[House Report 105-467]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



105th Congress                                            Rept. 105-467
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 2d Session                                                      Part 2
_______________________________________________________________________


 
    BUILDING EFFICIENT SURFACE TRANSPORTATION AND EQUITY ACT OF 1988

                                _______
                                

 March 27, 1998.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

_______________________________________________________________________


Mr. Shuster , from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 
                        submitted the following

                          SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT

                        [To accompany H.R. 2400]

    This supplemental report shows the cost estimate of the 
Congressional Budget Office made by the bill (H.R. 2400), as 
reported, which was not available when the report was submitted 
on March 25, 1998 (H. Rept. 105-467, pt. 1).
    This supplemental report also contains an exchange of 
letters concerning jurisdictional matters.

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                    Washington, DC, March 27, 1998.
Hon. Bud Shuster,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of 
        Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 2400, the Building 
Efficient Surface Transportation and Equity Act of 1998.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contacts are Clare 
Doherty (for the federal costs of highway, safety, and rail 
programs), Kristen Layman (for the federal costs of transit 
programs), Theresa Gullo (for the site and local impact), and 
Lesley Frymier (for the private-sector impact).
            Sincerely,
                                         June E. O'Neill, Director.
    Enclosure.

               CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, COST ESTIMATE

H.R. 2400--Building Efficient Surface Transportation and Equity Act of 
        1998

    Summary: H.R. 2400 would reauthorize the Intermodal Surface 
Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) for the years 
1998 through 2003. For that six-year period, the bill would 
provide contract authority totaling $179.6 billion for the 
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), $1.6 billion for the 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and 
$35.8 billion for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). In 
addition, H.R. 2400 would authorize the appropriation of $2.8 
billion for the 1998-2003 period for programs managed by the 
Department of Transportation (DOT).
    Of of the $217 billion in contract authority that would be 
provided by this bill, $17.5 billion would be for spending that 
is exempt from annual obligation limitations, encompassing the 
minimum allocation program and high-priority projects. (A third 
exempt program, emergency relief, is permanently authorized at 
$100 million a year; H.R. 2400 would not change that 
authorization.) Because H.R. 2400 would affect direct spending, 
pay-as-you-go procedures would apply to the bill.
    CBO estimates that outlays for programs covered by this 
bill would grow from an estimated $27 billion in 1998 to close 
to $39 billion in 2003. Relative to the CBO baseline, the bill 
would result in an additional $33 billion in outlays over the 
1998-2003 period, assuming appropriations action consistent 
with the obligation and authorization levels specified in the 
bill.
    H.R. 2400 contains no intergovernmental mandates as defined 
in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) that would 
impose costs on state, local, or tribal governments in excess 
of the threshold established by that act ($50 million in 1996, 
indexed annually for inflation). H.R. 2400 would impose no new 
private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA.
    This bill would take the Highway Trust Fund off-budget, 
meaning that its cash flows would no longer be subject to the 
budgetary controls of the Congressional Budget Act and the 
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act.
    Description of the bill's major provisions: Titles I and VI 
of H.R. 2400 would reauthorize FHWA's federal-aid highways 
program. For the components of the program that are subject to 
annual obligation limitations, the bill would provide contract 
authority of $22.2 billion in 1998, $25.3 billion in 1999, 
$28.4 billion in 2000, $28.4 billion in 2001, $28.2 billion in 
2002, and $28.6 billion in 2003.
    For portions of the federal-aid highways program that are 
exempt from annual obligation limitations, the bill would 
provide contract authority of $2.2 billion in 1998, $2.7 
billion in 1999, $3.2 billion in 2000, $3.1 billion in 2001, 
$3.2 billion in 2002, and $3.2 billion in 2003. Programs exempt 
from obligation limitations include minimum allocation high-
priority projects, and emergency relief. Because the emergency 
relief program is permanently authorized under current law, its 
costs of $100 million a year are not included in the above 
totals for contract authority provided by H.R. 2400.
    Title II would reauthorize the FHWA and NHTSA highway 
safety programs. The bill would provide contract authority of 
$187 million in 1998, $248 million in 1999, and $298 million 
for each of fiscal years 2000 through 2003 for the highway 
safety programs. The bill also would authorize appropriations 
of $75 million a year for the 1998-2003 period for operations 
and research at FHWA and NHTSA, and $2 million a year over the 
same period for NHTSA to maintain the national driver register, 
which contains driving records of individuals.
    Title III would reauthorize programs of the Federal Transit 
Administration. H.R. 2400 would provide contract authority of 
$2.7 billion in 1998, $3.2 billion in 1999, and $3.6 billion 
for each of fiscal years 2000 through 2003 for FTA expenses 
paid from the Highway Trust Fund. In addition, the bill would 
provide contract authority of $2.2 billion in 1998, $2.4 
billion in 1999, and $2.6 billion a year from 2000 through 2003 
for the FTA's major capital investments program. After 1999, 
H.R. 2400 would provide contract authority for all transit 
programs except the access-to-jobs program, and would fund 
these programs from the trust fund. The bill would provide 
contract authority of $150 million a year from 2000 through 
2003 for these programs. In addition, H.R. 2400 would authorize 
the appropriation of $676 million in 1998, $256 million in 
1999, and $42 million a year from 2000 through 2003 for transit 
programs funded from the general fund.
    Title IV would reauthorize the motor carrier safety program 
and would provide contract authority of $85 million in 1998, 
$125 million in 1999, and $150 million a year from 2000 through 
2003.
    Title V would make various programmatic reforms. This title 
also includes a provision that instructs the Secretary of 
Transportation not to apportion or allocate certain funds made 
available in fiscal year 2001 prior to August 1, 2001, unless a 
law has been enacted that meets specific requirements.
    Title VII would move the spending and revenues of the 
Highway Trust Fund to off-budget status for purposes of the 
President's budget and the Congressional budget process. It 
would exempt those transactions from the budgetary controls of 
the Congressional Budget Act and the discretionary spending 
limits and pay-as-you-go procedures of the Balance Budget and 
Emergency Deficit Control Act. In addition, trust fund cash 
flows would be exempt from ``any general budget limitation 
imposed by statute'' on spending by the federal government.
    Title VIII would change the allocation of amounts 
transferred each year from the Highway Trust Fund to the boat 
safety account of the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund. Under 
current law, the Secretary of Transportation may spend about 
one-half of such amounts for grants for state boat safety 
programs. The remaining funds are available for operating 
expenses of U.S. Coast Guard. Under section 802, only 7 percent 
of amounts transferred to the boat safety account would be 
available for Coast Guard expenses. The balance would be 
allocated to various state boating programs. As under current 
law, all spending from the boat safety account would be subject 
to appropriation.
    Title IX would authorize appropriations of $528 million 
over the 1998-2003 period for programs of the Federal Railroad 
Administration (FRA). The bill would reauthorize the high speed 
rail program and the Alaska railroad program and would provide 
funding for a new light rail project, the Miami-Orlando-Tampa 
Corridor project, and the elimination of railway-highway 
crossing hazards in high speed rail corridors. In addition, the 
bill would authorize the Secretary to provide direct loans and 
loan guarantees totaling $5 billion for rail purposes.
    Title XI provides that the Secretary of Transportation 
shall not apportion, allocate, or obligate any funds unless the 
bill contains a provision (not included in H.R. 2400 as 
reported) that states that the additional spending in the bill 
over the levels assumed in the CBO baseline are fully offset 
with mandatory and discretionary savings included in the bill.
    In addition, the bill would require the Secretary to 
complete numerous studies and reports, prepare rulemakings and 
regulations, and administer a children's competition to design 
a sign for the National Highway System.
    Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated 
budgetary impact of H.R. 2400 is shown in the following table. 
The projections of baseline spending under current law cover 
the highway and transit programs that were authorized in ISTEA.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                By Fiscal Year, in Millions of Dollars          
                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------
                                                        1998      1999      2000      2001      2002      2003  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   DIRECT SPENDING                                                                              
                                                                                                                
Baseline Spending Under Current Law:                                                                            
    Estimated Budget Authority......................    29,686    29,686    29,686    29,686    29,686    29,686
    Estimated Outlays...............................     1,966     1,757     1,541     1,207     1,056       960
Proposed Changes:                                                                                               
    Estimated Budget Authority......................       -92     4,330     8,718     8,720     8,822     8,967
    Estimated Outlays...............................       149       622     1,307     1,864     2,144     2,293
Total Spending Under H.R. 2400:                                                                                 
    Estimated Budget Authority......................    29,594    34,016    38,404    38,406    38,509    38,654
    Estimated Outlays...............................     2,115     2,379     2,848     3,071     3,200     3,253
                                                                                                                
          SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION                                                                     
                                                                                                                
Spending Under Current Law:                                                                                     
    Budget Authority a..............................     1,061         0         0         0         0         0
    Estimated Outlays...............................    25,213    26,322    26,985    27,703    28,134    28,806
Proposed Changes:                                                                                               
    Authorization Level.............................       143       714       315       260       185       155
    Estimated Outlays...............................        18     1,449     3,972     5,960     6,532     6,491
Total Spending Under H.R. 2400:                                                                                 
    Authorization Level.............................     1,203       714       315       260       185       155
    Estimated Outlays...............................    25,231    27,770    30,957    33,663    34,666    35,296
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
a The 1998 level is the amount appropriated thus far for the current year.                                      

    CBO estimates that spending under the bill would total 
about $204 billion over the 1998-2003 period. Of that amount, 
$188 billion would be discretionary outlays and $17 billion 
would be direct spending. Under the CBO baseline, outlays from 
direct spending would total $8.5 billion over the 1998-2003 
period.
    Of the $188 billion in total estimated outlays subject to 
appropriation, about $179 billion would come from contract 
authority, and $9 billion would come from amounts authorized to 
be appropriated by H.R. 2400 or already appropriated in prior 
years. The costs of this legislation fall within budget 
function 400 (transportation).
    Section 1101 of the bill contains a provision stating that 
the Secretary of Transportation shall not apportion, allocate, 
or obligate any funds unless the bill contains a provision 
stating that the additional Highway Trust Fund spending in the 
bill over the levels assumed in the CBO baseline is fully 
offset with mandatory and discretionary savings contained in 
the bill. As reported from committee, the bill does not contain 
such a provision. Therefore, none of the spending contemplated 
by this bill could occur unless such a provision were added to 
this bill or subsequent legislation were enacted that permits 
the obligation of the funds provided in this bill. For 
informational purposes, however, this estimate shows the 
spending that would occur if such a provision were included in 
the bill.
    Basis of estimate: Implementing H.R. 2400 would affect both 
direct spending and spending subject to appropriation. In 
particular, the bill would provide $217 billion in contract 
authority (a form of direct spending) from 1998 through 2003 
for the federal-aid highways program, the NHSTA safety grants 
program, the FHWA motor carrier safety grants program, and 
certain FTA programs. The figures in the above table include an 
additional $600 million in contract authority for the emergency 
relief program; that funding is provided under current law. 
Most of the outlays from this contract authority would be 
controlled by annual obligation limitations imposed through the 
appropriation process. All of the projected outlays controlled 
by appropriation action, whether from appropriated budget 
authority or annually limited contract authority, are shown in 
the table under ``Spending Subject to Appropriation.'' Outlays 
from programs exempt from the obligation limitations--emergency 
relief, minimum allocation, and high-priority projects--are 
included in the table under ``Direct Spending.''
    H.R. 2400 provides that the spending and revenues of the 
Highway Trust Fund shall be treated as off-budget. They are to 
be excluded from the President's budget and the Congressional 
budget resolution, and would be exempt from Congressional 
budget controls (such as reconciliation, revenue floors, and 
allocations of spending to committees) and the discretionary 
spending limits and pay-as-you-go procedures of the Balanced 
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act. Under the 
scorekeeping rules adopted by the Congress and the 
Administration, this change will apply to future legislation 
affecting the trust fund, but does not apply to the cost 
estimate or budgetary treatment of this bill. Although 
excluding Highway Trust Fund spending from the limits on 
discretionary spending is likely to increase appropriations 
from the Highway Trust Fund, CBO's cost estimate would assume 
that the full amount authorized will be appropriated even if 
the spending were subject to the limits. Therefore, the 
estimate of potential future discretionary spending is not 
affected by the change in budgetary status.
    Section 508 of the bill instructs the Secretary of 
Transportation not to apportion or allocate certain funds made 
available for fiscal year 2001 prior to August 1, 2001, unless 
a law has been enacted that makes midcourse corrections to the 
highway and transit programs. Although the availability of 
those funds is contingent on future legislation, the criteria 
for determining whether any particular bill satisfies the 
conditions for release of the funds are unclear, and CBO may 
not be able to attribute the increased costs to any bill. 
Therefore, this estimate includes the effect of making those 
funds available.

Direct spending

    H.R. 2400 would reauthorize funding for the minimum 
allocation program and would provide new funding for a set of 
specified high-priority projects. These programs are considered 
direct spending because they would be exempt from obligation 
limitations.
    Minimum Allocation. The baseline projections assume 
continued funding for the minimum allocation program. The 
current baseline has a projected level of $639 million in 
budget authority each year for this program. That level is the 
annualized projection of the spending authority provided in the 
Surface Transportation Extension Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-
130). Based on projections from the FHWA, CBO estimates that 
funding for the minimum allocation program under H.R. 2400 
would total $1.1 billion in 1998, $1.3 billion in 1999, and 
$1.4 billion for each of fiscal years 2000 through 2003. 
Because the new formula for minimum allocation would be based 
in part on the funding for high-priority projects and because 
the distribution of projects among states is based on 
preliminary information from the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure, these estimates are subject to change.
    Emergency Relief. The emergency relief program, the other 
federal-aid highways activity under current law that is exempt 
from obligation limitations, is permanently authorized.
    H.R. 2400 would not change the emergency relief program, 
which receives $100 million each year. That annual cost is 
included in the totals shown in the table.
    High-Priority Projects. The high-priority projects 
component of the federal-aid program would provide states with 
funds for a list of projects contained in the bill. The bill 
would provide contract authority of about $1 billion in 1998, 
$1.4 billion in 1999, $1.7 billion in 2000 and 2001, and $1.8 
billion in 2002 and 2003. CBO estimates that outlays for the 
high-priority projects would total $5.6 billion over the 1998-
2003 period. (Additional outlays for the specified projects 
would occur after 2003.)
    Other. This bill would give the Secretary of Transportation 
the authority to establish separate funds in the U.S. Treasury 
to collect payments and revenues from nongovernmental 
organizations. This would affect direct spending through the 
collection of offsetting receipts and the subsequent spending 
of those receipts. However, CBO estimates that the net direct 
spending effects would be negligible in each year.

Spending subject to appropriation

    For purposes of this estimate, CBO assumes that the amounts 
authorized for highway programs would be appropriated for each 
fiscal year. Outlay estimates for all of the spending subject 
to appropriation are based on historical spending patterns for 
the affected programs. Because most of the outlays from 
contract authority are governed by annual obligation 
limitations in appropriation acts, they are discretionary and 
are included in the table as estimated outlays subject to 
appropriation. To estimate such outlays, CBO used the 
obligation limitations specified in the bill. For example, the 
bill's obligation limitation for federal-aid highways for 1998 
is identical to the obligation limitation established in the 
Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriation 
Act of 1998 (Public 105-66). For programs that do not have 
obligation limitations specified in the bill, we assume that 
obligations would be equal to the contract authority provided 
in each year, except that for 1998, the obligation limitations 
established in Public Law 105-66 would apply.
    Highways. In addition to the amounts specifically 
authorized, the bill would authorize such sums as necessary for 
transportation activities related to the Winter Olympics in 
Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2002. Based on information from the 
U.S. Olympic Committee and Congressional sources, we estimate 
costs would total $335 million over the 1999-2003 period. Funds 
provided would assist primarily in building roads, but would be 
also be used for aviation and transit needs.
    The bill would also require the Secretary of Transportation 
to administer a children's competition to design a sign for the 
National Highway System. Based on information from the FHWA, 
CBO estimates the cost of administering the competition to be 
approximately $150,000.
    Rail. The bill would authorize appropriations of $528 
million over the 1998-2003 period for programs within the 
Federal Railroad Administration.
    For the direct loan and loan guarantee program included in 
Title IX, we assume that the loans authorized would be made 
only subject to appropriation and would be discretionary. CBO 
estimates that there would be no net cost to the federal 
government for this program, assuming that the program is 
implemented as stated in the bill. Specifically, the bill would 
require that interest rates on any direct loans be set high 
enough to cover the potential costs of any default risk and, 
similarly, that in the case of loan guarantees, recipients of 
any such guarantees pay fees sufficient to offset any potential 
costs of default.
    Transit. H.R. 2400 would authorize the appropriation of 
$1.1 billion over the 1998-2003 period for Federal Transit 
Administration programs. This includes the authorization of 
$200 million for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit 
Authorize in 1998, the level enacted in Public Law 105-66.
    The access-to-jobs program is a new authorization provided 
in this bill. This program would provide grants to states to 
assist welfare recipients in getting to and from jobs and 
activities relating to their employment. Outlay estimates are 
based on historical spending rates for formula grants. The bill 
would authorize the appropriation of $42 million each year from 
1998 through 2003 for the access-to-jobs program.
    Miscellaneous. H.R. 2400 would require the DOT to prepare 
and promulgate regulations and to conduct numerous studies and 
publish subsequent reports. CBO estimates that completing the 
required regulations and reports would cost several million 
dollars each year. Funding for those activities would come from 
the amounts authorized in H.R. 2400. In addition, the bill 
would require the General Accounting Office (GAO) to complete 
studies and subsequently publish reports. According to GAO, the 
cost of completing these studies and reports would not be 
significant.
    CBO estimates that the changes in the Aquatic Resources 
Trust Fund in Title VIII would have no effect on federal 
spending.
    Pay-as-you-go considerations: Section 252 of the Balanced 
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 sets up pay-
as-you-go procedures for legislation affecting direct spending 
or receipts. The net changes in outlays and governmental 
receipts that are subject to pay-as-you-go procedures are shown 
in the following table. For the purposes of enforcing pay-as-
you-go procedures, only the effects in the current year, budget 
year, and the succeeding four years are counted. Also, only 
direct spending outlays are subject to pay-as-you-go 
requirements; the discretionary outlays from contract authority 
subject to obligation limitations are not included as pay-as-
you-go effects because those outlays are controlled by 
appropriation acts.
    As discussed earlier, section 1101 provides that no funds 
specified in this bill shall be apportioned, allocated, or 
obligated unless the bill includes a provision stating that 
increases in spending provided by the bill are offset by 
mandatory or discretionary spending savings included in the 
bill. Since such a provision is not included in the bill 
reported by the committee, the bill as reported would have no 
effect on direct spending. For informational purposes, the 
following table shows changes in outlays from direct spending 
for the bill's effects on the minimum allocation program and 
its funding for high-priority projects that would be provided 
if the bill contained such a provision.

                                                                                                                                                        
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                          By Fiscal Year, in Millions of Dollars                        
                                                                 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   1998    1999    2000    2001    2002    2003    2004    2005    2006    2007    2008 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Changes in outlays..............................................     149     622   1,307   1,864   2,144   2,243   2,392   2,448   2,474   2,481   2,483
Changes in receipts.............................................                                                                                        
(10) Not applicable                                                                                                                                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated impact on State, local, and tribal governments: 
H.R. 2400 contains two intergovernmental mandates as defined in 
UMRA, but they would not impose costs on state, local, or 
tribal governments in excess of the threshold established by 
that act ($50 million in 1996, indexed annually for inflation). 
One requires the states of Virginia and Maryland and the 
District of Columbia to accept title to the Woodrow Wilson 
Bridge. The other mandate would make all interstate school bus 
operations subject to federal motor carrier safety regulations. 
Neither would impose significant costs on state, local, or 
tribal governments.
    This bill would significantly benefit state and local 
governments by authorizing much higher levels of spending for 
surface transportation grants. At the same time, it would 
impose a number of new conditions on the receipt of these 
funds. The bill also includes provisions that would affect the 
distribution of these funds among the states.
    Estimated impact on the private sector: H.R. 2400 would 
impose no new private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA.
    Section 419 of H.R. 2400 would, however, substantially 
increase the penalties for existing mandates on motor carriers 
who do not meet safety fitness requirements. Specifically, 
property carriers and hazardous waste/passenger carriers deemed 
to be ``unfit'' in state and federal compliance reviews would 
be prohibited from operating in interstate commerce if they do 
not become ``fit'' within 60 or 45 days, respectively. 
Currently, those carriers can continue operating under certain 
conditions.
    Section 421 would require the Secretary of Transportation, 
within one year of enactment, to issue a final rule regarding 
the conspicuousness of trailers manufactured before December 1, 
1993. Because the Secretary already has the authority to issue 
such a rule, and because the agency has indicated that a final 
rule has been drafted, CBO has determined that this provision 
would not impose a new private-sector mandate.
    Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Clare Doherty and 
Kristen Layman. Impact on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: 
Theresa Gullo. Impact on the Private Sector: Lesley Frymier.
    Estimate approved by: Robert A. Sunshine, Deputy Assistant 
Director for Budget Analysis.

                          EXCHANGE OF LETTERS

                                      Committee on Science,
                                     Washington, DC March 25, 1998.
Hon. Bud Shuster,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, U.S. House of 
        Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: This letter discharges H.R. 2400, the 
``Building Efficient Surface Transportation and Equity Act of 
1998'' (BESTEA) from the Committee on Science. By so doing the 
Committee is not waiving its jurisdiction over the research 
provisions of H.R. 2400.
    On September 17, 1997, the Committee on Science reported 
H.R. 860, the ``Surface Transportation Research and Development 
Act of 1997'' which authorized the research provisions of the 
BESTEA bill. The Committee on Science did not file its report 
on H.R. 860 with the Clerk of the House because we received 
your assurance that the substantive provisions of H.R. 860 
would be considered by your Committee and after mutual 
agreement be incorporated in a manager's amendment to H.R. 
2400. Your staff has been working with my staff to bring about 
that result.
    I also understand that you are aggreeable to support our 
request for conferees for those provisions in the bill which 
are in the Science Committee's jurisdiction.
    I appreciate your cooperation in this matter and look 
forward to working with you.
            Sincerely.
                               F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.,
                                                          Chairman.
                                ------                                

             Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
                                    Washington, DC, March 27, 1998.
Hon. F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.,
Chairman, Committee on Science,
U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter of March 25, 
1998, regarding H.R. 2400, the Building Efficient Surface 
Transportation and Equity Act of 1998. Your assistance in 
expediting consideration of the bill is very much appreciated.
    I agree that there are certain provisions in the bill that 
are of jurisdictional interest to the Committee on Science and 
I agree that by foregoing a sequential referral the Committee 
on Science is not waiving its jurisdiction. Be assured that I 
will continue to work with you to develop an acceptable 
Manager's amendment for Floor consideration.
    I would be pleased to support the representation of your 
Committee in any conference on H.R. 2400 regarding matters 
within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Science. I intend 
to include this exchange of letters in the Committee report on 
the bill. Thank you for your cooperation and your continued 
leadership and support in surface transportation matters.
    With warm personal regards, I am
            Sincerely,
                                             Bud Shuster, Chairman.

                                
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