James Oberstar

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Foster).

Mr. OBERSTAR. I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers at this time. I just want to reinforce what the gentleman said, however, and I yield myself 30 seconds. The CEO of Canadian National Railway not only was invited to participate--and I, actually, reached out to the railroad--but Hunter Harrison, their CEO, testified in person. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire of the gentleman if he has any further speakers.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of our time. This is not a retroactive measure. It does not undo any transaction in the works or already concluded. It sets standards for all railroads, for all considerations of acquisition by class 1 or class 2 or class 3 railroads, sets up standards, reinforces authority that the Surface Transportation Board chairman has said they thought they had authority over environmental review but they've never exercised it. They're concerned that if they did, they might have some legal difficulties. We're clarifying that the board has authority to act on environmental issues raised by communities. We did hear from those inner city communities who testified in person at the hearing at the request of the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski). I have heard railroads don't need help from the Federal Government. Well, they shouldn't. The Federal Government gave the railroads, between 1850 and 1871, 173 million acres of public land, 9 percent of the total surface area of the United States, for the public use, convenience, necessity, and benefit of the Nation to own and control the resources above and below ground: the timber resources as well as the coal and, in many cases, oil and gas, and other minerals; and the right to sell those properties. The railroads have sold billions of dollars' worth of public land that were given to them for the public trust. And they're not without their requests to the Congress. They've spent a considerable amount of time, the Association of American Railroads, lobbying the House and the Senate for a 25 percent investment tax credit to increase their capital investment. I'm for it. I think that's a reasonable investment to make. I think we ought to help railroads do that. I think we ought to ensure that they use that tax credit for those capital investments. It's a reasonable request, but they're not without their hand out to the Federal Government Why should the railroads take the position that they are above review? When other forms of transportation are subject to public scrutiny by the communities affected by road construction, bridge construction, transit, light rail, commuter rail, all are subject to citizen review. Railroads cannot take the position that they're above review. They, too, take actions that affect the citizens and the communities that reside along their lines. And all we're providing in this legislation is a process within which those actions taken by railroads would be subject--class 1 to class 1, and class 1 to class 2 and class 3 should be considered in the same way. That's all this legislation does. I ask for a very resounding ``aye'' vote for this long overdue legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Should all this be enacted, we will have to rename the chairman ``Obey the Builder'' because this legislation will build America, rebuild America, create jobs, $30 billion to invest in America, the roads, the bridges and the transit and passenger rail systems, the airports, the locks, dams, waterways and environmental infrastructure that enhance mobility, that improve productivity, reduce the cost of logistics, the cost of moving people and goods in our economy and make America productive again. This investment will create jobs here in America, jobs that will not be outsourced to Bangalore or anyplace else in the world, the real jobs in America that pay the mortgage, send the kids to school, buy the fishing boats and the snowmobiles and put food on the table. These are the real jobs of this economy. Over 800,000 construction workers are now out of work. The construction industry has the highest unemployment of any sector in this economy, 8.2 percent. This bill will create and sustain more than 1 million family wage jobs, jobs and projects that will be underway in 90 days, as we require in the legislation, that we proposed from our Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for highways and bridges, $12.8 billion, on projects that are ready to go within 90 days. We have a list already--I will submit that for the Record--that will provide funding for transit and capital investment and $1 billion relief for high energy costs; $500 million for Amtrak, a bill we just passed yesterday in this body; the Airport Improvement Program of aviation, to reduce congestion on our airways, create more capacity on the ground side of airports; and funding for environmental infrastructure under the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund, in fact a bill this House passed over a year ago; as well as $5 billion for the Corps of Engineers to invest in the locks and dams and waterways and improve our ability to resist hurricanes and storms in this country. We need to make this investment in America for our future, for these jobs in this economy. I rise in strong support of H.R. 7110, the ``Job Creation and Unemployment Relief Act of 2008.'' This bill invests in America--in the roads, bridges, transit and passenger rail systems, airports, locks, dams, waterways, and environmental infrastructure that enable our economy to work and keep our citizens safe. This is the infrastructure that, too often, we take for granted, until it fails. This bill recognizes the critical importance of meeting our Nation's transportation and environmental infrastructure investment needs, and provides $30 billion toward that end. This $30 billion investment will yield lasting benefits in terms of reduced travel times, higher productivity, increased competitiveness in the world marketplace, and cleaner water. With more than 800,000 construction workers out of work, and the construction industry suffering the highest unemployment rate, 8.2 percent, of any industrial sector, this bill puts America back to work. It will create or sustain more than one million good, family-wage jobs--jobs that cannot be outsourced to another country, because the work must be done here in the United States on our roads, bridges, transit and rail systems, airports, waterways, and wastewater treatment facilities. For highways and bridges, the bill provides $12.8 billion. State Departments of Transportation, ``DOTs'', have a tremendous backlog of highway projects that could be implemented quickly if these additional funds are made available. For example, State DOTs often have open-ended contracts in place for resurfacing projects, which means that work could begin immediately upon receipt of additional funds. In addition, many State DOTs have projects already in process that could be accelerated if additional funding were provided. According to an Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, ``AASHTO'', survey of State DOTs, States have more than 3,000 projects totaling $17.9 billion which are ready-to-go and can be out to bid and under contract within 90 days. Although I have heard the administration's economists discount the stimulative effects of infrastructure investment, they may want to check with the State DOTs. In August, State DOTs informed the Federal Highway Administration, ``FHWA'', that they had $8 billion of highway projects that could advance before next week, September 30, if funding were available. Regrettably, FHWA only had $1 billion available to distribute to the States through its August redistribution process. Not only will these additional funds be put to use quickly, they will be put to good use, to meet urgent highway and bridge investment needs. For instance, consider the ready-to-go projects of just one State DOT, Missouri. With funding provided by this bill, Missouri could accelerate repair work on the Brownville, Nebraska bridge over the Missouri River. The 1,903-foot bridge is 70 years old and is structurally deficient. The bridge has a sufficiency rating of 3, which is even lower than the rating of the I-35W Bridge which collapsed in Minnesota. This rating reflects such a serious condition that if its rating drops to 2, the bridge will be closed. If the bridge has to be closed, residents will have to make a 123-mile detour. Missouri could also accelerate the replacement of a structurally deficient and obsolete bridge with the construction of a new bridge over the Osage River at Tuscumbia, Missouri. The current bridge is a two-lane, 1,083-foot structure that is 75 years old and is also rated a 3, serious condition. If this bridge has to be closed, residents will have to make a 40-mile detour. For transit, the bill provides $3.6 billion for capital investments, and $1 billion for relief from high energy costs. Due to high gas prices, transit agencies across the country are experiencing increased demand for transit services, yet they are struggling to meet this demand due to the impact high fuel costs have had on their own operating budgets. In 2007, 10.3 billion trips were taken on public transportation--the highest number of trips taken in 50 years. Ridership has continued to climb in 2008, with a 4.4-percent increase in trips taken during the first half of 2008 compared to the same period last year, putting 2008 on track to beat last year's modern record ridership numbers. Additional funds could be put to immediate use by transit agencies to meet this demand while at the same time creating much-needed jobs and economic activity. For Amtrak, the bill provides $500 million. Similar to transit, Amtrak is experiencing record ridership and revenues in fiscal year 2008, and demand is growing across Amtrak's entire system for intercity passenger rail service. With this additional funding, Amtrak will be able to refurbish rail cars that are currently in storage and return them to service, and fund other urgently needed repair and maintenance of its facilities. For the Airport Improvement Program, ``AlP'', the bill provides $600 million. This funding will allow the AlP program to keep pace with inflationary cost increases, and begin to address the investment gap in airport safety and capacity needs. Ready- to-go AlP projects that would be funded by this bill include runway and taxiway rehabilitations, extensions, and widening; obstruction removal; apron construction, expansion and rehabilitation; Airport Rescue and Firefighting equipment and facilities; and airside service or public access roads. For environmental infrastructure, this bill provides $6.5 billion for Clean Water State Revolving Funds, ``SRFs''. Under this administration, funding for the Clean Water SRF program has been cut repeatedly and funding is now one-half of it what it was a decade ago, despite the fact that the needs continue to grow. These cuts have created pent-up demand in the States for project funding. In addition, wastewater treatment facilities must meet new treatment requirements, including requirements to control nutrients, sewer overflows, stormwater, and nonpoint sources. Aging infrastructure must be replaced or repaired. Additional funds could be put to immediate use in many States, creating family-wage construction jobs and economic activity. A recent survey by the Council of Infrastructure Financing Authorities and the Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators identified more than $9 billion in ready-to-go Clean Water SRF projects that cannot be funded within existing appropriation levels. For the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the bill provides $5 billion to invest in the Nation's water resource infrastructure. This investment will provide jobs, help American products compete on the world market, reduce the risk that larger sums for disaster relief will be needed in the future, and restore precious ecosystems. For example, the infusion of additional construction capital could be used for the construction of the second 1,200-foot lock at Saulte Ste. Marie. If the second lock were completed, then the incident that occurred earlier this week would not shut down traffic between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes because there would be a second point of transit. The existing Poe lock, that failed, is the only 1,200-foot lock between the Upper and Lower Lakes. Finally, I thank Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Obey, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, and Chairman Olver, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies, for working with me throughout the development of this job creation package. Throughout our Nation's history, economic growth, prosperity, and opportunity have followed investments in the Nation's infrastructure. From the ``internal improvements'' of the early 1800s--canals, locks, and roads--to the Interstate Highway System of today, infrastructure investment has been our foundation for economic growth. The investments funded by H.R. 7110 will not only create jobs today, they will provide long-term economic, safety, health, and environmental benefits. I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 7110, a true investment in America's future. I insert in the Record the results of a survey conducted by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation officials of ready-to-go highway and bridge projects in each State.

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, today, I am pleased to honor Mr. Andrew F. Reardon, who will retire later this year from his position as Chairman and CEO of TTX Company. His retirement will mark the end of a distinguished career in the railroad industry that has spanned more than three decades. When Andy began working for the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad in 1977, the nation's railroads were on the precipice of disaster, with much of the eastern railroads in bankruptcy or under federal control and the western railroads failing to earn their cost of capital. Andy played an important role in the rail renaissance by holding key positions at Union Pacific, Burlington Northern, and Illinois Central. In 1990, Andy served on the Railroad Retirement Board and helped it achieve a sound financial footing. His service to the industry continued at TTX Company, which he joined in 1992, and culminated in his appointment as President and CEO of TTX Company in 2000. Under Andy's stewardship, TTX has grown, increased its financial stability, and become more innovative in its design and deployment of rail equipment to the nation's freight rail carriers. America's freight railroads are a unique asset to the nation, and TTX Company, which helps shippers save money by providing them access to the nation's largest specialty rail car fleet, has been an important contributor to that success. This past June, Andy was promoted to the post of Chairman and CEO of TTX, a fitting reward for a man who has led his company and industry into the 21st century well-equipped to meet the challenges ahead.

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1492) providing for agreement by the House of Representatives to the Senate amendment to the bill, H.R. 2095, with an amendment.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on House Resolution 1492.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. We are at a transformational moment in the history of surface transportation in America today with this bill which has two parts, the extension of authority and renewal of authority for Amtrak, to move Amtrak into a totally new era of high-speed rail in the Northeast Corridor and eventually getting to high-speed intercity passenger rail in the rest of the country; and the second portion of this legislation, a bill the House previously passed last year, the Rail Safety Act, the first substantive, significant changes in railroad safety law in 100 years. These are extraordinary moments. And to reach this moment took a great deal of initiative, innovative thinking, cooperation and concession on both sides of the aisle by our side and particularly by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica), the ranking member of the committee, who has offered innovative approaches to the future management of Amtrak, who has championed that cause for many years, and who said to me earlier in this Congress that this is an issue we should address, that we can address and that we can reach agreement on, and we have done; and Ms. Brown, the Chair of the Rail Subcommittee, ``Ms. Amtrak,'' who, in previous years, when the administration in other years proposed a bankruptcy budget for Amtrak, took to the rails Harry Truman-style and traveled around the country advocating for increased funding for Amtrak, to restore Amtrak. She is a real champion. And for Mr. Cummings, who served in a capacity in the previous Congress on a task force to evaluate proposals dealing with Amtrak and who submitted a report that validated the need to continue service of Amtrak. With gas prices soaring, crippling the Nation and crippling the economy, we have seen our fellow citizens increasingly turn to intercity passenger rail. In fact, in the New York-Washington corridor, Amtrak has 56 percent of the air and rail passenger market. That is an extraordinary statement in and of itself. At a time when flights are delayed, air delays, ground delays as many as 3 hours, people have seen the importance of Amtrak. In the aftermath of September 11, which we solemnly observed just recently in this body, it was Amtrak that carried people all throughout this country from Canada into the United States. We have to invest in transportation solutions that are affordable, accessible and, most importantly, workable. This legislation provides a total of $13 billion over the next 5 years to help bring the Northeast Corridor to a state of good repair and to encourage development of new and improved intercity passenger rail service through a Federal-State matching grant program elsewhere throughout the country. The bill includes $1.5 billion in funding for the planning and development of high-speed rail corridors and $325 million in congestion grants to Amtrak in the States that are high-priority rail corridors. It includes reforms in the governance and operation of Amtrak by restructuring the Amtrak board, requiring Amtrak to develop a new financial accounting system and a get-well plan for the worst- performing long-distance routes, and to open a public bidding process where nongovernment interests, private sector interests, can submit bids on management of the 11 corridors referenced in this legislation, and Amtrak will be able to bid, too. This is a concept that was very new, very much resisted, but after Mr. Mica and Ms. Brown and Mr. Shuster on the Republican side and I discussed this repeatedly over many weeks, we came to a common ground. What occurred to me is a statement in President John F. Kennedy's inaugural address: ``We should never fear to negotiate, but we should never negotiate out of fear.'' We should never fear to open the process of operating Amtrak to a public-private sector bidding process, and that is what we do. That is the important transformational step we take in this legislation--open the process up. We are going to find new energy, new ideas and new initiatives in the process of inviting, evaluating, and acting upon these bids. We will have a far better idea of what can be done for the future of Amtrak when we go through this process. It will be good for Amtrak. It will be good for the country. It will be good for the traveling public. Again, I say this is a transformational moment in the history of rail passenger service in America. With that, I thank Ms. Brown. I especially thank Mr. Mica for patience, the discussions and the cooperation that we have achieved and the frankness of our discussions over this past year and a half. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I yield 6 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida, Chair of our Rail Subcommittee, Ms. Brown.

Mr. OBERSTAR. I yield the gentlewoman 1 additional minute.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Massachusetts, the Chair of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, Mr. Olver.

Mr. OBERSTAR. May I inquire how much time remains on both sides.

Mr. OBERSTAR. I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished Chair of our Coast Guard Subcommittee, Mr. Cummings.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Does the gentleman from Florida have any further speakers?

Mr. OBERSTAR. We have no further speakers. I will close on our side.

Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of our time. Again, I want to express the great appreciation for this long march that we have engaged in with Mr. Mica, with Mr. Shuster, with the staff on both sides, with Ms. Brown, and with the others who have spoken this afternoon. When I graduated from college, I won a scholarship to study at the College of Europe in Belgium on European economic integration. I traveled by Greyhound bus from Chisholm to St. Paul; from St. Paul to Chicago by train, the Milwaukee 400, 400 miles in 400 minutes. That is 7 hours. Then train to the east coast; the Queen Mary to Europe; and from Paris to Brussels in 6 hours. That is the distance from New York to Washington. Today that trip from Paris to Brussels is 80 minutes at 184 miles an hour on the TGV. Within the context of this legislation, we can cut that 7-hour trip from the Twin Cities to Chicago from 7 hours to 4 hours, if there is a will to do it. If there is a will to explore, to use the authorities we have provided under this legislation. We can transform the travel time from New York to Washington to 2 hours or under, as has long been the goal of Mr. Mica and Ms. Brown and Mr. Cummings and so many others. We can do these things. We can put our best efforts forward. Mr. Mica has already mentioned committee staff who have contributed so many hours and efforts, and I just supplement that with additional names that I will submit for the Record, but especially Jennifer Esposito, who has given birth to three children: Lexi, Amtrak, and rail safety. I will not ask for a recorded vote on this bill because we already have a vote of 311-104 on Amtrak and on rail safety 377-38.

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

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 3009 a bill to honor the civic contributions of former Senator J. James Exon. Senator J. James Exon was born in South Dakota in 1921. He attended public schools, and graduated from the University of Omaha. Following graduation, he served in the United States Army Signal Corp from 1942- 1945. Senator Exon's political career began as a member of the Nebraska Democratic State Central Committee. He was also a member of the Democratic National Committee and Chaired the Nebraska Democratic Party from 1968 to 1970. He then served two terms as Governor of Nebraska and, in 1978, was elected to the U.S. Senate. He served three terms in the United States Senate before retiring in 1996. Following his retirement from the Senate, Senator Exon served on the Deutch Commission, which was created by Congress to study the threat of weapons of mass destruction. On June 10, 2005, Senator Exon passed away. This is a fitting tribute to Senator Exon's long career in public service, and urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the bill.

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H. Res. 1376, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928. H. Res. 1376 memorializes the loss of more than 3,000 lives in the United States and its territories as a result of Hurricane Okeechobee in 1928. Furthermore, the resolution recognizes the importance of hurricane preparedness, mitigation, enhanced evacuation measures, emergency plans, and disaster response training for helping to prevent the tragic loss of life as a result of natural disasters. This resolution recognizes the important roles that the Federal Government, States, and local governments all play in planning, collaborating, preparing for, and mitigating loss in the event of a natural disaster. Hurricane Okeechobee, also known as Hurricane San Felipe Segundo, had winds exceeding 160 miles per hours. This was the first recorded hurricane to achieve winds at levels which equate to a Category 5 on the modern Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. The hurricane made its way through the Caribbean Sea, landing in Palm Beach County, Florida, and then making its way up the East Coast from September 10-20, 1928, and then travelled all the way to Ontario, Canada. The storm surge on Lake Okeechobee overwhelmed the low dike around the lake, flooding hundred of acres and killing thousands of people. As a result of the Okeechobee Hurricane and later hurricanes in the 1940s and 1950s, a series of larger dikes was built around the lake. The Herbert Hoover Dike was the culmination of large dike construction around Lake Okeechobee and was completed in the 1960s. Recent reviews of the Herbert Hoover Dike have indicated the dike is in a deteriorating condition. The Army Corps of Engineers is presently undertaking a comprehensive rehabilitation of the Dike to provide protection for citizens living in the area of Lake Okeechobee. I urge my colleagues to join me in agreeing to the resolution.

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6984, the ``Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2008, Part II''. The previous long-term Federal Aviation Administration (``FAA'') reauthorization act, the Vision 100--Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act (P.L. 108-176) expired on September 30, 2007. On September 20, 2007, the House passed H.R. 2881, the ``FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007'', to reauthorize FAA programs for fiscal years 2008 through 2011. Unfortunately, the Senate has been unable to complete action on a long-term FAA reauthorization bill. As a result, Congress has passed a series of short-term FAA extension acts. The current authority for aviation programs and taxes expires next week, on September 30. H.R. 6984 provides a 6-month extension of aviation programs and taxes, through March 31, 2009. H.R. 6984 provides $1.95 billion in contract authority for the Airport Improvement Program (``AIP''). The $1.95 billion provided for the first six months of fiscal year 2009 will enable airports to move forward with important safety and capacity projects, and is sufficient to meet all Letter of Intent (``LOI'') commitments. When annualized, this level of AIP funding equals $3.9 billion, consistent with both the House and Senate FAA reauthorization bills, and the fiscal year 2009 Concurrent Budget Resolution. The bill also authorizes appropriations for FAA Operations, Facilities and Equipment (``F&E''), and Research, Engineering, and Development (``RE&D'') programs. In addition, H.R. 6984 extends the aviation excise taxes through March 31, 2009. These taxes are necessary to support the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, which in recent years has provided about 80 percent of the FAA's budget. With an uncommitted cash balance of just $1.4 billion estimated as of the end of fiscal year 2008, any lapse in the aviation taxes could put the solvency of the Trust Fund at risk. In addition to extending the aviation taxes, H.R. 6984 extends the FAA's authority to make expenditures from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, through March 31, 2009. To allow aviation programs to continue under the same terms and conditions as were in effect during the previous authorization period, H.R. 6984 also extends several other provisions of Vision 100. I thank Chairman Rangel, Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means, for his assistance in ensuring the continued operation of aviation programs. I also thank my Committee colleagues, Ranking Member Mica, Subcommittee Chairman Costello, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Petri, for working with me on this critical legislation. I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 6984.

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of S.J. Res. 45, the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact. In July, I, together with the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers, Jr.), Chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette), and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers), introduced H.R. 6577, the ``Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact'', the House companion bill for the legislation that we consider today. H.R. 6577 received the bipartisan support of almost 50 Great Lakes Members and the Committee on the Judiciary ordered the bill reported favorably to the House on July 30. However, to expedite implementation of the Compact, the House agreed to consider the Senate companion legislation (S.J. Res. 45), which the other body passed on August 1. Today, we hope to complete the long process for implementation of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact by sending this ``consent of Congress'' directly to the President, where he has said he will sign it. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this important legislation for the protection of the Great Lakes for current and future generations. Mr. Speaker, the Great Lakes are national and international treasures, serving as both the nation's largest fresh water resource and one of the largest systems of fresh water on earth--containing nearly 20 percent of the world supply. Formed by melting glaciers 10,000 to 12,000 years ago, the Great Lakes contain enough fresh water to cover the entire landmass of the continental United States to a depth of almost 10 feet. Yet, despite their massive volume, the Lakes' water is a fragile resource. Rainfall and snowmelt replenish only about one percent of the water in the Great Lakes each year, with the remaining 99 percent of the volume being carried over from year-to-year. It is this unique circumstance that requires the nation, and Congress, to be vigilant in protecting the waters of the Great Lakes for the use and sustainability of the environmental, economic, and public health of the Great Lakes Basin. The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has been integral in protecting the waters of the Great Lakes from water diversions. In the Water Resources Development Act of 1986 (``WRDA 1986''), the Committee required that each of eight Great Lakes States consent to any diversion of water from the Great Lakes Basin. WRDA 1986 prohibited any diversion of Great Lakes water by any State, Federal agency, or private entity for use outside the Great Lakes Basin without the consent of each of the eight Governors of the Great Lakes States. Unfortunately, however, the waters of the Great Lakes are still at risk. In 1998, Congress learned of a plan, approved by the Canadian province of Ontario, to export up to 160 million gallons of water from Lake Superior for sale to Asia. After this incident, a decision was made by the Governors of the eight Great Lakes States and Congress to strengthen Federal and interstate protections of Great Lakes waters. In the Water Resources Development Act of 2000, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure strengthened the prohibition on diversions of Great Lakes waters by explicitly prohibiting exports, and ``encourage[d] the Great Lakes, in consultation with the Provinces of Ontario and Quebec, to develop and implement a mechanism that provides a common conservation standard embodying the principles of water conservation and resource improvement for making decisions concerning the withdrawal and use of water from the Great Lakes Basin.'' This ``common conservation standard'' is embodied in the Great Lakes--St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact (``Compact''), as proposed for the consent of Congress in S.J. Res. 45. The protections contained in the Compact are consistent with the underlying prohibition of diversions and exports of Great Lakes water without consent of all eight Great Lakes States under section 1109 of WRDA 1986. In addition, the Compact should be viewed as supplementary to current laws and regulations, and as an effort by the eight Great Lakes States and Congress to strengthen protections already in place. First, the Compact establishes that ``all new or increased diversions of Great Lakes waters are prohibited,'' except within the limited exceptions contained in the Compact. The Compact also requires each of the Great Lakes States to regulate any proposed new or increased withdrawals of Great Lakes water so as to not ``physically impact'' the waters and water-dependent natural resources of the Basin, including the physical, chemical, and biological integrity of the Basin watersheds. In addition, the Compact establishes a process for the inventory, registration, and reporting of Great Lakes water withdrawals, diversions, and consumptive uses within the Basin. With respect to small-scale water uses, such as bottled water, beer, and canned goods, the Compact allows individual States to choose how to regulate smaller transfers of water in products. For example, the State of Michigan chose to regulate bottled water under the Compact by requiring producers to obtain a permit for new or increased water withdrawals of more than 200,000 gallons per day. Under Michigan law, a permit may be granted if, among other requirements, there are no individual or cumulative adverse impacts, the water withdrawal is reasonable under state common law principles, and the producer has certified that it is in compliance with water conservation measures. This state program ensures that bottled water proposals receive careful scrutiny. It is time for the U.S. House of Representatives to join with the Governors and State legislatures of all eight Great Lakes States, the U.S. Senate, and the administration in support of the Great Lakes--St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact. I strongly urge my colleagues to join me in supporting S.J. Res. 45.

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6370, the ``Oregon Surplus Federal Land Act of 2008'', introduced by the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio). H.R. 6370 transfers 24 acres of federally owned land, which includes the Cape Arago Light Station, in Coos County, Oregon, from the Coast Guard to the Secretary of the Interior to be held in trust for the benefit of the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians. The Commandant shall transfer the Light Station within 5 years of the date of enactment of this Act. The Cape Arago Light Station no longer functions as an aid to navigation since the light has been extinguished. Over the past decade, the Coast Guard has been disposing of its lighthouses and has determined it no longer needs the property at Cape Arago. This is beneficial to the Confederated Tribes and they are eager to manage the land since it once served as a burial site and is sacred to them. Under the bill, the Confederated Tribes are prohibited from selling, conveying, assigning, exchanging or encumbering the property in the future without the approval of the Secretary. The Tribes are also prohibited from conducting any commercial activities on the property without the approval of the Secretary. The property with the Light Station is to be made available to the general public for educational, park, recreational, cultural, or historic preservation purposes. The Committee attempted to obtain maps of the actual property that is being transferred from the Coast Guard to the Secretary of the Interior. However, the Coast Guard has been unable to develop formal maps of the area yet. Therefore, the Coast Guard and the Secretary will have to develop maps depicting the property being transferred. This has been done numerous times before--such as in the conveyance of Sentinel Light Station in Alaska in the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-293) and the conveyance of the Naval Reserve Pier in Portland, Oregon, Slip Point Light Station in Callam County, Washington, and Point Pinos Light in Monterey County, California, in the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-295). I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 6370. Finally, I insert in the Record an exchange of letters between Chairman Nick J. Rahall, II, Chairman of the Committee on Natural Resources, and me. House of Representatives, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC, September 22, 2008. Hon. James Oberstar, Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Washington, DC. Dear Jim: Thank you for the opportunity to work with you on H.R. 6370, the Oregon Surplus Federal Land Act of 2008, concerning provisions regarding a Native American tribe and the Secretary of the Interior which are within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Natural Resources. Because of the continued cooperation and consideration that you have afforded me and my staff in developing these provisions, I will not seek a sequential referral of H.R. 6370. Of course, this waiver is not intended to prejudice any future jurisdictional claims over these provisions or similar language. I also reserve the right to seek to have conferees named from the Committee on Natural Resources on these provisions, and request your support if such a request is made. Please place this letter into the committee report on H.R. 6370 and into the Congressional Record during consideration of the measure on the House floor. With warm regards, I am Sincerely, Nick J. Rahall, II, Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources.

Mr. OBERSTAR

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6524, a bill to authorize the Administrator of General Services to transfer parcels of real property in Eastlake, Ohio, and Koochiching County, Minnesota. The Koochiching parcel is approximately 5\1/2\ acres located at 1804 3rd Avenue in International Falls, Koochiching, Minnesota. The Koochiching Army Reserve Training Center site includes the U.S. Army Armory Building. The bill transfers the property to Koochiching County, which will pay to have the roof replaced, install a new boiler and heating system, and make extensive repairs to the ceiling. The Army reported the property excess in January 2006 and the General Services Administration, GSA, accepted the report of excess in February 2006. GSA screened the property with other Federal agencies but there were no expressions of interest. The conveyance will be by quitclaim deed and the County of Koochiching will pay $30,000 to GSA for the real property transfer. The General Services Administration will forward to the Secretary of the Army the net proceeds from the Koochiching transfer. The parcel of real property in Eastlake is an approximate 10-acre site which includes the John F. Kennedy Senior Citizen Center. In 1964, the city of Eastlake purchased the property and, consistent with the deed restriction, used the site for recreational uses for more than 40 years. The bill will lift the deed restrictions and thus allow the city to use the property for economic development purposes. The city of Eastlake has provided a better location for the senior citizens center. The city of Eastlake will pay $30,000 to GSA for the real property transfer. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 6524. Finally, I insert in the Record an exchange of letters between Chairman Ike Skelton, Chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, and me. House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Washington, DC, September 22, 2008. Hon. Ike Skelton, Chairman, Committee on Armed Services, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Skelton: I write to you regarding H.R. 6524, to authorize the Administrator of General Services to take certain actions with respect to parcels of real property located in Eastlake, Ohio, and Koochiching County, Minnesota, and for other purposes. I appreciate your willingness to waive further consideration of H.R. 6524, notwithstanding the jurisdictional interest of the Committee on Armed Services. Of course, this waiver does not prejudice any further jurisdictional claims by your Committee over this or similar legislation. Furthermore, I agree to support your request for appointment of conferees from the Committee on Armed Services if a conference is held on this matter. This exchange of letters will be placed in the Committee Report on H.R. 6524 and inserted in the Congressional Record as part of the consideration of this legislation in the House. Thank you for the cooperative spirit in which you have worked regarding this matter and others between our respective committees. I understand that you prefer to consider such property transfers in National Defense Authorization Acts and I greatly appreciate your courtesy in waiving further consideration of H.R. 6524. I look forward to working with you as we prepare to pass this important legislation. Sincerely, James L. Oberstar, Chairman