[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 11609-11610]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mrs. HUTCHISON (for herself, Mr. Cornyn, and Mr. Santorum):
  S. 2506. A bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to allow 
additional transit systems greater flexibility with certain mass 
transportation projects; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and 
Urban Affairs.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill that 
will restore flexibility to small communities in the use of Federal 
transit funding. As chairman of the Senate's Surface Transportation 
Subcommittee, I recognize the value of mass transit. Public transit is 
the first choice of transportation for many Americans. Local options 
such as buses, light rail and subways are affordable, friendly to the 
environment, and reduce traffic congestion.
  I know the limited availability of Federal funds for the Nation's 
extensive transportation needs requires creative solutions. For this 
reason, I have introduced this bill to correct an inequity in current 
law. The 1998 TEA-21 bill phased out operating assistance for mass 
transit except in small communities, using a population of 200,000 as 
the benchmark. Nationwide, more than 30 cities that are generally 
considered small transit communities because they operate fewer than 
100 buses at peak hours exceeded that threshold in the 2000 Census. In 
Texas, the city of Lubbock is caught in this discrepancy. The 2000 
Census also treated metropolitan areas composed of two or more adjacent 
cities as one statistical unit, and many of these units, such as Denton 
and Lewisville in Texas, subsequently ceased to qualify as small 
transit communities without increasing the size of their transit 
systems.
  This bill would allow the Secretary of Transportation to make grants 
to a transit system for mass transportation operating costs in an 
urbanized area with a population of more than 200,000 if such transit 
system operates less than 100 buses. Smaller communities have always 
relied on Federal operating assistance for public transportation. 
Although bus systems may generate profits, the revenues of such limited 
offerings are not enough to finance administrative and other overhead 
costs not associated with capital purchases.
  While Congress works to reauthorize highway and other surface 
transportation programs for another 6 years, the need for this 
technical correction cannot be ignored. To ensure quality mass transit 
in States, small transit communities operating fewer than 100 buses 
should be permitted to use Federal funding as needed for capital 
investments or operating expenses.
  I am proud to offer this bill that provides an important correction 
for small transit systems, and I urge my colleagues to support it. I 
ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2506

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Transit System Flexibility 
     Protection Act of 2004''.

     SEC. 2. GENERAL AUTHORITY.

       Section 5307(b)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended by adding at the end of the following:
       ``The Secretary may make grants under this section to a 
     transit system to finance the operating cost of equipment and 
     facilities for use in mass transportation in an urbanized 
     area with a population of more than 200,000 if such transit 
     system operates less than 100 buses on fixed route service 
     during peak service hours.''.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. DOMENICI:
  S. 2508. A bill to redesignate the Ridges Basin Reservoir, Colorado, 
as Lake Nighthorse; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise today with great honor and 
privilege to introduce a bill that would rename Ridges Basin Reservoir 
in Colorado as Lake Nighthorse after my dear friend and colleague, the 
Senior Senator from Colorado, Ben Nighthorse Campbell. It is fitting 
that the Ridges Basin Reservoir, which was created pursuant to 
legislation introduced and shepherded through congress by Senator 
Campbell, bear his name. I hope the United States Congress will give 
this legislation its every consideration.
  A veteran, Olympian, and public servant, Senator Campbell has 
selflessly devoted himself to serving his State and country for over 
half a century. During his seventeen years in the United State 
Congress, Senator Campbell has earned respect on both sides of the 
aisle as a consummate statesman and staunch advocate for the State of 
Colorado.
  As you know, Senator Campbell recently announced that he will not 
seek a third term to the United States Senate. This is a great loss to 
the Nation and to the great State of Colorado, but most of all, it is a 
significant loss to the Senate. His leadership and presence will be 
greatly missed by all of us. I wish him the best of luck in all of his 
future endeavors.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2508

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

     SECTION 1. RENAMING OF RESERVOIR.

       The reservoir known as the ``Ridges Basin Reservoir'' 
     located on the Animas River in Colorado, constructed under 
     section 6(a) of the Colorado Ute Indian Water Rights 
     Settlement Act of 1988 (102 Stat. 2975; 114 Stat. 2763A-260), 
     shall be known and designated as ``Lake Nighthorse''.

     SEC. 2. REFERENCES.

       Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, 
     or other record of the United States to the reservoir 
     referred to in section 1 shall be deemed to be a reference to 
     Lake Nighthorse.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. McCONNELL (for himself, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. McCain, Mr. 
        Leahy, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Daschle, Mrs. Dole, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. 
        Burns, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Allen, Mr. Edwards,

[[Page 11610]]

        Mr. Nickles, Mr. Corzine, Mr. Santorum, Mr. Biden, Mr. 
        Feingold, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Allard, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Bunning, 
        Mr. Campbell, Mr. Chambliss, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Domenici, Mr. 
        Frist, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Kohl, Mr. Kyl, Mr. Lugar, Ms. 
        Murkowski, Mr. Smith, Mr. Specter, Mr. Voinovich, Mrs. Boxer, 
        Mr. Hagel, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Dayton, Mr. Kerry, 
        Mrs. Murray, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Nelson of 
        Nebraska, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Harkin, Ms. Landrieu, Ms. 
        Stabenow, Mr. Levin, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Wyden, and Ms. Cantwell):
  S.J. Res. 39. A joint resolution approving the renewal of import 
restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 
2003; to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, along with 52 of my colleagues I am 
reintroducing a resolution to renew the import restrictions contained 
in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003. This resolution is 
identical to the language in S.J. Res. 36, introduced by myself and 
others on April 29, 2004, except that the preamble has been stricken. I 
am pleased that Secretary of State Colin Powell has written in support 
of this legislation.
  I again urge the Senate Finance Committee to expedite consideration 
of this legislation, which enjoys broad bipartisan support in the 
Senate.

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