Bill Shuster

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. In my closing, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my House colleagues on both sides of the aisle, members of the committee, and the conferees. There was broad, bipartisan support of this bill. There are over 250 Members of this House that contributed to the bill. Working together on this important piece of legislation I think proves to the American people that we can get big things done. I would also like to thank Mr. DeFazio. He has been a real partner in this. We certainly had our moments of disagreement, but we were able to work through it and get a bill which he and I say is a good, solid piece of legislation. And, through that effort, we were able to achieve that. I also want to thank Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Norton for their hard work and support in this effort. I want to thank the vice chair of the full committee, Mr. Duncan, who chaired two important panels last Congress, one on freight movement and one on public-private partnerships. From that work with a cross-section of the committee and across jurisdictional lines of the subcommittees, they were able to produce recommendations that became critical parts of this bill. So I thank Congressman Duncan from Tennessee for his work. Finally, I thank the Speaker of the House. In becoming Speaker, he told the Conference and our House he was going to make sure we did regular order. This bill is a product of regular order. He had an open process on the House floor. We dealt with over 103 amendments specific to the transportation portion of the bill but then another 20 or so that dealt with provisions in this bill. So it was an open process, and, again, I want to thank Speaker Ryan for keeping his word to the Members of this body to have regular order and an open process. I also want to thank my Senate colleagues and their conferees for their efforts in putting together this bill. I want to thank the House and Senate Legislative Counsel, who don't often get a whole lot of credit, but I thank Curt Haensel, Tom Dillon, Rosemary Gallagher, Karen Anderson, and Tim Brown, for their efforts in writing up this bill and helping us throughout this process. Finally, I want to thank the staffs of both the majority and minority of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. As I said in the opening remarks, they worked through the Thanksgiving holiday, a lot of long hours, and they are dedicated to the work of this committee. We wouldn't be here today without their efforts. I thank them from the bottom of my heart for their efforts. I will include in the Record the names of those committee staff people because it is a long list and I don't want to screw anybody's name up. I just want to say thanks again for their long hours in getting this bill put together and brought to the floor. Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Staff Republican T&I Staff Chris Bertram, Matt Sturges, Jennifer Hall, Murphie Barrett, Geoff Gosselin, Mary Phillips, Alex Etchen, Caryn Moore Lund, Nicole Christus, Kristin Alcalde, Jim Billimoria, Clare Doherty, Keith Hall, Justin Harclerode, Holly Woodruff Lyons, Hannah Matesic, Collin McCune, Tracy Mosebey, Anna Oak, Max Rosen. Beth Spivey, David Connolly, Arielle Giordano, Fred Miller, George Riccardo, Adam Twardzik, Kevin Rieg, Isabelle Beegle- Levin. Democrat T&I Staff Liz Cooney, Kathy Dedrick, Jen Gilbreath, Ashley Guill, Russ Kelley, Ward McCarragher, Ben Lockshin, Auke Mahar- Piersma, Andrew Okuyiga, Luke Strimer, Helena Zyblikewycz, Ryan Sieger, Jennifer Homendy, Alexa Old Crow.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Graves).

Mr. SHUSTER. The FAST Act is absolutely critical to America and our economy. I think everybody speaking here today laid out the many provisions. It is important to America. I would encourage my colleagues to all support this bipartisan, bicameral agreement. And I believe it will have strong support today. Mr. Speaker, I urge everybody to vote for this bill. It is good for America. Joint Explanatory Statement of the Committee on Conference H.R. 22, Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act Title XLIII of the Joint Explanatory Statement provides a summary of section 43001 concerning requirements in agency rulemakings pursuant to this Act. Section 43001 of the House amendments to H.R. 22 was not agreed to in conference and does not appear in the conference report to accompany H.R. 22. The summary of section 43001 in the Joint Explanatory statement therefore appears in error. Accordingly, title XLIII of the Joint Explanatory Statement has no effect.

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

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Marino).

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

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rodney Davis), a hardworking member of the committee.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the conference report to accompany H.R. 22.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 546, I call up the conference report on the bill (H.R. 22) to authorize funds for Federal-aid highways, highway safety programs, and transit programs, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Gibbs), the chairman of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am very pleased that today the House is considering the conference report to H.R. 22, the Fixing America's Surface Transportation, or the FAST Act. I believe this bill will be one of the most important things this Congress can accomplish for our country. This conference report is appropriately named the FAST Act for a few reasons. It will certainly help fix America's surface transportation infrastructure. The process has been fast. In fact, from the day of introduction until today is 44 days that we have moved this bill forward; so, it happened fast. I think some of our staff, who worked very hard in this process to help get this bill done, actually had to fast over the Thanksgiving holiday. So my thanks go out to staff on both sides of the aisle for working through the holiday as they did to get this bill put together and brought to the floor. Ranking Member DeFazio and I worked diligently with our House and Senate conferees to put together this conference report. I want to thank Mr. DeFazio for all his efforts. Before I describe the transportation provisions in the conference report, I do want to note that the conference report includes numerous other provisions that were in either the House- or the Senate-passed versions of the bill. These provisions are in the jurisdiction of the Committees on Ways and Means, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, Natural Resources, and Judiciary. Mr. Speaker, since I became chairman, one of my top priorities has been to pass a long-term surface transportation reauthorization bill. For the last year and more, I have traveled across the country to talk to transportation and business leaders about the need for a reauthorization bill. What I have heard is that all States and communities have significant infrastructure needs and they all need long-term certainty to address them. The FAST Act represents a bipartisan and bicameral agreement to provide that certainty. This is the first time we have come together in a long-term bill in 10 years. It is fully paid for and reauthorizes Federal surface transportation programs for 5 years. It improves our Nation's infrastructure, including our roads, public transportation, and rail systems; reforms our Federal transportation programs; refocuses these programs on national priorities, including the flow of freight and commerce; provides greater flexibility for States and local governments to address our needs; streamlines the Federal bureaucracy and accelerates project delivery; promotes innovation to make our surface transportation system and programs work better; and maintains a strong commitment to highway, rail, and hazmat safety. This bill also includes robust reforms of Amtrak, which the House already passed overwhelmingly this year. It cuts waste, holds Amtrak accountable, and increases transparency. It enhances opportunities for competition on routes and increases private sector participation in station development and right-of-way leveraging. It gives States more power and control over their Amtrak routes. This legislation has wide support from throughout the stakeholder community. The FAST Act invests in America, continues the essential Federal role in transportation, and helps keep our country economically competitive. I strongly urge all my colleagues to support this conference report. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Franks).

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Hardy), a hardworking member of the committee.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Mimi Walters), one of the newest members of our committee.

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Waynesboro Community Theatre Project, Inc. and highlight the successful campaign to rebuild and reopen a long treasured local cinema. Following an inspired beginning, the Waynesboro Community Theatre Project, Inc. maintained a determined campaign to raise the money necessary to renovate and reopen the Waynesboro Theatre. Thanks to its persistent efforts and generous donors, the historic theatre will again fulfill its roles as a local economic generator and a quality entertainment venue for the Waynesboro community. Additionally, I believe this project represents a community effort in the truest sense, as many have worked together to see this effort through to completion. The theatre will reopen with impressive renovations, including new seats, an upgraded lobby and concession area, and modern sound and visual technologies. The project will provide fundamental support in keeping downtown Waynesboro vibrant and welcoming. The Waynesboro Theatre is beloved by the community and I commend all who have put time, effort, and donations into bringing the theatre back to the public. Today I congratulate the Waynesboro Community Theatre Project, Inc. for the completion of this impressive effort to improve the Waynesboro community.

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. I thank the chairman for working with me on this piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to shed light on the issue plaguing our Nation's veterans. Specifically, there are an estimated 47,000 cremated veterans' remains that are waiting to be interred because it was not possible to identify the next of kin. Existing legislation directs the Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Service Organizations, and funeral directors to work together in the claiming and interring of deceased veterans. Unfortunately, numerous barriers prevent the effective collaboration among these stakeholders. As it stands today, these barriers are not fully understood, which is preventing an effective solution to the problem from being found. For instance, the Missing in America Project, a nonprofit service organization that was established to locate and bury unclaimed veterans' remains, identified 100 veterans who were awaiting burial within the State of Pennsylvania over the last couple of years. Some of those veterans waited more than 20 years for a dignified, military burial. We can speculate regarding the reason for this disgrace, but we cannot know for sure without giving this issue the attention it deserves. That is why I have introduced H.R. 1338, the Dignified Interment of Our Veterans Act of 2015. My bill requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on matters relating to the claiming and interring of unclaimed veterans' remains. The intent of the study is to confirm the scope of this problem, to uncover any barriers associated with claiming and interring veterans' remains, and to solicit recommendations from the Department of Veterans Affairs on potential solutions. I would like to thank two of my constituents, Mr. Ron Metros and Mr. Lanny Golden, for working with me on this legislation. When asked why he is so passionate about this issue, Mr. Golden, a Vietnam veteran, simply replied that his brothers in arms deserve to be buried alongside those who have walked the same path. I fully agree with Mr. Golden, and I would like to say ``thank you'' to all of those who have served this great Nation. I would also like to take this time to thank my colleagues Chairman Miller and Ranking Member Brown for working with me. Of course, I thank the Veterans' Affairs Committee and the 98 bipartisan cosponsors of the House for their support. Also a special thanks to two people without whom I could not have done this. They are my military fellows. One is U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Anna Lloyd. She helped start the process. We then finished up with Air Force Major Cheri Guikema. Both of them provided an invaluable service in putting this bill forward, and I can't thank them enough for their help and also for their continued service to the United States military. Now, more than ever, we need to stand together and show or veterans we care. None of our heroes should be forgotten, and this is a step forward in reaching that important goal.

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 512, I offer a motion.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to instruct. The STRR Act act is a bipartisan bill that reflects the input of Members from both sides of the aisle. It has been a carefully crafted compromise. This motion would threaten that compromise and dismantle the bipartisan House position as we head into negotiations with the Senate. The STRR Act is a multiyear bill that provides needed certainty for States and local governments. It helps improve our Nation's transportation infrastructure and maintains a strong commitment to safety, but it also provides important reforms that help us continue to do the job more effectively. Key provisions in this bill will refocus our transportation programs on national priorities, promote innovation to make our surface transportation system programs work better, provide greater flexibility for State and local governments to address their needs, streamline the Federal bureaucracy, accelerate the project approval process, and facilitate the flow of freight and commerce. The STRR Act continues the Federal role in providing a strong national transportation system, which enables our country to remain economically competitive and helps ensure our quality of life. This bill has widespread support. We have received nearly 300 letters of support from throughout the stakeholder community, so I would urge all Members to oppose the gentleman's motion. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Again, I want to thank all the Members that have worked on this bill. I know that the two Members on the floor here are valued members of the committee. Again, I oppose the instruction because I believe it really--we have got a delicate balance here; and a strong position moving into the Senate to get this over the goal line and get ourselves a long-term, multiyear highway transportation bill is just something that I think we all want. It is all good for the country. The gentleman brings up some good points on the funding of it. As soon as we get this bill passed, on the President's desk and signed, we have really got to sit down with the stakeholder community and Members on both sides of the aisle, both sides of the Capitol, people around the States, and figure out a way to move forward in the future to have a fully funded, robust transportation highway trust fund. So again, I appreciate what the gentleman is saying, but, again, at this point, I urge opposition to this motion to instruct. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, this motion is to authorize a conference on H.R. 22. This bill helps improve our Nation's transportation infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the motion. The previous question was ordered.

Mr. SHUSTER

Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Chair, I submit the following exchange of letters between myself and Chairman Lamar Smith. House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Washington, DC, October 30, 2015. Hon. Lamar Smith, Chairman, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Smith: Thank you for your letter regarding H.R. 3763, the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015. I appreciate your willingness to support expediting the consideration of this legislation on the House floor. I acknowledge that by waiving consideration of this bill, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology does not waive any future jurisdictional claim to provisions in this or similar legislation. In addition, should a conference on the bill be necessary, I would support your effort to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving provisions within this legislation on which the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology has a valid jurisdictional claim. I will include our letters on H.R. 3763 in the Congressional Record during House floor consideration of the bill. I appreciate your cooperation regarding this legislation, and I look forward to working with the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology as the bill moves through the legislative process. Sincerely, Bill Shuster, Chairman.