[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 20736]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      SPORTFISHING AND RECREATION-
                AL BOATING SAFETY AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2005

  Mr. BOUSTANY. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and concur 
in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 3649) to ensure funding for 
sportfishing and boating safety programs funded out of the Highway 
Trust Fund through the end of fiscal year 2005, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Senate Amendment:
       On page 7, after line 3, insert the following new section:

     SEC. 302. CORRECTION OF DISTRIBUTION OF OBLIGATION AUTHORITY 
                   UNDER SECTION 1102(C)(4)(A) OF PUBLIC LAW 109-
                   59.

       Notwithstanding section 1102(c)(4)(A) of Public Law 109-59; 
     119 Stat. 1144, et seq., or any other provision of law, for 
     fiscal year 2005, obligation authority for funds made 
     available under title I of division H of Public Law 108-447; 
     118 Stat. 3216 for expenses necessary to discharge the 
     functions of the Secretary of Transportation with respect to 
     traffic and highway safety under chapter 301 of title 49, 
     United States Code, and part C of subtitle VIf title 49, 
     United States Code, shall be made available in an amount 
     equal to the funds provided therein: Provided, That the 
     additional obligation authority needed to meet the 
     requirements of this section shall be withdrawn from the 
     obligation authority previously distributed to the other 
     programs, projects, and activities funded by the amount 
     deducted under section 117 of title I of division H of Public 
     Law 108-447.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Louisiana (Mr. Boustany) and the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie 
Bernice Johnson) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Boustany).


                             General Leave

  Mr. BOUSTANY. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3649.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Louisiana?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BOUSTANY. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I will be very brief in my comments on this. The bill 
that we are considering today is nearly identical to the legislation 
that was approved by this body by a 401 to 1 vote last week. H.R. 3649, 
as passed by the Senate, includes an additional technical amendment 
that will temporarily extend funding for national highway safety 
programs through the end of the current fiscal year.
  H.R. 3649 will also ensure that funding is made available for State 
recreational boating programs for the remainder of fiscal year 2005. 
These funds support boating safety and education, outreach and 
communication programs in each and every State and U.S. territory to 
promote safe and responsible boating and fishing practices nationwide.
  I thank my colleagues for their continued support of this important 
legislation and for their work to improve access and safety on our 
Nation's waterways. I urge a ``yes'' vote on H.R. 3649.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 
such time as I may consume.
  I rise today to voice my support for H.R. 3649, the Sportfishing and 
Recreational Boating Safety Amendments Act of 2005.
  The purpose of this bill is very simple: to correct two provisions in 
the recently passed H.R. 3, the SAFETEA-LU bill. One concerns the 
reauthorization of the Coast Guard's boating safety program; and the 
other, Vehicle Safety Operations and Research funding.
  The short-term extension that extended the highway program and the 
funding of the Recreational Boating Safety program until August 15 did 
not have this provision. However, SAFETEA-LU provided for long-term 
reauthorization and funding of the Recreational Boating Safety program 
beginning on October 1, the new fiscal year. So as a result, gas taxes 
that are collected between August 15 and October 1 from recreational 
boaters cannot be given to the State boating law administrators to fund 
their recreational boating safety programs.
  H.R. 3649 corrects this problem by extending the old Recreational 
Boating Safety and Sportfish programs until October 1, 2005, when the 
new funding formulas take effect.

                              {time}  1530

  Madam Speaker, the Recreational Boating Safety Grant program provides 
50/50 matching funds to the States for their recreational boating 
safety and education programs.
  These programs save lives. It is our responsibility to see that there 
is not an interruption in this program.
  H.R. 3649 also corrects a funding problem that resulted in a $23.7 
million reduction in fiscal year 2005 funds for the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration vehicle safety programs. That highway 
safety and vehicle safety program funding is split between the highway 
trust fund and general funds. For fiscal year 2005, appropriations 
chose to not provide any general fund money to the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration vehicle safety program, instead pulling 
additional resources from the highway trust fund.
  NHTSA's vehicle safety program then became subject to the same cut in 
funding as the highway projects are in SAFETEA-LU. If these funds are 
not restored, certain vehicle safety activities may be significantly 
impacted, including ongoing research to test and evaluate automobiles 
and numerous research projects designed to save lives and prevent 
injuries on our Nation's roads.
  So I urge my colleagues to pass H.R. 3649 to ensure that our States 
receive the necessary matching funds for their recreational boating 
safety programs between August 15, 2005 and October 1, 2005.
  Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, I urge the 
passage of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOUSTANY. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Emerson). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Boustany) that the House 
suspend the rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill, H.R. 
3649.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the Senate amendment was 
concurred in.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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