James Oberstar

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. Would the gentleman claim time in opposition?

Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim time in opposition, though I do not oppose the amendment.

Mr. OBERSTAR. I want to thank the gentleman for his kind remarks but especially for bringing forth this amendment. In the course of consideration of legislation, we can't think of all the circumstances that legislation should cover; so it's useful and important for us to have Members such as Mr. Diaz-Balart to bring to the committee's attention unique circumstances in discrete regions of the country. This amendment will add the consideration of public safety and availability of evacuation routes as further elements in consideration of the prioritization of bridges that are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. And we need look no further than the television pictures of the evacuation in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and Rita and Wilma that flashed across our screen day and night to see the congestion and the confusion and the problems and even the question of whether one or another bridge that was on the screen could hold all those vehicles and all the people on those bridges. The gentleman from Florida, whose State is in the path of nature's fury so often, brings to us a very valuable contribution and one that must be included. And I am delighted that we are able to accept this amendment, and I thank the gentleman for bringing it forth. Madam Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim time in opposition to the amendment, though I do not oppose the amendment.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim time in opposition to the amendment, though I do not oppose it.

Mr. OBERSTAR. The gentlewoman from Michigan has brought us a very important technical consideration for bridge construction. The idea of carbon fiber use in bridge construction is a novel but a very important one. Carbon fiber technology has proven itself in the aircraft industry and manufacturing of critical parts of the fuselage or hull of aircraft, tail sections, the ailerons. We have seen wide use of carbon fiber technology in the bicycle manufacturing. I have several of those carbon fiber bikes that are extraordinarily durable, flexible, but strong. And the item that the gentlewoman showed the House Chamber a moment ago, I have seen firsthand as she demonstrated it in the committee and at the Rules Committee. I think this is a great suggestion. Resistance to corrosion, avoiding costly repairs, longevity and strength all are great qualities. I am delighted the gentlewoman has brought this consideration to the bill that is before us. And I would also point out that the bridge in Southfield, Michigan, Bridge Street Bridge was the first all carbon fiber reinforced bridge in the Nation. We ought to learn from this experience and adopt this amendment and apply the lessons of Michigan and of the gentlewoman from Michigan. And we accept, of course the amendment. Having said all these good things about it, I must say we accept the amendment and are delighted she has brought it to us. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OBERSTAR. I thank the gentleman from Texas for bringing this very, very valuable amendment to our attention and to the floor today. And we will accept this amendment. Corrosion is the enemy of all structures. We saw that so repeatedly in aviation, where corrosion from condensation, moisture on the internal structure of hull and movable structures on aircraft are fatal. We see every time we drive across the country, just looking under a bridge, you see the corrosion at work. It is the enemy of stability in our surface transportation system. I showed a moment ago the work nearing completion on the replacement of the I-35W bridge. And exactly what the gentleman from Texas has said, Mr. Chairman, the State of Minnesota and the contractor are doing. They are, they have embedded in this structure corrosion- resistant materials. They have also embedded in the structure itself detection systems that can determine corrosion, that can determine deterioration of the bridge before it becomes a critical factor. So the notion that we should have a corrosion management plan is extremely important to the funding of the program, to maintenance of bridges. And had we had, had there been such a farsighted provision, a requirement in Federal and State law, the Silver River Bridge between Ohio and West Virginia in 1967 might not have collapsed. I would say would not have collapsed. Now, it is the 20th anniversary of that tragedy in which I held hearings which I referred to at the outset of my remarks in general debate. 20 years later, came back to look at what is the status of bridge inspection, maintenance and construction, and a distinguished bridge engineer, professor of bridge engineers said it is in the Stone Age. The gentleman's amendment will left us out of the stone age and address the issue of stress corrosion cracking. 46 people died, perhaps needlessly. That could have been prevented. In 1983, the collapse of the Mianus River Bridge in Connecticut. I see the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Shays) on the floor. Collapse of its bridge bearings rusted internally, pushed a corner of the slab off the support, killing three people. In the Minnesota, I-35W replacement bridge, those bridge bearings are now enclosed, protected from the elements, and a sensor internally to determine whether there is moisture and whether there might be corrosion. So the gentleman's amendment really is important for the future of sound bridge construction and maintenance, and we are happy to accept it, and thank you for bringing the issue to our attention. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OBERSTAR. If the gentleman would yield, in the authorization next year, I invite the gentleman to the committee to present this concept again as we fashion the long-term legislation, and invite him to make that proposal that we incorporate it in permanent law.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to claim time in opposition to the amendment, though I do not intend to oppose it.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Over half of the bridges of this country were built before 1964, within the first 8 years of the Interstate Highway System and of the establishment of the highway trust fund. Since then, trucks have gotten 20 percent longer and 10,000 pounds heavier. Cars have expanded in size and now have shrunk in size. More pressure is being exerted on the Nation's road and bridge structures and especially on bridges where even the bridge formula has been modified in the manufacture of trucks and engines. The gentleman's amendment to direct the GAO to study the factors that play a role in delaying the construction of bridge rehabilitation projects or bridge repair projects is very, very important and thoughtful, especially coming from the State with the Mianus bridge collapse that result in fatalities. So I'm happy to accept the amendment.

Mr. OBERSTAR. I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee.

Mr. OBERSTAR. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Before the gentleman yields back, would he yield to me?

Mr. OBERSTAR. I thank the distinguished gentleman. In the hearing I referenced at the outset of my remarks today, 1987 was the time when the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Clinger) was the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight. Together, we conducted this hearing and long-term investigation of issues, but I observed that there were two bridge designs that raised questions--the pin and hanger design that was used in the Mianus River Bridge that collapsed and the bridge design using spread footings in which the bridge piers are set on the bottom of a river or of a body of water but not on pilings that go into the subsoil and down to bedrock. That was the structure used in the construction of the Schoharie Creek Bridge in New York State that collapsed in the aftermath or in the course of, I should say, a swirling flood. Bridges of that nature were not being properly inspected. Bridges that were set in the water were not properly being reviewed by underwater devices or by scuba divers' going down to the base in the aftermath of a flood to inspect the condition of the bridge footing, itself. So the concern of the gentleman from Iowa of bridges that are located in a 500-year floodplain is supported by the history of bridge collapse in the aftermath of floods. So I think the gentleman's amendment is entirely relevant and appropriate, and I appreciate the remarks of the distinguished ranking member for his support. I support, of course, the amendment.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Chairman, as the designee of Mr. Capuano, I offer an amendment.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Would the gentleman yield?

Mr. OBERSTAR. I concur with the gentleman's remarks. The amendment ensures that the 5-year performance plans required under the bill will account for historic bridges located within the State. The gentlewoman has described the limitation on that approval and the requirements expected of the Department of Transportation of the State, and I include in the Record at this point my further evaluation of the amendment, which we do accept on our side. I rise in support of the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from New Hampshire (Ms. Shea-Porter). This amendment ensures that the five-year performance plans required under this bill account for historic bridges located within the State. H.R. 3999 ensures that States develop a risk-based prioritization of their bridge inventory, and lay out a strategy for addressing their bridge deficiencies. This amendment recognizes that there are some States with bridges listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and ensures that the performance plans allow for States to institute more frequent, in- depth inspection of these facilities in lieu of replacement of these facilities. The amendment requires the exemption to be allowed only if the Secretary determines that increased inspection frequency and intensity is appropriate given the condition and usage of the bridge, and will increase the overall safety of the State's bridge inventory. This amendment ensures that States with these historically significant facilities are not aversely impacted in developing and implementing their performance plans. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this amendment.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. OBERSTAR. The gentleman has stated the case very well. I think his recitation of the history of the United States accepting people from many nationalities is well-said, and I also support the amendment.

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the Senate bill (S. 2766) to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to address certain discharges incidental to the normal operation of a recreational vessel.

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. OBERSTAR. My district is 30,000 square miles. I sympathize.

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1241) congratulating Ensign DeCarol Davis upon serving as the valedictorian of the Coast Guard Academy's class of 2008 and becoming the first African American female to earn this honor, as amended.