John Olver

Mr. OLVER

Mr. OLVER. Madam Chairman, this is a thoughtless and destructive amendment. I strongly oppose the underlying bill and believe it profoundly limits the transportation options for Americans and will damage our economy through hundreds of thousands of lost jobs. But I do respect that Chairman Latham provided oversight and made tough decisions on priorities. Unfortunately, the Jordan amendment, after all these days of individually considered amendments, does none of that. It reduces every account by 5.5 percent without any understanding or probably even concern for the impact. For example, it ensures a part-time air traffic control system by cutting more than half a billion from the operating expenses of the FAA. Does the gentleman really intend to close down the Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland airports 1 day each month? This amendment would result in the funding shortfall of nearly a billion dollars in the tenant-based section 8 program, resulting in the eviction of 120,000 people.

Mr. OLVER

Mr. OLVER. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. OLVER. Mr. Chairman, I want to congratulate and thank the gentleman from New York for the statement that he has just made because I think it represents the most rational thing that we could do with the transportation section of this legislation. But given the hour and understanding that we are not operating under rational rules on this issue, I will say only that, that I do congratulate and commend you for the statement that you have made, in which I virtually totally concur. I might find a word or two to disagree with in the usage there, but I concur with it. I yield back the balance of my time. Point of Order

Mr. OLVER. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. OLVER. Mr. Chairman, the underlying bill that we have before us profoundly limits the transportation options that are available for the American people and imposes deep cuts upon the very programs with the greatest potential for creating jobs and providing the necessary foundation on which a strong economic recovery depends. The underlying bill terminates, completely defunds the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail program that was authorized under the PRIIA rail safety bill in the fall of 2008 and signed by then President Bush. That's 28 months ago. It rescinds those items that were in the Recovery Act. In the legislation that was passed in February of 2009, the Recovery Act, it rescinds all of the unobligated funds from that Recovery Act, and it rescinds in the high-speed rail program the $2.5 billion of grants that were awarded in September of last year that were passed in the December '09 2010 appropriations bill. Those grants were awarded but have not yet been obligated. It also happens to shut down all of the new funding for light rail and commuter rail and bus rapid transit, only providing money for those projects already in place that have received full funding grant agreements. They have contracts of that sort. There is funding in the underlying legislation to do that in the area of the Federal Transit Administration. It also cancels all of the so-called TIGER grants which were part of the fiscal year 2010 legislation, some $600 million, over 76 projects in 40 different States which were awarded money from among 1,000 projects that asked for $20 billion, showing the enormous need that was perceived on the part of the country. All of that in the TIGER grants in the 2010 budget are matched by local funds. It's not all Federal funds, as were the ARRA moneys. But it has to be matched at the local level. It's not cookie cutter. It is not ordered by Beltway bureaucrats or anything like that. It's projects that grew out of the planning and the intent on the part of the States or the cities or the regional transit agencies to get good projects done. All of these, all of these are job-killing cuts, terminations, and rescission, every one that I have mentioned that is done in the underlying legislation. All of these are part of the $7 billion reduction in transportation construction for transportation and infrastructure that have been removed--terminated, rescission, cuts-- that have been removed from our construction industry, which is suffering from 30 to 40 percent unemployment. They represent at least 280,000 jobs, 280,000 man years of work for that construction industry suffering from 30 to 40 percent unemployment. And this is at a time when bids are coming in at 20 percent below the engineering estimates for what they would cost. Exactly the time that we should be doing those construction projects, putting those construction projects out to bid.

Mr. OLVER. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Now I have finally gotten to the amendment of the gentleman from Texas. The underlying bill before us actually provides $850 million which covers both the debt service for the bonded debt of Amtrak and covers capital improvements. Now, we also have Amtrak, which was authorized for funding in the legislation, the rail safety legislation as signed by President Bush in September or October of 2008. For the fiscal year 2011, the authorization for debt service and for capital grants, that authorization is over $1.3 billion. So the amount that is in this bill, which happens to be at $850 million, is $450 million plus, below the authorized amount for those items, and actually comes right on the enacted number for Amtrak for the same purposes, the debt service and the capital grants for new improvements and for improvements to whatever it is that is needed for state of good repair and such in Amtrak, mostly which is spent on the Northeast Corridor, which is where Amtrak owns all the trackage. Most of that capital money is used in that kind of a way. That money already leads to 1,500 jobs, which will be terminated at Amtrak at the $850 million level, and the gentleman's proposal is to cut another $446 million below that. That happens to leave us in a situation where there is almost no money left for Amtrak to operate, to do any capital program for the rest of the year, because they are committed to $270 million plus of debt service. Therefore, if the gentleman's amendment were adopted, it would take $446 million out, leaving only $403 million left in the program. 270 is needed for the debt service, and 127 or $128 million has already--it changes as the days go on--has already been expended on state of good repair, service and improvements in this fiscal year as allowed under the CR that we've worked under for now almost 5 months, so that there would be virtually no money, less than $5 million left for doing any of the kind of improvements, maintenance, the track work, if there are bridges that need to be done or anything of that sort. So it virtually ends up with leaving them nothing to do for the kind of emergencies and anything that would be otherwise planned for the rest of the year. Now that, in fact, means then that Amtrak will in fact terminate another 1,000 jobs.

Mr. OLVER. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. OLVER. Reclaiming--it wasn't my time. I think we should have been trading it through Mr. Nadler. But the money is assigned to be used either for the payment for the service, the contract for the service itself, or the need for some subsidy on the service, which is a very small one, on the operation for the Northeast Corridor, if any at all. And the rest of it is assigned clearly for debt service and for the capital program which necessarily goes on, because if you don't do it and keep up with repairs when they are needed, then you end up with ever-growing repairs that put you out of business.

Mr. OLVER. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. OLVER. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. OLVER. I want to commend again and congratulate the gentleman from Colorado for offering this amendment, and I want to support this amendment, though I realize the realities of the situation that we are in. In the recovery bill--and we could have a long discussion about the word ``failure'' of the recovery bill but we won't go into that at this time of night--the so-called projects that were ready to go into construction right away, those were designated with a termination date. The work had to be done by the end of 2010. And those monies that were for shovel-ready projects have already been expended completely in the process. For the longer term investments, of which the high-speed rail program and the TIGER grant program were part, those were always intended to go farther. Never was it suggested that they could be done and the work done that would produce the jobs necessary in less than at least 2011 and 2012 as well. So what has been proposed for the TIGER grant here, and all of the TIGER grants, puts them in quite a different category. The gentleman's amendment highlights an example of how the majority's rhetoric and political posturing on the continuing resolution come at the expense of good policy. If you had presented this project that the gentleman from Colorado has put forward to a Member on the other side of the aisle, they would agree that the use of a $10 million grant to leverage over $200 million in non-Federal funds is a perfect example of the potential for public- private partnerships. But the moment you mention the project genesis within the President's Recovery Act, their tune turns to righteous condemnation. More broadly, there are other projects across the country that would be impacted by the rescission's political intent. In particular, efforts to address congestion that is choking our transportation network through the creation of a 21st-century high-speed rail system would be halted in many regions. For example, $110 million to improve connections to Amtrak's Northeast Corridor within the Nation's most densely populated region is also caught up in the same problem that the gentleman from Colorado is talking about. So it would be an entirely rational thing to allow the ARRA funds to be implemented until September 30, 2011, as has been suggested. I support the gentleman's amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OLVER

Mr. OLVER. I thank the gentleman for yielding time. Mr. Chairman, this continuing resolution clearly endangers the fragile recovery of America's economy. While I have the greatest respect for Chairman Latham, he has been saddled with an irrational task of cutting $15.5 billion, a 23 percent cut, from the ``Transportation and Housing'' title of the resolution. I cannot fathom how the new majority, which proclaims to be all about jobs, could as their first piece of business impose deep cuts upon the very programs that have the greatest potential for creating jobs and that provide the necessary foundation for a strong economic recovery. Specifically, the continuing resolution cuts funding for the Community Development Block Grants program by more than 60 percent to by far the lowest level since the program was created in 1975 under a Republican President, President Gerald Ford. As a result, over 1,200 cities and towns across all 50 States will be forced to shelve local economic development projects in every one of our districts, and the associated 45,000 jobs will be lost. In addition, the bill proposes to cut over $7 billion in transportation and infrastructure investments. This includes reductions that force Amtrak to lay off roughly 1,500 employees and will halt work on 76 TIGER grants already announced in 40 States and cancel the associated 25,000 construction jobs. Finally, as we consider the ongoing housing needs of our most vulnerable citizens, this bill reduces by $760 million, a 75 percent cut, programs serving elderly and disabled persons, handcuffing our ability to keep up with the support required to meet the needs of our expanding and aging senior population. In addition, the $75 million cut to our Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing, VASH, program is frankly appalling. Just last week, HUD released a report indicating that more than 76,000 veterans are homeless on any given night and that vets are 50 percent more likely to be homeless. Yet the majority's bill turns its back on our homeless vets, leaving them literally out in the cold. Mr. Chairman, while I'm glad this bill does not meet the Republican majority's pledge to cut $100 billion in non-security spending, it will still have a dramatic negative impact on American families, while making no more than a ripple in the ocean of additional national debt caused by the massive tax cuts adopted during the Bush administration, at the very time that America has engaged in two trillion-dollar wars in the Islamic world.

Mr. OLVER

Mr. OLVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the American Bus Association, the trade association for the private over-the-road bus and motorcoach industry, on its 85th anniversary in this year of 2011. The ABA represents 800 bus operating companies (along with 3200 other travel, tour and motorcoach manufacturing companies). The members of the ABA provide all manner of transportation services to millions of Americans. Specifically, ABA members provide scheduled service, commuter operations, charter and tour services and airport shuttle services to all parts of the country. A gauge of how well and thoroughly ABA members do their jobs is found in the amazing statistic that the industry provides 760 million passenger trips each year. A few other facts about this industry are in order. The private bus industry is the clear choice for environmental travel. A recent study by the Union of Concerned Scientists documents that for an individual or family traveling anywhere from 100 to 1000 miles motorcoach travel is the cleanest form of transportation available. Moreover, each motorcoach can take 55 cars off of our nation's highways, a testament to the industry's ability to aid us in overcoming the congestion on the nation's highways. In fact, as a recent Forbes Magazine article detailed, the motorcoach industry's environmental record translates into saving Americans a total of forty-four million gallons of fuel each year. Less recognized is the industry's record in fostering tourism and travel in the nation. Each motorcoach may in effect leave some $13,000 behind in communities visited by those passengers in just a 24-hour period. The ABA has documented on its website the number of jobs motorcoach travel and tourism supports, both directly and indirectly, and the amount of money that motorcoach leaves in every Congressional district. The ABA Research Foundation has documented that motorcoach tourism is a vital part of the U.S. economy, employing over one million Americans and creating over $112 billion in economic activity. The ABA began its service to the nation as the bus division of the American Automobile Association in 1926. At that time buses were the main transportation choice for the overwhelming majority of Americans, providing service to all parts of the nation, urban and rural. Buses took Americans to work, school, jobs, and hospitals; they allowed us to meet our families, see friends, and make a living. Today, that role as the chief private transportation mode is being reprised by the industry. The industry has begun new point to point routes, serving city pairs as never before. We have seen bus services allowing Americans to see families, travel for business and pleasure and see their nation as never before. A study cited in a recent U.S.A. Today article documented that motorcoach transportation is the fastest growing mode of transportation in the nation for the last three years in a row, growing by six percent this last year alone. I want to congratulate the American Bus Association on its anniversary and wish it continued success.

Mr. OLVER

Mr. OLVER. Madam Speaker, on Saturday, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, along with members of her congressional staff and constituents, were senselessly shot while attending a ``Congress on Your Corner'' event in Tucson. Those killed by the gunman--U.S. District Judge John Roll, Gabe Zimmerman, Christina Green, Dorothy Morris, Phyllis Scheck and Dorwin Stoddard--were citizens participating in the democratic process, meeting and speaking with their Member of Congress. Like everyone else, I was shocked by the news. This kind of deadly violence shakes a community and a nation to its core. The rapid, life- saving action of Tucson's emergency responders and medical professionals and the acts of courage displayed by those at the event do, however, serve to remind us that the kindness of the human spirit can fight back in even the darkest of moments. My thoughts and prayers are with all those in Tucson, in particular the families of those who were injured or killed, and especially with my friend and outstanding colleague in the House, Gabrielle Giffords. In the four years I have served with Congresswoman Giffords, she has been a stalwart supporter of her district, her State and America's interests at home and abroad. It is impossible not to admire her commitment to the job of Representative and the passion with which she pursues her interests and policy agenda. I am proud to serve on the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition, where Gabby is an influential advocate for renewable energy. She is a positive, moderate, thoughtful voice in our Caucus, and it is my greatest hope that she will recover from this terrible tragedy and return as soon as possible to her job. We certainly need her and miss her. I don't believe that I have ever seen her without a smile on her face, which is quite a feat for someone working on Capitol Hill. She is a wonderful, upbeat and remarkable person. It is imperative that we begin to learn everything we can from what happened in Tucson. If we do not take what measures we can to prevent such violence from occurring in the future, we not only do a disservice to those who were harmed and killed on Saturday, but we betray our commitment to the participatory principles on which our democracy, which must serve as a political and social example to other nations, was founded. We should re-examine how we treat and care for those suffering mentally in our country. We must thoroughly discuss how individuals become eligible to purchase automatic weapons. And we must learn to communicate about our differences in ways that are more thoughtful and civil and that better promote aspiration to those qualities in all who hear or read our words. I continue to hope and pray for a full recovery for Congresswoman Giffords and the other injured victims and for a healing within for all those hurt internally by Saturday's events. Our Nation must continue to grow and become stronger in the face of this tragedy.

Mr. OLVER

Mr. OLVER. Madam Speaker, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development will bid farewell next week to Patrick Hatch, who has served as the Subcommittee's Congressional Fellow over the past year. Mr. Hatch will return to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, where he will continue to perform budget and oversight work, taking with him the extraordinary talents and insight he shared with the Subcommittee. The Transportation Subcommittee was very fortunate to have Patrick as a part of the Subcommittee team this year. He did an outstanding job serving as a valuable member of our housing policy team, researching a variety of housing and transportation issues, preparing hearing and briefing materials, and managing the thousands of project requests that were submitted to the Subcommittee during the fiscal year 2011 appropriations process. In addition, Patrick had lead staff responsibility for oversight of the budgets of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, Access Board, and Federal Maritime Commission. Patrick's attention to detail, strong work ethic and excellent sense of humor set a high standard for the Subcommittee. His tremendous commitment to public service was evident in how he continually went above and beyond the call of duty by taking on additional assignments and working long hours to assist his Subcommittee colleagues and ensure a high quality piece of legislation. In every task, Patrick brought a sense of professionalism and passion to his work, and was a pleasure to work with, no matter how late the hour. Everyone who interacted with him during his service to the Subcommittee was greeted with a smile and a kind word, which is extraordinary, considering the difficult tasks and situations he dealt with each day. I am profoundly grateful for Patrick's service to the Subcommittee over the past 12 months and I am confident that he will go on to achieve great things at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. I, along with my Subcommittee staff, wish Patrick all the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. OLVER

Mr. OLVER. Mr. Speaker, this coming spring, tens of thousands of young people will graduate from high school, many of them at the very top of their class, only to discover that they have no hope of pursuing their goals because they were brought here illegally. The DREAM Act will allow these young people the opportunity to pursue a pathway to citizenship while contributing to our country through higher education or military service, young people like Marissa, an honors student from my district. Marissa was brought here as a young child from Uruguay and grew up considering herself as American as her classmates. Her English is as good as yours and mine. She excelled in school. Her dream was going to college and becoming a physician, but that dream was crushed when her parents sat her down and told her that her family is in the United States illegally. America deserves to have the best and brightest young people like Marissa studying in our universities and defending our Nation. And these students deserve the chance to earn citizenship in the country that is the only homeland they know. It is the moral thing to do, and it's the fair thing to do. I urge my colleagues to support the DREAM Act.

Mr. OLVER

Mr. OLVER. Madam Speaker, I rise to commend the outstanding public service of Jake Sullivan and the recognition bestowed on him with the Henry L. Shattuck Award for Public Service. Commitment to public service has been the primary concern of Jake since he served the First District of Massachusetts in the 105th Congress. As my district scheduler, Jake accomplished his job with great skill and diplomacy. His amiable nature and the enjoyment he took in working as a team player served him well throughout his tenure. Many of my constituents have continued to approach me and report how much they appreciated working with Jake. Treating everyone with respect, understanding, and kindness, he learned early on how to become an admirable public servant. Jake has continued his unparalleled trend of resolute and superior public service with the city of Boston. As Senior Federal Relations Advisor to Mayor Thomas M. Menino, Jake is responsible for strategic collaboration between the city of Boston and the Federal Government. In this capacity, Jake works tirelessly to support the interests of the city of Boston in the face of ever- intensifying and demanding constraints. Jake has worked closely with my office and me throughout his tenure with Mayor Menino on behalf of the city of Boston. His determination to discover the best possible results for the citizens of Boston and intuitive perception of the complexities of an issue perpetually impresses me. I am encouraged to report that Jake has remained grounded in his pursuit of public service throughout his professional career. Jake's compassion for his colleagues and dedication to public service is equally, if not more, evident as it was when he was a member of my staff over 12 years ago. Jake Sullivan has made significant contributions to the city of Boston and State of Massachusetts since he began his public service with the First District. I strongly commend his continued commitment to public service and look forward with anticipation to his future achievements.

Mr. OLVER

Mr. OLVER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 10 minutes. Mr. Chairman, it is my privilege and pleasure to present the fiscal year 2011 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill to the House. I want to thank all of the subcommittee members for their input and help with writing this bill. In particular, I would like to recognize my ranking member, Tom Latham, for his valuable insights during the 13 hearings the subcommittee held covering the budgets and the challenges facing transportation and housing. We do not always agree, but I greatly appreciate his partnership, and his input has made the bill better. I also want to recognize the hard work of our staff, specifically on the minority side, Dena Baron--who I notice is soon to multiply--Matt McCardle and Doug Bobbitt, and on the majority side, Kate Hallahan, David Napoliello, Laura Hogshead, Sylvia Garcia, Patrick Hatch, Eve Goldsher, Kristin Palmer, and Blair Anderson. My ranking member and I are lucky to have such a dedicated staff who work amicably and respectfully together. They have spent many late nights putting this bill together, and we would not be here today without their hard work. The committee-reported bill provides $67.4 billion in discretionary resources, a decrease of $500 million below the FY 2010 enacted level and more than $1.3 billion below the President's request. Within an allocation that is 2 percent below the President's request, we have still been able to develop a bill that creates jobs through investments in infrastructure and supports families that have been hit the hardest by the foreclosure crisis. These targeted increases are possible because the bill makes a number of significant reductions from the budget request by not funding $4.8 billion in new, unauthorized initiatives that were proposed by the administration, including the National Infrastructure Bank, the Choice Neighborhoods program, and a major program to transform how our 3,200 public housing authorities function. Specifically within transportation, investments are targeted to areas that will create skilled jobs immediately and build the infrastructure that underpins future economic growth. The fact remains that our transportation network has great investment needs with aging highways, bridges, and transit systems, and an air traffic control system in desperate need of modernization. It is my belief that we can no longer defer investments in our transportation systems, which provide the foundation for our Nation's economy. Specifically, the bill provides: $45.2 billion for the Federal Highway Administration, which is an increase of $3.9 billion above the President's request, that will allow States to complete additional infrastructure projects, spur the economy, and create approximately 142,000 new jobs. It provides $11.3 billion for public transportation programs, an increase in total budgetary resources of $508 million above the President's request, in order to help address the nearly $80 billion maintenance backlog needed to meet a state of good repair on the Nation's fixed guideway and bus systems. It provides a total of $3.2 billion for Amtrak, the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail program, and investments in Positive Train Control. This includes a $127.5 million increase for the first year of Amtrak's fleet plan that will support the development of a domestic manufacturing base for locomotives and railcars, and it provides $1.16 billion for NextGen, to modernize our outdated air traffic control system, which will reduce operational costs and allow airlines to utilize our airspace more efficiently. Within housing, we were able to use a portion of the savings, which I mentioned above, to fill holes where the President eliminated or deeply cut vital programs, including: Restoring funding to construct housing units for the elderly and disabled to their fiscal 2010 levels; Restoring $75 million for 10,000 new VASH housing vouchers, which continues Congress' commitment to homeless veterans; Providing $200 million for HOPE VI to rehabilitate the most severely distressed public housing communities in the Nation; and Restoring $455 million to the Public Housing Capital Fund to help Public Housing Authorities make critical repairs and improvements to public housing units. Every dollar invested in this program returns over $2 to the local economies and to the construction industry. This bill also recognizes that, as the foreclosure crisis continues and with experts estimating that a record 1 million households will lose homes in 2010, access to supportive services is critical. To that extent, the bill continues the National Reinvestment Corporation's Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling program, because homeowners who receive such counseling through this program are 60 percent more likely to avoid foreclosure than those who do not use such aid. It provides $2.2 billion for homeless assistance grants to shelter families forced from their homes, and it takes a strong step forward in our commitment to reducing chronic homelessness. Overall, HUD programs are maintained at levels that will ensure affordable housing opportunities are available as families recover from the economic downturn. More broadly, this bill recognizes that the current paradigm in which affordable housing is connected to unaffordable commutes is unsustainable for families' budgets. As such, the bill provides $677 million to coordinate transportation and infrastructure investments with the availability of housing and community services in order to decrease transportation costs, improve access to jobs and services, promote healthy communities, and enhance community connectivity. Finally, I expect many Members to come before this body today to talk about reducing spending and the moral imperative of not leaving a deficit for future generations. Let me remind everyone that the investments in this bill address another looming deficit, specifically our transportation and housing infrastructure deficit. The Department of Transportation's most recent Conditions and Performance Report indicates there is an annual investment gap of $26.9 billion to maintain our current system of highways and bridges and an annual gap of $95.9 billion to improve the system. Every dollar deferred today will catch up to the next generation in the form of falling bridges, broken roads, deteriorating housing, and an economy choked by congestion. In conclusion, we worked hard to balance many competing needs to produce a bill that reflects the bipartisan needs of transportation and housing and that puts Americans back to work. I am pleased with the product, and I urge Members to support it. [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH29JY10.002 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH29JY10.003 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH29JY10.004 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH29JY10.005 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH29JY10.006 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH29JY10.007 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH29JY10.008 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH29JY10.009 I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OLVER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey), the chairman of the full committee.

Mr. OLVER. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. OLVER. I understand that this amendment will reduce funding for policy development and research staff at HUD by $2,978,450. Even though, as I've said earlier in comments to the distinguished minority leader, that I believe strongly in the role of research, I will, with some misgiving, accept the gentleman's amendment.

Mr. OLVER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment offered by the distinguished minority leader.

Mr. OLVER. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. OLVER. The amendment by the distinguished minority leader would cut the DOT budget office to below last year's funding level. Even though I believe that these funds are needed at the department and that we have added much new work to the load in the Department of Transportation through the recovery legislation, with some misgiving, I will, again, in an effort at comity and bipartisanship, accept the amendment.

Mr. OLVER. Mr. Chairman, I claim time in opposition to this amendment, but I don't plan to oppose it.