[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 1790]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

      By Mr. BARRASSO (for himself and Mr. Crapo):
  S. 302. A bill to enhance tribal road safety, and for other purposes; 
to the Committee on Indian Affairs.
  Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I rise today to discuss a bill I just 
introduced, the John P. Smith Act.
  Just a few short weeks ago, I came to the floor to recognize John 
Smith, a Wyoming resident who was a life-long advocate for 
transportation safety. For nearly three decades, ``Big John'' Smith led 
the Department of Transportation for the Eastern Shoshone and Northern 
Arapaho Tribes of the Wind River Reservation. Wyoming lost one of its 
great representatives and leaders on December 31, 2016, but John's 
legacy lives on through the changes he effected on the Wind River 
Reservation.
  John's unwavering commitment to improving transportation 
infrastructure earned him awards and respect the country over. More 
importantly, Big John inspired others to invest in transportation and 
road safety on the Wind River Reservation. It is only fitting that a 
bill, which seeks give additional tools to tribal governments across 
the country, would be named after such a committed man.
  The John P. Smith Act will streamline requirements for tribal 
transportation projects to help make intersections, railroad crossings, 
and other tribal transportation features safer for the people who 
depend on this infrastructure. Relatively minor changes can 
dramatically improve public safety around roads. The John P. Smith Act 
makes sure that simple things, like installation of rumble strips, 
improvement of roads for pedestrian or cyclist safety, and even basic 
signage would not be subject to months or years-long delays due to 
bureaucratic backlog.
  When he testified before the Committee of Indian Affairs when I was 
Chairman, Mr. Smith told the stories outlining the many tragic deaths 
on dangerous roads in Indian country. He shared that at the time of his 
testimony, the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming had the highest rate 
of pedestrian deaths in the United States. The John P. Smith Act would 
ensure that basic safety measures could be put in place in a timely 
manner. Big John shared, ``When you have narrow roads, with sharp 
curves, no medians and no shoulders, you are asking for trouble.'' The 
projects included in this bill will help to save lives in tribal 
communities.
  John Smith has been described as a ``Champion of Change'' by the 
White House, a skillful diplomat by his peers, and I was proud to call 
him my friend. It is with great honor and respect that I am pleased 
today to introduce the John P. Smith Act to build on John's lifetime of 
transportation safety achievements.




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