Richard Shelby

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Yes, I believe that the project, as the Senator describes it, would be an excellent example of the type of work intended to be funded under this program.

Mr. SHELBY. Certainly, it is my pleasure to yield to the junior Senator from Georgia.

Mr. SHELBY. Yes, on behalf of the subcommittee, I would agree that the efficiency of Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport is important to the Nation and vital to the Southeast. The FAA should issue an LOI for construction of a commuter runway at Hartsfield.

Mr. SHELBY. Yes, I would be happy to work with both Senators from Georgia and try to include such language in the conference report.

Mr. SHELBY. I am aware of the structure research that the Senator from Michigan has described and will work with him to ensure that his interests are recognized during conference committee consideration of this matter.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. I will be glad to comply.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following list of individuals be given full floor privileges during the consideration of S. 1048: Wally Burnett, Joyce Rose, Reid Cavnar, George McDonald, Kathy Casey, Peter Rogoff, Michael Brennan, Liz O'Donoghue.

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

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I further ask unanimous consent that the Senate resume consideration of S. 1048 immediately following the stacked votes at 2:15 on Tuesday.

Mr. SHELBY. For the information of all Senators, the managers intend to remain in session until all amendments are offered and debated with respect to the Transportation bill. Therefore, Members should expect final disposition of the Transportations appropriations bill on Wednesday morning.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the following list also be given floor privileges during consideration of S. 1048: Tom Young, Alan Brown, Carole Geagley, and Mitch Warren.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I send to the desk an amendment offered on behalf of the Senators from New York, Senator D'Amato and Senator Moynihan, and ask for its immediate consideration.

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

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I am pleased this evening to present the fiscal year 1998 Department of Transportation and related agencies appropriations bill. The subcommittee's allocation was $12.157 billion in nondefense discretionary budget authority, and $36.893 billion in nondefense discretionary outlays. The bill I am presenting today, along with my colleague from New Jersey, Senator Lautenberg, is within those allocations and is consistent with our determination to achieve a balanced budget. This bill will also contribute to a safer and more efficient transportation system in this country and therefore contribute to economic growth and a better quality of life for all Americans. This bill provides $30.1 billion for investment in infrastructure that the public uses, that is, highways, transit, airports, and railroads. That represents an 8 percent increase over the administration's request. The bill includes a Federal-aid highway obligation limitation of $21.8 billion for investment in our Nation's highways. This is a record high level. And $1.63 billion above the President's amended budget request. The actual distribution of that obligation authority among the States will depend on reauthorization of ISTEA, also known as the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, which has provided authorization of our Federal surface transportation programs for the past 6 years and which, as the Presiding Officer knows, expires at the end of this fiscal year. This increase of almost $3 billion over the obligation limitation in place for this year will almost certainly mean more Federal highway spending for each of our States. I want to illustrate for Senators what this increase might mean for them even though I must caution my colleagues this evening that no one can predict now how highway funds will be distributed among the States next year. I ask unanimous consent that this table comparing State-by-State distribution of highway obligation authority in the current fiscal year to the distribution of the highway obligation authority in our bill for the fiscal year 1998, assuming the same apportionments of contract authority among the States as this year, be printed in the Record.

Mr. SHELBY. If our limitation becomes law by the end of September, the States will be apportioned an average of 18 percent more--18 percent more--highway obligation limitation for 1998 than they were apportioned at the beginning of last fiscal year. That is some improvement in the money. In addition, we have included $300 million for Appalachian Development Highway System investment consistent with existing authorization. The Federal Government made a commitment to improve these highways which run through economically undeveloped areas in 13 of our States, and our bill helps to keep that commitment. This investment will pay off not only in economic development in areas that are in much need of it but also in lives saved since these highways in mountainous areas are often high-accident locations in our country. As most Senators know, Federal investment in airport development has been declining in recent years, and the administration proposed a further cut for the coming year. Our committee could not agree with that proposal at a time when air travel is increasingly in demand and air safety is uppermost in the minds of travelers. We have included $1.7 billion for the airport improvement program. Transit formula and discretionary accounts, including funding for Washington Metrorail construction, all of which are for capital investment in our bill, are funded at $4.56 billion, $311 million above fiscal year 1997. The bill provides $273 million for continued improvements on Amtrak's Northeast corridor between Washington and Boston. For other Amtrak capital expenditures, the bill makes a contingent appropriation, Mr. President, of $641 million to be funded from the intercity passenger rail fund, which would be established by S. 949, the Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1997. The Amtrak capital appropriation in this bill will be triggered when a final reconciliation bill including the passenger rail fund is enacted into law and the transportation subcommittee's 602(b) allocation is adjusted upward to cover the additional appropriation. Safety was a top priority as we developed this bill. It provides $5.376 billion for the FAA operations account, including funds for an increase of 235 aviation safety inspectors and 500 additional air traffic controllers. Our appropriations for FAA operations is 99.8 percent of the administration's request. The committee was able to fund the FAA's operation account at this level without imposing $300 million in new user fee taxes proposed in the administration's request. The toll of deaths and injuries on our highways, we believe, is too high and our bill addresses that. It funds the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Program at $333.5 million. That is a $33 million increase above the fiscal year 1997 enacted levels and slightly higher than the administration's request. This bill provides $50.7 million for the National Transportation Safety Board, 8 percent above the President's request, to support the NTSB's investigatory mission and to expedite the development of safety recommendations. The Coast Guard, as you know, Mr. President, also plays a critical role in the safe operation of our Nation's waterways. Its operations funding of $2.73 billion as provided in this bill is an increase of $112 million above fiscal year 1997. This level is consistent with the administration's request for operating expenses and will continue congressional support for a streamlined Coast Guard. Coast Guard funding includes an increase of $53 million for antidrug activities, which are coordinated by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. The committee has provided the Commandant of the Coast Guard the discretion and the flexibility to manage this funding but has encouraged the Department to look at these activities as areas that would benefit from the development of performance measures. The bill funds the Coast Guard's capital program at $412 million, an increase of $33 million above the administration's request. This provides the Coast Guard with the equipment, ships, and aircraft to complete their multiple missions. The Coast Guard's capital needs, especially for replacing aging vessels and facilities, will increase dramatically in the years ahead and the committee's recommendation focuses on those acquisition programs that can be accelerated now to provide room in the outyears to replace these assets. I note for the benefit of the Senators from States that depend on the Saint Lawrence Seaway, that this bill assumes enactment of the administration's proposal to convert the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation to a performance-based organization and to move its financing from appropriated funds to an automatic annual performance-based payment. No funds are included in this bill for the Seaway Corporation, but if the legislative proposal fails, we will ensure in conference that the Seaway Corporation is funded. The Senate has taken the lead in past years in promoting management reform at the Department of Transportation, especially at FAA. This bill continues that direction by refraining from micromanagement of the Department, even as we look for improved results. The committee report, for example, offers guidance to the Secretary of Transportation on improving on DOT's draft strategic plan which is required by the Government Performance and Results Act. It also avoids artificial caps on the efforts of the Department to act in a more businesslike way, but it directs the DOT Inspector General to study whether in fact DOT's new entrepreneurial service organization is provided cost-competitive, high-quality service. But, even as we addressed infrastructure investment and safety in this bill, we have been very mindful of the priorities that Senators had for this bill. We receive more than 900 requests for projects and provisions to be included in this bill. We have reviewed those requests very closely and accommodated them to the extent that we could. In some cases, available funding was not sufficient to fund all requests, and we had to make some tough choices. But we have tried to be as fair as possible to all Senators on both sides of the aisle. Many Senators wanted funds for highway projects of special interest to them in their States. This year, ISTEA reauthorization is providing a vehicle for special project funding, especially in the House where there is very active consideration of such funding. But I want to assure my colleagues this evening that I believe the Congress has at least as legitimate a role in designating funding for specific highway projects as it does in designating new transit projects that will be funded. I intend to review the situation after enactment of ISTEA reauthorization legislation and to work with my Senate and my House colleagues in the year ahead to ensure that we have an opportunity to designate funding for highway projects of special interest to our States and to our communities. I am proud, overall, of what we have been able to accomplish in this bill. It will benefit all Americans as it helps to improve transportation services in this country so that the economy and personal mobility are better served. I commend my colleague, the ranking Democrat on the committee and the former chairman on this committee, Senator Lautenberg, for all the hard work he has put in in this effort. At this time I yield to the ranking member, Senator Lautenberg.

Mr. SHELBY. I would like to respond to that. First of all, I want to acknowledge the work of the distinguished senior Senator from Rhode Island, Senator Chafee, in bringing to my attention--and also to Senator Lautenberg's attention--the needs of his State in dealing with this economic development project. I did have the opportunity, at Senator Chafee's request, to meet with Senator Chafee, the Governor, and the junior Senator, Senator Reed, regarding this project. I also met with Senator Chafee on numerous occasions as we talked about, ``Would funding for this project be included in the bill?'' I assured him that it would, and for a good reason. This is a sound project for the people of Rhode Island. We investigated it on the committee and found that it makes a lot of sense. And as Senator Chafee has pointed out, the people of Rhode Island are also putting up a lot of money through a bond issue of $50 million. And $50 million is a lot of money for a State of around 1 million. And I want to acknowledge his work in this regard and say that we are pleased that we have been successful in identifying resources for this project. And I believe it is going to be very, very positive for the State of Rhode Island. I look forward to working with the distinguished Senator from Rhode Island in the future. Mr. LAUTENBERG addressed the Chair.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. I ask unanimous consent that the votes relative to S. 1022 scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. now begin at 2:15 p.m.

Mr. SHELBY. I further ask unanimous consent that from 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. the Senate recess for the weekly policy luncheons to meet.

Mr. SHELBY. I further ask that on Tuesday, immediately following the prayer, the routine requests through the morning hour be granted and the Senate immediately proceed to a period for the transaction of morning business until the hour of 11:30 a.m. with Senators permitted to speak for up to 5 minutes, with the following exceptions: Senator Lott or his designee, 45 minutes; Senator Daschle or his designee, 45 minutes.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I also ask unanimous consent that at 11:30 a.m. the Senate resume consideration of S. 1022, the Commerce, Justice, State appropriations bill, with Senator Wellstone being recognized as permitted under the order.

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand in adjournment until the hour of 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 29.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent at this time there now be a period for the transaction of morning business with Senators permitted to speak for up to 5 minutes each.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. For the information of all Senators, tomorrow the Senate will be in a period of morning business until the hour of 11:30 a.m. By previous order, at 11:30 a.m., the Senate will resume consideration of S. 1022, the Commerce, Justice, State appropriations bill. Under the order, Senator Wellstone will be recognized to debate these two amendments to the bill. Also, as under the previous order, at 2:15 p.m., following the weekly policy luncheons, the Senate will proceed to a series of votes on the remaining amendments in order to S. 1022, the State, Justice, Commerce appropriations bill, including final passage. Also, by previous consent, following those votes at 2:15 p.m., the Senate will resume the Transportation appropriations bill. Therefore, additional votes could occur.

Mr. SHELBY

Mr. SHELBY. If there is no further business to come before the Senate, I now ask unanimous consent that the Senate stand in adjournment under the previous order.

Mr. SHELBY

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