Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure be discharged from further consideration of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 67) honoring the soldiers of the Army's Black Corps of Engineers for their contributions in constructing the Alaska-Canada highway during World War II and recognizing the importance of these contributions to the subsequent integration of the military, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson) for introducing this resolution.

This resolution honors the soldiers of the Army's Black Corps of Engineers for their contribution in construction of the Alaska-Canada Highway during World War II.

There is no doubt about the enormous contribution made by these soldiers and the lasting legacy they left to Alaska and the security of our Nation.

This is long overdue and I strongly support the gentlewoman's resolution and appreciate her efforts.

Mr. Speaker, may I suggest somebody should read the great story of this Corps of Engineers brigade and what they were able to do, the work they put in, the time they put in, and the excellent job they did in building a highway of approximately 1,400 miles in less than 365 days of a year.

Again, I commend the gentlewoman for introducing this resolution. It is long overdue. And for those who do not understand this, drive this highway someday and you will understand the work they put in.

Mr. Speaker, on February 9, 2005, I introduced H.R. 3, the Transportation Equity Act: a Legacy for Users, TEA LU. This is a 6-year authorization of Federal highway, transit and highway safety programs. These programs are all currently operating under an extension since the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, TEA 21, expired on September 30, 2003. The current extension--which is the sixth extension of these programs--will expire on May 31, 2005. We must pass this bill and successfully complete conference with the Senate before the Memorial Day recess begins. We must get this job done. American jobs and the continuing growth of the U.S. economy directly depend on the successful enactment of this authorization.

On February 7, 2005, President Bush introduced his fiscal year 2006 budget. I was pleased that the budget includes an updated reauthorization proposal funding Federal highway, transit and highway safety programs at $283.9 billion over 6 years in guaranteed funding. This is a $28 billion increase above the proposal introduced by the administration 2 years ago, and I applaud the administration's recognition of the pressing needs of America's highways and transit systems in this higher number. The bill I introduced also funds the same programs at $283.9 billion in guaranteed funding over 6 years, 2004 through 2009. I strongly believe that we have a much better chance of moving this legislation quickly in the 109th Congress, now that we are working with the same top line funding level that the President has endorsed.

The other reason that this $283.9 billion guaranteed funding level may sound familiar is that it was the total 6-year guaranteed funding level that was under discussion in last year's conference negotiations. I am committed to getting back to conference as fast as possible.

There are no major policy changes between this bill and last year's authorization bill, which passed the House by a vote of 357 to 65 on April 2, 2004. The policies in H.R. 3 represent months of intense negotiations within the committee, with other House Members, and with stakeholder organizations.

I will work closely with the leadership, the Ways and Means Committee chairman, and the chairman of the Budget Committee as we further refine this bill and prepare for committee markup and floor passage. I urge the House membership's strong support of TEA LU, particularly since we now have the administration's endorsement of the total funding level.

Let's get this job done, so that our Nation's commerce can move quickly and efficiently, commuters can get to work faster and easier, waste less gas sitting in traffic, and spend more time with their families. States, communities, workers and industries around the country are waiting for us to act on this reauthorization. Let's get it done.

Mr. Speaker, in accordance with clause 2(a) of Rule XI of the Rules of the House, I am submitting for printing in the Record a copy of the Rules of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for the 109th Congress, adopted on February 2, 2005.

Rules of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

United States House of Representatives

109th Congress

(Adopted February 2, 2005)

Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend the conferees for including economic development funding for the Pribilof Islands. The economies of these Island communities have been struggling in the face of the ban on the fur seal harvest and the collapse of the crab and other fisheries in the area. The funding in this appropriations bill is a key step in helping the Aleut population of the Islands to develop a diversified, sustainable economy.

For over 100 years, the Federal Government controlled the Natives' fur seal harvest on the Islands, as well as their social and municipal services. In the 1980s the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Congress embarked on a plan for transition of the Islands to independence and economic self-sufficiency. One of the most important aspects of the plan was that the Federal Government would transfer control of the fur seal harvests to the Natives and permit the Natives to keep the income from the harvests. Unfortunately, one year after the plan was developed, the Government banned fur seal harvesting on environmental grounds and removed a critical source of regular income from the community.

Four years ago, the Congress enacted the Pribilof Island Transition Act, which I authored. I worked closely with my Alaska colleagues in the other body in crafting that legislation and shepherding it through the legislative process. The Act was aimed at compensating for the loss of the fur seal industry and for the delays in implementation of two other key objectives of the transition plan: construction of usable harbors and transfer of lands from NOAA to Island entities. The Transition Act authorized $28 million for economic development over a period of five years. This is the first year that funds have been appropriated for this purpose, and it comes at a crucial time.

It is my hope that additional funding for Pribilof Island economic development will be forthcoming in the years ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I submit the following two letters for the Record.

The Hon. Don Young,

Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,

House of Representatives, Rayburn House Office Building,

Washington, DC

Dear Chairman Young: I am writing with regard to H.R. 5163,

the Norman Y. Mineta Research and Special Programs

Reorganization Act, which was ordered reported by the

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on September

29, 2004. As you know, the Energy and Commerce Committee

received a named additional referral upon introduction.

I understand that you will include an amendment when the

bill goes to the floor. The intent of new section 4(b) is to

clarify that nothing in H.R. 5163 alters the jurisdiction of

the Committee on Energy and Commerce over the National

Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Specifically,

section (b)(1) and (2) states that nothing in this Act shall

grant any authority to the Research and Innovative Technology

Administration over research and other programs, activities,

standards, or regulations administered by the Secretary

through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,

but does not include those provisions within the jurisdiction

of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Accordingly I will waive the Committee's consideration of

this legislation. By agreeing to waive its consideration of

the bill, however, the Energy and Commerce Committee does not

waive its jurisdiction over H.R. 5163. In addition, the

Energy and Commerce Committee reserves its right to seek

conferees on any provisions of the bill that are within its

jurisdiction during any House-Senate conference that may be

convened on this legislation. I ask for your commitment to

support any request by the Energy and Commerce Committee for

conferees on H.R. 5163 or similar legislation.

I request that you include this letter and your response in

the Congressional Record during consideration of the

legislation on the House floor. Thank you for your attention

to these matters.

Sincerely,

Joe Barton,

Chairman.

Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Chairman, I rise to speak regarding H.R. 10, the 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act.

I realize the importance of this legislation and understand the need for improving our intelligence gathering and coordination. The failure of our intelligence and law enforcement agencies to communicate has been demonstrated on numerous occasions. However, while there is no doubt that we must protect our country and our people from the threat of terrorism, we must also protect the viability of our economy. I want to stress that, the viability of our economy, and if we do not do so, especially in our Nation's transportation, the bad guys have won.

The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has worked very hard on a bipartisan basis for the last 3 years to develop the best transportation security possible. It was our committee that proposed and passed the first legislation to create the Transportation Security Administration, TSA. We have improved that legislation and moved other bills that improved security as well. We have exercised our oversight jurisdiction both thoroughly and prudently and with due respect to the concerns of the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies.

H.R. 10 contains new recommendations from our committee regarding improvements in aviation security and additional improvements in the area of maritime security. The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure also reported recommendations regarding the funding of first responders.

Recently, I personally experienced how it felt to be on TSA's no-fly list when I was confused with another person with the same name. This was not a pleasant experience, but I was able to clear up the confusion fairly quickly and continued on my trip. H.R. 10 includes recommendations from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure that will provide travelers who are misidentified by the TSA an opportunity to appeal.

I have serious concerns regarding section 5027, encouraging the Committee on Rules to act on the recommendation regarding committee jurisdiction prior to the next Congress. This House should have an opportunity for full and fair debate on any changes to the structure of the standing committees or any changes to their jurisdiction. There should be regular order and a fair process for consideration of changes that could have seriously impacts on all the stakeholders and industries who will be affected by the way we exercise our jurisdiction and carry out our oversight.

The decision regarding the rules of the House should be made at the beginning of the next Congress. This is not a fight about turf as some might claim. It is about doing the best job for legislating that we can for the American people and that requires both expertise and balance. The committee with a single focus only on security, not balanced by concern for the economic and other consequences, could result in posing unreasonable burdens on the taxpayers and our economic base.

The current recommendations of the Select Committee on Homeland Security eliminate the ability of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure to exercise legislation or oversight jurisdiction over transportation security. The Select Committee on Homeland Security's recommendation has extremely serious consequences and deserves full consideration over the coming months.

Should this bill go to conference, I strongly encourage the conferees and the Committee on Rules to refrain from taking action that would prevent a full and fair debate on the changes to the rules. As we legislate to protect the homeland security in all areas of our national life, we must look at the whole picture and find the right balance between security and economic stability.

And may I respectfully suggest to the leadership of the House on both sides of the aisle and those that might be in the conference, and I will be one of them, if we, in fact, change the rules without going through the due process, I will vote and work against this legislation. Because if we disrupt our economic base, if we cannot continue the mission of moving our goods and people, then the bad guys have won. So we have to be very careful what we do. As we rush to judgment to pass a piece of legislation recommended by the 9/11 Commission, I will assure the Members that I want to study it very closely to make sure that we provide the security that is necessary but keep in mind the economic well-being of our people in this Nation.

Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica), and ask unanimous consent that he be allowed to control it.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 811, I call up the bill (H.R. 5183) to provide an extension of highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund pending enactment of a law reauthorizing the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, and ask for its immediate consideration.

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

(Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, much has been said during the rule about the obvious need for this extension, and I will agree with those who say we need a finalization of the 6-year

bill; but this extension gives us time to allow the States to go forth with their construction, with their projects that are necessary, and to keep some stability in our continued efforts to improve the transportation system in this great Nation of ours.

I truly believe this will be the last extension. I have endeavored and will continue to work until we sine die to try to make a finalization of the 6-year bill. I want to make sure everybody understands that just because this is an 8-month extension, it does not mean we have to wait 8 months to get it done. If I can get it done next week, we are going to get it done. If I can get it done the week after that, if we are not here, I cannot do that, but if we can get it done during the lame duck, we can do it then. Or we can do it in February, March, April, May, June, July, or in that period of time. Whatever we have to do, we will do to continue to improve our transportation system in our great Nation.

May I suggest, respectfully, since some have spoken on this bill about the reauthorization, our committee has done its work. The gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski), I see, is managing the bill today instead of the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar). We are going to miss him. He is no longer going to be with us next year, but he has done his work as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Highways, Transit and Pipelines. The gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) has done his work; the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri) has done his work. We have done our work, and we have passed this legislation over to the other body.

Now, we can point a lot of fingers and we can say this guy, that person, this other person in the other body did not do it; but in reality there is a difference of philosophies. I personally will say that when we passed this bill in the House, I had $375 billion. That is the number I would like to have. Well, a lot of us would like to have some things which we cannot achieve. We have agreed and we have worked with the other body, and we did reach a number that, to me, was a great victory, $299 billion of contractual authority, $284.3 as obligated dollars, real dollars, with policies and philosophies in the bill. We reached those agreements. But, unfortunately, on both sides of the aisle there are some people in the other body that desire more, and we were unable to reach that agreement because it was not there.

I would have liked to have had what we agreed to, because I think it was the appropriate way to go. It did not mean it would be the final number, but we did not and were not able to achieve that. Consequently, we are here for this extension. As they said in the rules debate, this extension is badly needed to continue the stability of our transportation system.

But I will commit to this House and to this Nation that this committee will continue to work to finish this job and to work with the other body to arrive at a conclusion that I think is long overdue.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would suggest to this body that we are on the cusp of a disaster in transportation if we do not act soon. We are gathering in population more each day. We are importing more each day, we are exporting more each day, and we are becoming more congested each day. I am hoping that my State Governors, my State legislators, my State department of transportation and my mayors, all those people understand they too have to participate in solving this problem. It just cannot come from this body. They too must participate with ambitious and visionary ideas in helping to solve our transportation problems.

We all must work together. If we do not, we do not leave the appropriate legacy behind us so this country can continue to grow. I will say, Mr. Speaker, there are some in this country that do not want to improve the transportation system, because they realize if they do not improve upon it, then our ability to be competitive and to be the leaders of the free world will not occur. So I suggest to this body we must awaken the people and make sure they understand the effect upon them and they must respond and ask us, and, yes, their local legislators, their Governors, their mayors, and those people who lead them to say yes to participate together with us so we can solve this problem.

Mr. Speaker, this extension is necessary, and I urge passage of the extension.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri).

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

In closing, this is a time that is always difficult for someone who has served with something for so long, but I will tell the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) we are going to miss him. We are going to probably see him. But as Members leave this body that have contributed to not only their districts but the Nation, it is a loss. We know that. I know he knows that. But I also respect his desire to go and do bigger and greater things. But I look forward to seeing him back on the Hill during this period of time in the near future so that we can communicate and work together on a cause that he has great feeling for, and that is transportation. And he can be assured that I will always be there to hear his wisdom, and he can be sure that I and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) are going to accomplish the goals along with our subcommittee chairman on this transportation bill, I hope in the near future. If we cannot, it will be, not in the far future, but in the close future. So, again, I wish him Godspeed and be well on his travels. We will miss him.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri).

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

I know my good friend from Oregon is a good soldier, and I understand what he is trying to do, but I hope no one takes it too seriously because this would kill this legislation that we have today for an extension of our highway program which would cost us about 150,000 immediate jobs, disrupt all State programs, all projects in districts and, in fact, create chaos. And there is a time problem because the reality is that this has to be signed by the President tonight or it does come to a halt. And so what we have to do now is pass this legislation, vote against this motion to recommit, pass this legislation and send it over to the Senate. And I am not speaking too broadly about the Senate because we do not control it, and I know I am not supposed to mention it. But the other body must also act. And then it has to get on an airplane and be flown to Florida because there is the big debate tonight. And he has to sign it. I am sure it is not a big deal with the President, but it is necessary for highway projects.

And just tongue in cheek, to the gentleman from Oregon, the way his motion to recommit is that each number in the bill would have to be raised 12.84, 12.85 percent, and that means that H.R. 5183 would no longer be H.R. 5183, it would be, I guess, 52.6 or something, and all the numbers in the bill, instead of section 22, it would have to be section 22.8 and on down the line.

I understand the reasoning why, but I do urge my colleagues to think very seriously about it. Let us keep the course. Vote against the motion to recommit and then pass this legislation so we can continue our transportation needs in this country, not to the degree we want but what is necessary at this time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5183.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Clerk be directed to make the change in the engrossment of H.R. 5183 that I have placed at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, last week at the 15th International AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, the world's attention was drawn to the 38 million people around the world who are living with HIV-- nearly a million of whom live in the United States.

Moreover, many HIV positive individuals in the United States face significant hurdles that prevent them from engaging in long-term health care, including unstable financial and housing situations and a lack of trust between patients and health care providers. As a result, approximately 250,000 individuals who are aware of their HIV status are not receiving regular primary medical care; a population the Health Resources and Services Administration defines as the ``unmet need'' in the domestic epidemic. However, the United States should not and must not consider this lack of HIV health care inevitable because solutions do exist.

With this in mind, I rise today to recognize and share with you work that is being done in my own state of Alaska to successfully bring HIV treatment and care to the people who need it. The Alaska AIDS Assistance Association in Anchorage uses ``Inter-Agency Networking'' to connect HIV positive Alaskans to a system of integrated health care and support. The activity accomplishes this by providing health care agencies with opportunities to exchange information and share resources, thus increasing the agencies understanding of community needs and enhancing their ability to provide care to more people living with HIV.

Inter-Agency Networking is indebted to a capacity-building initiative called Connecting to Care, which was developed by AIDS Action in collaboration with the Health Resource and Service Administration, Connecting to Care identified the Alaskan AIDS Assistance Association's activity as a ``model practice'' and disseminated it to more than 10,000 health providers throughout the country as a model intervention that has been successful in connecting HIV positive individuals to care. My hope is that the Connecting to Care initiative will guide other communities in their own development of activities that connect HIV positive individuals with the health care they want and need.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee on Science, and the Committee on Resources be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 4916) to provide an extension of highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund pending enactment of a law reauthorizing the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that this is a resolution continuing present law until September 24 for highways and until the end of the month of September for transit and other activities under present law. That is my understanding.

We must do this, as the gentleman is well aware, because, if we do not, then the ongoing activities of States across this Nation will be brought to a halt. We have high hopes that by the 24th of September, as the gentleman mentioned, we will have a meeting of the minds on what we call the total bill and there will be no longer any need for a continuing resolution. That is the hope of this chairman, and I am sure it is the hope of the gentleman also.

Basically, that is what this resolution does.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 730, I call up the conference report on the bill (H.R. 2443) to authorize appropriations for the Coast Guard for fiscal year 2004, to amend various laws administered by the Coast Guard, and for other purposes.

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

(Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the conference report on H.R. 2443, the Coast Guard Authorization and Maritime Transportation Act of 2004.

This conference report is the result of a very bipartisan effort. I notice this is a word being used often today on this floor, but I want to compliment especially the committee I serve on. It was worked out with the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. LoBiondo), the ranking members from the full committee and the subcommittee, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner), and all of the conferees; and it deserves the support of all Members.

As this body's only licensed mariner and elected Member for all of Alaska, I am extremely interested in making sure the Coast Guard has the tools necessary to carry out its many varied missions. This bill gives the Coast Guard the resources and authorities necessary to protect the safety and security of lives and property on U.S. waters.

H.R. 2443 authorizes $8.2 billion to support activities of the Coast Guard for fiscal year 2005 and includes a number of provisions which will result in a safer, more effective system of maritime transportation.

My State of Alaska contains nearly one-third of the Nation's exclusive economic zone, the Nation's largest fishery, and significant cruise ship and oil tanker traffic. Therefore, I am concerned about the ability of the Coast Guard to carry out its traditional search, fisheries law enforcement, and vessel inspection missions.

Mr. Speaker, all of us recognize the exceptional work performed by the Coast Guard, often under dangerous conditions and circumstances. I urge all of my colleagues to support the conference report.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Mr. John Rayfield and Mr. Mark Zachares for their hard work, and thank the staff on both the Senate and House side. The staff has worked very hard to ensure this has been done correctly.

Again, may I stress, I hope we can do the same thing on the highway bill as we have done on this bill, and through a bipartisan effort, achieve our goal.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. LoBiondo), the chairman of the subcommittee, who has done an outstanding job on this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich).

Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?

I thank the gentleman for bringing this to our attention. I was unaware of this problem. I do appreciate his suggestions. We will look into it.

Concerning the previous conversation, in this legislation there is a provision in the bill to tell the Coast Guard to get off their you- know-what and get busy and finish that problem that the gentleman from Michigan was talking about, and we are going to take care of that.

With respect to the gentleman from Ohio's issue, I now will be contacting the pilots association to find out what is the problem. I was reading with dismay the amount of delays that did occur because there were no pilots available. I cannot quite understand that myself because these are fine-paying jobs; and very honestly, the revenue is quite attractive. I am anticipating my career, and I am really shocked. Maybe there is a place for me, after all, if I get out of this position. I will be working with the gentleman very closely to see if we can do it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my debate time to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. LoBiondo) and, pending that, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman be permitted to control the time.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that today the House is considering H.R. 2828, the Water Supply Reliability, and Environmental Improvement Act.

This bill reauthorizes the CALFED Bay-Delta Program, a Federal-State cooperative effort to manage water resources in California.

The purpose of the program is to increase the supply of available water for municipal, agricultural, and industrial use, and to engage in watershed restoration.

Water is a very precious resource, particularly in the West.

The supply of water is governed by State law. However, many Federal and State programs and projects also manage water resources and impact water supply.

Eighteen Federal and State agencies are partners in the CALFED program. Two of those agencies, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers, fall under the jurisdiction of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

EPA has some existing authorities that can help meet the goals of the CALFED program. The Corps also has many water resources development projects either under study or under construction in the Bay-Delta area, including the Sacramento/San Joaquin river basins comprehensive study.

This legislation does not authorize any EPA programs or Corps projects, even if a project is specifically mentioned in the August 28, 2000, programmatic record of decision that H.R. 2828 establishes as the general framework for addressing the CALFED program.

EPA and Corps activities in furtherance of the CALFED program must fall under existing authorities and nothing in this bill changes those authorities, or directs the USA of EPA or Corps funds.

Additional Corps projects in the Bay-Delta area may be authorized later, but those projects will go through the regular Corps of Engineers feasibility study process and regular authorization process in a water resources development act.

This does not mean that EPA and the Corps are not full participants in the CALFED program. In carrying out existing programs and projects, EPA and the Corps will coordinate their activities with all the Federal agencies participating in CALFED, and the State of California.

I congratulate Mr. Calvert and Mr. Pombo for bringing this legislation to the House floor. It has been a long time coming and reflects a lot of hard work by many Members.

I urge all Members to support this bill.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

Mr. Chairman, this bill reinstates the discretionary spending caps for fiscal year 2005 and 2006 and extends the highway and transit firewalls for fiscal years 2004 through 2009 at the levels contained in H.R. 3550, as passed by the House earlier this year.

The inclusion of the highway and transit firewalls in the bill before us today is an important statement that the House intends to continue the budget reforms that were achieved for the Highway Trust Fund in

I yield to the gentleman from Iowa.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for this colloquy.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4635) to provide an extension of highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund pending enactment of a law reauthorizing the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century.

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

(Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the H.R. 4635, the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2004 Part III is the continuation of the highway construction and highway safety transit, motor carrier, and surface transportation research programs for an additional 10 months beyond the end of fiscal year 2003.

This is the fourth extension of the Transportation Equity Act of the 21st Century, which expired on September 30, 2003. In September 2003, we extended these programs for 5 months until February 29, 2004. Since then, we have passed two subsequent 2-month extensions, STEA 2004, parts 1 and 2, and are now facing the expiration of the current extension on June 30.

This extension will continue highway transit and highway safety programs for one more month until July 31, 2004. It is the hope of the conferees that H.R. 3550, the 6-year service transportation reauthorization bill, that we will complete conference before the extension expires.

H.R. 4635 authorizes almost $27 billion in contract authority to the States to continue the core Federal aid highway program.

This bill also authorizes $6 billion to continued grants to transit agencies around the country and other programs of the Federal Transit Administration.

It authorizes $306 million for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for State grants to enforce safety regulation on our Nation's highways and to continue safety inspections at our border with Mexico.

And, finally, the bill authorizes $249 million to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for highway safety grants, occupant protection grants, and impaired driving countermeasure grants.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Petri), the chairman of the subcommittee that wrote this bill.

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

I thank the gentleman for his comments and especially the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) for his comments. I can assure him there will not be any less out of this conference than we passed in the House, and I am praying that there will be more.

It is ironic that when we meet with the other side of the aisle, I know I am not supposed to mention that, I want their number, and we are suggesting that maybe their number is correct, but I am faced with a very difficult task now of bringing a third party into this agreement; and I am not giving up on this legislation. I think it is vitally important for the Nation.

I think if we stand together shoulder to shoulder that we will eventually prevail. If we do not, it will be a terrible disservice to this Nation as far as our transportation, not wants, but needs; and I want to stress that.

I believe, Mr. Speaker, that when I first came out 3 years ago for $375 billion I was correct then. I am more correct now, and I will be more correct in the future. It is a number that we need to solve this very serious problem. We all know, and anybody on this floor that has constituents knows, that the one issue we all share in common is not the necessary fear of terrorism. That is very serious in itself, but it is the constant problem of moving oneself, be it their children or himself or herself, to and from the home, to school or to work, and to receive goods on time, and we have to understand that; and the public is crying out, let us solve this problem, and they are willing to pay for it.

I have lost that battle now, but in the House bill my colleagues are well aware we have a reopening clause, and I am going to continue the pursue, and I am confident that the public finally will raise up and say let us fix it. This extension gives us some time. I am hoping we will not have to ask for another, but let us fix the problem of this transportation challenge we have in this Nation. Let us do it quicker than later.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Not at this time; I do not believe I will.

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

I was listening to the gentleman speak on the issue about the needs for a user fee, and he is absolutely right. Again, I hope the American public will speak out, because every day that it goes up higher, I believe last year it was $2.55 for the premium gas, it is now $2.25 for regular, none of that goes into the highway construction. It goes overseas. Unless people like supporting those countries who are not friendly to us, those countries that take our dollars and use them for terrorism purposes, maybe unknowingly, I hope the American public will wake up and say enough is enough. If we have to spend this on fuel, then let us spend it in America.

So I compliment the gentleman for his comments and the concept that we will continue to talk about, which are the needs. Again, I want to stress, not the ``wants,'' contrary to what you may read, but the ``needs.'' So I do compliment the gentleman.

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