Further Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2021

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, reluctantly, I am going to support yet another short- term extension of the highway program. Unfortunately, this simply continues to put our State departments of transportation and transportation stakeholders in a very tough position, and they really deserve more than this.

Let me be clear: The Speaker's partisan process is what has led us to this point, and this predicament highlights more than ever the need for us to be working across the aisle--and across the building, for that matter.

Nearly a month ago, we were here in virtually the same position, having the same conversations about the need for a highway extension because the Speaker is holding the infrastructure bill hostage for her real priority. And we all know what that is. It is a massive, multitrillion-dollar tax-and-spend wish list.

This should not be how it is, tying the hands of an entire Congress to pass a socialist agenda that folks in America just simply don't support. Infrastructure has never been this way. Bipartisanship has always been the formula for success on infrastructure, and that hasn't changed. It hasn't changed any at all.

While this process may have started out as a bipartisan piece of legislation in the Senate, the Speaker made darn sure that as soon as the bill was sent across the Capitol, it immediately was tainted with her ultraliberal, partisan agenda.

In my 20 years in Congress, I have supported all three highway bills that have been signed into law. All of them were bipartisan, all of them under Republican chairmen, all of them signed into law by both Democrat and Republican Presidents.

House Republicans have stood ready and committed to participate in a truly bipartisan process that involves input from both the House and the Senate, not just one Chamber, and both parties. We were ready to come to the negotiation table.

Earlier this year, House Republicans warned that a partisan path would put us in a position like this, and here we are.

The chairman is absolutely right. Passing this extension is the right thing to do. The last thing we need, though, is a series of short-term extensions. A longer extension is a much-preferred path because it allows our States to plan with certainty.

Multiple short-term extensions are extremely detrimental to the States. They are detrimental to the stakeholders and the jobs that support these critical projects and programs.

Extensions mean leaving the States with uncertainty to fix, to maintain, to upgrade roads and bridges. And you can't plan multiyear infrastructure and highway projects with the guarantee of only a few weeks of funding at any one time.

So it is time to get back to what works, and that is bipartisanship on both sides of this building. That is the key to success when it comes to infrastructure.

I urge my colleagues to support this short-term extension and support our

States' transportation programs. However, next time around, we really need to consider a longer term extension. It is what is best for the States.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Again, it is unfortunate that we are here today as Democrats continue negotiating their partisan reconciliation proposal while an infrastructure bill sits. It sits idly and serves nothing more than those partisan programs.

This is nothing more than a Trojan horse, Madam Speaker, and it is being used for its popularity to get votes for the progressive wish list. I believe our State DOTs and our State transportation stakeholders, every one of them deserve better.

I hardly think that this short-term extension gives certainty to those folks, and I recognize that what is even worse is the fact that there is no certainty whatsoever.

Given that, reluctantly, I do urge support of this short-term extension with the expectation that a longer term extension will be needed the next time that we are here doing this once again.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5763) to provide an extension of Federal-aid highway, highway safety, and transit programs, and for other purposes.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5763.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5763, the Further Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2021.

Here we are again, calling up yet another short-term extension of Federal highway, transit, highway safety, motor carrier, research, and transportation financing programs.

As I stated when the House took up the first extension on October 1, the House of Representatives did its work last summer, which included a 5-year authorization of surface programs, well in advance of the need for any extensions. And the Senate did later pass a 5-year authorization.

We haven't yet found a path forward for both Chambers to pass the same version of the bill, but we need to act immediately to be certain we don't have a lapse in authorization. There are adequate funds in the highway trust fund to cover this extension. No additional funds will be necessary.

If we don't, on October 31, 3,700 employees will again receive furlough notices that they cannot report to work on November 1, or have to work without pay, with a temporary shutdown of those programs.

The Federal Highway Administration won't be able to provide any new funding to States, the District, or territories. They will be able to continue reimbursing, but a lot of States are beginning--they have initiatives and applications pending for new programs, and all those would be set aside and delayed.

The Federal Transit Administration won't be able to issue new funding to 1,300 transit grantees that rely on Federal grants to fund construction; buy vehicles and equipment, an ongoing process; and, in some cases, pay for operating costs. The FTA can continue to make payments for grants issued before October 1--again, not adequate looking at future needs.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration cannot award new grants, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration must stop issuing new motor carrier safety grants.

And the Office of the Secretary will not be able to make any further TIFIA loans.

The Further Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2021 will allow the Department of Transportation to restart operations of programs funded by the highway trust fund through December 3, 2021, which will be a momentous day around here. It also authorizes DOT to provide backpay for employees in the event of a temporary shutdown.

I urge my colleagues to support this extension which will help provide additional time to work through the final resolution of a long- term surface transportation bill.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and if the gentleman is prepared to close, I would be prepared to close.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, just to reiterate for colleagues that may be listening, this extension goes till December 3. There are adequate funds in the highway trust fund to fund all the regular programs. This will be at current authorization levels.

It will allow States to move forward and propose new highway and bridge projects. It will allow transit agencies to go ahead and acquire new equipment and make other necessary repairs or improvements to their systems.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be at full operating and full funding, so there will be no lapse should we pass this now. I urge an ``aye'' vote.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that in the engrossment of H.R. 5763, the Clerk be directed to make the correction I have placed at the desk.

Madam Speaker, due to personal reasons, I was unable to vote on H.R. 5763.

Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 339.