[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 7488-7494]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 6, 2015, the gentlewoman from

[[Page 7489]]

New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman) is recognized for 60 minutes as the 
designee of the minority leader.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased to join with my 
distinguished colleague, the gentlewoman from Florida, as we discuss an 
issue of great importance to my district and, quite frankly, to every 
Member of Congress: transportation infrastructure.
  Last week our Nation endured a terrible tragedy as Amtrak Northeast 
Regional train 188 derailed in Philadelphia on its way to Trenton en 
route to New York. That accident killed eight Americans, including one 
of my constituents, injured more than 200, and disrupted service on the 
busiest rail corridor in the Nation for nearly a week.
  In the days since the accident, investigators have indicated that 
high speeds may have played a significant role in the derailment, 
speeds that were more than double the limit in that stretch of the 
track. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle have used those 
details to deflect attention away from discussing our Nation's 
investments, or the lack thereof, in rail and all of our other surface 
transportation infrastructure.
  Mr. Speaker, burying our heads in the sand and waiting until an 
accident indisputably caused by lack of funding or maintenance to 
discuss that funding is dangerous, irresponsible, and, frankly, 
unacceptable: dangerous because millions of Americans every day are 
driving across dilapidated bridges, riding on outdated trains, and 
stuck in endless traffic when traveling to work, to school, and medical 
care; irresponsible because news coverage and the looming highway trust 
fund depletion have made transportation infrastructure a national 
focus; unacceptable because transportation infrastructure has 
traditionally been a bipartisan issue that affects how every single one 
of our constituents gets where they need to go. Still we stand here 
today waiting for the House majority to bring forth a good-faith, 
comprehensive surface transportation reauthorization that makes 
investments to give us the transportation system--rail, car, air, and 
sea--that we need.
  Transportation infrastructure is critical for the businesses and 
employers in our district that ship goods to consumers across the 
globe. Transportation infrastructure creates good-paying jobs here, 
jobs that can't be outsourced, and jobs that will actually give working 
Americans a chance to climb into the middle class and beyond.
  But like I mentioned earlier, my colleagues on the other side of the 
aisle would rather have us wait until an accident that we can attribute 
to infrastructure decay to invest in our roads, our bridges, and our 
railways. In fact, a Los Angeles Times report recently noted that the 
last time Congress significantly increased Amtrak funding was 2008, 
following the 2008 Union Pacific-Metrolink crash in California that 
killed 25 people.
  This year, the day following the Philadelphia crash, my colleagues on 
the other side of the aisle voted to cut Amtrak funding by one-fifth. 
That is wrong; it is just plain wrong. It is insane, and it is out of 
touch.
  Earlier this year, my Congressional Progressive Caucus colleagues and 
I introduced the People's Budget, a budget that would fix our economy 
so that it will once again provide opportunity for everyday working 
class Americans. A key provision in the People's Budget was an 
investment of $820 billion to close our Nation's infrastructure gap, 
funded by raising the gas tax by just 15 cents for the first time in 
more than two decades so that we can maintain and improve our Nation's 
infrastructure.
  Unfortunately, instead of the People's Budget, Congress passed a far 
more dangerous Republican budget; and unfortunately, our infrastructure 
continues to crumble. Our roads are frequently congested, limiting 
productivity for millions of American workers; our airports appear run 
down compared to their competitors in Europe and Asia; and rail speeds 
around the world have long eclipsed even Amtrak's fastest trains.
  Our bridges continue to deteriorate and present real safety hazards, 
and our ports are in terrible disrepair, having negative economic 
impact. In fact, a report last week in The New York Times noted that 
while the train that derailed was traveling well above the speed limit, 
at 106 miles per hour, its speed was about half of the average speed of 
a French train from Paris to Marseille.
  Federal and State investments in infrastructure have plunged in 
recent years, even as economists have repeated over and over and over 
again that infrastructure spending would bring massive economic 
benefits and overhaul our transportation networks. This has to change 
before it is too late, Mr. Speaker.
  The Congressional Progressive Caucus is here on the floor today to 
implore our colleagues to put transportation spending front and center. 
I know that the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Brown) agrees with me. I 
want to thank her for her leadership as a member of the House Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure.
  I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler), who shares our 
passion about the importance of funding a comprehensive transportation 
bill.
  Mr. NADLER. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, for well over a decade we have failed to adequately 
invest in transportation infrastructure. According to DOT, there is an 
$808 billion backlog of investment needs on highways and bridges, 
including $480 billion in critical repair work. Public transit has an 
$86 billion backlog of critical maintenance and repair needs, which 
increases by $2.5 billion each year as bus and rail infrastructure 
ages.
  The American Society of Civil Engineers has given U.S. infrastructure 
an overall grade of D-minus because 54 percent of our major roads are 
rated poor or mediocre. One out of every four bridges in the United 
States, or 147,000 bridges, is structurally deficient or functionally 
obsolete, and 45 percent of Americans do not have access to transit.
  Federal land management agencies need over $11 billion to address 
deferred maintenance needs on our roads and bridges. The Federal 
Highway Administration estimates that the cost of upgrading and 
repairing our deteriorating bridges is over $106 billion. An investment 
of $20 billion annually by all levels of government is needed through 
2030 to draw down the backlog.
  Bringing existing transit assets just up to a state of good repair 
will require an annualized investment level of $18.5 billion through 
the year 2030, an amount far in excess of current funding levels. An 
additional $4.3 billion over current spending levels from all levels of 
government is needed annually to eliminate the current backlog by 2030.
  To accommodate future transit ridership growth and preserve transit 
systems, as much as $24.5 billion per year would need to be invested 
compared to only $14.2 billion currently invested, a gap of $10 billion 
a year.
  The cost to our economy of not meeting our infrastructure needs is 
great. According to the 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers 
report, 42 percent of America's major urban highways remain congested. 
Congestion costs commuters $121 billion a year in wasted time and fuel, 
or an average of $818 per commuter. I would guarantee you each commuter 
would rather spend the equivalent amount in taxes than waste that money 
sitting on a clogged highway.
  In 2011, congestion caused urban Americans to travel 5.5 billion 
hours more and to purchase an extra 2.9 billion gallons of unnecessary 
fuel. Without existing transit services in place in 2011, travelers 
would have suffered an

[[Page 7490]]

additional 865 million hours of delays and consumed 450 million more 
gallons of fuel.
  Despite the condition of our infrastructure system caused by years of 
underinvestment, we are spending way too little today on roads, 
bridges, transit, and rail. The highway trust fund currently collects 
about $35 billion per year for the highway account and $5 billion for 
the transit account. According to CBO, the highway trust fund faces a 
shortfall of about $170 billion over the next 10 years. By 2020, the 
highway trust fund's purchasing power will have dropped by nearly half 
since 1990 because of inflation at a time when the country's population 
will have increased 30 percent.
  We currently spend about $50 billion a year on highways and transit, 
and most of the recent fights over revenue for the transportation bill 
have been merely to fill the gap to maintain current funding levels. 
The discussion should be much broader. It should be about how we can 
fund the program at a higher level to eliminate the backlog, increase 
capacity, meet a state of good repair, and eliminate the congestion in 
this country.
  Today, this country spends about 1.7 percent of GDP of the entire 
economy on infrastructure. We used to spend almost 4 percent on 
infrastructure. Europe is spending 4 to 5 percent, and China is 
spending 9 percent. Who do you think, 30 years from now, is going to 
have a competitive economic system which depends on adequate up-to-date 
competitive transportation infrastructure and broadband?
  In particular, for example, we have been underinvesting in our rail 
infrastructure as well. The passenger rail system needs at least $52 
billion, or $2.5 billion per year for 20 years, just to meet ridership 
demands such as capacity improvements, such as tunnels to New York and 
to bring the system into a state of good repair. Of that amount, $21 
billion is necessary for the backlog of projects on the Northeast 
corridor.
  The Northeast corridor serves 51 million people and is the major 
corridor for Amtrak in the country. The $21 billion for the backlog of 
projects includes $13.8 billion in major infrastructure project backlog 
and $7.2 billion in basic infrastructure backlog.

                              {time}  2015

  Some of these major project needs include $1.5 billion to replace the 
Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel, which dates back to 1873; $950 million to 
replace the Gunpowder and Bush River Bridges; $850 million to replace 
the Susquehanna River Bridge; $350 million to replace the Highline 
Bridge and add a fourth track between Newark and New York; $750 million 
to replace the Portal Bridge, which can stop the entire Northeast 
corridor if it should fail; $1 billion for catenary, communication, and 
signal upgrades and bridge replacements near New Haven; $2.8 billion in 
upgrades to other movable bridges; $1.8 billion in additional catenary 
upgrades from Washington, D.C., to New York.
  All this is basic backlog, just to make sure that the current system 
continues to operate and doesn't fail. Additional funding over and 
above the $21 billion backlog, for a total of $64 billion, is needed 
for service improvements and projected increases in capacity on the 
Northeast corridor; yet Amtrak gets just $1.4 billion in the annual 
appropriations bill--or less than 2 percent of Federal transportation 
funding.
  The Appropriations Committee recommended the other day that this be 
reduced to $1.1 billion, with a $64 billion backlog.
  The fiscal year 2016 transportation appropriations bill, just marked 
up in committee the day after the accident north of Philadelphia, cuts 
capital funding for Amtrak by $290 million, providing only $1.1 billion 
in FY 2016, $1 billion below the President's request.
  The President's request for this year's budget includes $5 billion 
for rail. Half of that is for Amtrak, to bring the system to a state of 
good repair, including $550 billion for the Northeast corridor.
  As we await the results of the full investigation, the tragedy of 
Amtrak train 188 shows the importance of a reliable rail system to the 
Northeast region of this country. We cannot continue the decades of 
neglect that have left our system desperately underfunded and resulted 
in a multibillion-dollar backlog to bring the system to a state of good 
repair.
  It should not require a tragedy to spur action to address the glaring 
deficiencies in our transportation and infrastructure network. We 
should act before accidents occur.
  Rail safety is not a luxury; it is of fundamental importance to our 
citizens and our economy. Thousands of businesses and commuters in the 
Northeast depend on the rail for commerce and transportation every day. 
Congress must finally provide the resources necessary for ensuring the 
safety and reliability of our transportation and infrastructure system.
  While this Congress has failed to make transportation funding a 
priority, the administration has taken the lead and proposed a long-
term surface transportation reauthorization bill.
  The GROW AMERICA Act provides a total of $478 billion over 6 years, a 
45 percent increase for highways, bridges, public transportation, 
highway safety, and rail programs. It provides $317 billion for 
programs under the Federal Highway Administration, an increase of 29 
percent over current levels. It allocates $18 billion for a new 
dedicated multimodal freight system. How is our economy supposed to 
operate without an efficient freight transportation system?
  It provides $115 billion for programs under the Federal Transit 
Administration, an increase of 76 percent over current levels, and 
significantly boosts New Starts funding.
  It provides $28 billion for programs under the Federal Railroad 
Administration, $6 billion for vehicle safety programs under the 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, $4.7 billion for truck 
and bus safety programs, and $16 billion for the Highway Safety 
Improvement Program.
  It provides $7.5 for TIGER grants and $6 billion for TIFIA that could 
support $60 billion in loans. It provides $3.5 billion to leverage 
research and innovation to move people.
  Several of the members of the Transportation Committee just 
introduced the GROW AMERICA Act in the House. Not all of us agree with 
everything in that bill.
  For example, the Transportation Committee's Special Panel on Freight, 
which I was the ranking Democrat on, made several unanimous bipartisan 
recommendations, including providing dedicated guaranteed funding for 
projects of national and regional significance. Reauthorizing this 
program is a top priority for many of us on the committee and should be 
included in any final bill.
  It is important to start moving a long-term bill, where we can have 
an opportunity to shape these policy provisions, and the GROW AMERICA 
Act would serve as a good starting point.
  The last surface transportation bill, MAP-21, expired last fall. The 
President first proposed the GROW AMERICA Act last spring to provide an 
alternative for MAP-21 before it expired.
  Unfortunately, we failed to reauthorize MAP-21 on time and passed an 
extension until the end of this month, to give us more time to work on 
a long-term bill. We just passed another 2-month extension, the 33rd 
extension, to take us to the end of July.
  We have known for months that this day was coming; yet we have made 
no progress in finding a solution to funding highways, transit, and 
other important surface transportation programs.
  MAP-21 itself was only a 2-year bill, breaking the tradition of 
Congress passing 5- or 6-year bills to provide the reliable funding 
necessary to complete long-term capital plans and projects that require 
a commitment beyond 1 fiscal year.
  The last time we passed a long-term bill was 10 years ago, in 2005, 
in SAFETEA-LU. That bill was underfunded because of a resistance to 
raising the gasoline tax and identifying new revenue sources.
  House and Senate leadership couldn't come up with the additional $60 
billion needed to fill the gap in the highway

[[Page 7491]]

trust fund just to do a long-term bill at current levels, but this 
week, they put on the floor a tax extender that will cost $182 billion 
over 10 years, completely unpaid for.
  The priorities of this Congress are completely out of whack. Our 
infrastructure is crumbling around us, and the majority continues to 
spend hundreds of billions of dollars on tax cuts for corporations and 
the wealthy, while leaving transportation funding to wither on the 
vine.
  I am concerned we will be back here in July having this same 
conversation. We must demand now that this Congress spend the next 2 
months, once and for all, making transportation funding a priority.
  We must realize that what we have based our transportation program on 
since 1955, the gasoline tax, is a wasting asset. It is down 30 percent 
since 1993 because of inflation, and every year, we use fewer gallons 
because of an intelligent policy of energy conservation, of higher 
mileage per gallon; but that means fewer gallons of gasoline. We must 
either raise the gasoline tax or bring in a new source of revenue or 
both.
  Finally, let me say that interest rates are at negative rates now. 
When interest rates are at negative rates, when you can borrow money 
and pay it back more cheaply, that is the time to borrow money to 
invest so that our children inherit not a great debt, but inherit an 
efficiently functioning economy and an investment in the country that 
makes the economy function.
  We have always known this. The Republican Party and their precursor, 
the Whigs, have always known this. They were the party in the 19th 
century of the American systems. What was the American system? Henry 
Clay's system to invest public funds in internal improvements in roads 
and canals and bridges and railroads, rather than the European system 
of letting the private sector do it.
  Abraham Lincoln continued that tradition with the transcontinental 
railroad at a time of civil war, and Dwight Eisenhower did the 
Interstate Highway System, which we are still living with. These were 
Republican Party projects. I only wish the Republican Party wasn't 
completely turning its back on its own heritage.
  We have, for the last century, a bipartisan heritage of funding our 
infrastructure so that the country can grow and the economy can 
prosper, but the Republican Party seems to have turned their back on 
this. I urge you to reconsider.
  Stop turning your back. Join us in the Democratic Party in continuing 
our tradition of making this an economy that can function for all our 
people, where people can move and not waste their time sitting in 
traffic jams, where goods can move and the economy can function, 
businesses can flourish. That is what is at stake.
  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Nadler, first of all, I want to thank you 
for your comprehensive information about transportation infrastructure.
  In my home State of Florida, we bring many visitors to Florida 
through Amtrak through the Auto Train. We have colleagues on the other 
side that want to privatize that system, and I want to know how that 
will affect New York, privatizing that Northeast corridor.
  Mr. NADLER. Well, you have to remember the reason why Amtrak was 
created in the first place. We didn't have public railroads in the 19th 
century. We didn't have public railroads in the first half of the 20th 
century, but by 1960 and 1970, many of the freight railroads were going 
bankrupt, and certainly, the passenger lines could no longer pay for 
themselves. They were all going bankrupt.
  Congress faced the reality in 1970 that if it didn't create something 
called Amtrak--it was named Amtrak--but something as a public 
corporation or publicly funded corporation, there would be no passenger 
rail in the United States.
  The States did the same thing. What became various commuter rail 
agencies, like MTA in New York or SEPTA in Philadelphia and others, 
were created out of the bankrupt passenger operations of the private 
rail lines. No one could make money at it.
  Amtrak has survived and has flourished in the sense of attracting 
more and more passengers, and it now has 77 percent of the market 
against the airlines in the Northeast corridor; and, thank God, it 
saves energy and time and congestion, despite the fact that it has been 
grossly underfunded by Congress.
  The only section of Amtrak that makes money is the Northeast corridor 
from Washington to Boston. It subsidizes everything else. There would 
be no rail lines outside the Northeast corridor--not to Florida, not to 
Chicago, not to Denver, not to any place outside the Washington to 
Boston corridor--if they had to pay for themselves.
  We, the Northeast corridor, subsidize the rest of Amtrak. From my 
point of view as a New Yorker, I would rather that weren't the case; 
but I am an American. I think everybody ought to have the ability to 
travel and the ability to have an economy that functions, and so we 
cross-subsidize.
  It would be better if Congress put money in and other sections of the 
country could become self-sustaining in rail, but the fact is the 
history is that is very difficult.
  I am not aware of any rail system or public transit system in the 
world that isn't publicly subsidized. We subsidize every transportation 
system in this country. We subsidize the highway; we subsidize the 
airlines with the air traffic control, and we do it because we know the 
country has to move.
  If we want an economy that generates goods and services for people, 
it has to move. Freight has to move. It has to move by rail. It has to 
move by barge, by boat. We have to invest in it.
  If Amtrak stops funding the line to Florida, that line wouldn't exist 
anymore; everything would be on the road. The roads would be more 
congested; people would waste more time. The one exception to that 
right now is the Northeast corridor. We are willing, because we are 
Americans, to participate in a national system, and the rest of the 
country should be willing, too.
  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Nadler, when I travel to different 
countries, they always ask us about our freight rail. We are the 
caboose when it comes to funding Amtrak, and we started the rail 
system, and they don't use cabooses any more.
  I don't understand why it is that we, as Members of Congress, don't 
understand the importance of having a safe, efficient transportation 
system. Rail has to be a part of it.
  When I think about Katrina and I think about over 3,000 people died 
because they couldn't move out of harm's way, that is a reason why we 
need a comprehensive transportation system in this country.
  Our competition in Florida is not Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi--
nothing personal to the people here from Georgia. We are competing with 
people from other countries, and we must develop an efficient rail 
system in conjunction with all of our other transportation needs
  Mr. NADLER. You are obviously completely right, and that is why I 
quoted the figures I did earlier in my remarks.
  Prior to 1980, roughly, we used to spend about 4, 4\1/2\ percent of 
GDP on infrastructure. Now, we are spending 1.7 percent of GDP on 
infrastructure. Of course, we are underinvesting, and our 
infrastructure is decaying. By infrastructure, I mean roads, highway, 
bridges, rail, airports, broadband--you name it.
  China is spending 9 percent of GDP on infrastructure. We are 
competing with China. We are competing with other countries. If they 
can move goods and people more efficiently, that means their economy is 
going to be more efficient; their economy is going to be more 
competitive; they are going to be able to sell things more cheaply, 
generate things more cheaply, and outsell us.
  We have to compete in a world economy. We can't be insulated. If we 
are going to compete in a world economy and have an economy that can 
generate the jobs, we can only compete if we have a transportation 
system. We also need an efficient energy system

[[Page 7492]]

and other things, too, but an efficient transportation system. We are 
eating our seed corn. We benefited from prior generations' investment, 
and now, we are not doing that investment.
  I hear rhetoric on this floor all the time that we shouldn't leave a 
debt. We have to have a balanced budget, and we shouldn't leave a debt 
to our children.
  Frankly, I would rather leave a debt to our children if we use that 
debt to build up the investments in this country so that there are 
roads for our children to travel on, rails to ride on, airports to land 
in, schools to attend. That is an investment.

                              {time}  2030

  We have to make a distinction. It is one thing to waste money or 
spend it on something ephemeral. But to invest it so that our children 
inherit a country with a functioning economy and with assets that we 
give them that they can use to make a more functioning economy, that is 
worth it.
  Ms. BROWN of Florida. I thank the gentleman for his contribution.
  Mr. Speaker, Congresswoman Watson Coleman, and Members of the House, 
it amazes me that the House practices what I call ``Reverse Robin 
Hood.'' In other words, robbing from transportation to give tax breaks 
to their friends.
  Recently, they passed close to $300 billion for tax breaks. But, yet, 
we can't pass a comprehensive transportation bill that will put people 
to work.
  Yesterday, in the House, we passed another extension of surface 
transportation programs, once again, failing in our duties to provide a 
world-class transportation system for our country.
  Transportation programs are much too critical to our economy to be 
delayed any longer. Unfortunately, the Republican leadership in 
Washington continue its long-running failure to fund surface 
transportation infrastructure programs.
  While our international competition is investing heavily in 
transportation and infrastructure to move people, goods, and services, 
the leadership of this House is passing tax cuts for their wealthy 
contributors, while Congress sticks their heads in the sand and passed 
another continuing resolution.
  Just a few weeks ago, House Republicans passed a bill cutting taxes 
by $269 billion for the richest 1 percent of Americans, with no 
offsets. But we have failed to pass a real transportation 
reauthorization bill since 2005 because they can't find the money.
  Clearly, this Nation's transportation infrastructure is not a 
priority for the Republican leadership in this House.
  Transportation infrastructure funding is absolutely critical to this 
Nation and, if properly funded, serves as a tremendous economic boost 
and job creator. In fact, the Department of Transportation statistics 
show that for every billion dollars that we invest in transportation 
infrastructure, it creates 44,000 permanent jobs, along with $6.2 
billion in economic activity.
  Mr. Speaker, the traveling public is pleading with you to make 
transportation infrastructure a priority. When this happens, we can put 
millions of hard-working Americans back to work fixing our Nation's 
crumbling infrastructure, and preparing our country for the future.
  In the words of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx: ``All of us 
have a role to play in shaping our Nation's infrastructure.''
  And as we saw during the last tragic train derailment in 
Philadelphia, Congress urgently needs to increase funding for our 
Nation's passenger rail systems to make them safe for the traveling 
public and prevent future tragedies on our Nation's rail system.
  Madam Coleman, I understand that the gentleman from New Jersey wants 
to join us. And as he joins us, I would like for him to answer that 
question, as he makes his remarks, How would prioritizing Amtrak affect 
New Jersey?
  Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Before the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) 
begins, I really think I want to share something that I think is very 
germane to where the gentleman may be going.
  Both of us live on and travel the Northeast corridor on the train 
back and forth to New Jersey, and we depend upon an efficient and a 
safe train ride to get us back to our homes and to get us back down 
here to do the people's business.
  I did mention that I lost a constituent because that train was on its 
way to Trenton, and it was letting off people in my district, and that 
train would have ultimately gone on up to Newark and then on to New 
York.
  I know that the Congressman has been tremendously impacted by the 
tragedy that took place, and knowing how important it is for us to be 
able to move back and forth efficiently, effectively, and safely in the 
Northeast corridor. And I just wanted to sort of preface the 
introduction of your coming to the microphone with sort of remembering 
that this is really close to home for you and me.
  I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne.)
  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Florida and the 
gentlewoman from New Jersey for affording me this opportunity to 
discuss a tragedy, as the gentlewoman from New Jersey stated, that has 
hit very close to home.
  And the reason I say that is, as stated by the gentlewoman from New 
Jersey, the Northeast corridor is the way we are able to travel back 
and forth from our home to Washington, D.C., to do the people's 
business. And so it is not uncommon that I could have been on train 
188. I have taken it on numerous occasions.
  My thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this horrific Amtrak 
train derailment and their families at this difficult time.
  I am grateful for the first responders who put themselves in harm's 
way to rescue passengers, and I wish all those injured a full and 
speedy recovery.
  This tragedy, as we stated, has hit so close to home. Sometimes 
weekly, I travel, as do many of my constituents and colleagues, on this 
rail line. I have taken Amtrak's 188 and had my wife and children on 
that specific train leaving here going back home.
  As a Member of Congress, we have a responsibility to ensure and 
enhance the public safety.
  The derailment of Amtrak train 188 serves as an important reminder 
that if we are to meet this responsibility, we need to invest in our 
infrastructure.
  There is no doubt that our Nation's infrastructure is crumbling. The 
American Society of Civil Engineers has rated it as a D-plus
  Now, Mr. Speaker, I know all of us find education important. If you 
were given a D-plus on the work that you do, on the quality of your 
service, what would that say?
  There is no doubt that we are falling behind other nations in the 
quality of our infrastructure. Long-term investments in our Nation's 
infrastructure are essential for achieving economic growth and 
competitiveness throughout the world.
  Yet, Republicans refuse to address this very real crisis. This only 
compounds the problem, costing American jobs and undermining our 
economy.
  We don't need shortsighted thinking. We need to stay competitive, 
boost commerce, invest in economic growth and job creation, and protect 
our communities. These are the benefits of modernizing our Nation's 
infrastructure.
  One day after the derailment of Amtrak train 188, my Republican 
colleagues voted to cut Amtrak funding. While the Amtrak investigation 
remains ongoing, we know that slashing funding will hamper safety 
improvements and upgrades.
  We shouldn't stand in the way of this wise infrastructure investment. 
Let's commit to ensuring modern, safe, and reliable infrastructure that 
reflects the greatness of this Nation.
  And as I go to my seat, I just want to, once again, thank the 
gentlewomen from Florida and New Jersey respectively for giving me the 
opportunity to have several moments to discuss what is an issue that 
impacts the safety, the productiveness, the competitiveness of our 
Nation and our infrastructure.
  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I want to talk a little bit more 
about Amtrak, because I am the past chair and ranking member of the 
Railroads,

[[Page 7493]]

Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee, and I think Amtrak is 
more and more important.
  As more Americans are turning to rail as their preferred mode of 
transportation, Amtrak is building the infrastructure and organization 
to meet that demand.
  Amtrak carried a record total of 31.6 million passengers in 2013. 
Their ridership has been growing across the system for over a decade, 
with last year's ridership being the largest in the history.
  Currently, they serve more than 500 destinations in 46 States and 
provide the only public transportation option for millions of people in 
rural areas.
  Let me repeat. Amtrak is the only mode of transportation for people 
in certain rural areas.
  Amtrak has increased their revenue, reduced debt, has new passengers, 
improved their infrastructure, and purchased trains that are built 100 
percent in America. That is where those parts are made, 100 percent in 
America.
  Amtrak reduces congestion and improves our energy independence and 
plays a vital role in emergency preparation.
  And I often talk about 9/11. Amtrak was moving. It was the only way 
people could move in this country. And Katrina.
  So Amtrak plays a very important part in making sure that we can 
continue to move people, goods and services.
  Madam, I want to thank you for your leadership in this area.


                           This Is Our Watch

  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Before you close out, I want to mention 
something about veterans because we are getting ready to have a recess, 
and I have to thank all of the veterans for their service.
  This morning at 9 a.m. we went over to the Women's Memorial Wall. And 
it is what we have done for 18 years to honor women veterans who have 
served in this country.
  I want to thank all who have served America. We have the freedoms 
because of their service. I want to, once again, thank them.
  But I must mention the fact that on the 24th of this month, if the 
House does not move, the project in Denver will shut down, and it will 
cost over $20 million to shut down. In addition, it will be $2 million 
a month. We are talking about the VA facility in Denver, Colorado.
  Now, we want to blame the VA, but this is our watch. The Denver 
hospital has been a political hot potato for over 10 years; different 
secretaries, different administrations.
  But the point is, this is our watch, and it is unacceptable that we 
shut down this project.
  One of the slogans of the Army is, ``Failure is not an option.'' We 
need to get it done.

                              {time}  2045

  We appreciate the service that the men and women have provided for 
our freedom, but we need to do our part in making sure that we take 
care of them.
  I want to paraphrase the comments of the first President of the 
United States, George Washington. He said, No matter how justified we 
think a war may be, what is important is how we treat the veterans.
  Now, this is our watch. This is our responsibility. And we have to 
make sure that we take care of the veterans.
  With that, I want to thank the gentlewoman from New Jersey for her 
leadership and for providing this opportunity to discuss transportation 
infrastructure, Amtrak, and also to thank the veterans for their 
service.
  A lot of us talk the talk, but we need to walk the walk and roll the 
roll for the veterans.
  Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for 
everything that she has brought before us this evening. I thank my 
colleagues for raising the issues regarding the significance, the 
importance of, and the economic benefits, as well as the safety and 
security needs, of an efficient, effective, and safe transportation 
system.
  I want to also thank the gentlewoman for reminding us that we are 
having our Memorial Day holiday, and it gives us an opportunity to 
thank those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe and to 
keep the freedoms that we hold so dear.
  And at the end of this, Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity 
to simply remind us that the transportation needs of our community both 
represent safety and security that we hold very sacred in our 
communities, but it also provides an economic benefit that we all can 
benefit from. Irrespective of Republican or Democrat, rural, urban, or 
suburban, there is a benefit to a transportation system that moves 
people, goods, and supplies where they are needed.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. MAXINE WATERS of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, 
Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman and Congresswoman Corrine Brown for 
organizing this Congressional Progressive Caucus Special Order Hour on 
Transportation Infrastructure Spending.
  Last night, the House passed H.R. 2353 to extend the federal surface 
transportation programs for two months, through July 31st. If these 
programs had been allowed to expire, all federal transportation funding 
to states and local governments would have stopped on May 31st, and 
numerous constructions jobs on highways, bridges and transit systems 
could have been cancelled. According to the American Association of 
State Highway and Transportation Officials, this needless crisis 
brought uncertainty to 6,000 critical construction projects across the 
country, and left 660,000 good-paying construction jobs hanging in the 
balance.
  I voted for this bill, but I did so reluctantly because what we 
really need is a multi-year transportation bill that will bring our 
nation's transportation system into the 21st century. A multi-year 
transportation bill with robust funding for highway, bridge and transit 
construction will create thousands of good jobs and provide certainty 
to states and local governments.
  Federal investment in our nation's transportation system is 
essential. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the public 
infrastructure of the United States a grade of ``D+'' in 2013 and 
estimated that we will need to invest $3.6 trillion by 2020 in order to 
improve the condition of our infrastructure.
  Rebuilding our nation's transportation infrastructure creates jobs 
that are desperately needed throughout the country. The economy is 
still struggling to recover from the recession. The unemployment rate 
is 5.4 percent nationwide and is significantly higher in some minority 
and disadvantaged communities. Transportation funding is clearly good 
for the economy.
  Congressional Republicans have had months to prepare a multi-year 
transportation bill. Unfortunately, all they did last night is punt the 
deadline two months deeper into the critical summer construction 
season. I urge my Republican colleagues to work with us over the next 
two months so we can finally pass a multi-year transportation bill 
before the July 31st deadline.
  Congressional Republicans are further jeopardizing our nation's 
transportation system by slashing funding for TIGER. TIGER--formally 
known as Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery--is a 
nationwide competitive grant program that creates jobs by funding 
investments in transportation infrastructure by states, local 
governments, and transit agencies. TIGER funds innovative projects that 
generate economic development and improve access to safe, reliable, and 
affordable transportation alternatives.
  Earlier this year, the President requested $1.25 billion for TIGER in 
fiscal year 2016, as part of an expanded TIGER program that would 
provide $7.5 billion for TIGER over 6 years. This expanded TIGER 
program will create jobs, encourage innovation, and modernize 
transportation infrastructure for the 21st century.
  I sent a letter to the Appropriations Committee urging full funding 
of the President's $1.25 billion request for TIGER in FY 2016, and a 
total of 146 Members of Congress signed my letter.
  Nevertheless, the House Republicans' version of the FY 2016 
Transportation and Housing Appropriations (THUD) bill provides only 
$100 million for TIGER. That's an 80 percent cut from FY 2015 and a 
small fraction of the President's request. This kind of drastic cut in 
TIGER will needlessly cripple highway and transit construction plans 
that are already struggling due to the uncertainty surrounding the 
future of the transportation bill.
  We need more federal investment in transportation infrastructure, and 
we need it now! That is why I am introducing the TIGER Grants for Job 
Creation Act. This bill will provide an emergency supplemental 
appropriation totaling $7.5 billion dollars over the next six years for 
job creation through investments in transportation infrastructure. This 
emergency

[[Page 7494]]

supplemental appropriation will fully fund the President's proposal for 
an expanded TIGER.
  Passage of an emergency supplemental appropriation will provide 
funding for TIGER free from sequestration and without reducing funding 
for other important domestic priorities. It will also allow states, 
local governments, and transit agencies to begin immediately to plan 
projects and prepare grant applications. Thus, it will ensure an 
efficient use of funds and timely job creation.
  I urge all of my colleagues to support the TIGER Grants for Job 
Creation Act and fully fund the President's request for TIGER, and I 
urge my colleagues to pass a multi-year transportation bill to bring 
our highways, bridges and public transit systems into the 21st century.

                          ____________________