Sheila Jackson Lee: “I support H.J. Res. 92 granting consent and approval from Congress for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the State of…”

“I support H.J. Res. 92 granting consent and approval from Congress for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the State of Maryland, and the District of Columbia to amend the Washington Area Transit Regulation Compact. As Houston is a major transportation hub, I understand and appreciate the importance of this legislation. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), an interstate compact agency, provides transportation services to millions of people each year. It is imperative that the WMATA be safe and effective because it is essential to the commerce and prosperity of the National Capitol Region. The District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the State of Maryland intend to create the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission to act as the state safety oversight authority for the WMATA system under 49 U.S.C. 5329. In title III of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (section 3026, Public Law 114-94), the Congress provided sole authority to the Secretary of Transportation to appoint Federal Directors to the Board of Directors of the WMATA and required the signatory parties to the Compact to amend the Compact as necessary. This compact is created for the benefit of the people of the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the State of Maryland so that there may be an increase in their safety, commerce, and prosperity. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.J. Res. 92 The SPEAKER pro tempore.…”