Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this final FY 08 Transportation-HUD Appropriations Conference Report for the key infrastructure investments it makes and the housing support it provides.
In the aftermath of the I-35 bridge collapse in Minneapolis this summer, it should be clear to every American that we can no longer afford the Bush Administration’s policy of deferring needed maintenance to our nation’s infrastructure — or shrink from the infrastructure investments necessary for the safe and vibrant America we are committed to building in the 21st century.
That’s why this bill invests $40.2 billion to improve and maintain our nation’s highways, including an additional $1 billion to ensure the safety of our bridges. Additionally, we allocate $9.65 billion to the Federal Transit Administration for capital improvements to our commuter and light rail systems in order to encourage the use of mass transit, alleviate traffic congestion and reduce pollution. We wisely reject President Bush’s effort to bankrupt Amtrak and instead provide $1.45 billon to support our national rail system and the 24 million passengers it serves. And we provide $3.5 billion for vital airport modernization initiatives designed to expand airport capacity, make critical safety improvements and expand noise mitigation efforts.
On the housing front, we fund 15,500 new vouchers for vulnerable populations like low-income families, homeless veterans and the disabled. We spend $145 million — or $29 million over the President’s request — to protect children from lead poisoning. We invest $3.79 billion in the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program to revitalize neighborhoods across the nation. And we allocate $200 million to the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation for its work counseling the estimated 2.5 million homeowners at risk of foreclosure as a consequence of the ongoing subprime mortgage crisis.
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to support this conference report, and I yield back the balance of my time.