Quote of the Week… “As much as this is legislation that will significantly boost and enhance our nation’s transportation system, it is also a jobs bill that will create employment opportunities for millions of Americans.” Senator James M. Inhofe (on the Highway Bill) July 28, 2005 Inhofe Praises Agreement Reached In Highway Bill Conference SAFETEA-LU Significantly Improves the Nation’s Transportation Infrastructure, Creates Jobs, Ensures Safety and Protects the Environment Sen. Inhofe praised the agreement reached by Senate and House conferees yesterday on the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act – A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). “As much as this is legislation that will significantly boost and enhance our nation’s transportation system, it is also a jobs bill that will create employment opportunities for millions of Americans,” Senator Inhofe said. “According to the Department of Transportation, every $1 billion of federal money invested in highway improvements creates more than 47,500 jobs. That $1 billion also yields $500 million in new orders for the manufacturing sector and $500 million spread throughout other sectors of the economy. A safe and effective transportation infrastructure will only help grow our economy, and I’m delighted we’re on the verge of delivering this important victory to Oklahomans and all Americans. “This bill is historic for Oklahoma. I am extremely proud of the increase in funding the state will receive from this legislation. Under the formulas, our bill includes about 32 percent more funding over the previous highway authorization bill. As I’ve often said, one of my top priorities as Chairman of the EPW Committee has been to increase the rate of return for donor states such as Oklahoma. This highway bill increases Oklahoma’s formula rate of return to 92 cents per dollar in 2008.” The House of Representatives passed the SAFETEA-LU conference report earlier today 412-8, and the Senate approved the legislation this evening 91-4. The Senate version of the bill passed by an 89 to 11 vote in May. Senator Inhofe managed its consideration on the Senate floor. The bill will now go to the President’s desk for his signature. The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act – A Legacy for Users: Provides $244 billion in guaranteed spending over the 2005-2009 period ($286.4 billion including 2004) for maintenance, and improvement of the nation’s roads, bridges, mass transit, and safety which creates millions of job opportunities across the country. Includes nearly $90 billion more funding over TEA-21 levels (current law). Provides a rate of return phased in to 92 percent by 2008 for donor states. Dedicates 2007 revenue-aligned budget authority (RABA) to increasing donor states’ rates of return up to 92 percent from 91.5 percent. Treats all states fairly, guaranteeing a minimum of a 19 percent growth rate over TEA-21 levels. Provides more than a 39 percent average annual increase over TEA-21 levels for Indian reservation roads and bridges, including new funding categories and increased flexibility, for which Oklahoma tribes are among the largest recipients. Consolidates existing safety programs into a new core Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) to provide increased funding and greater flexibility to states. The HSIP is designed to meet the growing safety needs and fatality and injury rates in each state through a strategic highway safety plan. Improves the Environmental Review Process for transportation projects. Authorizes the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program. Increases the effectiveness of the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) improvement program. Provides funding for a variety of important projects in Oklahoma, including: Ø $220 million for improvements to Interstates 40 and 44; Ø $50 million to improve bridges in the State; and Ø $35 million to widen and make improvements to the Ports-to-Plains Corridor. Return to the top Ý Inhofe Applauds Passage Of Energy Bill Conference Report By The Senate Notes Inclusion of Key Requested Provisions Sen. Inhofe today applauded the Senate’s passage of the conference report for H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The Senate approved the legislation, which will soon be presented to the President for his signature, 74-26. “Our nation has been in need of a comprehensive national energy policy since the Reagan era,” Senator Inhofe said. “The Energy Bill, while not perfect, is an important step forward in fulfilling that need. Specifically, we need to enhance our energy reliability and improve the nation’s energy security. This bill will help accomplish that. “I am very pleased that the bill’s conferees saw fit to include a number of provisions I had requested. With these additions, we’ll be able to expand refinery capacity, expand the use of nuclear energy and strengthen security at nuclear facilities, and improve permitting processes so we can explore our domestic resources in an environmentally-conscious manner. These provisions will benefit Oklahoma and the nation as a whole.” Key provisions requested by Senator Inhofe include: Tax incentives for the expansion of refinery capacity and to encourage new facility construction; Improvement of the environmental permitting process on federal lands; Clarification of Congressional intent with regard to uncontaminated stormwater runoff from oil and natural gas sites; Clarification of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s exclusive jurisdiction to site LNG infrastructure and improvements in the permitting process under the National Environmental Policy Act; LUST program reforms to ensure proper inspection of tanks and operator training to prevent tanks from leaking and contaminating groundwater; and Language from three bills recently passed by the EPW Committee that will strengthen nuclear security and safety, and help expand the use of nuclear power. The Environment and Public Works Committee has held a series of hearings that focused on the use of domestic natural resources and energy production. In May 2005, the committee held an oversight hearing to review the permitting of energy projects. Last year, the committee reviewed environmental regulations in oil refining and the environmental impacts of U.S. natural gas production. In June, Senator Inhofe also released a new report, Energy and the Environment: The Future of Natural Gas in America, which demonstrates that environmental policies are driving demand for natural gas while, at the same time, other policies are restricting supply, thus resulting in high prices. Return to the top Ý Did You Know… The Oregon Petition: “No Convincing Scientific Evidence” Liberal environmental special interests and their allies often refer to a consensus, or near unanimous agreement, with regard to anthropogenic emissions and climate change causation. They seem to forget, however, that more than 17,000 scientists dispute those assertions. The Oregon Petition, sponsored by the Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine, is a compilation of scientists who state, for the record, their rejection of the Kyoto Protocol and similar proposals based on the lack of scientific evidence that carbon dioxide emissions are causing catastrophic heating and will disrupt our climate. The petition reads as follows: “We urge the United States government to reject the global warming agreement that was written in Kyoto, Japan in December, 1997, and any other similar proposals. The proposed limits on greenhouse gases would harm the environment, hinder the advance of science and technology, and damage the health and welfare of mankind. There is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse gasses is causing or will, in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of the Earth's atmosphere and disruption of the Earth's climate. Moreover, there is substantial scientific evidence that increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide produce many beneficial effects upon the natural plant and animal environments of the Earth.” Each Weekly Closer, over the course of the next year, will reveal, by state, the number of scientists (and only the PhD’s) who have signed on to the Oregon Petition. New Mexico: 156 PhD’s have signed the Oregon Petition. _________________ Bill Holbrook, Communications Director Matt Dempsey, Deputy Press Secretary