, a city 
that is a friendly city, full of wonderful neighborhoods, the fourth 
largest city in the Nation, but number seven on the vulnerability list 
for terrorist acts, and a city that has been grappling with 
environmental concerns as it relates to clean air.
  So we have reached the point of consensus of a 72-mile project, 39 
miles, and just as we are about to get the unanimous vote of our board, 
or close to unanimous vote, the intervention of special interests drew 
the attention of the mayor to the point of compromise, so that we have 
moved on a 22-mile project and not a 39-mile project. When we moved 
forward, we were told that we would be able to go to the voters now 
with a unified voice; that even those who were against it would be 
joining us.
  Lo and behold, we have come to find out that there are Members of 
this body who are willing yet to undermine local constituencies. They 
are using agencies like the Department of Transportation and the FTA to 
thwart the efforts and desires of thousands, maybe millions, of 
Houstonians and those in Harris County. We now find that the Department 
of Transportation was used to issue opinions that are half-baked and 
without total facts. Those opinions have been issued without getting 
the complete facts from the actual agency, without calling the actual 
agency, and misrepresenting the agency's position. And then Members of 
this body have utilized that agency to represent that they would go to 
the United States Attorney under the Department of Justice in order to 
attack or challenge or accuse these Metro board members of having 
committed criminal offenses.
  Mr. Speaker this is an abomination. This is a precedent not worth 
setting. This is a horrific act that can be bad news, if you will, for 
the rest of our colleagues. We realize that this body has oversight 
responsibilities. We realize, in fact, that we, as Members of Congress, 
have oversight responsibilities. But, Mr. Speaker, we should not abuse 
the power that is given to us. It is an outrage that agencies would be 
used to thwart the desires and the commitment and work of our local 
communities.
  Mr. Speaker, I close by simply saying I will stand with thousands in 
Houston and Harris County. We will have regional mobility, we will have 
light rail, and I look forward to putting forward a motion to instruct, 
so we can stop this bad precedent occurring in this House.

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