[Senate Report 114-213]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 374
114th Congress } { Report
SENATE
2d Session } { 114-213
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AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE AUTHORITY FOR THE SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS OF
THE STARR-CAMARGO BRIDGE COMPANY TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE A TOLL BRIDGE
ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE NEAR RIO GRANDE CITY, TEXAS
_______
February 24, 2016.--Ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. Inhofe, from the Committee on Environment and Public Works,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 2143]
The Committee on Environment and Public Works, to which was
referred the bill (S. 2143) to provide for the authority for
the successors and assigns of the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company
to maintain and operate a toll bridge across the Rio Grande
near Rio Grande City, Texas, and for other purposes, having
considered the same, reports favorably thereon without
amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.
General Statement and Background
This bill amends Public Law 87-532 to re-designate the
Starr-Camargo Bridge Company as the appropriate authority to
maintain and operate the toll bridge across the Rio Grande
River connecting the United States-Mexico border cities of Rio
Grande City, Texas and Camargo, Tamaulipas. Completed in 1966,
the Starr-Camargo Bridge is currently owned and managed by the
Starr-Camargo Bridge Company.
Objectives of the Legislation
The objective of S. 2143 is to provide for the authority
for the successors and assigns of the Starr-Camargo Bridge
Company to maintain and operate a toll bridge across the Rio
Grande River near Rio Grande City, Texas.
Section-by-Section Analysis
S. 2143 as reported by the Committee on Environment and
Public Works on January 20, 2016.
Sec. 1. Starr-Camargo Bridge
This section amends Public Law 87-532, including the
addition of a new section aligning the rights and privileges of
the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company and its successors and assigns
with those rights and privileges of the B and P Bridge Company,
which operates the Progreso International Bridge in Progreso,
Texas.
Legislative History
Senator Cornyn introduced S. 2143 on October 6, 2015. The
bill was referred to the Committee on Environment and Public
Works. On January 20, 2016 the Committee on Environment and
Public Works held a business meeting to consider S. 2143. The
bill was approved by the Committee by voice vote without
amendment.
Hearings
No committee hearings were held on S. 2143.
Rollcall Votes
The Committee on Environment and Public Works met to
consider S. 2143 on January 20, 2016. The bill was ordered
favorably reported by voice vote. No rollcall votes were taken.
Regulatory Impact Statement
In compliance with section 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee finds that S. 2143
does not create any additional regulatory burdens, nor will it
cause any adverse impact on the personal privacy of
individuals.
Mandates Assessment
In compliance with the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
(Public Law 104-4), the Committee notes that the Congressional
Budget Office found that S. 2143 contains no intergovernmental
or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates
Reform Act (UMRA), and would impose no costs on state, local,
or tribal governments.
Cost of Legislation
Section 403 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment
Control Act requires that a statement of the cost of the
reported bill, prepared by the Congressional Budget Office, be
included in the report. That statement follows:
February 10, 2016.
Hon. Jim Inhofe,
Chairman, Committee on Environment and Public Works,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 2143, a bill to
provide for the authority for the successors and assigns of the
Starr-Camargo Bridge Company to maintain and operate a toll
bridge across the Rio Grande near Rio Grande City, Texas, and
for other purposes.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Sarah Puro.
Sincerely,
Keith Hall.
Enclosure.
S. 2143--A bill to provide for the authority for the successors and
assigns of the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company to maintain and
operate a toll bridge across the Rio Grande near Rio Grande
City, Texas, and for other purposes
Under current law, the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company has the
authority to operate a private toll-bridge between the United
States and Mexico through 2032. S. 2143 would permanently
extend the authority for the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company or
its successors to operate such a bridge and to expand the
number of lanes on that bridge.
The Starr-Camargo Bridge Company is privately-owned and
does not receive any federal or state assistance and does not
issue any tax-exempt debt. As a result, CBO estimates that
enacting S. 2143 would not affect direct spending or revenues;
therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures do not apply.
CBO estimates that enacting S. 2143 would not increase net
direct spending or on-budget deficits in any of the four
consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2027.
The bill contains no intergovernmental or private-sector
mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and
would impose no costs on state, local, or tribal governments.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Sarah Puro. The
estimate was approved by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Assistant
Director for Budget Analysis.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with section 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill
as reported are shown as follows: Existing law proposed to be
omitted is enclosed in [black brackets], new matter is printed
in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown
in roman:
* * * * * * *
Public Law 87-532
(a) (1) The San Benito International Bridge Company of San
Benito, Texas, is authorized to construct a toll bridge and
approaches thereto across the Grande, at a point suitable to
the interests of navigation, at or near Los Indios, Texas, and
for a period of sixty-six years from the date of completion of
such bridge, to maintain and operate such bridge and to collect
tolls for the use thereof, so far as the United States has
jurisdiction over the waters of such river; and
(2) The Starr-Camargo Bridge Company of the State of
Texas, and its successors and assigns, is authorized to
construct a toll bridge and approaches thereto
consisting of not more than 14 lanes across the Rio
Grande, at a point suitable to the interests of
navigation, at or near Rio Grande City, Texas, [and for
a period of sixty-six years from the date of completion
of such bridge,] to maintain and operate such bridge
and to collect tolls for the use thereof, so far as the
United States has jurisdiction over the waters of such
river.
* * * * * * *
SEC. 2. Each of the companies and its successors and assigns,
referred to in the first section of this Act may fix and charge
tolls for transit over the bridge which it is authorized under
such section to construct, in accordance with the laws of the
State of Texas, and the laws of the United States, applicable
to such tolls, and the rates of toll so fixed shall be the
legal rates until changed under the authority contained in
section 4 of the Act of March 23, 1906 (33 U.S.C 494).
SEC. 3. RIGHTS OF STARR-CAMARGO BRIDGE COMPANY AND SUCCESSORS AND
ASSIGNS.
(a) In General.--The Starr-Camargo Bridge Company and its
successors and assigns shall have the rights and privileges
granted to the B and P Bridge Company and its successors and
assigns under section 2 of the Act of May 1, 1928 (45 Stat.
471, chapter 466).
(b) Requirement.--In exercising the rights and privileges
granted under subsection (a), the Starr-Camargo Bridge Company
and its successors and assigns shall act in accordance with--
(1) just compensation requirements;
(2) public proceeding requirements; and
(3) any other requirements applicable to the exercise
of the rights referred to in subsection (a) under the
laws of the State of Texas.
SEC. [3.] 4. Each such Company and its successors and
assigns, may sell, assign, transfer, or mortgage the rights,
powers, and privileges conferred on it by this Act, to any .
public agency, [or] to an international bridge authority or
commission, or to a corporation, and any such agency,
[authority, or commission] authority, or commission, or
corporation is authorized to exercise the rights, powers, and
privileges acquired under this section (including acquisition
by mortgage foreclosure) in the same manner as if such rights,
powers, and privileges had been granted by this Act directly to
such agency, [authority, or commission] authority, commission,
or corporation.
SEC. [4.] 5. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 6 of
the Act of March 23, 1906 (33 U.S.C. 496), this Act shall be
null and void as to any bridge authorized to be constructed by
this Act unless the actual construction of such bridge is
commenced within three years and completed within five years
from the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. [5.] 6. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is
expressly reserved.
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