[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 399]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        OPPOSITION TO H. RES. 5

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 18, 2011

  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H. Res. 5, 
the new Republican Majority's rules for the U.S. House of 
Representatives.
  H. Res. 5 contains a provision that reverses a long-standing policy, 
known as Clause 3, which requires the Appropriations Committee to fully 
fund transportation requests at levels authorized in the highway bill. 
The purpose of this rule was to ensure that the level of spending from 
the Highway Trust Fund was not greater than revenues that come in, 
which are paid by the users and taxpayers. This mechanism works; it 
ensures that obligation levels are known and fully used on an annual 
basis for transportation improvements.
  Instead, the new rules package eliminates this guarantee of minimum 
annual spending from the Highway Trust Fund and puts road, transit and 
airport projects--and jobs--at risk. Removing the funding certainty 
that States rely on to secure contracts, make long-term infrastructure 
plans and hire employees will have a negative effect on the economy. 
Further, the proposed modification to current House rules could lead to 
reduced transportation obligation levels, less efficiency, a backlog of 
transportation projects, and unexpected cuts for states already facing 
severe budget deficits.
  In Illinois, lower national obligation levels will translate into a 
reduced highway improvement program. With reduced Federal funds, the 
Illinois Department of Transportation, IDOT, will not be able to 
deliver its planned program, and many important projects that need 
additional Federal funds may be deferred.
  As a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure 
Committee, I am opposed to this process of using the rules package to 
strip budgetary planning certainties from States. Repealing Clause 3 
will not cut transportation spending; rather it will merely allow the 
gas tax and other revenues being put into the trust fund to accrue 
without being spent, leaving critical infrastructure safety improvement 
projects languishing.
  In the 112th Congress I expect to debate a new transportation 
reauthorization bill to replace the current law, which expired in 
September 2009. The Highway Trust Fund and obligation limitations are 
issues that will be discussed as the gas tax has not been increased 
since 1993 and available funds are decreasing every year.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly believe that maintaining an efficient, multi-
modal transportation system is critical to regional and national 
economic growth. H. Res. 5 repeals an important policy that will hurt 
investment in transportation infrastructure and reduce jobs. Twenty-one 
transportation and economic groups are also opposed to this change in 
the rules package, including State Departments of Transportation.
  I urge my colleagues to vote against H. Res. 5.

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