[Pages H9675-H9681]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

{time} 1715
AUTHORIZING ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR EMERGENCY REPAIRS AND RECONSTRUCTION
OF INTERSTATE I-35 BRIDGE IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3311) to authorize additional funds for emergency repairs
and reconstruction of the Interstate I-35 bridge located in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, that collapsed on August 1, 2007, to waive the
$100,000,000 limitation on emergency relief funds for those emergency
repairs and reconstruction, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 3311

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY RELIEF FUNDING.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation is
authorized to carry out a project for the repair and
reconstruction of the Interstate I-35W bridge located in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, that collapsed on August 1, 2007.
(b) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the cost of the
project carried out under this section shall be 100 percent.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized
to be appropriated $250,000,000 to carry out this section.
Such sums shall remain available until expended.

SEC. 2. WAIVER OF EMERGENCY RELIEF LIMITATION.

The limitation contained in section 125(d)(1) of title 23,
United States Code, of $100,000,000 shall not apply to
expenditures under section 125 of such title for the repair
or reconstruction of the Interstate I-35W bridge located in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, that collapsed on August 1, 2007.

SEC. 3. EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY FOR TRANSIT AND TRAVEL
INFORMATION SERVICES.

Section 1112 of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (119 Stat.
1171) is amended--
(1) by inserting ``(a) In General.--'' before ``There'';
and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(b) Minnesota.--
``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any provision of chapter
1 of title 23, United States Code, the Secretary may--
``(A) use funds authorized to carry out the emergency
relief program under section 125 of such title for the repair
and reconstruction of the Interstate I-35W bridge in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, that collapsed on August 1, 2007; and
``(B) use not to exceed $5,000,000 of the funds authorized
to carry out the emergency relief program under section 125
of such title to reimburse the Minnesota State department of
transportation for actual and necessary costs of maintenance
and operation, less the amount of fares earned, for
additional public transportation services and

[[Page H9676]]

traveler information services which are provided by the
Metropolitan Council (of Minnesota) as a temporary substitute
for highway traffic service following the collapse of the
Interstate I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on August
1, 2007, until highway traffic service is restored on such
bridge.
``(2) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of
activities reimbursed under this subsection shall be 100
percent.''.

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Ross). Pursuant to the rule, the
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) and the gentleman from Florida
(Mr. Mica) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Minnesota.

General Leave

Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
on the bill, H.R. 3311, and include extraneous material in the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Minnesota?
There was no objection.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, at the outset, let me express my great appreciation to
my colleagues in the Minnesota delegation for their cohesion and their
support of legislative action to respond promptly to the needs of the
people of Minneapolis and the State of Minnesota. Mr. Ramstad, Mr.
Kline, Mrs. Bachmann, Mr. Ellison, in whose district this tragedy
occurred, Ms. McCollum, Mr. Walz, Mr. Peterson have all united as one
in support of the needs of the people and in common mourning for the
tragedy that occurred.
All of us were struck deeply within our souls over this tragedy. Ms.
McCollum's daughter, just miraculously almost, passed over this bridge
shortly before it collapsed.
I want to express my great appreciation to the gentleman from
Florida, the ranking member of the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, Mr. Mica, and his staff and to Mr. Petri, the ranking
member of the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Mr. DeFazio of
Oregon, Chair of the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, for the
cooperation, for the splendid efforts made, and for the common cause in
which we all persevered to bring this legislation promptly to the
House, as we are doing today.
And, again, I'm very grateful to the gentleman from Florida for his
participation.
Bridges are built to last, not forever, but for a very long time. The
title, in Latin, of the leader of the Catholic church is Pontifex
Maximus, the maximum bridge builder. And when that title was adopted,
bridges were built to last. The one in Rome has lasted 2,000 years, a
marble arch bridge.
But in our day and time, not much that we build lasts forever, and
that is why we have a bridge inspection program. That is why we
annually evaluate the condition, structure and structural integrity of
bridges and their operational capacity and ability; and why, in the
current law, SAFETEA-LU, with the help of then Chairman Young, I
included language to authorize the funding of a new technology
comparable to the technology used in aviation to determine the
structural integrity of aircraft wings, movable surfaces and fuselage,
to find hairline cracks using technology that can discover microscopic
cracks not visible to the naked eye and then measure their propagation
and do the same with bridges.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation was offered the
opportunity to use that technology, and I am disappointed that the
State rejected the opportunity to use that technology to test the
structural integrity of the bridge that collapsed.
In March of 2004, I sent Members of the House a letter and
information providing data developed, at my request, by the Bureau of
Transportation Statistics showing the number and location of
structurally deficient bridges in the national highway system in each
Member's congressional district.
Now, not many Members followed up on that, but I just happen to have
in front of me the letter addressed to the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr.
Abercrombie) who did respond. The letter pointed out the number of
structurally deficient bridges in each Member's district and then
pointed out that, in 2002, the U.S. Department of Transportation found
that 167,566 of the Nation's bridges are structurally deficient or
functionally obsolete. Since then, that number has grown to, of the
597,340 bridges in the national bridge inventory, 26 percent are
structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
Then the cost to repair and bring to a good state of maintenance, the
cost in 2004, was estimated at $9.4 billion a year to maintain. In the
SAFETEA-LU legislation, we provided $4 billion a year. It should have
been at $5 billion. If the original introduced bill Mr. Young and I
introduced in October of 2003 had prevailed, we'd have been at $5
billion a year. We are where we are.
But this is the map, in smaller form, that we sent out to all Members
of the House in 2004. For the State of Minnesota, it lists all the
structurally deficient bridges. There are 19 on this list updated
today.
The State of Minnesota has 13,000 bridges. 1,135 are structurally
deficient. 451 are functionally obsolescent. That's 12.2 percent.
That's one of the lowest percentages in the country, but it underscores
the serious problem of the State of Minnesota and of the Nation's
bridges.
We come to the floor today united in purpose to help the State
rebuild this structure. The estimate from the Minnesota Department of
Transportation is in the range of $200 plus million, which may grow,
depending on the bridge abutments on both sides of the river; and the
structural integrity of those facilities has yet to be fully evaluated.
So the $250 million is a soundly based estimate, based on engineering
evaluations, and is a fair number, and so is the funding that we
provide in the legislation to compensate the State for the shift from
highway transportation to transit as occurred in California, in Oakland
earlier this year in April when their bridge collapsed due to a tanker
truck collapse.
Those are the basic figures. Those are the justifications. We've
limited, capped the dollar amount for transit at $5 million in response
to a question from the other body, and we have a well-supported figure
of $250 million for the reconstruction out of general revenue funds.
I appeal for the support of this body for this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3311 and join the
gentleman from Minnesota whose State and area has been hit by this
terrible, horrible tragedy that's taken lives.
And on our side of the aisle, when we do have a national tragedy of
this nature, we do try to pull together in a bipartisan manner to
address the needs of people who have suffered this type of, again,
horrible disaster.
I know that the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) has taken a
leadership role today in approving this money; and I'm pleased, as the
Republican leader, to also come forward and lend our support for this
authorization.
Now, many people have asked me what we're doing here today. And we
are authorizing $250 million for repair and reconstruction of the I-35
bridge over the Mississippi River. Now that's authorization and Federal
authorization. It is not funding, and there must be appropriations.
I might say that we're doing that because the authorization fund, the
Highway Emergency Relief Fund, unfortunately, we had $100 million and
it's depleted. Not only is that $100 million depleted but also the
reserve and additional money that was put in in the supplemental is
depleted. So that's why we're doing this for our friends and colleagues
and those who have suffered this loss in Minnesota.
It's my hope that this bridge will be built in rapid order and
replaced; and I know that the good custodians in Minnesota, with their
Transportation Department, will work to see that happen.
But let me say that the Minnesota bridge is only, unfortunately, the
tip of the iceberg in an aging infrastructure and transportation system
that we have in this country. We have, out of almost 600,000 bridges,
about 80,000 bridges that are structurally deficient. Twenty-seven
percent of our bridges are structurally deficient or obsolete,
according to one of the most recent studies; and the infrastructure,
not

[[Page H9677]]

just in bridges but in highways, in ports, in airports, in rail, is
inadequate and it's outdated.
I proposed as a solution recently a national strategic transportation
plan. The American Council of Civil Engineers has estimated this will
take $1.7 trillion.
We need a national plan to restore our infrastructure from sea to
shining sea, where we have congestion, where we have bridges falling
into our rivers and where we have inadequate infrastructure on which to
conduct the business of this country or just get around our congested
communities.
So we need a bigger plan, and then we need a way to finance that
plan, and I look forward to working with all of the Members in trying
to develop that plan and with this administration and the next
administration.

{time} 1730

So finally, as I close with my initial thoughts, I want to say that
our prayers go out to the people of Minnesota, especially the families
of those affected by this tragedy. And I pledge from our side of the
aisle again to work with every Member in Congress and with the folks in
Minnesota to bring things back to regular order there.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentleman from Minneapolis (Mr. Ellison).
Mr. ELLISON. Mr. Speaker, let me first thank the distinguished
chairman of the Transportation Committee and also thank all the members
of the Minneapolis delegation and every single Member of this esteemed
body. This is the greatest deliberative body in the world and in the
history of the world. And the evidence of that is that not only, not
only does this body thoroughly debate issues, but when tragedy strikes
one, people respond in the most humanitarian way. Even though we have
strong points of difference of opinion, when tragedy strikes America,
we have no Republicans, we have no Democrats. We just have Members of
Congress who are responsive to the people of this country.
So, Mr. Chair, I want to thank you for your bold, decisive action. I
want to thank all the members of the community in Minnesota who have
responded, not only the official responders but the good Samaritans as
well. And let me urge every Member to support this most important
measure that will restore our country.
But, again, it is the tip of the iceberg. We need a new national
commitment to the infrastructure of this country.
Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the
Republican subcommittee leader on the Highways Subcommittee in the
House of Representatives, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Duncan).
Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida, Ranking
Member Mica, for yielding me this time.
I rise in strong support of this bill, offered by our distinguished
chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, my good
friend (Mr. Oberstar), along with my good friend (Mr. Mica).
Our condolences, in fact the condolences of the entire Nation, go out
to the people of Minnesota who were affected by this terrible tragedy.
And I want to recognize Mr. Oberstar's leadership and his efforts to
provide an immediate response to this incident. Less than 18 hours
after the I-35W bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River, Mr.
Oberstar introduced this bill, H.R. 3311.
This bill authorizes funding to help the Minneapolis-St. Paul
metropolitan area get back on its feet. It authorizes $250 million from
the Federal Highway Administration's Emergency Relief Program for the
repair and reconstruction of the I-35W bridge that collapsed Wednesday
night.
Yesterday, the Secretary of Transportation, Mary Peters, went to
Minneapolis, visited the site, and immediately made available $5
million to pay for traffic-flow adjustments and debris removal
associated with this disaster. But this bill takes the first step in
providing funding to repair and rebuild this bridge.
While we will not know for several months the final cost to repair
and rebuild the I-35W bridge, this bill demonstrates the House's
support and certainly the strong commitment from our committee to
rebuild this bridge and restore some sense of normalcy to the
Minneapolis-St. Paul region.
Mr. Speaker, there was a column in The Washington Post today that
repeated some of the statistics you have just heard from the gentleman
from Georgia about the number of deficient bridges, but this columnist
also said this: ``It's unrealistic to think this disaster is going to
spur the Nation to seriously address all its infrastructure problems.
We'll talk about the issue for a while, then go out and buy another TV.
But we can, and should, at least do a more rigorous inventory and
identify the structures that pose the most peril. Yes, it's boring
stuff to even think about. But just look at the alternative.''
Those are very true words, Mr. Speaker, and I pledge the support of
our subcommittee and to work with all the leadership on our committee
to not do what this columnist has said and just forget about this or
move on to something else too quickly. We owe that to the people of
Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the
distinguished gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum).
Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chair, 2 days ago my
daughter did have a best friend who was crossing the Mississippi River.
She crossed long before the bridge collapsed. Only 2 days ago the world
witnessed the collapse of a massive bridge that crosses the Mississippi
River, America's heartland.
The world is now witnessing America's heroism, our first responders,
our community leaders, and all of our citizens coming together to
rescue victims, to heal the injured, and to mourn those lost. As of
today, we know more than 130 people have been treated for injuries, 5
individuals have lost their lives, including 2 of my constituents.
I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to the families of the
known victims: Sherry Lou Engebretsen of Shoreview, Patrick Holmes of
Mounds View, Julia Blackhawk of Savage, and Artemeeo Trinidad-Meena of
Minneapolis.
Minneapolis and my home of St. Paul, we are the Twin Cities. Together
our cities are united, along with all of our surrounding communities,
in responding to this disaster and addressing the massive
redistribution of traffic to meet the needs of commuters and businesses
as a result of the bridge collapse.
My dear friend from Minneapolis, Congressman Keith Ellison, has my
full support as our communities work together to heal and rebuild. The
people of Minneapolis are fortunate to have Congressman Ellison working
for them, and we are all proud to stand with him, as his constituents
are.
Minnesota is also blessed to have Chairman Oberstar leading the
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in the House. Chairman
Oberstar is leading this bill and will lead our Nation forward.
Minnesotans are facing the pain, the loss, and the immense
transportation challenges resulting from this bridge collapse. But
every American in every State now feels an unavoidable fear about
everyday risks. This week the phrase ``structurally deficient'' became
part of our Nation's vocabulary. This week millions of Americans use
bridges that have been deemed structurally deficient or, even worse,
functionally obsolete. Imagine trusting your family's safety and well-
being to a bridge that is ``functionally obsolete.''
American families should not have to worry about this. Passage of
this bill will do one small step in rebuilding and uniting a community
and a State, but we must make sure that every American family feels
safe.
Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the
distinguished former Chair of the T&I Committee and the senior
Republican on the T&I Committee, Transportation and Infrastructure, the
gentleman from Alaska (Mr. Young).
(Mr. YOUNG of Alaska asked and was given permission to revise and
extend his remarks.)
Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, I first want to congratulate the
chairman, Mr. Oberstar, and the Minnesota delegation in expediting this
process

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with the leadership of Mr. Mica and the leadership of both sides.
I don't do this often when I say I told you so. As chairman, with Mr.
Oberstar, we tried to put the money in to identify the weaknesses of
the bridges and to repair them, and we were unsuccessful. We ended up
with a $286 billion bill instead of a $375 billion bill.
Mr. and Mrs. America, I believe it is time for us to wake up. We have
to repair our outdated infrastructure, especially our bridges. You have
heard statistics, 11,000 and on and on, how many are deficient. But
there are about 500 in the same shape as the bridge in Minnesota right
now that are a potential death trap to constituencies.
We have to, as a Congress, grasp this problem and, yes, lo and
behold, I would even suggest fund this problem with a tax. May the sky
not fall on me, but with a tax. Make it a 3-year tax. Make it a 5-cent
tax, and they will say we can't do that. But I would suggest
respectfully that the American people will understand the importance if
we fund it and if we address the issue of the bridges. We should do
this.
And maybe this is a wake-up call, and I hope The Post is wrong, that
we all don't go back to sleep and watch football this fall and forget
this tragic accident, because if we do so, then we are not fulfilling
our obligation and our duty.
So I stand here before you today saying I told you so. But I am also
saying let's act as we should to protect our people in every one of our
States.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 10 seconds.
I want to thank the gentleman from Alaska for his leadership on
SAFETEA-LU and for the participation we enjoyed together in crafting
that and previous legislation. I thank him for his comments, with which
I concur.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the Speaker, the
gentlewoman from California.
Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
I thank you, Mr. Oberstar, you and Mr. Mica, for your leadership in
bringing this important legislation to the floor in such an expeditious
manner so we can remove all doubt in anyone's mind in Minnesota that we
are there for them.
A disaster of this kind, I know, coming from California where we have
had our earthquakes and others coming from places that had been struck
by one disaster or another, that people wonder if the compact between
themselves and the government is real, and today you are telling them
that it is so. We can extend all of the sympathy in our hearts to the
people who have lost their loved ones or who have been injured or have
just been struck by the tragedy in such an extraordinary way, but we
also have to not only extend compassion but present assistance. And for
that I want to thank you Mr. Oberstar, and Mr. Walz, Congresswoman
McCollum, Mr. Ellison. My sympathy to you and your constituents for all
that you are suffering, Mr. Peterson, as well from the State of
Minnesota and our Republican colleagues from the State of Minnesota as
well.
Sometimes in the course of events, there comes a coming together of a
person and an event that is almost God given. And I think that is this
case, Mr. Oberstar. No one in the country knows more than you do about
the infrastructure of our country, the needs that we have out there,
and the solutions that are the best ones. We are sad that your State
was stricken, but maybe it is fortuitous for the country because it hit
home for you. The spotlight is on your State. The spotlight is on your
committee as we reach out with this $250 million for the highway
emergency fund. I think that the opportunity that is there and the
knowledge, wisdom, solutions that you know better than anyone will
serve our country very well.
I really appreciated the remarks of the gentleman from Alaska. We do
have to make an investment in our infrastructure. In this case, no
maintenance is the most expensive maintenance, as the people in
Minnesota found out as some of their loved ones paid with their lives.
So we have to figure out a way to pay as we go, no deficit spending,
but understand that a capital budget is necessary to invest in the
infrastructure of our country. It is what we owe the American people.
It is about our environment, by relieving congestion. It is about
quality time for families to spend less time on the roads. And as we
learned, of course, and always knew but what was driven home in
Minnesota, it is about the safety of our people.
Imagine, to be a mom or dad and to have a loved one leave home, a
husband or wife, sister or brother, leave home in the morning or
sometime during the day, of all the things you can protect your
children from, of all the anticipation that you can have, you would
never think, What if the bridge goes down? We want to remove that fear
from America's families.

{time} 1745

I know, Mr. Oberstar, that you are in a position to do so. I'm sure
you will let us know how we can all help. And, Mr. Mica, you as well.
This is bringing us together this evening in a very special way. I hope
it is a comfort to the families who lost their loved ones that so many
people in our country feel this as a personal loss and are praying for
them at this very difficult time.
Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2\1/2\ minutes to
probably one of the most capable and compassionate Members of the House
I know and the senior Republican of the Minnesota delegation, the
gentleman, Mr. Ramstad.
Mr. RAMSTAD. I thank the distinguished ranking member, my friend, for
yielding.
Mr. Speaker, no Minnesotan will ever forget August 1, 2007. No
Minnesotan will ever forget the day the I-35W bridge collapsed into the
Mississippi River. No Minnesotan will forget the tragic loss of life,
the serious injuries, and the incredible devastation caused by the
falling eight-lane bridge. Our thoughts and prayers are with the
victims, the survivors and their families as well as the brave first
responders who have worked night and day on rescue and recovery
operations.
My special thanks go out to the firefighters, the law enforcement
personnel, the EMS personnel as well as the Minnesota National Guard
and countless Good Samaritans for their heroic rescue and recovery
efforts.
A special thanks, Mr. Speaker, to Governor Pawlenty for his great
leadership as well as Hennepin County sheriff Rich Stanek, Minneapolis
mayor R.T. Rybak, Representative Keith Ellison, and the rest of our
Minnesota congressional delegation who have come together. I want to
particularly thank the dean of our delegation, Chairman Jim Oberstar,
for his extraordinary leadership in moving this delegation bill before
the House today.
Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask all of our colleagues for their
overwhelming bipartisan support to pass this crucial bill tonight so we
can authorize funds for emergency repairs and reconstruction of the I-
35 bridge that collapsed last Wednesday. Also, Mr. Speaker, we need the
funds for much-needed emergency relief as well.
At this time of great need, Mr. Speaker, the good people of Minnesota
are very grateful. We thank all of you for your support. We thank the
Nation for their thoughts and prayers. We thank God that we live in a
country where we can come together to help each other at our time of
greatest need.
Mr. OBERSTAR. I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from
Minnesota (Mr. Walz).
Mr. WALZ of Minnesota. I thank the distinguished gentleman, my fellow
Minnesotan, the chairman of Transportation, and, as the Speaker of the
House so aptly put, no one in this country knows more about this issue.
If there's anyone that comes close, it's the distinguished ranking
member from Florida, a gentleman that as sitting on the Transportation
Committee, I've come to see the wisdom of his words and the commitment
to this country's infrastructure. So I think the Speaker of the House
is right, two gentlemen that are showing incredible leadership on this
and that our Nation should feel incredibly proud to have you there. I
thank you both.
A special thank you to all my colleagues in this House. The citizens
of Minnesota in responding to this have witnessed something that I
think most of us here should be incredibly proud of. In less than 48
hours of this tragedy, this body came together, crafted a piece of
legislation to provide relief,

[[Page H9679]]

and is prepared tonight to deliver that forward to them. To the people
who are out there, those citizens, those first responders, our elected
officials, from Governor Pawlenty to Mayor Rybak and right down the
line have been there working together, showing that this great Nation
when we put our mind to it and come together to relieve the suffering
of one another can get exactly that done.
It's with a heavy heart that all of us are here, but it's one of
optimism and forward-looking that we will address the needs of
Minnesota, and, as the distinguished gentleman from Alaska so aptly
put, we're prepared to make sure that this never happens again and
another family never has to find out that a bridge collapsed as their
family members were coming home.
Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2\1/2\ minutes to
another outstanding Member of the Minnesota delegation, Mr. Kline.
Mr. KLINE of Minnesota. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
I want to add my thanks to all of our colleagues here in the House,
the Minnesota delegation certainly, and, of course, as Mr. Ramstad
said, to our dean, the chairman of the Transportation Committee, Mr.
Oberstar.
While reports continue to be updated due to the ongoing recovery
operations, the number of victims is already shocking to us in
Minnesota. But these numbers are not simply statistics that might roll
off the tongue as a footnote to a tragedy which Governor Tim Pawlenty
accurately described as, quote, a catastrophe of historic proportions
for Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, these numbers are people. These numbers are
the family, friends and neighbors who were simply going home to their
loved ones after what appeared to be just another workday. Among the
deceased is a mother of two from Savage, Minnesota, in my congressional
district, and my heart and prayers go to her family and to all the
victims.
Although this is a time of sorrow for many, there are countless
stories emerging already about the generosity and compassion of the
citizens of Minnesota. From organizing blood drives and volunteers, to
caring for the needs of the recovery workers, Minnesotans are going
above and beyond the call of duty.
Mr. Speaker, as the citizens of Minnesota have come together during
this difficult time, my colleagues in the Minnesota delegation and I
remain committed to helping restore the I-35W bridge. Together, we're
working to provide the Federal resources necessary to recover from this
tragedy, and the fine effort brought forward by our chairman, Mr.
Oberstar, putting forth $250 million is so important to us in
Minnesota.
In the wake of this disaster, it is difficult to imagine when all the
questions will be answered, but the day will come when recovery efforts
will be complete, investigations will conclude, and eventually a new I-
35 bridge will reunite the banks of the Mississippi River.
Mr. Speaker, again our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the
victims and their families and with all Minnesotans as we recover and
rebuild. Again, I want to thank the gentleman, the chairman, Mr.
Oberstar, for authoring this legislation.
Mr. OBERSTAR. I would like to inquire how much time remains on both
sides.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Minnesota has 5\1/2\
minutes remaining. The gentleman from Florida has 7 minutes remaining.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Wisconsin, our neighboring State (Mr. Kind).
Mr. KIND. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, 2 days ago our Nation watched with shock and horror as
the I-35 bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.
Many of the residents of my congressional district in western Wisconsin
make a daily commute to their jobs in the twin cities. Many of them
over this very bridge. Their safety and the safety of all of our
residents is our utmost concern. Our thoughts and prayers go out this
evening to the victims of that great tragedy along with their families
and the community.
But at moments of great tragedy, Mr. Speaker, there are also moments
of great triumph, of strangers coming to the aid of strangers, the
first responders answering that emergency call, health care providers
administering first aid and taking care of the injured during this
great tragedy. And now it's our turn. It's our turn as a Nation. It's
our turn as a Congress to come together and make sure we pass this
authorization for the appropriation of funds so we can begin rebuilding
this important bridge but also help the community rebuild and to ensure
that this tragedy is never repeated anywhere else throughout the
country.
I commend the leadership of the Transportation Committee, the
chairman and the ranking member, the members of the committee, but
especially the Minnesota delegation for how they've been able to rally
amongst themselves but also to get this body to come together during
this time of crucial need to do the right thing, step up and to assume
our responsibility as a great Nation and come to the aid of those who
have suffered during this tragedy.
I encourage my colleagues to support this measure.
Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to the newest
Member of the Minnesota delegation, a rising star in Congress, and the
people of Minnesota are very fortunate to have her here at this time
(Mrs. Bachmann).
Mrs. BACHMANN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time
to me.
In what feels now like a lifetime ago but was in fact only 2 days
ago, on August 1, the world changed forever for the people of our State
of Minnesota. Our people witnessed an event so unlikely, the sudden and
complete collapse of nearly 2,000 feet of eight lanes of highway,
propelling nearly 50 cars in midair for a horrific 60-foot plunge into
the currents of the Mississippi River. An event so unlikely that we in
Minnesota collectively remain shocked and filled with sorrow, knowing
the inevitable sad news that is yet to come once our heroic first
responders have freed our fellow Americans who even now as we stand
here remain trapped underwater.
Minnesota needs the help and the prayers of all Americans and we
appreciate the overwhelming support in our time of need. I know I speak
for my husband Marcus and myself. We offer our deepest sympathies, as
does everyone in our delegation, to the family and the friends of those
who were killed.
Mr. Speaker, America believes in extending a helping hand to people
who are in trouble due to no fault of their own, and I want to assure
the residents of Minnesota today that we will have help in cleaning up
and rebuilding. We will have help until the job is done. Because
Congress understands, Republicans, Democrats, we're all Americans in
this and we understand that this is not just an emergency for a day or
for a week. We will provide the support and the work that is necessary
to rebuild the lives and the communities that were damaged until this
tragedy is over. And that is what makes America so great.
This bill is just our first step toward recovery. I thank Chairman
Oberstar for his brilliant work, working around the clock to bring this
to the floor. It's inspiring the way so many have come together and
worked together over these last few days.
I join my colleagues from Minnesota, a great State that each one of
us loves so much, in requesting your support to rebuild this bridge.
Once again, I know we can count on you, the Members of this great
deliberative body, to rebuild the great city of Minneapolis and again
to make it whole.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kagen), a member of the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure.
Mr. KAGEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3311, and
let's build that bridge together. This is an emergency resolution, to
repair and reconstruct a functionally obsolete bridge, the I-35, which
spanned two peoples, brought two peoples together, across a divide.
And much in the same way, isn't it time that we begin to work
together here in Congress? And by working together we will not just
build a bridge across a divide but build a bridge between the parties
which some in our

[[Page H9680]]

land may feel are also functionally obsolete.

{time} 1800

Here in Congress we can build a bridge together, and while we're at
it, let's build a better Nation together as well. Because it's not
about the party you're in, it's about doing the Nation's business and
building a Nation for all of us.
Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to yield 3 minutes to one of the
most distinguished and senior Members, not only in Congress, but the
senior member of the Florida delegation, former chairman of the
Appropriations Committee, Mr. Young, my friend.
Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Florida
for yielding the time to me.
I rise in strong support of the legislation to provide relief in
response to the tragedy surrounding the collapse of Interstate 35W
Bridge spanning the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.
The people in my area of Florida remember this type of grief, and we
share the grief of the people of Minnesota. It was during a violent
storm at 7:38 a.m. the morning of May 9, 1980, that a freighter, the
Summit Venture, slammed into the Sunshine Skyway Bridge which spans
Tampa Bay to connect my district to Manatee County in the south, across
Tampa Bay. Thirty-five people in their vehicles fell more than 1,200
feet into the waters of Tampa Bay that morning, fell to their deaths.
The Sunshine Skyway is a Florida landmark. The scenes of the mangled
bridge missing 1,260 feet of the center span of the southbound lanes of
the bridge was a daily reminder of the tragedy, and we remember, and we
remember for the people of Minnesota.
Only two people survived the accident in Florida, one whose car
skidded to a halt at the bridge's edge and the other who survived his
pick-up truck's fall into the water and swam to safety.
For 7 years, the damaged span stood as a constant reminder. Congress,
however, began the healing process very shortly after that tragedy, as
we do today for the Minnesota tragedy.
I thank and compliment and commend Chairman Oberstar and Mr. Mica, my
good friend and colleague from Florida, who worked so hard on all of
these issues and for moving this legislation quickly in a bipartisan
way to bring support for the people of Minnesota.
The House responded to my request for funding to help rebuild the
Sunshine Skyway Bridge quickly in the same type of fashion. So, as I
said, we remember and we share the grief that you suffer today because
we went through it back in 1980; and this Member stands ready to help
in any way that we can to not only pass this authorization bill but to
pass the appropriations that go along with it.
I thank my friend, Mr. Mica, for yielding the time to me. He is an
outstanding leader in our delegation; and he does, I think, an
exceptional job for all of us.
Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is
remaining?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Florida has 2 minutes
remaining. The gentleman from Minnesota has 2\1/2\ minutes remaining.
Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, I will yield myself the balance of our time.
Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, Mr. Oberstar, I thank you for paying
attention to the important responsibility you have, not only as Chair
of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee but as a good
steward for the people of your State in a time of need.
And, you know, it's amazing what we can do in this House. It's
absolutely incredible. Mr. Young has been here for many years, and I
have always looked up to him as one of our leaders. We started some
years ago, senior to me, but I followed his career and what he has been
able to do on a bipartisan basis.
And when we do have an emergency, whether it's 9/11 or whether it's a
bridge that collapses in Minnesota, it's amazing what this House of
Representatives can do when it comes together in a bipartisan fashion.
That tragedy just occurred a matter of hours ago, and here we are, in
our system, working together, helping those people. We're not going to
solve this all by the Federal Government; and, as I said, this is only
an authorization. But people are in need, and we came together, as this
body is designed to do.
But, as I said, the bridge is just the tip of the iceberg, so to
speak. Our Nation's infrastructure is collapsing. Our Nation's
infrastructure is obsolete. We have got to come together.
We came together, Mr. Oberstar and I, with a Water Resources bill
that hadn't been passed in 7 years, but we brought it here, it is now
pending final approval, to build the Nation's dams and infrastructure,
also important. And we see that if you don't pay now, you will pay
later.
So we can do this. We can make the investment to build the
infrastructure that makes our economy grow, that makes this a great
country and allows free enterprise to give us the great life that we've
had in this wonderful country.
So I look forward, Mr. Oberstar, to finalizing this with you and
helping the people in this time of need and also in taking on a
leadership position as we make the investment in our country that is so
necessary in our infrastructure.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of our time.
I think the applause on our side for all of the speakers shows the
depth of feeling, the depth of appreciation that the Minnesota
delegation feels toward each other, toward others in the body who have
spoken tonight, toward our ranking member, Mr. Mica, to whom, once
again, I express my appreciation for the responsiveness and to prompt
action on this matter.
And to the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Young, I remember so well the
Sunshine Skyway Bridge tragedy and later included it in a hearing that
then Mr. Clinger, my ranking member on the Investigation and Oversight
Subcommittee, held hearings that included that tragedy. I was here to
vote on the funding for that restoration of that bridge, and I
appreciate the gentleman's recollection.
We will look back, I guess, in a few days, on this moment as a
welcome respite from the cacophony of dissidence that we have heard in
the last several hours in this body. Unfortunately, tragedy, loss of
life and injury has brought us together, but it shows the greatness of
this House of Representatives, that it can come together and find
common cause and move ahead.
I hope that respite from cacophony will prevail in the other body as
we send this legislation forward and that there will not be, as has
been threatened, procedural issues raised or jurisdictional matters
that may be raised that might deter a provision of this legislation to
provide respite from the congestion that will result in the
reconstruction of this bridge and that already is occurring in the city
of Minneapolis.
The House provided respite for Oakland, San Francisco in the collapse
of the 580 and 880 structures just earlier this year, in April. We
provide almost identical language and support in this legislation. I
just hope the other body will not raise objections and move this
legislation forward, because those are relatively minor matters that be
can resolved in the management by DOT of that transit language.
I want to thank all our colleagues for the dignity of this discussion
tonight and for the support expressed for the people of Minnesota by
the rest of the Nation. We thank you, thank all our colleagues, and we
ask for a wholehearted vote in support of this legislation.
Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the
good people of Minnesota who have banded together to begin the healing
process. When that bridge fell, every citizen of my State felt the
grief and the pain together. It has certainly been a difficult couple
of days for everyone, but I am so proud of the first responders, of the
volunteers, and of my colleagues here in the House. I'd like to give a
special thanks to Chairman Oberstar, for acting so quickly. He has
represented Minnesota, and the House, very well. I'd also like to say
that Representative Ellison has done a remarkable job in representing
his district during these last 48 hours.
It is a shame that it sometimes takes the worst events to bring out
the best in people, but I am so proud of the wonderful actions
Minnesotans have taken to help the victims of

[[Page H9681]]

the I35W bridge. I think the people involved in the recovery actions
have truly demonstrated the incredible character of Minnesota's
citizens.
Nothing can replace what was lost on Wednesday. No amount of money
will do that. Neither will a new bridge. But this bill is a strong step
on the road to healing. Thank you Chairman Oberstar, thank you to the
members of the Minnesota Delegation and thank you to all my colleagues
who have helped support the citizens of my State.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Oberstar) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3311, as amended.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, this 15-
minute vote on the motion to suspend will be followed by a 5-minute
vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 421,
nays 0, not voting 11, as follows:

[Roll No. 819]

YEAS--421

Abercrombie
Ackerman
Aderholt
Akin
Alexander
Allen
Altmire
Andrews
Arcuri
Baca
Bachmann
Bachus
Baird
Baker
Baldwin
Barrett (SC)
Barrow
Bartlett (MD)
Barton (TX)
Bean
Becerra
Berkley
Berman
Berry
Biggert
Bilbray
Bilirakis
Bishop (GA)
Bishop (NY)
Blackburn
Blumenauer
Blunt
Boehner
Bonner
Bono
Boozman
Boren
Boswell
Boucher
Boustany
Boyd (FL)
Boyda (KS)
Brady (PA)
Brady (TX)
Braley (IA)
Broun (GA)
Brown (SC)
Brown, Corrine
Brown-Waite, Ginny
Buchanan
Burgess
Burton (IN)
Butterfield
Buyer
Calvert
Camp (MI)
Campbell (CA)
Cannon
Cantor
Capito
Capps
Capuano
Cardoza
Carnahan
Carney
Carson
Carter
Castle
Castor
Chabot
Chandler
Clay
Clyburn
Coble
Cohen
Cole (OK)
Conaway
Conyers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Courtney
Cramer
Crowley
Cubin
Cuellar
Culberson
Cummings
Davis (AL)
Davis (CA)
Davis (IL)
Davis, David
Davis, Lincoln
Davis, Tom
Deal (GA)
DeFazio
DeGette
Delahunt
DeLauro
Dent
Diaz-Balart, L.
Diaz-Balart, M.
Dicks
Dingell
Doggett
Donnelly
Doolittle
Doyle
Drake
Dreier
Duncan
Edwards
Ehlers
Ellison
Ellsworth
Emanuel
Emerson
Engel
English (PA)
Eshoo
Etheridge
Everett
Fallin
Farr
Fattah
Ferguson
Filner
Flake
Forbes
Fortenberry
Fossella
Foxx
Frank (MA)
Franks (AZ)
Frelinghuysen
Gallegly
Garrett (NJ)
Gerlach
Giffords
Gilchrest
Gillibrand
Gillmor
Gingrey
Gohmert
Gonzalez
Goode
Goodlatte
Gordon
Granger
Graves
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hall (NY)
Hall (TX)
Hare
Harman
Hastert
Hastings (FL)
Hastings (WA)
Heller
Hensarling
Herger
Herseth Sandlin
Higgins
Hill
Hinchey
Hinojosa
Hirono
Hobson
Hodes
Hoekstra
Holden
Holt
Honda
Hooley
Hoyer
Hulshof
Hunter
Inglis (SC)
Inslee
Israel
Issa
Jackson (IL)
Jackson-Lee (TX)
Jefferson
Jindal
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (IL)
Johnson, E. B.
Jones (NC)
Jones (OH)
Jordan
Kagen
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Keller
Kennedy
Kildee
Kilpatrick
Kind
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kingston
Kirk
Klein (FL)
Kline (MN)
Knollenberg
Kucinich
Kuhl (NY)
LaHood
Lamborn
Lampson
Langevin
Lantos
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Latham
LaTourette
Lee
Levin
Lewis (GA)
Lewis (KY)
Linder
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Loebsack
Lofgren, Zoe
Lowey
Lucas
Lungren, Daniel E.
Lynch
Mack
Mahoney (FL)
Maloney (NY)
Manzullo
Marchant
Markey
Marshall
Matheson
Matsui
McCarthy (CA)
McCarthy (NY)
McCaul (TX)
McCollum (MN)
McCotter
McCrery
McDermott
McGovern
McHenry
McHugh
McIntyre
McKeon
McMorris Rodgers
McNerney
McNulty
Meek (FL)
Meeks (NY)
Melancon
Mica
Michaud
Miller (FL)
Miller (MI)
Miller (NC)
Miller, Gary
Miller, George
Mitchell
Mollohan
Moore (KS)
Moore (WI)
Moran (KS)
Moran (VA)
Murphy (CT)
Murphy, Patrick
Murphy, Tim
Murtha
Musgrave
Myrick
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal (MA)
Neugebauer
Nunes
Oberstar
Obey
Olver
Ortiz
Pallone
Pascrell
Pastor
Payne
Pearce
Pence
Perlmutter
Peterson (MN)
Peterson (PA)
Petri
Pickering
Pitts
Platts
Poe
Pomeroy
Porter
Price (GA)
Price (NC)
Pryce (OH)
Putnam
Radanovich
Rahall
Ramstad
Rangel
Regula
Rehberg
Reichert
Renzi
Reyes
Reynolds
Rodriguez
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rogers (MI)
Rohrabacher
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross
Rothman
Roybal-Allard
Royce
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Ryan (WI)
Salazar
Sali
Sanchez, Linda T.
Sanchez, Loretta
Sarbanes
Saxton
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schmidt
Schwartz
Scott (GA)
Scott (VA)
Sensenbrenner
Serrano
Sessions
Sestak
Shadegg
Shays
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Shimkus
Shuler
Shuster
Simpson
Sires
Skelton
Slaughter
Smith (NE)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (TX)
Smith (WA)
Snyder
Solis
Souder
Space
Spratt
Stark
Stearns
Stupak
Sullivan
Sutton
Tancredo
Tanner
Tauscher
Taylor
Terry
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thornberry
Tiahrt
Tiberi
Tierney
Towns
Turner
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Upton
Van Hollen
Velazquez
Visclosky
Walberg
Walden (OR)
Walsh (NY)
Walz (MN)
Wamp
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson
Watt
Waxman
Weiner
Welch (VT)
Weldon (FL)
Weller
Westmoreland
Wexler
Whitfield
Wicker
Wilson (NM)
Wilson (OH)
Wilson (SC)
Wolf
Woolsey
Wu
Wynn
Yarmuth
Young (AK)
Young (FL)

NOT VOTING--11

Bishop (UT)
Clarke
Cleaver
Crenshaw
Davis (KY)
Davis, Jo Ann
Feeney
Hayes
Johnson, Sam
Lewis (CA)
Paul

{time} 1830

Mr. HALL of Texas, Mrs. CUBIN, Mr. SHERMAN, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. SALI
changed their vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and
the bill, as amended, was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Stated for:
Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 819, I was
unavoidably detained dealing with a serious health issue with my ill
mother who is being prepared for movement to a long-term care facility;
had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

____________________