Sheila Jackson Lee: “As a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee, I rise to speak on H.R. 3819, ``Surface Transportation Extension…”

“As a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee, I rise to speak on H.R. 3819, ``Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2015,'' which reauthorizes federal-aid highway and transit programs for three weeks through November 20, 2015. The bill also extends by three years the December 31, 2015 deadline for railroads to install positive train control systems but, within 90 days of enactment, all affected railroads must submit to the U.S. Department of Transportation a revised PTC compliance plan. Mr. Speaker, instead of this 22-day temporary extension, I would have strongly preferred that we were debating a comprehensive, fair, equitable, and long-term transportation reauthorization bill the nation desperately needs. We have had two years to do so. Democrats want such a bill as does the President, but apparently our friends across the aisle do not since they have spent the last two years wasting time on advocating policies wanted by no one except for the right-wing extremists of the Tea Party. But I reluctantly support this emergency but temporary measure because as the Department of Transportation has reported, if we do not act now highway trust fund balances will reach dangerously low levels by November 20 and result in a reduction of payments to states by an average of 28 percent. Many states have already begun to cancel or delay planned construction projects, threatening 700,000 jobs, including 106,100 jobs in my home state of Texas. Mr.…”