Max Baucus

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I would like to mention to my colleagues, the Senator from West Virginia [Mr. Byrd] would like the unanimous- consent agreement to provide that there be no second-degree amendments to his amendment.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President I would like to echo that statement. We are close to finishing this bill. It behooves Senators to come over quickly and work on their amendments so we can finish this bill tonight. I thank the Senator.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I will make a couple of points that I think are worth knowing about this amendment. First of all, this amendment is opposed by a lot of groups. Let me read a letter from Keep America Moving. It is an organization interested in our highways. I will just read the relevant part: The undersigned organizations believe the National Highway System is vital to America's economic and defense needs. We urge you to support prompt passage of the NHS and oppose any efforts to subsidize Amtrak with highway funds. Sincerely, American Automobile Manufacturers Association. American Bus Association. American Consulting Engineer Council. American Movers Conference. American Petroleum Institute. American Portland Cement Alliance. American Road and Transportation Builders Association. American Trucking Associations. Ashland Inc. Associated Builders and Contractors. Associated General Contractors. Highway Users Federation. National Asphalt Pavement Association. National Association of Manufacturers. There are a lot more. There is a lot of opposition, I might say, to this amendment. Second, I wondered what the donor States think of this amendment. Mr. President, about half of the States of our country are so-called donor States. They just get the willies when they realize they are spending more money on gasoline taxes than they are getting back in highway funds. Now, what are they going to think, the donor States--here is a whole other opportunity to spend their money on another State? I frankly think the donor States would not be very happy about this amendment. The donor States, about half of our States, would get very nervous, in fact upset with the idea of spending more of their money on some other State, in this case for Amtrak. Also, let me sum up by saying this is not going to work, this proposal. There are 46 States in our country that have Amtrak. As I hear the proponents of this amendment, there are 46 different horses before the Amtrak cart; 46 different States have an idea how to improve Amtrak, 46 different States. Capital expenditures, operating expenditures--who knows what? Amtrak is a national system. It is not a separate 46-State system, it is a national system. That is why I again come back to the idea I proposed earlier. I want very much to help the Senator from New Jersey by taking that half-cent that is, in 1996, scheduled to go to the mass transit account which already has a $5 billion surplus, and say dedicate that half-cent instead to Amtrak. It is $600 million. That is a national solution to a national problem, rather than a 46-State solution to a national problem. I understand the provisions in the amendment--compacts and all that. But those compacts are not going to work. States are not going to agree to those compacts. If they do not work, then they do not work. Then we are not solving the problem. I think, frankly, it is an idea that has surface appeal and it is an idea that is not going to work, and I suggest we therefore agree to this amendment. Dig down, agree to it, get the amendment agreed to that I am suggesting, namely that half-cent dedicated to Amtrak. Several Senators addressed the Chair.

Mr. BAUCUS. I appreciate that. If the Senator will yield, what I meant to say is that it is not more money, but a donor State spending money for more purposes.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I inquire of my good friend and colleague from Virginia, I wonder if that could be further amended so that there could be other amendments considered prior to the time indicated in the event not all time is used on those two amendments, that is, the amendment offered by the Senator from West Virginia as well as the amendment offered by the Senator from North Dakota.

Mr. BAUCUS. It is possible that not all time will be used.

Mr. BAUCUS. Right. Correct.

Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum and request the time be charged equally to both sides.

Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, I would like to make a couple of comments on the amendment offered by the Senator from West Virginia. I first want to commend the Senator from West Virginia. This is a very good amendment. It goes to the heart of the problem of teenage drinking. I commend him for offering this amendment. This amendment will help us reduce some of the slaughter on our Nation's highways, particularly the tragic deaths of teenagers.

Mr. BAUCUS. I thank the Senator. I might say to the Senator, we are very proud in Montana, particularly in Yellowstone County, of a program called It's Your Choice. It is sponsored by the Yellowstone County commissioners who provide the funding. A fellow named Dick Taylor, who is the head of the former ambulance service in Yellowstone County, saw so many deaths he finally said, ``I need to do something about all this, particularly the deaths of teenagers.'' This program, It's Your Choice simulates crashes, including the police and ambulances coming to the scene of an accident. It is all realistically reenacted in high schools in Billings, MT. As a consequence, the number of teenage deaths attributable to alcohol in traffic accidents has been reduced. Also the State of Montana has recently passed legislation providing the blood alcohol content cannot be more than .02 percent for teenagers. The Senator from West Virginia is leading the effort for a national .02 alcohol content for youthful drivers, and I commend the Senator for his efforts.

Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the pending amendment be temporarily laid aside so I might be able to call up another amendment.

Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, I send an amendment to the desk and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. BAUCUS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, we have examined this amendment and have no objections.

Mr. BAUCUS. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 1449

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, the managers offer this amendment on behalf of Senator Levin. This amendment provides for innovative financing options for States. I urge its adoption.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, as near as I can determine, on our side there is an amendment by Senator Johnston dealing with high-priority corridors; Senators Sarbanes and Mikulski may have a colloquy. I am not sure if that is an amendment or not. Senator Ford, Senator Inouye, Senator Exon has three amendments, Senator Wellstone, Senator Kerry, Senator Boxer with two amendments.

Mr. BAUCUS. I move to lay that motion on the table. The motion to lay on the table was agreed to. Amendment No. 1452

Mr. BAUCUS. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I send an amendment to the desk and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, the managers this amendment offer on behalf of Senator Breaux, to clarify the use of funds previously authorized for a Louisiana project.

Mr. BAUCUS

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote by which the amendment was agreed to.

Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, this amendment, offered by the Senator from Wisconsin [Mr. Kohl], would grandfather the current truck size and weight limitations on a segment of a Wisconsin highway that will shortly become part of the interstate system. We have done this in a couple of other parts of our country. It is only appropriate that this section of interstate highway in Wisconsin also receive the same treatment. Mr. CHAFEE addressed the Chair.