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Press Release

T&I; Ends 110th Congress with Impressive Record

Committee’s accomplishments outstrip 109th in every category

October 6, 2008

 

By Jim Berard (202) 226-5064

 As the 110th Congress concludes its legislative business, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure boasts an impressive record of accomplishments over the past two years.

Under Chairman James L. Oberstar (Minn.), the Committee conducted 180 hearings, lasting a total of 581 hours, and gathered testimony from 1,223 witnesses. In contrast, in the 109th Congress, the Committee held 104 hearings over 252 hours, and heard 580 witnesses.

“When I became Chairman of this Committee in January of last year, I pledged that the Committee’s agenda would center on three principles: Enhancing safety and security, investing in our infrastructure, and addressing the twin challenges of rising energy costs and global climate change,” Oberstar said. “I said we would move major legislation to address safety and security in all modes of transportation, and we did. I said that we would authorize vital projects for navigation, flood damage reduction, and environmental restoration. We had to override this President’s first veto in order to get it done, but we did it. I pledged to reauthorize Amtrak and create a process for the development of high-speed passenger rail service throughout this country. We did it. We reauthorized our Federal rail safety program for the first time in a decade, and improved the hours of service rules for rail workers for the first time in a century. And we put the government on the front line for creating energy-efficient public buildings and using alternative energy sources.”

Safety, security, and emergency response occupied 179 hours of hearings during the 110th Congress. The Committee spent another 67 hours in hearings exploring the challenges that remain in ensuring clean water for our nation.

When Oberstar was elected Chairman, he also pledged that the Committee would vigorously exercise it oversight responsibilities. The Committee’s first Investigations and Oversight hearing in the 110th Congress, in April 2007, examined at problems with the Coast Guard’s Deepwater program. One of the final bills approved by the House in the 110th Congress was H.R. 6999, a bill to institute reforms in the troubled program. Earlier this year, another oversight hearing revealed flaws in the Federal Aviation Administration’s aircraft inspection program, and prompted the FAA to ground hundreds of commercial aircraft for overdue inspections. Fraudulent activities in drug testing for commercial drivers and medical certification for pilots were also examined by the Committee.

Ninety-three bills and resolutions under the T&I Committee’s jurisdiction in the 110th Congress either have become law or are awaiting the President’s signature. These include

• H.R. 1, Implementing the Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007;
• H.R. 6, Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007;
• H.R. 802, Maritime Pollution Prevention Act of 2008;
• H.R. 1144, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Federal Match Relief Act of 2007;
• H.R. 1195, SAFETEA-LU Technical Corrections Act of 2008;
• H.R. 1495, Water Resources Development Act of 2007;
• H.R. 2095, Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 and
Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008;
• H.R. 2775, to authorize funding for emergency management performance grants;
• H.R. 3246, Regional Economic and Infrastructure Development Act of 2007
• H.R. 3311, To authorize additional funds for emergency repairs and reconstruction of the Interstate I-35W bridge located in Minneapolis, Minnesota;
• H.R. 3315, To provide that the great hall of the Capitol Visitor Center shall be known as Emancipation Hall;
• H.R. 3495, Kids in Disasters Well-being, Safety, and Health Act of 2007;
• H.R. 3985, Over-the-Road Bus Transportation Accessibility Act of 2007;
• H.R. 3986, John F. Kennedy Center Reauthorization Act of 2008;
• H.R. 4343, Fair Treatment for Experienced Pilots Act;
• H.R. 6460, Great Lakes Legacy Reauthorization Act of 2008;
• S. 294, Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008;
• S. 496, Appalachian Regional Development Act Amendments of 2008;
• S. 2766, Clean Boating Act of 2008;
• S. 3406, ADA Amendments Act of 2008; and
• S. 3598, Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008.

In addition, the T&I Committee was heavily involved in the passage of H.R. 6532, the Highway Trust Fund Restoration Act.

The Committee also moved a number of significant bills through the House, only to see them stall in the Senate. Most prominently among them:

• H.R. 720, Water Quality Financing Act of 2007;
• H.R. 2830, Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2007;
• H.R. 2881, FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007;
• H.R. 3224, Dam Rehabilitation and Repair Act of 2007;
• H.R. 3247, Hurricane Katrina and Rita Recovery Facilitation Act of 2007;
• H.R. 3999, National Highway Bridge Reconstruction and Inspection Act of 2008;
• H.R. 6052, Saving Energy Through Public Transportation Act of 2008;
• H.R. 6109, Pre-Disaster Mitigation Act of 2008;
• H.R. 6493, Aviation Safety Enhancement Act of 2008; and
• H.R. 6630, To prohibit the Secretary of Transportation from granting authority to a motor carrier domiciled in Mexico to operate beyond United States municipalities and commercial zones on the United States-Mexico border unless expressly authorized by Congress.

The House economic stimulus package, the “Job Creation and Unemployment Relief Act of 2008,” called for creating jobs through significant investments in our Nation’s infrastructure, thanks to the influence of T&I leadership. The bill passed the House, but not the Senate.

“I am very proud of this Committee, its Subcommittee Chairs, Ranking Members, and, indeed, all 75 Members of our Committee. We worked together in an inclusive, bipartisan fashion, and accomplished a great deal. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the 111th Congress,” Oberstar said.

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