[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Pages 24199-24212]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           TEXT OF AMENDMENTS

  SA 2808. Mr. CORNYN (for himself and Mr. Inhofe) proposed an 
amendment to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the 
Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and 
related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for 
other purposes; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. __. (a) Findings.--The Senate makes the following 
     findings:
       (1) The Senate unanimously confirmed General David H. 
     Petraeus as Commanding General, Multi-National Force-Iraq, by 
     a vote of 81-0 on January 26, 2007.
       (2) General Petraeus graduated first in his class at the 
     United States Army Command and General Staff College.
       (3) General Petraeus earned Masters of Public 
     Administration and Doctoral degrees in international 
     relations from Princeton University.
       (4) General Petraeus has served multiple combat tours in 
     Iraq, including command of the 101st Airborne Division (Air 
     Assault) during combat operations throughout the first year 
     of Operation Iraqi Freedom, which tours included both major 
     combat operations and subsequent stability and support 
     operations.
       (5) General Petraeus supervised the development and 
     crafting of the United States Army and Marine Corps 
     counterinsurgency manual based in large measure on his combat 
     experience in Iraq, scholarly study, and other professional 
     experiences.
       (6) General Petraeus has taken a solemn oath to protect and 
     defend the Constitution of the United States of America.
       (7) During his 35-year career, General Petraeus has amassed 
     a distinguished and unvarnished record of military service to 
     the United States as recognized by his receipt of a Defense 
     Distinguished Service Medal, two Distinguished Service 
     Medals, two Defense Superior Service Medals, four Legions of 
     Merit, the Bronze Star Medal for valor, the State Department 
     Superior Honor Award, the NATO Meritorious Service Medal, and 
     other awards and medals.
       (8) A recent attack through a full-page advertisement in 
     the New York Times by the liberal activist group, Moveon.org, 
     impugns the honor and integrity of General Petraeus and all 
     the members of the United States Armed Forces.
       (b) Sense of Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate--
       (1) to reaffirm its support for all the men and women of 
     the United States Armed Forces, including General David H. 
     Petraeus, Commanding General, Multi-National Force-Iraq;
       (2) to strongly condemn any effort to attack the honor and 
     integrity of General Petraeus and all the members of the 
     United States Armed Forces; and
       (3) to specifically repudiate the unwarranted personal 
     attack on General Petraeus by the liberal activist group 
     Moveon.org.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2809. Mr. REED submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 95, line 6, strike the period, and insert ``: 
     Provided further, That, such funds may, for fiscal year 2008, 
     be used to guarantee and make commitments to guarantee the 
     notes or other obligations issued by a State for the purposes 
     described in paragraphs (1) through (6) of section 108(a), 
     only if the State agrees to distribute all funds subject to 
     such guarantee or commitment to units of general local 
     government in nonentitlement areas under the distribution 
     plan established under section 106(d) of the Housing and 
     Community Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5306)(d)).''
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2810. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
as follows:

       On page 70, between lines 20 and 21, insert the following:
       Sec. 194. (a) Except as provided under subsection (b), none 
     of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available under 
     this title may be used for any earmark until all bridges in 
     the United States that are classified under the Federal 
     Highway Administration's bridge inspection program, as of the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, as ``structurally 
     deficient'' or ``functionally obsolete'' have been 
     sufficiently repaired to no longer meet the criteria for such 
     classifications.
       (b) Funds appropriated under this title may be used for an 
     earmark that is designated to repair--
       (1) a bridge that is classified as ``structurally 
     deficient'' or ``functionally obsolete''; or
       (2) a road with ride quality that is not classified as 
     ``good'' or ``acceptable''.
       (c) In this section, the term ``earmark'' means a provision 
     or report language providing, authorizing, or recommending a 
     specific amount of discretionary budget authority, credit 
     authority, or other spending authority for a contract, loan, 
     loan guarantee, grant, loan authority, or other expenditure 
     with or to an entity, or targeted to a specific State, 
     locality or Congressional district, other than through a 
     statutory or administrative formula-driven or competitive 
     award process.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2811. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds made available under this Act 
     may be spent for bicycle paths or bicycle trails.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2812. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. 232.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, 
     none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by 
     this Act may be made available for facility renovation at the 
     International Peace Garden in Dunseith, North Dakota; 
     Provided, That the amount made available for grants for the 
     Economic Development Initiative is reduced by $450,000, and 
     the amount made available for the Community Development Fund 
     is reduced by $450,000.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2813. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. ___.  Notwithstanding any other provision of Act, no 
     funds made available under this Act may be used to carry out 
     any activity relating to the design or construction of the 
     America's Wetland Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana, until 
     the date on which the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
     Development, in consultation with the Administrator of the 
     Federal Emergency Management Agency and the State of 
     Louisiana, certifies to Congress that all residents of the 
     State of Louisiana who were displaced as a result of 
     Hurricane Katrina or Rita in 2005 are no longer living in 
     temporary housing.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2814. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. ___.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
     Act--
       (1) none of the funds made available by this Act may be 
     used for the construction of a new baseball stadium that is 
     replacing Cobb Field in Billings, Montana;

[[Page 24200]]

       (2) the amount made available by this Act for grants for 
     the Economic Development Initiative is reduced by $500,000; 
     and
       (3) the amount made available by this Act for the Community 
     Development Fund is reduced by $500,000.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2815. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

         At the appropriate place, insert the following:
         Sec. ___.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
     Act--
         (1) none of the funds made available by this Act may be 
     used for the construction of the Peoria Riverfront Museum in 
     Peoria, Illinois;
         (2) the amount made available by this Act for grants for 
     the Economic Development Initiative is reduced by $250,000; 
     and
         (3) the amount made available by this Act for the 
     Community Development Fund is reduced by $250,000.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2816. Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself and Mr. Coleman) proposed an 
amendment to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the 
Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and 
related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for 
other purposes; as follows:

         On page 20, between lines 13 and 14, insert the 
     following:


                 I-35W BRIDGE REPAIR AND RECONSTRUCTION

          For necessary expenses to carry out the project for 
     repair and reconstruction of the Interstate I-35W bridge 
     located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that collapsed on August 
     1, 2007, as authorized under section 1(c) of Public Law 110-
     56 (121 Stat. 558), up to $195,000,000, as documented by the 
     Minnesota Department of Transportation, to remain available 
     until expended, Provided, That that amount is designated as 
     an emergency requirement pursuant to section 204 of S. Con. 
     Res. 21 (110th Congress): Provided further, That the Federal 
     share of the costs of any project funded using amounts made 
     available under this section shall be 100 percent in 
     accordance with section 1(b) of Public Law 110-56 (121 Stat. 
     588).
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2817. Mr. SANDERS (for himself and Mr. Leahy) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; as follows:

         On page 87, line 9, strike the period and insert the 
     following: Provided further, That, notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law or regulation, or any independent decision 
     of the Secretary, during fiscal year 2008, the Secretary 
     shall, in accordance with part 905.10(j) of title 24, Code of 
     Federal Regulations and from amounts made available under 
     this heading, award performance bonuses to public housing 
     agencies that are designated high performers under the Public 
     Housing Assessment System for the 2007 fiscal year.''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2818. Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Kohl, Ms. Collins, 
and Mr. Kerry) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to 
the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

         On page 137, between lines 17 and 18, insert the 
     following:
         Sec. 232.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a 
     public housing agency that operates fewer than 250 units of 
     federally subsidized public housing may elect, in lieu of 
     converting to asset management, to permanently limit the 
     agency's loss of public housing Operating Fund subsidy under 
     the formula established in the final rule published by the 
     Department of Housing and Urban Development on September 19, 
     2005, by reducing the agency's subsidy each year in an amount 
     equal to 5 percent of the amount of Operating Fund subsidy 
     the agency would have received in calendar year 2006 under 
     the formula in effect immediately prior to the effective date 
     of such final rule.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2819. Mr. DORGAN (for himself and Mr. Conrad) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; as follows:

         On page 109, line 13, strike ``$59,040,000'' and insert 
     ``$61,440,000''.
         On page 109, line 23, strike ``$2,600,000'' and insert 
     ``$5,000,000''.
         On page 113, line 1, strike ``$175,000,000'' and insert 
     ``$172,600,000''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2820. Ms. CANTWELL submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by her to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other 
purposes; as follows:

         On page 70, line 7, insert ``potatoes, specialty crops,'' 
     after ``ethanol,''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2821. Mr. CHAMBLISS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 1585, to authorize appropriations for fiscal 
year 2008 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for 
military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of 
Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, 
and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as 
follows:

         At the end of subtitle C of title IX, add the following:

     SEC. 937. PHYSICIANS AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS 
                   COMPARABILITY ALLOWANCES.

         (a) In General.--Chapter 81 of title 10, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     section:

     ``Sec. 1599. Physicians and health care professionals 
       comparability allowances

         ``(a) Authority To Provide Allowances.--(1) 
     Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and in order to 
     recruit and retain highly qualified Department of Defense 
     physicians and Department of Defense health care 
     professionals, the Secretary of Defense may, subject to the 
     provisions of this section, enter into a service agreement 
     with a Department of Defense physician or a Department of 
     Defense health care professional which provides for such 
     physician or health care professional to complete a specified 
     period of service in the Department of Defense in return for 
     an allowance for the duration of such agreement in an amount 
     to be determined by the Secretary and specified in the 
     agreement, but not to exceed--
         ``(A) in the case of a Department of Defense physician--
         ``(i) $25,000 per annum if, at the time the agreement is 
     entered into, the Department of Defense physician has served 
     as a Department of Defense physician for 24 months or less; 
     or
         ``(ii) $40,000 per annum if the Department of Defense 
     physician has served as a Department of Defense physician for 
     more than 24 months; and
         ``(B) in the case of a Department of Defense health care 
     professional--
         ``(i) an amount up to $5,000 per annum if, at the time 
     the agreement is entered into, the Department of Defense 
     health care professional has served as a Department of 
     Defense health care professional for less than 10 years;
         ``(ii) an amount up to $10,000 per annum if, at the time 
     the agreement is entered into, the Department of Defense 
     health care professional has served as a Department of 
     Defense health care professional for at least 10 years but 
     less than 18 years; or
         ``(iii) an amount up to $15,000 per annum if, at the time 
     the agreement is entered into, the Department of Defense 
     health care professional has served as a Department of 
     Defense health care professional for 18 years or more.
         ``(2)(A) For the purpose of determining length of service 
     as a Department of Defense physician, service as a physician 
     under section 4104 or 4114 of title 38 or active service as a 
     medical officer in the commissioned corps of the Public 
     Health Service under Title II of the Public Health Service 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 202 et seq.) shall be deemed service as a 
     Department of Defense physician.
         ``(B) For the purpose of determining length of service as 
     a Department of Defense health care professional, service as 
     a nonphysician health care provider, psychologist, or social 
     worker while serving as an officer described under section 
     302c(d)(1) of title 37 shall be deemed service as a 
     Department of Defense health care professional.
         ``(b) Certain Physicians and Professionals Ineligible.--
     An allowance may not be paid under this section to any 
     physician or health care professional who--
         ``(1) is employed on less than a half-time or 
     intermittent basis;
         ``(2) occupies an internship or residency training 
     position; or
         ``(3) is fulfilling a scholarship obligation.
         ``(c) Covered Categories of Positions.--The Secretary of 
     Defense shall determine

[[Page 24201]]

     categories of positions applicable to physicians and health 
     care professionals within the Department of Defense with 
     respect to which there is a significant recruitment and 
     retention problem for purposes of this section. Only 
     physicians and health care professionals serving in such 
     positions shall be eligible for an allowance under this 
     section. The amounts of each such allowance shall be 
     determined by the Secretary, and shall be the minimum amount 
     necessary to deal with the recruitment and retention problem 
     for each such category of physicians and health care 
     professionals.
         ``(d) Period of Service.--Any agreement entered into by a 
     physician or health care professional under this section 
     shall be for a period of one year of service in the 
     Department of Defense unless the physician or health care 
     professional requests an agreement for a longer period of 
     service.
         ``(e) Repayment.--Unless otherwise provided for in the 
     agreement under subsection (f), an agreement under this 
     section shall provide that the physician or health care 
     professional, in the event that such physician or health care 
     professional voluntarily, or because of misconduct, fails to 
     complete at least one year of service under such agreement, 
     shall be required to refund the total amount received under 
     this section unless the Secretary of Defense determines that 
     such failure is necessitated by circumstances beyond the 
     control of the physician or health care professional.
         ``(f) Termination of Agreement.--Any agreement under this 
     section shall specify the terms under which the Secretary of 
     Defense and the physician or health care professional may 
     elect to terminate such agreement, and the amounts, if any, 
     required to be refunded by the physician or health care 
     professional for each reason for termination.
         ``(g) Construction With Other Authorities.--(1) An 
     allowance paid under this section shall not be considered as 
     basic pay for the purposes of subchapter VI and section 5595 
     of chapter 55 of title 5, chapter 81 or 87 of title 5, or 
     other benefits related to basic pay.
         ``(2) Any allowance under this section for a Department 
     of Defense physician or Department of Defense health care 
     professional shall be paid in the same manner and at the same 
     time as the basic pay of the physician or health care 
     professional is paid.
         ``(h) Annual Report.--Not later than June 30 each year, 
     the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress a written 
     report on the operation of this section during the preceding 
     year. Each report shall include, with respect to the year 
     covered by such report, information as to--
         ``(1) the nature and extent of the recruitment or 
     retention problems justifying the use by the Department of 
     Defense of the authority under this section;
         ``(2) the number of physicians and health care 
     professionals with whom agreements were entered into by the 
     Department of Defense;
         ``(3) the size of the allowances and the duration of the 
     agreements entered into; and
         ``(4) the degree to which the recruitment or retention 
     problems referred to in paragraph (1) were alleviated under 
     this section.
         ``(i) Definitions.--In this section:
         ``(1) The term `Department of Defense health care 
     professional' means any individual employed by the Department 
     of Defense who is a qualified health care professional 
     employed as a health care professional and paid under any 
     provision of law specified in subparagraphs (A) through (G) 
     of paragraph (2).
         ``(2) The term `Department of Defense physician' means 
     any individual employed by the Department of Defense as a 
     physician or dentist who is paid under a provision or 
     provisions of law as follows:
         ``(A) Section 5332 of title 5, relating to the General 
     Schedule.
         ``(B) Subchapter VIII of chapter 53 of title 5, relating 
     to the Senior Executive Service.
         ``(C) Section 5371 of title 5, relating to certain health 
     care positions.
         ``(D) Section 5376 of title 5, relating to certain 
     senior-level positions.
         ``(E) Section 5377 of title 5, relating to critical 
     positions.
         ``(F) Subchapter IX of chapter 53 of title 5, relating to 
     special occupational pay systems.
         ``(G) Section 9902 of title 5, relating to the National 
     Security Personnel System.
         ``(3) The term `qualified health care professional' means 
     any individual who is--
         ``(A) a psychologist who meets the Office of Personnel 
     Management Qualification Standards for the Occupational 
     Series of Psychologist as required by the position to be 
     filled;
         ``(B) a nurse who meets the applicable Office of 
     Personnel Management Qualification Standards for the 
     Occupational Series of Nurse as required by the position to 
     be filled;
         ``(C) a nurse anesthetist who meets the applicable Office 
     of Personnel Management Qualification Standards for the 
     Occupational Series of Nurse as required by the position to 
     be filled;
         ``(D) a physician assistant who meets the applicable 
     Office of Personnel Management Qualification Standards for 
     the Occupational Series of Physician Assistant as required by 
     the position to be filled;
         ``(E) a social worker who meets the applicable Office of 
     Personnel Management Qualification Standards for the 
     Occupational Series of Social Worker as required by the 
     position to be filled; or
         ``(F) any other health care professional designated by 
     the Secretary of Defense for purposes of this section.''.
         (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of chapter 81 of such title is amended by adding at 
     the end the following new item:

``1599e. Physicians and health care professionals comparability 
              allowances.''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2822. Mr. MENENDEZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as folows:

       On page 87, strike line 10 and all that follows through 
     page 113, line 9, and insert the following:

                     Public Housing Operating Fund

       For 2008 payments to public housing agencies for the 
     operation and management of public housing, as authorized by 
     section 9(e) of the United States Housing Act of 1937, as 
     amended (42 U.S.C. 1437g(e)), $4,300,000,000; of which 
     $5,940,000 shall be for technical assistance related to the 
     transition and implementation of asset-based management in 
     public housing: Provided, That, in fiscal year 2008 and all 
     fiscal years hereafter, no amounts under this heading in any 
     appropriations Act may be used for payments to public housing 
     agencies for the costs of operation and management of public 
     housing for any year prior to the current year of such Act: 
     Provided further, That no funds may be used under this 
     heading for the purposes specified in section 9(k) of the 
     United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended.


     Revitalization of Severely Distressed Public Housing (Hope VI)

       For grants to public housing agencies for demolition, site 
     revitalization, replacement housing, and tenant-based 
     assistance grants to projects as authorized by section 24 of 
     the United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended, 
     $100,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2008, 
     of which not to exceed $1,980,000 may be used for technical 
     assistance and contract expertise, to be provided directly or 
     indirectly by grants, contracts or cooperative agreements, 
     including training and cost of necessary travel for 
     participants in such training, by or to officials and 
     employees of the department and of public housing agencies 
     and to residents: Provided, That none of such funds shall be 
     used directly or indirectly by granting competitive advantage 
     in awards to settle litigation or pay judgments, unless 
     expressly permitted herein.


                  Native American Housing Block Grants

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For the Native American Housing Block Grants program, as 
     authorized under title I of the Native American Housing 
     Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA) (25 
     U.S.C. 4111 et seq.), $630,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended: Provided, That, notwithstanding the Native American 
     Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996, to 
     determine the amount of the allocation under title I of such 
     Act for each Indian tribe, the Secretary shall apply the 
     formula under section 302 of such Act with the need component 
     based on single-race Census data and with the need component 
     based on multi-race Census data, and the amount of the 
     allocation for each Indian tribe shall be the greater of the 
     two resulting allocation amounts: Provided further, That of 
     the amounts made available under this heading, $2,000,000 
     shall be contracted through the Secretary as technical 
     assistance and capacity building to be used by the National 
     American Indian Housing Council in support of the 
     implementation of NAHASDA; and $4,250,000 shall be to support 
     the inspection of Indian housing units, contract expertise, 
     training, and technical assistance in the training, 
     oversight, and management of such Indian housing and tenant-
     based assistance, including up to $300,000 for related 
     travel: Provided further, That of the amount provided under 
     this heading, $1,980,000 shall be made available for the cost 
     of guaranteed notes and other obligations, as authorized by 
     title VI of NAHASDA: Provided further, That such costs, 
     including the costs of modifying such notes and other 
     obligations, shall be as defined in section 502 of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as amended: Provided 
     further, That these funds are available to subsidize the 
     total principal amount of any notes and other obligations, 
     any part of which is to be guaranteed, not to exceed 
     $17,000,000.


                  native hawaiian housing block grant

       For the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant program, as 
     authorized under title VIII of the Native American Housing 
     Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25

[[Page 24202]]

     U.S.C. 4111 et seq.), $9,000,000, to remain available until 
     expended, of which $300,000 shall be for training and 
     technical assistance activities.


           Indian Housing Loan Guarantee Fund Program Account

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For the cost of guaranteed loans, as authorized by section 
     184 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 (12 
     U.S.C. 1715z-13a), $7,450,000, to remain available until 
     expended: Provided, That such costs, including the costs of 
     modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of 
     the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as amended: Provided 
     further, That these funds are available to subsidize total 
     loan principal, any part of which is to be guaranteed, up to 
     $367,000,000.


      Native Hawaiian Housing Loan Guarantee Fund Program Account

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For the cost of guaranteed loans, as authorized by section 
     184A of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 (12 
     U.S.C. 1715z-13b), $1,044,000, to remain available until 
     expended: Provided, That such costs, including the costs of 
     modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of 
     the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as amended: Provided 
     further, That these funds are available to subsidize total 
     loan principal, any part of which is to be guaranteed, not to 
     exceed $41,504,255.

                   Community Planning and Development


     OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR COMMUNITY PLANNING AND 
                              DEVELOPMENT

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

       For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the 
     Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development, 
     $1,520,000.


        COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SALARIES AND EXPENSES

       For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of 
     Community Planning and Development mission area, $93,770,000.


              Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For carrying out the Housing Opportunities for Persons with 
     AIDS program, as authorized by the AIDS Housing Opportunity 
     Act (42 U.S.C. 12901 et seq.), $300,100,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2009, except that amounts 
     allocated pursuant to section 854(c)(3) of such Act shall 
     remain available until September 30, 2010: Provided, That the 
     Secretary shall renew all expiring contracts for permanent 
     supportive housing that were funded under section 854(c)(3) 
     of such Act that meet all program requirements before 
     awarding funds for new contracts and activities authorized 
     under this section: Provided further, That the Secretary may 
     use not to exceed $1,485,000 of the funds under this heading 
     for training, oversight, and technical assistance activities; 
     and not to exceed $1,485,000 may be transferred to the 
     Working Capital Fund.


                 Rural Housing and Economic Development

       For the Office of Rural Housing and Economic Development in 
     the Department of Housing and Urban Development, $17,000,000, 
     to remain available until expended, which amount shall be 
     competitively awarded by September 1, 2008, to Indian tribes, 
     State housing finance agencies, State community and/or 
     economic development agencies, local rural nonprofits and 
     community development corporations to support innovative 
     housing and economic development activities in rural areas.


                       Community Development Fund

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For assistance to units of State and local government, and 
     to other entities, for economic and community development 
     activities, and for other purposes, $4,060,000,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2010, unless otherwise 
     specified: Provided, That of the amount provided, 
     $3,705,430,000 is for carrying out the community development 
     block grant program under title I of the Housing and 
     Community Development Act of 1974, as amended (the ``Act'' 
     herein) (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.): Provided further, That 
     unless explicitly provided for under this heading (except for 
     planning grants provided in the second paragraph and amounts 
     made available under the third paragraph), not to exceed 20 
     percent of any grant made with funds appropriated under this 
     heading shall be expended for planning and management 
     development and administration: Provided further, That not to 
     exceed $1,570,000 may be transferred to the Working Capital 
     Fund: Provided further, That $3,000,000 is for technical 
     assistance as authorized by section 107(b)(4) of such Act: 
     Provided further, That $62,000,000 shall be for grants to 
     Indian tribes notwithstanding section 106(a)(1) of such Act, 
     of which, notwithstanding any other provision of law 
     (including section 305 of this Act), up to $3,960,000 may be 
     used for emergencies that constitute imminent threats to 
     health and safety.
       Of the amount made available under this heading, 
     $248,000,000 shall be available for grants for the Economic 
     Development Initiative (EDI) to finance a variety of targeted 
     economic investments: Provided, That none of the funds 
     provided under this paragraph may be used for program 
     operations: Provided further, That, for fiscal years 2006, 
     2007, and 2008, no unobligated funds for EDI grants may be 
     used for any purpose except acquisition, planning, design, 
     purchase of equipment, revitalization, redevelopment or 
     construction.
       Of the amount made available under this heading, 
     $40,000,000 shall be available for neighborhood initiatives 
     that are utilized to improve the conditions of distressed and 
     blighted areas and neighborhoods, to stimulate investment, 
     economic diversification, and community revitalization in 
     areas with population outmigration or a stagnating or 
     declining economic base, or to determine whether housing 
     benefits can be integrated more effectively with welfare 
     reform initiatives.


         Community Development Loan Guarantees Program Account

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For the cost of guaranteed loans, $6,000,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2009, as authorized by section 
     108 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as 
     amended: Provided, That such costs, including the cost of 
     modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of 
     the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as amended: Provided 
     further, That these funds are available to subsidize total 
     loan principal, any part of which is to be guaranteed, not to 
     exceed $275,000,000, notwithstanding any aggregate limitation 
     on outstanding obligations guaranteed in section 108(k) of 
     the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as 
     amended.


                       Brownfields Redevelopment

       For competitive economic development grants, as authorized 
     by section 108(q) of the Housing and Community Development 
     Act of 1974, as amended, for Brownfields redevelopment 
     projects, $10,000,000, to remain available until September 
     30, 2009.


                  HOME Investment Partnerships Program

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For the HOME investment partnerships program, as authorized 
     under title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable 
     Housing Act, as amended, $1,970,000,000, to remain available 
     until September 30, 2010, of which not to exceed $3,465,000 
     may be transferred to the Working Capital Fund: Provided, 
     That up to $15,000,000 shall be available for technical 
     assistance: Provided further, That of the total amount 
     provided in this paragraph, up to $150,000,000 shall be 
     available for housing counseling under section 106 of the 
     Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968.


        self-help and assisted homeownership opportunity program

       For the Self-Help and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity 
     Program, as authorized under section 11 of the Housing 
     Opportunity Program Extension Act of 1996, as amended, 
     $70,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2010: 
     Provided, That of the total amount provided under this 
     heading, $26,500,000 shall be made available to the Self-Help 
     and Assisted Homeownership Opportunity Program as authorized 
     under section 11 of the Housing Opportunity Program Extension 
     Act of 1996, as amended: Provided further, That $33,500,000 
     shall be made available for the first four capacity building 
     activities authorized under section 4(b)(3) of the HUD 
     Demonstration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 9816 note), as in effect 
     immediately before June 12, 1997 and of which up to 
     $5,000,000 may be made available for rural capacity building 
     activities: Provided further, That of the total amount made 
     available under this heading; $3,000,000 shall be made 
     available to the Housing Assistance Council; $2,000,000 shall 
     be made available to the National American Indian Housing 
     Council; $3,000,000 shall be made available as a grant to the 
     Raza Development Fund of La Raza for the HOPE Fund, of which 
     $500,000 is for technical assistance and fund management, and 
     $2,500,000 is for investments in the HOPE Fund and financing 
     to affiliated organizations; and $2,000,000 shall be made 
     available as a grant to the Housing Partnership Network for 
     operating expenses and a program of affordable housing 
     acquisition and rehabilitation.


                       Homeless Assistance Grants

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For the emergency shelter grants program as authorized 
     under subtitle B of title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless 
     Assistance Act, as amended; the supportive housing program as 
     authorized under subtitle C of title IV of such Act; the 
     section 8 moderate rehabilitation single room occupancy 
     program as authorized under the United States Housing Act of 
     1937, as amended, to assist homeless individuals pursuant to 
     section 441 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act; 
     and the shelter plus care program as authorized under 
     subtitle F of title IV of such Act, $1,585,990,000, of which 
     $1,580,990,000 shall remain available until September 30, 
     2010, and of which $5,000,000 shall remain available until 
     expended for rehabilitation projects with ten-year grant 
     terms: Provided, That of the amounts provided, $25,000,000 
     shall be set aside to conduct a demonstration program for the 
     rapid re-housing of homeless families: Provided further, That 
     of amounts made

[[Page 24203]]

     available in the preceding proviso, not to exceed $3,000,000 
     may be used to conduct an evaluation of this demonstration 
     program: Provided further, That funding made available for 
     this demonstration program shall be used by the Secretary, 
     expressly for the purposes of providing housing and services 
     to homeless families in order to evaluate the effectiveness 
     of the rapid re-housing approach in addressing the needs of 
     homeless families: Provided further, That not less than 30 
     percent of funds made available, excluding amounts provided 
     for renewals under the shelter plus care program, shall be 
     used for permanent housing for individuals and families: 
     Provided further, That all funds awarded for services shall 
     be matched by 25 percent in funding by each grantee: Provided 
     further, That the Secretary shall renew on an annual basis 
     expiring contracts or amendments to contracts funded under 
     the shelter plus care program if the program is determined to 
     be needed under the applicable continuum of care and meets 
     appropriate program requirements and financial standards, as 
     determined by the Secretary: Provided further, That all 
     awards of assistance under this heading shall be required to 
     coordinate and integrate homeless programs with other 
     mainstream health, social services, and employment programs 
     for which homeless populations may be eligible, including 
     Medicaid, State Children's Health Insurance Program, 
     Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Food Stamps, and 
     services funding through the Mental Health and Substance 
     Abuse Block Grant, Workforce Investment Act, and the Welfare-
     to-Work grant program: Provided further, That up to 
     $8,000,000 of the funds appropriated under this heading shall 
     be available for the national homeless data analysis project 
     and technical assistance: Provided further, That not to 
     exceed $2,475,000 of the funds appropriated under this 
     heading may be transferred to the Working Capital Fund: 
     Provided further, That all balances for Shelter Plus Care 
     renewals previously funded from the Shelter Plus Care Renewal 
     account and transferred to this account shall be available, 
     if recaptured, for Shelter Plus Care renewals in fiscal year 
     2008.

                            Housing Programs


    OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HOUSING, FEDERAL HOUSING 
                              COMMISSIONER

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

       For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the 
     Assistant Secretary for Housing, Federal Housing 
     Commissioner, $3,420,000.


                     HOUSING SALARIES AND EXPENSES

       For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of 
     Housing, $351,560,000: Provided, That notwithstanding any 
     other provision of law, funds appropriated under this heading 
     may be used for advertising and promotional activities that 
     support the housing mission area.


                        Housing for the Elderly

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For capital advances, including amendments to capital 
     advance contracts, for housing for the elderly, as authorized 
     by section 202 of the Housing Act of 1959, as amended, and 
     for project rental assistance for the elderly under section 
     202(c)(2) of such Act, including amendments to contracts for 
     such assistance and renewal of expiring contracts for such 
     assistance for up to a 1-year term, and for supportive 
     services associated with the housing, $735,000,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2011, of which up to 
     $603,900,000 shall be for capital advance and project-based 
     rental assistance awards: Provided, That, of the amount 
     provided under this heading, up to $60,000,000 shall be for 
     service coordinators and the continuation of existing 
     congregate service grants for residents of assisted housing 
     projects, and of which up to $24,750,000 shall be for grants 
     under section 202b of the Housing Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 
     1701q-2) for conversion of eligible projects under such 
     section to assisted living or related use and for emergency 
     capital repairs as determined by the Secretary: Provided 
     further, That of the amount made available under this 
     heading, $20,000,000 shall be available to the Secretary of 
     Housing and Urban Development only for making competitive 
     grants to private nonprofit organizations and consumer 
     cooperatives for covering costs of architectural and 
     engineering work, site control, and other planning relating 
     to the development of supportive housing for the elderly that 
     is eligible for assistance under section 202 of the Housing 
     Act of 1959 (12 U.S.C. 1701q): Provided further, That amounts 
     under this heading shall be available for Real Estate 
     Assessment Center inspections and inspection-related 
     activities associated with section 202 capital advance 
     projects: Provided further, That not to exceed $1,400,000 of 
     the total amount made available under this heading may be 
     transferred to the Working Capital Fund: Provided further, 
     That the Secretary may waive the provisions of section 202 
     governing the terms and conditions of project rental 
     assistance, except that the initial contract term for such 
     assistance shall not exceed 5 years in duration.


                 Housing for Persons With Disabilities

                     (including transfer of funds)

       For capital advance contracts, including amendments to 
     capital advance contracts, for supportive housing for persons 
     with disabilities, as authorized by section 811 of the 
     Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 
     8013), for project rental assistance for supportive housing 
     for persons with disabilities under section 811(d)(2) of such 
     Act, including amendments to contracts for such assistance 
     and renewal of expiring contracts for such assistance for up 
     to a 1-year term, and for supportive services associated with 
     the housing for persons with disabilities as authorized by 
     section 811(b)(1) of such Act, and for tenant-based rental 
     assistance contracts entered into pursuant to section 811 of 
     such Act, $237,000,000, to remain available until September 
     30, 2011: Provided, That not to exceed $600,000 may be 
     transferred to the Working Capital Fund: Provided further, 
     That, of the amount provided under this heading $74,745,000 
     shall be for amendments or renewal of tenant-based assistance 
     contracts entered into prior to fiscal year 2005 (only one 
     amendment authorized for any such contract): Provided 
     further, That all tenant-based assistance made available 
     under this heading shall continue to remain available only to 
     persons with disabilities: Provided further, That the 
     Secretary may waive the provisions of section 811 governing 
     the terms and conditions of project rental assistance and 
     tenant-based assistance, except that the initial contract 
     term for such assistance shall not exceed 5 years in 
     duration: Provided further, That amounts made available under 
     this heading shall be available for Real Estate Assessment 
     Center Inspections and inspection-related activities 
     associated with section 811 Capital Advance Projects.


                    other assisted housing programs

                       rental housing assistance

       For amendments to contracts under section 101 of the 
     Housing and Urban Development Act of 1965 (12 U.S.C. 1701s) 
     and section 236(f)(2) of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 
     1715z-1) in State-aided, non-insured rental housing projects, 
     $27,600,000, to remain available until expended.


                              (rescission)

       Of the amounts made available under the heading ``Rent 
     Supplement'' in Public Law 98-63 for amendments to contracts 
     under section 101 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 
     1965 (12 U.S.C. 1701s) and section 236(f)(2) of the National 
     Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1715z-1) in State-aided, non-insured 
     rental housing projects, $27,600,000 are rescinded.


                         Flexible Subsidy Fund

                          (transfer of funds)

       From the Rental Housing Assistance Fund, all uncommitted 
     balances of excess rental charges as of September 30, 2007, 
     and any collections made during fiscal year 2008 and all 
     subsequent fiscal years, shall be transferred to the Flexible 
     Subsidy Fund, as authorized by section 236(g) of the National 
     Housing Act, as amended.


                  Manufactured Housing Fees Trust Fund

       For necessary expenses as authorized by the National 
     Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 
     1974, as amended (42 U.S.C. 5401 et seq.), up to $16,000,000, 
     to remain available until expended, to be derived from the 
     Manufactured Housing Fees Trust Fund: Provided, That not to 
     exceed the total amount appropriated under this heading shall 
     be available from the general fund of the Treasury to the 
     extent necessary to incur obligations and make expenditures 
     pending the receipt of collections to the Fund pursuant to 
     section 620 of such Act: Provided further, That the amount 
     made available under this heading from the general fund shall 
     be reduced as such collections are received during fiscal 
     year 2008 so as to result in a final fiscal year 2008 
     appropriation from the general fund estimated at not more 
     than $0 and fees pursuant to such section 620 shall be 
     modified as necessary to ensure such a final fiscal year 2008 
     appropriation: Provided further, That for the dispute 
     resolution and installation programs, the Secretary of 
     Housing and Urban Development may assess and collect fees 
     from any program participant: Provided further, That such 
     collections shall be deposited into the Fund, and the 
     Secretary, as provided herein, may use such collections, as 
     well as fees collected under section 620, for necessary 
     expenses of such Act: Provided further, That notwithstanding 
     the requirements of section 620 of such Act, the Secretary 
     may carry out responsibilities of the Secretary under such 
     Act through the use of approved service providers that are 
     paid directly by the recipients of their services.

                     Federal Housing Administration


               mutual mortgage insurance program account

                     (including transfers of funds)

       During fiscal year 2008, commitments to guarantee loans to 
     carry out the purposes of section 203(b) of the National 
     Housing Act, as amended, shall not exceed a loan principal of 
     $185,000,000,000.
       During fiscal year 2008, obligations to make direct loans 
     to carry out the purposes of section 204(g) of the National 
     Housing Act, as amended, shall not exceed $50,000,000: 
     Provided, That the foregoing amount shall be for loans to 
     nonprofit and governmental entities in connection with sales 
     of single family real properties owned by the Secretary and 
     formerly insured under the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund.

[[Page 24204]]

       For administrative contract expenses, $77,400,000, of which 
     not to exceed $25,550,000 may be transferred to the Working 
     Capital Fund, and of which up to $5,000,000 shall be for 
     education and outreach of FHA single family loan products: 
     Provided, That to the extent guaranteed loan commitments 
     exceed $65,500,000,000 on or before April 1, 2008, an 
     additional $1,400 for administrative contract expenses shall 
     be available for each $1,000,000 in additional guaranteed 
     loan commitments (including a pro rata amount for any amount 
     below $1,000,000), but in no case shall funds made available 
     by this proviso exceed $30,000,000.


                General and Special Risk Program Account

                     (including transfers of funds)

       For the cost of guaranteed loans, as authorized by sections 
     238 and 519 of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1715z-3 
     and 1735c), including the cost of loan guarantee 
     modifications, as that term is defined in section 502 of the 
     Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as amended, $8,600,000, to 
     remain available until expended: Provided, That commitments 
     to guarantee loans shall not exceed $45,000,000,000 in total 
     loan principal, any part of which is to be guaranteed.
       Gross obligations for the principal amount of direct loans, 
     as authorized by sections 204(g), 207(l), 238, and 519(a) of 
     the National Housing Act, shall not exceed $50,000,000, of 
     which not to exceed $30,000,000 shall be for bridge financing 
     in connection with the sale of multifamily real properties 
     owned by the Secretary and formerly insured under such Act; 
     and of which not to exceed $20,000,000 shall be for loans to 
     nonprofit and governmental entities in connection with the 
     sale of single-family real properties owned by the Secretary 
     and formerly insured under such Act.
       For administrative contract expenses necessary to carry out 
     the guaranteed and direct loan programs, $78,111,000, of 
     which not to exceed $15,692,000 may be transferred to the 
     Working Capital Fund: Provided, That to the extent guaranteed 
     loan commitments exceed $8,426,000,000 on or before April 1, 
     2008, an additional $1,980 for administrative contract 
     expenses shall be available for each $1,000,000 in additional 
     guaranteed loan commitments over $8,426,000,000 (including a 
     pro rata amount for any increment below $1,000,000), but in 
     no case shall funds made available by this proviso exceed 
     $14,400,000.
       For discount sales of multifamily real property under 
     sections 207(1) or 246 of the National Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 
     1713(l), 1715z-11), section 203 of the Housing and Community 
     Development Amendments of 1978 (12 U.S.C. 1701z-11), or 
     section 204 of the Departments of Veterans Affairs and 
     Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies 
     Appropriations Act, 1997 (12 U.S.C. 1715z-11a), and for 
     discount loan sales under section 207(k) of the National 
     Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1713(k)), section 203(k) of the 
     Housing and Community Development Amendments of 1978 (12 
     U.S.C. 1701z-11(k)), or section 204(a) of the Departments of 
     Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and 
     Independent Agencies Act, 1997 (12 U.S.C. 1715z-11a(a)), 
     $5,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2009.

                Government National Mortgage Association


         OFFICE OF THE GOVERNMENT NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

       For the necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of 
     the Government National Mortgage Association, $9,530,000.


Guarantees of Mortgage-Backed Securities Loan Guarantee Program Account

                     (including transfer of funds)

       New commitments to issue guarantees to carry out the 
     purposes of section 306 of the National Housing Act, as 
     amended (12 U.S.C. 1721(g)), shall not exceed 
     $200,000,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 
     2009.

                    Policy Development and Research


 OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

       For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the 
     Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, 
     $1,570,000.


         POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH SALARIES AND EXPENSES

       For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of Policy 
     Development and Research, $19,310,000.


                        Research and Technology

       For contracts, grants, and necessary expenses of programs 
     of research and studies relating to housing and urban 
     problems, not otherwise provided for, as authorized by title 
     V of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970, as 
     amended (12 U.S.C. 1701z-1 et seq.), including carrying out 
     the functions of the Secretary under section 1(a)(1)(i) of 
     Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1968, $59,040,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2009: Provided, That of the 
     total amount provided under this heading, $5,000,000 shall be 
     for the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing 
     (PATH) Initiative: Provided further, That of the funds made 
     available under this heading, $20,600,000 is for grants 
     pursuant to section 107 of the Housing and Community 
     Development Act of 1974, as amended, as follows: $3,000,000 
     to support Alaska Native serving institutions and Native 
     Hawaiian serving institutions as defined under the Higher 
     Education Act, as amended; $2,600,000 for tribal colleges and 
     universities to build, expand, renovate, and equip their 
     facilities and to expand the role of the colleges into the 
     community through the provision of needed services such as 
     health programs, job training and economic development 
     activities; $9,000,000 for the Historically Black Colleges 
     and Universities program, of which up to $2,000,000 may be 
     used for technical assistance; and $6,000,000 for the 
     Hispanic Serving Institutions Program.

                   Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity


     OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR FAIR HOUSING AND EQUAL 
                              OPPORTUNITY

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

       For necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of the 
     Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, 
     $1,490,000.


        FAIR HOUSING AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY SALARIES AND EXPENSES

       For the necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of 
     Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, $69,390,000.


                        Fair Housing Activities

       For contracts, grants, and other assistance, not otherwise 
     provided for, as authorized by title VIII of the Civil Rights 
     Act of 1968, as amended by the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 
     1988, and section 561 of the Housing and Community 
     Development Act of 1987, as amended, $52,000,000, to remain 
     available until September 30, 2009, of which $25,000,000 
     shall be to carry out activities pursuant to such section 
     561: Provided, That notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302, the 
     Secretary may assess and collect fees to cover the costs of 
     the Fair Housing Training Academy, and may use such funds to 
     provide such training: Provided further, That no funds made 
     available under this heading shall be used to lobby the 
     executive or legislative branches of the Federal Government 
     in connection with a specific contract, grant or loan.

                     Office of Lead Hazard Control


            OFFICE OF HEALTHY HOMES AND LEAD HAZARD CONTROL

                         SALARIES AND EXPENSES

       For the necessary salaries and expenses of the Office of 
     Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control, $6,140,000.


                         Lead Hazard Reduction

       For the Lead Hazard Reduction Program, as authorized by 
     section 1011 of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard 
     Reduction Act of 1992, $151,000,000, to remain available 
     until September 30, 2009, of which $8,800,000 shall be for 
     the Healthy Homes Initiative, pursuant to sections 501 and 
     502 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970 that 
     shall include research, studies, testing, and demonstration 
     efforts, including education and outreach concerning lead-
     based paint poisoning and other housing-related diseases and 
     hazards: Provided, That for purposes of environmental review, 
     pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
     U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and other provisions of law that further 
     the purposes of such Act, a grant under the Healthy Homes 
     Initiative, Operation Lead Elimination Action Plan (LEAP), or 
     the Lead Technical Studies program under this heading or 
     under prior appropriations Acts for such purposes under this 
     heading, shall be considered to be funds for a special 
     project for purposes of section 305(c) of the Multifamily 
     Housing Property Disposition Reform Act of 1994: Provided 
     further, That of the total amount made available under this 
     heading, $48,000,000 shall be made available on a competitive 
     basis for areas with the highest lead paint abatement needs: 
     Provided further, That each applicant shall submit a detailed 
     plan and strategy that demonstrates adequate capacity that is 
     acceptable to the Secretary to carry out the proposed use of 
     funds pursuant to a Notice of Funding Availability: Provided 
     further, That of the total amount made available under this 
     heading, $2,000,000 shall be available for the Big Buy 
     Program to be managed by the Office of Healthy Homes and Lead 
     Hazard Control.


                          Working Capital Fund

       For additional capital for the Working Capital Fund (42 
     U.S.C. 3535) for the development of, modifications to, and 
     infrastructure for Department-wide information technology 
     systems, for the continuing operation and maintenance of both 
     Department-wide and program-specific information systems, and 
     for program-related development activities, $75,000,000, to 
     remain available until September 30, 2009: Provided, That any 
     amounts transferred to this Fund under this Act shall remain 
     available until expended: Provided further, That any amounts 
     transferred to this Fund from amounts appropriated by 
     previously enacted appropriations Acts or from within this 
     Act may be used only for the purposes specified under this 
     Fund, in addition to the purposes for which such amounts were 
     appropriated.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2823. Mrs. CLINTON (for herself, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Menendez, Mr. 
Lieberman, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Dodd, and Mr. Casey) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of

[[Page 24205]]

Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
as follows:

       On page 147, between lines 8 and 9, insert the following:
       Sec. 414.  Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall 
     submit to the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the 
     Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, 
     the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
     Senate, and the Committee on Transportation and 
     Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, a report 
     detailing how the Federal Aviation Administration plans to 
     alleviate air congestion and flight delays in the New York/
     New Jersey/Philadelphia Airspace by August 31, 2008.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2824. Mr. GRASSLEY (for himself, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Crapo, and Mr. 
Thune) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the 
bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       In section 187 under the heading ``General Provisions'' of 
     title I, insert ``and any Member of Congress representing any 
     affected State or district'' after ``Appropriations''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2825. Mrs. HUTCHISON (for herself and Mr. Cornyn) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; as follows:

       At the end of the sections under the heading ``General 
     Provisions'' at the end of title I, add the following:

     SEC. 1__. PROHIBITION ON IMPOSITION AND COLLECTION OF TOLLS 
                   ON CERTAIN HIGHWAYS CONSTRUCTED USING FEDERAL 
                   FUNDS.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Federal highway facility.--
       (A) In general.--The term ``Federal highway facility'' 
     means--
       (i) any highway, bridge, or tunnel on the Interstate System 
     that is constructed using Federal funds; or
       (ii) any United States highway.
       (B) Exclusion.--The term ``Federal highway facility'' does 
     not include any right-of-way for any highway, bridge, or 
     tunnel described in subparagraph (A).
       (2) Tolling provision.--The term ``tolling provision'' 
     means--
       (A) section 129 of title 23, United States Code;
       (B) section 1216(b) of the Transportation Equity Act for 
     the 21st Century (23 U.S.C. 129 note; 112 Stat. 212);
       (C) section 1604(b) of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, 
     Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (23 
     U.S.C. 129 note; 119 Stat. 1250); and
       (D) section 1012(b)(4) of the Intermodal Surface 
     Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (23 U.S.C. 149 note; 
     105 Stat. 1938).
       (b) Prohibition.--
       (1) In general.--None of the funds made available by this 
     Act shall be used to consider or approve an application to 
     permit the imposition or collection of any toll on any 
     portion of a Federal highway facility--
       (A)(i) that is in existence on the date of enactment of 
     this Act; and
       (ii) on which no toll is imposed or collected under a 
     tolling provision on that date of enactment; or
       (B) that would result in the Federal highway facility 
     having fewer non-toll lanes than before the date on which the 
     toll was first imposed or collected.
       (2) Exemption.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the 
     imposition or collection of a toll on a Federal highway 
     facility--
       (A) on which a toll is imposed or collected under a tolling 
     provision on the date of enactment of this Act; or
       (B) that is constructed, under construction, or the subject 
     of an application for construction submitted to the 
     Secretary, after the date of enactment of this Act.
       (c) State Buy-Back.--None of the funds made available by 
     this Act shall be used to impose or collect a toll on a 
     Federal highway facility that is purchased by a State on or 
     after the date of enactment of this Act.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2826. Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself and Mr. Lautenberg) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 18, between lines 2 and 3, insert the following:
       Sec. 116. (a) Government Accountability Office Study and 
     Report on Flight Delays.--None of the funds appropriated or 
     otherwise made available by this Act may be obligated or 
     expended by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration for the New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia 
     Metropolitan Airspace Redesign until the Comptroller General 
     of the United States submits the report required by 
     subsection (c).
       (b) Study.--
       (1) In general.--The Comptroller General shall conduct a 
     study on the efficacy of strategies employed by the 
     Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration and the 
     Secretary of Transportation to address flight delays at 
     airports in the United States.
       (2) Contents.--The study required by paragraph (1) shall 
     include an assessment of--
       (A) efforts by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration to induce voluntary schedule reductions by air 
     carriers at Chicago O'Hare International Airport;
       (B) the mandatory flight reduction operations instituted by 
     the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration at 
     LaGuardia Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National 
     Airport;
       (C) the New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia Metropolitan 
     Airspace Redesign; and
       (D) any other significant efforts by the Administrator of 
     the Federal Aviation Administration or the Secretary of 
     Transportation to reduce flight delays at airports in the 
     United States.
       (c) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit 
     to Congress a report including--
       (1) the results of the study required by subsection (b); 
     and
       (2) recommendations regarding which of the strategies 
     described in subsection (b) reduce airport delays most 
     effectively when employed for periods of 6 months or less.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2827. Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself and Mr. Lautenberg) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       On page 18, between lines 2 and 3, insert the following:
       Sec. 116. (a) Study of New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia 
     Metropolitan Area Airspace Redesign.--Not later than 120 days 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
     General of the United States shall conduct a study of the New 
     York/New Jersey/Philadelphia Metropolitan Area Airspace 
     Redesign to determine whether such redesign will meet the 
     targets set by the Federal Aviation Administration of--
       (1) a 20 percent reduction of air travel delays in such 
     airspace by 2011; and
       (2) eliminating exposure to aircraft noise for not less 
     than 500,000 people in such metropolitan area.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall submit to Congress a report setting forth the 
     findings of the Comptroller General with respect to the study 
     required by subsection (a).
       (c) Reversion to Previous Airspace Design.--If the report 
     submitted to Congress in accordance with subsection (b) 
     contains a finding by the Comptroller General that the 
     targets specified in subsection (a) will not be met by the 
     New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia Metropolitan Area Airspace 
     Redesign, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration shall immediately revert the New York/New 
     Jersey/Philadelphia Metropolitan Area airspace design to the 
     airspace design for such area in effect on September 1, 2007.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2828. Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself and Mr. Lautenberg) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       On page 147, between lines 8 and 9, insert the following:
       Sec. 414.  None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made 
     available by this Act may be obligated or expended to 
     implement the airspace redesign alternative preferred by the 
     Federal Aviation Administration with respect to the New York/
     New Jersey/Philadelphia Airspace Redesign Project.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2829. Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself and Mr. Lautenberg) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and

[[Page 24206]]

Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 18, between lines 2 and 3, insert the following:
       Sec. 116. (a) Government Accountability Office Study on 
     Flight Delays.--
       (1) In general.--The Comptroller General shall conduct a 
     study on the efficacy of strategies employed by the 
     Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration and the 
     Secretary of Transportation to address flight delays at 
     airports in the United States.
       (2) Contents.--The study required by paragraph (1) shall 
     include an assessment of--
       (A) efforts by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration to induce voluntary schedule reductions by air 
     carriers at Chicago O'Hare International Airport;
       (B) the mandatory flight reduction operations instituted by 
     the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration at 
     LaGuardia Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National 
     Airport;
       (C) the New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia Metropolitan 
     Airspace Redesign; and
       (D) any other significant efforts by the Administrator of 
     the Federal Aviation Administration or the Secretary of 
     Transportation to reduce flight delays at airports in the 
     United States.
       (b) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit 
     to Congress a report including--
       (1) the results of the study required by subsection (a); 
     and
       (2) recommendations regarding which of the strategies 
     described in subsection (a) reduce airport delays most 
     effectively when employed for periods of 6 months or less.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2830. Mrs. McCASKILL submitted an amendment intended to be 
proposed by her to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the 
Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and 
related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for 
other purposes; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. ___.  Not later than 30 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
     Development shall establish and maintain on the homepage of 
     the Internet website of the Department of Housing and Urban 
     Development--
       (1) a direct link to the Internet website of the Office of 
     Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban 
     Development; and
       (2) a mechanism by which individuals may anonymously report 
     cases of waste, fraud, or abuse with respect to the 
     Department of Housing and Urban Development.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2831. Mrs. McCASKILL submitted an amendment intended to be 
proposed by her to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the 
Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and 
related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for 
other purposes; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. ___.  Not later than 30 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall 
     establish and maintain on the homepage of the Internet 
     website of the Department of Transportation--
       (1) a direct link to the Internet website of the Office of 
     Inspector General of the Department of Transportation; and
       (2) a mechanism by which individuals may anonymously report 
     cases of waste, fraud, or abuse with respect to the 
     Department of Transportation.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2832. Mr. BOND (for himself, Mr. Dodd, and Mr. Kerry) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 95, after the period at the end of line 25, begin 
     with the following new paragraph:
       Of the overall funds made available for this account, up to 
     $100,000,000 may be made available for mortgage foreclosure 
     mitigation activities, under the following terms and 
     conditions:
       (1) The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 
     (``Secretary,'' ``the Department'') is authorized to provide, 
     or contract with public, private or nonprofit entities 
     (including the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation and 
     Housing Finance Agencies) to make awards (with up to a 25 
     percent match by an entity of the amount made available to 
     such entity) (except for the match, some or all of the award 
     may be repayable by the contractor to the Secretary, upon 
     terms determined by the Secretary) to provide mitigation 
     assistance to eliminate the default and foreclosure of 
     mortgages of owner-occupied single-family homes that are at 
     risk of such foreclosure, including mortgages known as 
     subprime mortgages;
       (2) These loss mitigation activities shall only be made 
     available to homebuyers with mortgages in default or in 
     danger of default where such activities are likely to ensure 
     the long-term affordability of any mortgage retained pursuant 
     to such activity; No Federal funds made available under this 
     paragraph may be provided directly to lenders or homeowners 
     for foreclosure mitigation assistance. An entity may use its 
     own funds (including its match contribution) for foreclosure 
     mitigation assistance subject to repayment requirements and 
     the regulations issued by the Secretary;
       (3) Loss mitigation activities shall involve a reasonable 
     analysis of the borrower's financial situation, an evaluation 
     of the current value of the property that is subject to the 
     mortgage, the possible purchase of the mortgage, refinancing 
     opportunities or the approval of a work-out strategy by all 
     interested parties, and an assessment of the feasibility of 
     the following measures, including:
       (I) waiver of any late payment change or, as applicable, 
     penalty interest;
       (II) forbearance pursuant to the written agreement between 
     the borrower and servicer providing for a temporary reduction 
     in monthly payments followed by a reamortization and new 
     payment schedule that includes any arrearage;
       (III) waiver, modification, or variation of any term of a 
     mortgage, including modification that changes the mortgage 
     rate, including the possible elimination of the adjustable 
     rate mortgage requirements, forgiving the payment of 
     principal and interest, extending the final maturity rate of 
     such mortgage, or beginning to include an escrow for taxes 
     and insurance;
       (IV) acceptance of payment from the homebuyer of an amount 
     less than the stated principal balance in financial 
     satisfaction of such mortgage;
       (V) assumption;
       (VI) pre-foreclosure sale;
       (VII) deed in lieu of foreclosure; and
       (VIII) such other measures, or combination of measures, to 
     make the mortgage both feasible and reasonable to ensure the 
     long-term affordability of any mortgage retained pursuant to 
     such activity.
       (4) Activities described in subclasses (V), (VI), and (VII) 
     shall be only pursued after a reasonable evaluation of the 
     feasibility of the activities described in subclasses (I), 
     (II), (III), (IV), and (VIII), based on the homeowner's 
     circumstances.
       (5) The Secretary shall develop a listing of mortgage 
     foreclosure mitigation entities with which it has agreements 
     as well as a listing of counseling centers approved by the 
     Secretary, with the understanding that an eligible mortgage 
     foreclosure mitigation entity may also operate as a 
     counseling center.
       (6) Any mitigation funds recovered by the Department of 
     Housing and Urban Development shall be revolved back into the 
     overall mitigation fund or for other counseling activities, 
     maintained by the Department and revolved back into 
     mitigation and counseling activities
       (7) The Department shall report annually to the Congress on 
     its efforts to mitigate mortgage default. Such report shall 
     identify all methods of success and housing preserved and 
     shall include all recommended efforts that will or likely can 
     assist in the success of this program.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2833. Mr. SCHUMER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. ___. Sense of the Senate.
       (a) Findings.--The Senate finds that:
       (1) Millions of American families are at risk of losing 
     their homes in foreclosure as their adjustable-rate subprime 
     loans have reset or will reset in the near future.
       (2) Based on recent housing data, the current foreclosure 
     crisis is likely just the tip of the iceberg, as nearly 
     2,000,000 adjustable-rate subprime mortgages are scheduled to 
     reset by the end of 2008.
       (3) Rising foreclosures in a weak housing market could 
     cause an accelerating decline in home values as more houses 
     come on the market for resale (either from their owners or as 
     the result of foreclosures), and if such a situation 
     develops, the United States may see additional declines in 
     home prices and negative effects on the Nation's economy.
       (4) Foreclosures have a significant negative impact, not 
     only on the borrower and lender, but also on neighboring 
     homeowners and the surrounding community because of lower 
     property values, decreased property tax revenues, and higher 
     municipal maintenance costs.
       (5) A cost-effective way of preventing foreclosures is to 
     engage experienced nonprofit

[[Page 24207]]

     organizations in the negotiations between borrowers and 
     lenders for loan modifications and refinancings.
       (6) Many of these nonprofits are already overwhelmed by 
     requests for assistance, with some having received as many 
     requests for assistance in the first 6 months of this year as 
     they did in all of last year.
       (7) It is essential that the capacity of these qualified 
     housing counselors be increased with additional funding, 
     especially in light of increasing evidence that some 
     homeowners are falling victim to fraudulent mortgage 
     foreclosure avoidance schemes.
       (8) The Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban 
     Development, and Related Agencies of the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the Senate has recognized the need for 
     increased funding for foreclosure-avoidance nonprofits by 
     providing in this Act $100,000,000 for these efforts.
       (9) The Federal Government cannot solve this problem by 
     itself, and the efforts of others, particularly those banks 
     and mortgage servicers that have the ability, through loan 
     modifications and refinancings, to help homeowners avoid 
     foreclosures, are essential to addressing this problem.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the subprime crisis poses a danger to the housing market 
     and the economy as a whole, and efforts and resources at all 
     levels of government and in the private sector should be 
     devoted to alleviating this ongoing problem that threatens 
     millions of American families and their homes.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2834. Mr. MENENDEZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other 
purposes; as follows:

       On page 73, line 8, strike ``$252,010,000'' and insert 
     ``$251,630,000''.
       On page 110, line 23, strike ``$52,000,000'' and insert 
     ``$52,380,000''.
       On page 111, line 6, strike the period and insert the 
     following: ``: Provided further, That of the funds made 
     available under this heading, $380,000 shall be available to 
     the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for the 
     creation and promotion of translated materials and other 
     programs that support the assistance of persons with limited 
     english proficiency in utilizing the services provided by the 
     Department of Housing and Urban Development.''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2835. Mrs. FEINSTEIN submitted an amendment intended to be 
proposed by her to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the 
Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and 
related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 137, between lines 17 and 18, insert the following:
       Sec. 232. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 
     shall give priority consideration to applications from the 
     housing authorities of the Counties of San Bernardino and 
     Santa Clara and the City of San Jose, California to 
     participate in the Moving to Work Demonstration Agreement 
     under section 204 of the Departments of Veterans Affairs and 
     Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies 
     Appropriations Act, 1996 (as contained in section 101(e) of 
     the Omnibus Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act 
     of 1996; Public Law 104-134): Provided, That upon turnover, 
     existing requirements on the reissuance of section 8 vouchers 
     shall be maintained to ensure that not less than 75 percent 
     of all vouchers shall be made available to extremely low-
     income families.
       Sec. 233. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 
     may, notwithstanding any other provision of law, approve 
     additional Moving to Work Demonstration Agreements, which are 
     entered into between a public housing agency that is not 
     currently under receivership and the Secretary under section 
     204 of the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and 
     Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations 
     Act, 1996 (as contained in section 101(e) of the Omnibus 
     Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act of 1996; 
     Public Law 104-134), but at no time may the number of active 
     Moving to Work Demonstration Agreements exceed 32.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2836. Mr. SCHUMER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 147, between lines 8 and 9, insert the following:

     SEC. 414. SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING FEDERAL AVIATION 
                   ADMINISTRATION EQUIPMENT.

       (a) Findings.--The Senate makes the following findings:
       (1) The American public relies on the air traffic control 
     infrastructure for its safety and American commerce is 
     dependent on it for its continued health.
       (2) The delays in modernization of technology by the 
     Federal Aviation Administration have put both safety and 
     commerce at risk.
       (3) Safety must be first and foremost on the Federal 
     Aviation Administration agenda when it comes to implementing 
     modernization plans.
       (4) So far this year, there have been 339 potential 
     catastrophes, incidents where planes got too close to each 
     other or to objects on the ground.
       (5) As recently as August 16, a passenger jet on the runway 
     at Los Angeles International Airport came within just 37 feet 
     of another aircraft.
       (6) In addition to safety, dependability is vital to 
     American commerce.
       (7) More than 909,000 flights were delayed between January 
     and June 2007, twice the number of flights that were delayed 
     in 2002.
       (8) United States airlines canceled more than 30,000 
     flights in the summer of 2007, nearly twice as many as were 
     canceled in the summer of 2006.
       (9) The Federal Aviation Administration recorded 159,000 
     delays from June through August 27, up 19 percent over the 
     same period last year.
       (10) The Federal Aviation Administration predicts 
     1,000,000,000 passengers a year will take to the skies by 
     2015, a 36 percent increase from the current level.
       (11) The initial implementation date for the next 
     generation technology was scheduled to be 2014, but the 
     Federal Aviation Administration has delayed that date to 
     2025.
       (12) The Subcommittee on Transportation and Housing and 
     Urban Development, and Related Agencies of the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the Senate has appropriated funds for the 
     modernization of the air traffic control system in this Act.
       (b) Sense of the Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate 
     that the Federal Aviation Administration should fully utilize 
     the funds appropriated to expedite the implementation of the 
     next generation technology needed to modernize the equipment 
     used by the Federal Aviation Administration and to triple the 
     system capacity of the national airspace reducing delays and 
     enhancing safety.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2837. Ms. SNOWE (for herself and Mr. Carper) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by her to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 70, between lines 20 and 21, insert the following:
       Sec. 1__.  In providing funding for highway projects, the 
     Secretary of Transportation shall consider the use of 
     recycled aggregates and other materials, including reused 
     concrete and asphalt, in highway projects, to the maximum 
     extent practicable and whenever economically feasible.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2838. Mr. SPECTER (for himself and Mr. Casey) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       On page 70, between lines 20 and 21, insert the following:
       Sec. 1__.  The table contained in section 1103(b) of the 
     Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (105 
     Stat. 2027) is amended in item number 3 by inserting ``, 
     upgrade of Freedom Crider Road in Beaver County, 
     Pennsylvania, and redesignation of Route 60 as Interstate 376 
     in Beaver County, Pennsylvania'' after ``Construction of 
     Aliquippa Ambridge Bridge of Beaver County, Pennsylvania''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2839. Mr. MARTINEZ (for himself and Mr. Allard) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 95, line 25, strike the period and insert the 
     following: ``: Provided further, That, from amounts 
     appropriated or otherwise made available under this heading, 
     $25,000,000 shall be made available to promote broader 
     participation in homeownership through the American Dream 
     Downpayment Initiative, as such initiative is set forth under 
     section 271 of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable 
     Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 12821).''.

[[Page 24208]]


                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2840. Mr. VITTER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 70, between lines 20 and 21, insert the following:
       Sec. 1__.  Of the amounts made available under the heading 
     ``capital and debt service grants to the national railroad 
     passenger corporation'', not less than $3,000,000 shall be 
     made available for the Greater Ouachita Port and Intermodal 
     Facility, Louisiana.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2841. Mr. KENNEDY (for himself and Mr. Kerry) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       On page 147, between lines 8 and 9, insert the following:
       Sec. 414.  The table contained in section 1702 of the Safe, 
     Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A 
     Legacy for Users (119 Stat. 1256) is amended--
       (1) in item number 451--
       (A) by striking ``Design and Construction of parking 
     areas'' and inserting ``for an energy efficient visitors 
     center, design and construction of parking areas, and repair 
     and regrade of White Pond Road''; and
       (B) by striking ``$420,000'' and inserting ``$1,720,000''; 
     and
       (2) in item number 2886, by striking ``$1,500,000'' and 
     inserting ``$200,000''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2842. Mr. CORNYN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
as follows:

       On page 70, between lines 20 and 21, insert the following:
       Sec. 194. (a) Not less frequently than once every 3 months, 
     the Secretary of Transportation shall inspect every 
     commercial motor vehicle authorized to enter the United 
     States through the demonstration program to ensure that every 
     participating commercial motor vehicle complies with all 
     applicable safety standards established for United States 
     commercial motor vehicles.
       (b) The Secretary of Transportation shall conduct an on-
     site preauthorization safety audit of every motor carrier 
     domiciled in Mexico that participates in the demonstration 
     program to ensure compliance with all applicable safety 
     standards established for motor carriers domiciled in the 
     United States.
       (c) The Secretary of Transportation shall verify, at the 
     point of entry, the safety compliance of every motor vehicle 
     and motor vehicle operator that enters the United States 
     through the demonstration program to ensure that every motor 
     vehicle and motor vehicle operator meets all applicable 
     safety standards established for United States commercial 
     motor vehicles and motor vehicle operators.
       (d)(1) Not later than 120 days after the commencement of 
     the demonstration program, the Inspector General of the 
     Department of Transportation shall submit a certification to 
     Congress that the Secretary of Transportation is in 
     compliance with this section.
       (2) No funds made available under this Act may be used for 
     the demonstration program if the Inspector General fails to 
     submit the certification required under paragraph (1).
       (e)(1) Not later than 60 days before implementing a cross-
     border motor carrier inspection program based on the 
     demonstration program, the Secretary of Transportation shall 
     submit written notification that describes the Secretary's 
     intention to implement the inspection program to--
       (A) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
       (B) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
     of the Senate;
       (C) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
     Representatives; and
       (D) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 
     the House of Representatives.
       (2) The Secretary may not implement the inspection program 
     if Congress passes a law that terminates the program.
       (f) In this section--
       (1) the term ``commercial zones'' means the commercial 
     zones along the international border between the United 
     States and Mexico; and
       (2) the term ``demonstration program'' means the cross-
     border motor carrier demonstration program that authorizes 
     motor carriers domiciled in Mexico to operate beyond the 
     commercial zones along the international border between the 
     United States and Mexico.
       (g) Of the amounts appropriated for the Office of the 
     Secretary under this title, sufficient funds shall be made 
     available to the Secretary of Transportation to carry out 
     this section.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2843. Mr. COBURN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. 194. (a) Except as provided under subsection (b), none 
     of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available under 
     this title may be used for any earmark until all bridges in 
     the United States that are classified under the Federal 
     Highway Administration's bridge inspection program, as of the 
     date of the enactment of this Act, as ``structurally 
     deficient'' or ``functionally obsolete'' have been 
     sufficiently repaired to no longer meet the criteria for such 
     classifications.
       (b) Funds appropriated under this title may be used for an 
     earmark that is designated to repair--
       (1) a bridge that is classified as ``structurally 
     deficient'' or ``functionally obsolete''; or
       (2) a road with ride quality that is not classified as 
     ``good'' or ``acceptable''.
       (c) In this section, the term ``earmark''--
       (1) means a provision or report language providing, 
     authorizing, or recommending a specific amount of 
     discretionary budget authority, credit authority, or other 
     spending authority for a contract, loan, loan guarantee, 
     grant, loan authority, or other expenditure with or to an 
     entity, or targeted to a specific State, locality or 
     Congressional district, other than through a statutory or 
     administrative formula-driven or competitive award process; 
     and
       (2) does not include any provision that provides funding 
     for a specific mass transit project.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2844. Mr. DeMINT submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:

     SEC. __. NONAPPLICATION OF PROVISIONS.

       None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to 
     implement the provisions, or make payments subject to the 
     provisions, of subchapter IV of part A of chapter 31 of title 
     40, United States Code, with respect to a contract for the 
     construction or maintenance of any bridge which, as of the 
     date of enactment of this Act, is classified under the 
     Federal Highway Administration's bridge inspection program as 
     ``structurally deficient'' or ``functionally obsolete''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2845. Mr. STEVENS (for himself, Mr. Inouye, and Mr. Inhofe) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 
3074, making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and 
Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 16, beginning with line 8, strike through line 2 on 
     page 18, and insert the following:

     SEC. 115. MULTICREW COVERED OPERATIONS SERVICE BY OLDER 
                   PILOTS.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 447 of title 49, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end thereof the following:

     ``Sec. 44729. Age standards for pilots

       ``(a) In General.--Subject to the limitation in subsection 
     (c), a pilot may serve in multicrew covered operations until 
     attaining 65 years of age.
       ``(b) Covered Operations Defined.--In this section, the 
     term `covered operations' means operations under part 121 of 
     title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
       ``(c) Limitation for International Flights.--
       ``(1) Applicability of icao standard.--A pilot who has 
     attained 60 years of age may serve as pilot-in-command in 
     covered operations between the United States and another 
     country only if there is another pilot in the flight deck 
     crew who has not yet attained 60 years of age.
       ``(2) Sunset of limitation.--Paragraph (1) shall cease to 
     be effective on such date as the Convention on International 
     Civil Aviation provides that a pilot who has attained 60

[[Page 24209]]

     years of age may serve as pilot-in-command in international 
     commercial operations without regard to whether there is 
     another pilot in the flight deck crew who has not attained 
     age 60.
       ``(d) Sunset of Age-60 Retirement Rule.--On and after the 
     date of enactment of the Transportation, Housing and Urban 
     Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008, 
     section 121.383(c) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, 
     shall cease to be effective.
       ``(e) Applicability.--
       ``(1) Nonretroactivity.--No person who has attained 60 
     years of age before the date of enactment of the 
     Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related 
     Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008 may serve as a pilot for an 
     air carrier engaged in covered operations unless--
       ``(A) such person is in the employment of that air carrier 
     in such operations on such date of enactment as a required 
     flight deck crew member; or
       ``(B) such person is newly hired by an air carrier as a 
     pilot on or after such date of enactment without credit for 
     prior seniority or prior longevity for benefits or other 
     terms related to length of service prior to the date of 
     rehire under any labor agreement or employment policies of 
     the air carrier.
       ``(2) Protection for compliance.--An action taken in 
     conformance with this section, taken in conformance with a 
     regulation issued to carry out this section, or taken prior 
     to the date of enactment of the Transportation, Housing and 
     Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 
     2008 in conformance with section 121.383(c) of title 14, Code 
     of Federal Regulations (as in effect before such date of 
     enactment), may not serve as a basis for liability or relief 
     in a proceeding, brought under any employment law or 
     regulation, before any court or agency of the United States 
     or of any State or locality.
       ``(f) Amendments to Labor Agreements and Benefit Plans.--
     Any amendment to a labor agreement or benefit plan of an air 
     carrier that is required to conform with the requirements of 
     this section or a regulation issued to carry out this 
     section, and is applicable to pilots represented for 
     collective bargaining, shall be made by agreement of the air 
     carrier and the designated bargaining representative of the 
     pilots of the air carrier.
       ``(g) Medical Standards and Records.--
       ``(1) Medical examinations and standards.--Except as 
     provided by paragraph (2), a person serving as a pilot for an 
     air carrier engaged in covered operations shall not be 
     subject to different medical standards, or different, 
     greater, or more frequent medical examinations, on account of 
     age unless the Secretary determines (based on data received 
     or studies published after the date of enactment of the 
     Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related 
     Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008) that different medical 
     standards, or different, greater, or more frequent medical 
     examinations, are needed to ensure an adequate level of 
     safety in flight.
       ``(2) Duration of first-class medical certificate.--No 
     person who has attained 60 years of age may serve as a pilot 
     of an air carrier engaged in covered operations unless the 
     person has a first-class medical certificate. Such a 
     certificate shall expire on the last day of the 6-month 
     period following the date of examination shown on the 
     certificate.
       ``(h) Safety.--
       ``(1) Training.--Each air carrier engaged in covered 
     operations shall continue to use pilot training and 
     qualification programs approved by the Federal Aviation 
     Administration, with specific emphasis on initial and 
     recurrent training and qualification of pilots who have 
     attained 60 years of age, to ensure continued acceptable 
     levels of pilot skill and judgment.
       ``(2) Line evaluations.--Not later than 6 months after the 
     date of enactment of the Transportation, Housing and Urban 
     Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008, 
     and every 6 months thereafter, an air carrier engaged in 
     covered operations shall evaluate the performance of each 
     pilot of the air carrier who has attained 60 years of age 
     through a line check of such pilot. Notwithstanding the 
     preceding sentence, an air carrier shall not be required to 
     conduct for a 6-month period a line check under this 
     paragraph of a pilot serving as second-in-command if the 
     pilot has undergone a regularly scheduled simulator 
     evaluation during that period.
       ``(3) GAO report.--Not later than 24 months after the date 
     of enactment of the Transportation, Housing and Urban 
     Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008, 
     the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on 
     Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate a report concerning the effect, 
     if any, on aviation safety of the modification to pilot age 
     standards made by subsection (a).''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The chapter analysis for chapter 
     447 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at 
     the end the following:

``44729. Age standards for pilots''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2846. Mr. DORGAN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
as follows:

       On page 137, between lines 17 and 18, insert the following:
       Sec. 232.  Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
     Development shall--
       (1) develop a formal, structured, and written plan that the 
     Department of Housing and Urban Development shall use when 
     monitoring for compliance with the specific relocation 
     restrictions in--
       (A) the Community Development Block Grant entitlement 
     program; and
       (B) the Community Development Block Grant State program 
     that receives economic development funds from the Department 
     of Housing and Urban Development; and
       (2) submit such plan to the Committee on Appropriations of 
     both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2847. Mr. DORGAN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 137, between lines 17 and 18, insert the following:
       Sec. 232. (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
       (1) In a recent report, the Government Accountability 
     Office (GAO) cited the lead analysis of Bureau of Labor 
     Statistics survey data suggesting that in the fourth quarter 
     of 2006 over 20,000 workers suffered job losses occurring 
     because of business relocations within the United States, the 
     majority of which crossed State lines.
       (2) That State and local governments could be spending from 
     $20,000,000,000 to $50,000,000,000 annually on business 
     incentives.
       (3) That States and local governments may be using tens of 
     billions of dollars of Federal funds on economic development 
     and business incentives.
       (4) GAO identified 17 large Federal economic development 
     programs that State and local governments use to attract and 
     retain jobs.
       (5) Nine of these Federal economic development programs 
     prohibit using program funds to relocate a business if such 
     move would cause a loss of jobs in the original location of 
     the business.
       (6) Unfortunately, GAO found that several Federal agencies, 
     including the Department of Housing and Urban Development, 
     operate 6 Federal economic development programs, including 
     the Community Development Block Grant entitlement and State 
     programs, that contain no formal written monitoring guidance 
     specific to the employer relocation restriction.
       (7) GAO suggests that without structured guidance and 
     procedures in place to monitor compliance with such 
     restriction, Federal agencies have limited assurance that 
     grant recipients and others are complying with the statutory 
     and regulatory requirements, and are spending funds on 
     allowable activities.
       (8) GAO recommends, among other things, that the Secretary 
     of Housing and Urban Development develop and implement formal 
     and structured guidance for the Department of Housing and 
     Urban Development to follow when monitoring for compliance 
     with the nonrelocation provisions in the Community 
     Development Block Grant entitlement and State programs.
       (9) American taxpayers ought to know that their Federal tax 
     dollars are being used by State and local governments 
     appropriately and that relocation restrictions are being 
     followed to ensure that Federal financial assistance does not 
     benefit one community at the expense of another.
       (b) Development, Implementation, and Submission of Plan.--
     Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall--
       (1) develop a formal, structured, and written plan that the 
     Department of Housing and Urban Development shall use when 
     monitoring for compliance with the specific relocation 
     restrictions in--
       (A) the Community Development Block Grant entitlement 
     program; and
       (B) the Community Development Block Grant State program 
     that receives economic development funds from the Department 
     of Housing and Urban Development; and
       (2) submit such plan to the Committee on Appropriations of 
     both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2848. Mr. FEINGOLD submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Transportation, and Housing and

[[Page 24210]]

Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 137, between lines 17 and 18, insert the following:
       Sec. 232. (a) Required Submissions for Fiscal Years 2007 
     and 2008.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
     Development shall submit to the relevant authorizing 
     committees and to the Committees on Appropriations of the 
     Senate and the House of Representatives for fiscal year 2007 
     and 2008--
       (A) a complete and accurate accounting of the actual 
     project-based renewal costs for project-based assistance 
     under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
     U.S.C. 1437f);
       (B) revised estimates of the funding needed to fully fund 
     all 12 months of all project-based contracts under such 
     section 8, including project-based contracts that expire in 
     fiscal year 2007 and fiscal year 2008; and
       (C) all sources of funding that will be used to fully fund 
     all 12 months of the project-based contracts for fiscal years 
     2007 and 2008.
       (2) Updated information.--At any time after the expiration 
     of the 60-day period described in paragraph (1), the 
     Secretary may submit corrections or updates to the 
     information required under paragraph (1), if upon completion 
     of an audit of the project-based assistance program under 
     section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 
     1437f), such audit reveals additional information that may 
     provide Congress a more complete understanding of the 
     Secretary's implementation of the project-based assistance 
     program under such section 8.
       (b) Required Submissions for Fiscal Year 2009.--As part of 
     the Department of Housing and Urban Development's budget 
     request for fiscal year 2009, the Secretary of Housing and 
     Urban Development shall submit to the relevant authorizing 
     committees and to the Committees on Appropriations of the 
     Senate and the House of Representatives complete and detailed 
     information, including a project-by-project analysis, that 
     verifies that such budget request will fully fund all 
     project-based contracts under section 8 of the United States 
     Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f) in fiscal year 2009, 
     including expiring project-based contracts.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2849. Mr. LAUTENBERG (for himself and Mr. Menendez) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       On page 147, between lines 8 and 9, insert the following:
       Sec. 414. (a) In General.--None of the funds appropriated 
     or otherwise made available by this Act, or previously 
     appropriated by Congress, may be obligated or expended to 
     implement the New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia Region 
     Airspace Redesign Project, proposed in the Federal Aviation 
     Administration Record of Decision issued September 5, 2007, 
     after the date that is 120 days after the date of the 
     implementation of any new navigational procedures used as a 
     result of the Project, unless the Administrator of the 
     Federal Aviation Administration conducts the reviews 
     described in subsection (b) and submits the reports described 
     in subsection (c).
       (b) Review.--The review described in this subsection is a 
     review of noise impacts caused by the implementation of the 
     Airspace Redesign Project during the first 120 days any new 
     navigational procedures used as a result of the Project are 
     implemented. Each review shall include an opportunity for 
     public comment and provide for public meetings within 15 
     miles of each census tract affected by slight-to-moderate and 
     significant noise increases as described in FAA Order 
     1050.1E, the Noise Integrated Routing System.
       (c) Report.--The report described in this subsection means 
     a report on the results of each review conducted under 
     subsection (b) that is submitted, not later than 30 days 
     after the last public meeting described in subsection (b), 
     and 30 days after each review conducted thereafter, to the 
     Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the Committee on 
     Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, the 
     Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, 
     and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
     House of Representatives.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2850. Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Specter, and Mr. Schumer) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 
3074, making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and 
Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 4, line 6, strike ``$14,115,000'' and insert 
     ``$13,615,000''
       On page 48, line 7, strike ``$88,795,000'' and insert 
     ``$89,295,000''
       On page 48, line 18, strike ``$4,943,589'' and insert 
     ``$5,443,589''.
       On page 56, between lines 16 and 17, insert the following:
       Sec. 169. (a) Using not more than $500,000 of the amount 
     made available to the Office of Research, Demonstration and 
     Innovation of the Federal Transit Administration under this 
     title, the Administrator of the Federal Transit 
     Administration shall conduct a study of the public 
     transportation agencies in the urbanized areas described in 
     section 5337(a) of title 49, United States Code (referred to 
     in this section as ``agencies'').
       (b) The study conducted under subsection (a) shall--
       (1) analyze the state of repair of the agencies' rail 
     infrastructure, including bridges, ties, and rail cars;
       (2) calculate the amount of Federal funding received by the 
     agencies during the 9-year period ending September 30, 2007, 
     pursuant to--
       (A) the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 
     1991 (Public Law 102-240);
       (B) the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century 
     (Public Law 105-178); and
       (C) the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient 
     Transportation Equity: A Legacy for Users (Public Law 109-
     59);
       (3) estimate the minimum amount of funding necessary to 
     bring all of the infrastructure described in paragraph (1) 
     into a state of good repair; and
       (4) determine the changes to the rail modernization formula 
     program that would be required to bring all of the 
     infrastructure described in paragraph (1) into a state of 
     good repair.
       (c) Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
     of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee 
     on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives a report that 
     contains the results of the study conducted under this 
     section.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2851. Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Kohl, Ms. Collins, 
Mr. Kerry, and Mr. Voinovich) submitted an amendment intended to be 
proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the 
Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and 
related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 137, between lines 17 and 18, insert the following:
       Sec. 232.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a 
     public housing agency that operates fewer than 250 units of 
     federally subsidized public housing may elect, in lieu of 
     converting to asset management, to limit for fiscal years 
     2008 and 2009 the agency's loss of public housing Operating 
     Fund subsidy under the formula established in the final rule 
     published by the Department of Housing and Urban Development 
     on September 19, 2005, by reducing the agency's subsidy in 
     each such year in an amount equal to 7 percent of the amount 
     of Operating Fund subsidy the agency would have received in 
     calendar year 2006 under the formula in effect immediately 
     prior to the effective date of such final rule.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2852. Mr. REED submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
as follows:

       On page 137, between lines 17 and 18, insert the following:
       Sec. 232. (a) The amounts provided under the subheading 
     ``Program Account'' under the heading ``Community Development 
     Loan Guarantees'' may be used to guarantee, or make 
     commitments to guarantee, notes or other obligations issued 
     by any State on behalf of non-entitlement communities in the 
     State in accordance with the requirements of section 108 of 
     the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974: Provided, 
     That, any State receiving such a guarantee or commitment 
     shall distribute all funds subject to such guarantee to the 
     units of general local government in nonentitlement areas 
     that received the commitment.
       (b) Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 
     shall promulgate regulations governing the administration of 
     the funds described under subsection (a).
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2853. Mr. ALLARD (for himself and Mr. Salazar) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the

[[Page 24211]]

fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 18, between lines 2 and 3, insert the following:
       Sec. 116.  Section 47107(q) of title 49, United States 
     Code, is amended by striking ``300,000'' and inserting 
     ``250,000''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2854. Ms. SNOWE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
her to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments of 
Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies 
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; 
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 137, between lines 17 and 18, insert the following:
       Sec. 232. (a) Section 3(p) of the Small Business Act (15 
     U.S.C. 632(p)) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (4)(D)--
       (A) by redesignating clauses (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv) as 
     subclauses (I), (II), (III), and (IV), respectively, and 
     adjusting the margin accordingly;
       (B) by striking ``means lands'' and inserting the following 
     ``means--
       ``(i) lands''; and
       (C) by striking the period and the end and inserting the 
     following: ``; and
       ``(ii) during the applicable period, areas adjacent to or 
     within a reasonable commuting distance of lands described in 
     clause (i) that are directly economically affected by the 
     closing of a military installation, as determined by the 
     Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(8) Applicable period.--The term `applicable period' 
     means the period--
       ``(A) beginning on the date the Secretary of Housing and 
     Urban Development determines that the relevant area is 
     directly economically affected by the closing of a military 
     installation; and
       ``(B) ending on the date established by the Secretary of 
     Housing and Urban Development, which shall be not later than 
     5 years after the date described in subparagraph (A).''.
       (b) Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 
     shall conduct a study of the feasibility of, and submit to 
     the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the 
     Senate and the Committee on Small Business of the House of 
     Representatives a report regarding, designating as a HUBZone 
     (as that term is defined in section 3 of the Small Business 
     Act (15 U.S.C. 632)) any area that does not qualify as a 
     HUBZone solely because that area is located within a county 
     located within a metropolitan statistical area (as defined by 
     the Office of Management and Budget). The report submitted 
     under this subsection shall include any legislative 
     recommendations relating to the findings of the feasibility 
     study conducted under this subsection.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2855. Mr. SPECTER (for himself and Mr. Cochran) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on 
the table; as follows:

       On page 58, strike line 9 and all that follows through 
     ``Provided,'' on line 15, and insert the following:
       To make grants for capital improvements and related 
     infrastructure improvements at qualified shipyards that will 
     facilitate the efficiency, cost effectiveness, and quality of 
     domestic ship construction or repair for commercial and 
     Federal Government use, $20,000,000, to remain available 
     until expended: Provided, That, notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, under this heading the term ``qualified 
     shipyard'' means a shipyard located in the United States that 
     employees no more than 1,000 employees at any ship 
     construction or repair facility and no more than 5,000 
     employees in the aggregate: Provided further,
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2856. Mr. SPECTER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other 
purposes; as follows:

       On page 44, strike lines 6 through 13 and insert ``of this 
     Act.''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2857. Mr. DODD (for himself and Mr. Shelby) submitted an amendment 
intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following:
       Sec. __.  None of the funds provided or limited under this 
     Act may be used to issue a final regulation under section 
     5309 of title 49, United States Code.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2858. Mr. BUNNING submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making appropriations for the Departments 
of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related 
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other 
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following new section:

     ``SEC. __. APPLICATION FOR MOVING TO WORK DEMONSTRATION 
                   PROGRAM.

       Upon the submission of an application for participation in 
     the moving to work demonstration program under section 204 of 
     the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban 
     Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 
     1996 (as contained in section 101(e) of the Omnibus 
     Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act of 1996; 42 
     U.S.C. 1437f note) by the Covington Housing Consortium of 
     Covington, Kentucky, the Secretary of Housing and Urban 
     Development shall--
       (1) consider such application, notwithstanding--
       (A) the limitation under subsection (b) of such section on 
     the number of public housing agencies that may participate in 
     such program; or
       (B) any limitation regarding the date for the submission of 
     applications for participation in such program; and
       (2) approve or disapprove the application based on the 
     criteria for selection for participation in such program, 
     notwithstanding the limitations referred to in paragraph (1) 
     of this subsection.''
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2859. Mr. SHELBY (for himself and Mr. Bond) submitted an amendment 
intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; as follows:

       On page 50, line 21, insert ``Provided further, That of the 
     funds available to carry out the bus program under section 
     5309 of title 49, United States Code, which are not otherwise 
     allocated under this Act or under SAFETEA-LU (Public Law 109-
     59), not more than 10 percent may be expended to carry out 
     the Urban Partnership Congestion Initiative:'' after 
     ``5309(b)(3):''.
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2860. Mr. SCHUMER submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 2791 proposed by Mrs. Murray to the bill H.R. 3074, 
making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and 
Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year 
ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which was ordered to 
lie on the table; as follows:

       In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted, insert the 
     following:
       Sec. 218. (a) The Secretary of Transportation may receive 
     and expend cash, or receive and utilize spare parts and 
     similar items, from non-United States Government sources to 
     repair damages to or replace United States Government owned 
     automated track inspection cars and equipment as a result of 
     third party liability for such damages, and any amounts 
     collected under this subsection shall be credited directly to 
     the Safety and Operations account of the Federal Railroad 
     Administration, and shall remain available until expended for 
     the repair, operation, and maintenance of automated track 
     inspection cars and equipment in connection with the 
     automated track inspection program.
       (b) For an additional amount of obligation limitation to be 
     distributed for the purpose of section 144(e) of title 23, 
     United States Code, $5,000,000,000: Provided, That such 
     obligation limitation shall be used only for a purpose 
     eligible for obligation with funds apportioned under such 
     section and shall be distributed in accordance with the 
     formula in such section: Provided further, That in 
     distributing obligation authority under this subsection, the 
     Secretary shall ensure that such obligation limitation shall 
     supplement and not supplant each State's planned obligations 
     for such purposes.
       (c) Amounts made available under this section are 
     designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 
     204 of S. Con. Res. 21 (110th Congress).
                                 ______
                                 
  SA 2861. Mr. PRYOR (for himself and Mrs. Lincoln) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 3074, making 
appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and 
Urban Development, and related agencies for the

[[Page 24212]]

fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes; which 
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the appropriate place, insert the following new section:

     SEC. __. TECHNICAL CORRECTION FOR NORTHWEST ARKANSAS ITS.

       Funds provided in Division H of Public Law 108-447 for 
     `ITS--Northwest Arkansas Regional Architecture' and 
     `Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission--ITS 
     Regional Architecture' shall be available for ITS deployment 
     in Northwest Arkansas.

                          ____________________