Sam Graves

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, although I don't oppose the amendment, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, again, what we are trying to do with this program is just allow those drivers to be able to cross the State line. Again, they are already allowed to go an entire State's length within the State. I would ask my colleagues to oppose the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, this particular amendment really is in the jurisdiction of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. They are in favor of the amendment, so we are going to urge our colleagues to support it. We are not going to oppose it. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, this amendment would strike a limited pilot program that is authorizing drivers over the age of 19\1/ 2\ to enter into a graduated program to obtain a commercial driver's license. The program is very limited to a number of States and a number of carriers that can participate. It also includes a number of safety requirements and a GAO report to Congress examining its safety impacts. Mr. Chairman, what is interesting about the way present law is is that a driver of the age that is being addressed here could drive all the way across the State of Missouri, for instance, but they can't drive 10 miles in the city of Kansas City, across town, because it is over a State line. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and it actually hampers a whole lot of businesses out there that operate in communities like Kansas City, St. Louis, and St. Joseph that are actually split by a State line. The trucking industry is facing a severe shortage in the number of drivers. With freight expected to increase 30 percent over the next 10 years, the driver shortage is only going to worsen. We need to get more young people interested in careers in the transportation industry. It is as simple as that. This is a limited pilot program. It represents a delicate compromise that would accomplish a very important goal. I urge Members to oppose the amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Chair, again, this guts some very important parts of this bill. I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, what this amendment does is it strikes some very commonsense regulatory reforms in the bill. The underlying bill requires the Department of Transportation to study whether an increase in minimum insurance levels for intercity buses is needed before pursuing a rulemaking to change the levels. I don't understand why we would strike language that simply tells the Department to determine whether a problem exists before it regulates. The amendment also strikes language in the bill that requires the Secretary to consider the impact of an ongoing rulemaking on small trucking companies and safety. These considerations, Mr. Chairman, are not going to delay the rulemaking, but it is going to add transparency and accountability to the process. I would urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, this amendment literally just guts some very crucial reforms to this bill. What this amendment does is strikes a section in the bill that requires the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to remove from its Web site those compliance and safety accountability program scores. What we found is that the CSA is a flawed system. It treats safe carriers unfairly, and it has done very little to improve motor carrier safety records. The Government Accountability Office and the motor carrier stakeholders, they have been very critical of the CSA program. They have called for the reform. So what this does is make sure that those reforms are going to happen quickly. It doesn't hide anything. Once the reforms are in place, the scores are going to go back up on the Web site. In the meantime, that raw data concerning accidents, violations, out- of-service rates, it will remain publicly available; and it is also going to be available to law enforcement if they need to investigate or prosecute an unsafe carrier. So nothing is being hidden, but what this does is require that these reforms are going to take place and they are going to take place very, very quickly. I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Chairman, I want to commend the chairman and ranking member for their ability and, for that matter, all my colleagues on the committee for our ability to be able to work together and come up with what I think is a truly good bill. I rise in support of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act. The bill reauthorizes programs within the Federal Highway Administration and provides much-needed investments in our Nation's highways and bridges. It also focuses existing funding to create a Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects program for large-scale projects while making a large number of reforms that will ensure our transportation dollars are put to good use. These include streamlining the environmental review and permitting process, converting the Surface Transportation Program to a block grant program, maximizing the flexibility for States and local governments, increasing the amount of funding that is distributed to local governments, expanding funding for rural bridges or those bridges that are off the National Highway System, increasing transparency regarding how Federal highway dollars are being spent, increasing the focus on safety programs particularly of rural roads, and encouraging the installation of vehicle-to-infrastructure equipment designed to reduce congestion and improve safety on our roads. This legislation also reauthorizes Federal public transportation programs and implements reforms that are going to ensure transit systems are safer and more efficient. The safety of our transportation system must always be at the top of our priority list. By giving States the flexibility to focus on the safety needs unique to each community, we can allow them to take advantage of new technologies that are going to reduce accidents and roadway fatalities across this country. We can maintain a focus on safety without imposing undue and duplicative regulatory burdens on States. This bill requires the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to review regulations every 5 years to ensure they are current, consistent, and uniformly enforced, allowing us to focus on policies that save lives and abandon those that do not. It also requires FMCSA to look into the effects of raising minimum insurance standards for truck and bus drivers. I am proud to have been a part of the development of this bipartisan bill. I look forward to moving forward and going to conference with the Senate.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Matthew Shafer. Matthew is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 1125, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. Matthew has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Matthew has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Matthew has earned the rank of Warrior in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. Matthew has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Matthew constructed an asphalt handicap access trail at the community baseball fields in Lawson, Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Matthew Shafer for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Jim Johnston of Grain Valley, MO. This October, Jim will be completing his eighth term and fourth decade as the President of the Owner- Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), an organization that formed to give owner-operators and drivers a voice where they previously had none. Jim is widely considered to be a national leader on all issues affecting small business trucking professionals and professional truck drivers. It is hard to believe that OOIDA began in an office trailer chained to a light pole at a truck stop in Grain Valley. Under Jim's leadership, it is now the largest organization of small business trucking professionals and professional truck drivers in the country, with more than 155,000 members nationwide. OOIDA has members in every state across every Congressional district. There is no question that Jim and his organization strive daily to represent the best interests of truck drivers around the country. In fact, Jim leads a 22 member Board of Directors that has more than 800 years of truck driving experience collectively, and a staff of 320 OOIDA employees, many of whom were truck drivers themselves. Needless to say, Jim is an invaluable resource on trucking and transportation issues to those fortunate enough to work with him. Representing the interests of truck drivers has been Jim's life's work, and I can confidently say there is no one more dedicated to the cause. Throughout his career, he has worked with legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government, law enforcement agencies and other trucking and transportation organizations, all while serving on numerous commissions and advisory boards. His mission is simple: fight for the rights of all professional truck drivers. While some of his colleagues might say that he is a fierce adversary, I think most would agree that the integrity and professionalism with which he conducts himself has endeared Jim to all of his colleagues and competitors. Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to work with Jim and his team at OOIDA. I would ask all of my colleagues to join me in commending Mr. Jim Johnston for his lifelong dedication to the members of OOIDA and the trucking industry, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Turner Samuel Hess. Turner is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 1351, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. Turner has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Turner has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Turner has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Turner Samuel Hess for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Drake Nicholas Hansen. Drake is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 1351, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. Drake has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Drake has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Drake has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Drake Nicholas Hansen for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Robert Earl Noe. Robert is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 1351, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. Robert has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Robert has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Robert has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Robert Earl Noe for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize William Lee Hess. William is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 1351, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. William has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years William has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, William has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending William Lee Hess for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Bradley Eugene Morgan. Bradley is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 1351, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. Bradley has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Bradley has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Bradley has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Bradley Eugene Morgan for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Dalton Hunter Huntley. Dalton is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 1351, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. Dalton has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Dalton has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Dalton has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Dalton Hunter Huntley for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Mark Foster. Mark is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 378, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. Mark has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Mark has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Mark earned his Eagle Scout at the age of 13, demonstrating his drive and commitment to the Boy Scouts of America. Mark has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Mark built picnic tables along the Line Creek Trail in Platte County, Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Mark Foster for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Trevor Clark. Trevor is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 378, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. Trevor has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Trevor has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Trevor holds the troop record by earning 38 merit badges. Trevor has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Trevor built a tennis backboard for players to practice with at a community tennis court. Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Trevor Clark for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Evan Dantzscher. Evan is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 378, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. Evan has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Evan has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Evan has led his troop as the Senior Patrol Leader. Evan has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Evan cleared approximately 100 yards of undergrowth to allow for easier mowing of the Line Creek Trail in Platte County, Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Evan Dantzscher for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Chris Winkie. Chris is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 378, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. Chris has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Chris has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Chris has led his troop as the Senior Patrol Leader. Chris has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Chris planted 75 willow trees at a low water crossing over Line Creek in Platte County, Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Chris Winkie for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Sean Christopher McMullen. Sean is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 397, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. Sean has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Sean has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Sean has contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Sean Christopher McMullen for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri

Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Alan Doan and Sarah Galbraith, small business owners from Hamilton, Missouri, on being named the Small Business Persons of the Year by the Small Business Administration, in recognition of their company, the Missouri Star Quilt Co. After their father lost his retirement savings in the 2008 market crash, Alan and Sarah thought of their mother's skills with sewing and quilting. They decided to take out a loan to purchase a quilting machine to make the quilts and earn extra money to support their family. They began their business in a small building close to their parents' home and that is where Missouri Star Quilt Co. was born. They decided that in order to grow their business, they needed to reach a broader market and began putting quilting tutorial videos on the internet. Their business grew exponentially and soon they were receiving more orders than they could handle. Today, the Missouri Star Quilt Co. has more than 180 employees in Hamilton, Missouri, they have prompted other small businesses to open up their shops nearby, and have attracted as many as 10,000 tourists a month to Hamilton, which has a population less than 2,000. Their small business has not only profited and thrived, but has allowed many members of their community to thrive as well. Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in recognizing Alan Doan and Sarah Galbraith for their achievement in receiving the SBA Small Business Persons of the Year award, as well as their hard work and commitment to their community.