| 00:00:04 | FLOOR. |
| 00:00:05 | MR. WHITEHOUSE: MR. PRESIDENT? |
| 00:00:06 | THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE SNOER FROM RHODE ISLAND. |
| 00:00:07 | MR. |
| 00:00:08 | WHITEHOUSE: THANK YOU, MR. |
| 00:00:09 | PRESIDENT. I AM DELIGHTED TO FOLLOW MY COLLEAGUE FROM LOUISIANA BECAUSE I'M RISING THIS EVENING TO TALK ABOUT A BILL THAT SHE HAS PUT AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF EFFORT INTO, AND SHE'S REALLY HAD A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE SUGGESTION OF THE BILL THAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT. |
| 00:00:30 | WE HAVE A BILL IN CONGRESS THAT IS PERHAPS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT JOBS BILL THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO PASS IN THIS SESSION. |
| 00:00:43 | IT'S DESCRIBED AS PRODUCING 2. |
| 00:00:47 | 9 MILLION JOBS. |
| 00:00:52 | NEARLY THREE MILLION JOBS. |
| 00:00:53 | RHODE ISLAND IS A RELATIVELY SMALL STATE, BUT IT MEANS 9,000 JOBS IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND. |
| 00:01:02 | WE HAVE ABOUT 60-SOME THOUSAND PEOPLE OUT OF WORK RIGHT NOW IN RHODE ISLAND. |
| 00:01:09 | 9,000 TAKES A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF THOSE FOLKS AND ENABLES THEM TO GET TO WORK. |
| 00:01:13 | IT IS A SERIOUS JOBS BILL. |
| 00:01:16 | IT ALSO WENT THROUGH A COMPLETELY IMPECCABLE PROCESS HERE IN THE SENATE. |
| 00:01:25 | IT PASSED OUT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND PUCK WORKS COMMITTEE -- AND PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE WITH THE STRONG SUPPORT OF OUR CHAIRMAN BARBARA BOXER AND THE EQUALLY STRONG SUPPORT OF HER RANKING MEMBER, SENATOR INHOFE OF OKLAHOMA. |
| 00:01:37 | THEY COME FROM QUITE DIFFERENT POLITICAL PERSUASIONS, BUT THEY WERE TOGETHER ON THIS BILL, AND IT PASSED UNANIMOUSLY OUT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE. |
| 00:01:48 | IT CAME TO THE FLOOR. |
| 00:01:50 | WE HAD A COMPLETELY OPEN PROCESS ON THE FLOOR. |
| 00:01:53 | IT SPENT FIVE WEEKS ON THIS FLOOR BEING DISCUSSED, DEBATED AND AMENDED. |
| 00:01:59 | AND IT WAS QUITE THOROUGHLY AMENDED. |
| 00:02:02 | THERE WERE MORE THAN 40 AMENDMENTS THAT WERE EITHER VOTED ON OR ACCEPTED WHILE IT WAS HERE AND ON THE FLOOR. |
| 00:02:10 | SO FROM A PROCESS POINT OF VIEW, IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT EVERYBODY HOPES FOR IN A PIECE OF LEGISLATION. |
| 00:02:17 | AND IT PASSED OUT OF THE SENATE WITH 74 SENATORS VOTING FOR IT, A 75th WHO WOULD VOTED FOR IT BUT HAD TO BE AWAY IN HIS HOME STATE. |
| 00:02:27 | SO THE FINAL TALLY IN EFFECT WOULD BE 75-22, A LANDSLIDE BIPARTISAN VOTE. |
| 00:02:35 | A JOBS BILL THAT PASSED WITH AN IMPECCABLE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND PRODUCED A LANDSLIDE BIPARTISAN VOTE. |
| 00:02:44 | WHAT IS THAT BILL? |
| 00:02:46 | IT'S THE HIGHWAY BILL. |
| 00:02:47 | IT'S THE BILL THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON NOW IN CONGRESS SINCE THE DAYS OF THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY SYSTEM UNDER PRESIDENT EISENHOWER. |
| 00:02:56 | IT'S NOT COMPLICATED. |
| 00:02:59 | EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS IT. |
| 00:03:00 | AND THREE MILLION JOBS DEPEND ON ITS PASSAGE. |
| 00:03:06 | UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S SNARLED UP FOR REASONS THAT ARE HARD TO EXPLAIN OVER IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. |
| 00:03:12 | THE SPEAKER HAS NOT CALLED UP THIS BIPARTISAN, VERY WELL-REGARDED SENATE BILL. |
| 00:03:18 | IT HAS SUPPORT OUTSIDE THIS INSTITUTION FROM EVERYBODY FROM THE UNITED STATES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO THE LABORS INTERNATIONAL UNION. |
| 00:03:25 | IT HAS ENVIRONMENTALIST SUPPORT. |
| 00:03:28 | THIS IS A BILL THAT'S NOT BEING HELD UP IN THE HOUSE BECAUSE THERE IS AN IMPORTANT INTEREST THAT WAS OVERLOOKED OR THAT HAS -- THAT IS AN ADVERSARY TO IT. |
| 00:03:41 | IT'S JUST BEING HELD UP FOR, I DON'T KNOW. |
| 00:03:43 | I WOULD SAY WASHINGTON INSIDER REASONS, HAVING TO DO WITH THE POLITICS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. |
| 00:03:50 | BUT WHEN THERE ARE THREE MILLION JOBS AT STAKE, THAT'S A REAL SHAME. |
| 00:03:54 | AND IT STARTED TO BE NOTICED BY, FOR INSTANCE, THE RATING AGENCIES. |
| 00:04:01 | STANDARD & POOR'S JUST PUBLISHED ON APRIL 2 A REPORT ENTITLED "INCREASINGLY UNPREDICTABLE FEDERAL FUNDING COULD STALL U. |
| 00:04:13 | S. TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. |
| 00:04:14 | " WELL, WHEN YOU STALL U. |
| 00:04:17 | S. TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, YOU KILL JOBS. |
| 00:04:21 | AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. |
| 00:04:23 | HERE'S HOW THEY DESCRIBE IT: "CURRENTLY THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BILL REMAINS MIRED IN UNCERTAINTY. |
| 00:04:30 | HOLDUPS IN FUNDING REAUTHORIZATIONS, AND/OR SIGNIFICANT CUTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAMS ARE DELAYING SOME PROJECTS AND FORCING OTHERS TO BE SCALED BACK. |
| 00:04:41 | " DELAYING SOME PROJECTS MEANS TAKING AWAY JOBS. |
| 00:04:44 | FORCING OTHERS TO BE SCALED BACK MEANS TAKING AWAY JOBS. |
| 00:04:48 | HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED AS THEY DESCRIBE IT: "WITH THE MARCH 31 EXPIRATION OF THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND LOOMING, CONGRESS PASSED ON MARCH 29, LAST MINUTE, YET ANOTHER EXTENSION TO FUND U. |
| 00:05:05 | S. HIGHWAY PROGRAMS. |
| 00:05:06 | THIS LATEST CONTINUING RESOLUTION, THE NINTH, PROVIDES FUNDING THROUGH JUNE 30, 2012. |
| 00:05:14 | AS CONSTRUCTION SEASON BEGINS IN THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE COUNTRY, THIS CONTINUING UNCERTAINTY IN FUNDING COULD FORCE STATES TO DELAY PROJECTS RATHER THAN RISK FUNDING CHANGES OR POLITICAL GRIDLOCK COME JULY. |
| 00:05:30 | " AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING IN RHODE ISLAND AND IN MANY OTHER STATES. |
| 00:05:34 | I WAS HOME OVER OUR RECESS. |
| 00:05:35 | I MET WITH OUR VERY CAPABLE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION, MICHAEL LEWIS. |
| 00:05:39 | HE SERVED UNDER REPUBLICAN AND INDEPENDENT ADMINISTRATIONS. |
| 00:05:44 | HE SAYS I'VE GOT A LIST, SHELDON. |
| 00:05:46 | I'VE GOT A LIST OF ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WE WANT TO GET DONE THIS SUMMER, IN THE SUMMER HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION SEASON. |
| 00:05:53 | YOU CAN'T BUILD HIGHWAYS IN THE WINTER IN RHODE ISLAND AND IN WHICH OF THE COUNTRY -- AND IN MUCH OF THE COUNTRY. |
| 00:05:59 | SO THE WORK HAS TO BE DONE IN THE SUMMER CONSTRUCTION SEASON. |
| 00:06:04 | HE SAYS HERE'S MY LIST. |
| 00:06:06 | IF WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH THIS EXTENSION, IF WE DON'T FIND OUT UNTIL MAYBE THE 4th OF JULY WHAT KIND OF MONEY WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD THESE PROJECTS, HE SAID I CAN'T TAKE CHANCES. |
| 00:06:16 | I'VE GOT TO START DROPPING PROJECTS OFF MY LIST. |
| 00:06:21 | AND EVERY ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT FALLS OFF HIS LIST IS JOBS. |
| 00:06:25 | EVERY PROJECT THAT FALLS OFF HIS LIST IS ANNOYED RHODE ISLANDER. |
| 00:06:30 | HE ESTIMATED -- IS AN UNEMPLOYED RHODE ISLANDER. |
| 00:06:39 | WHEN PEOPLE SAY WE'VE EXTENDED THE HIGHWAY PROGRAM UNTIL JUNE 30, DON'T BUY IT. |
| 00:06:44 | THAT IS NOT A NEUTRAL ACT. |
| 00:06:45 | THAT IS A HARMFUL ACT. |
| 00:06:47 | THAT COST 1,000 JOBS JUST IN RHODE ISLAND. |
| 00:06:49 | IF IT'S EXTENDED FURTHER, THE PROBLEM GETS EVEN WORSE. |
| 00:06:53 | WE CANNOT TOLERATE THESE CONTINUED EXTENSIONS. |
| 00:06:55 | WE'VE GOT TO GET ACTION ON A LONG-TERM AUTHORIZATION. |
| 00:06:59 | AND TO GO BACK TO THE STANDARD & POOR'S REPORT, HERE'S WHAT THEY SAY, "ONCE A LONG-TERM AUTHORIZATION IS APPROVED, WE BELIEVE IT WILL PROVIDE AN IMPETUS FOR TRANSPORTATION AGENCIES TO RECONSIDER HIGH-PRIORITY PROJECTS THAT HAD BEEN SHELVED BECAUSE OF LACK OF FUNDING. |
| 00:07:19 | " THOSE HIGH-PRIORITY PROJECTS THAT HAD BEEN SHELVED BECAUSE OF LACK OF FUNDING, WHEN THEY GET TAKEN OFF THE SHELF AND PUT INTO THE STREET THAT,'S JOBS. |
| 00:07:29 | THAT'S WHY THIS IS A THREE MILLION JOBS BILL NEARLY. |
| 00:07:31 | BUT THEY SAY IF THE AUTHORIZATION IS EXTENDED BY EVEN MORE CONTINUING RESOLUTIONS, SUCH HIGH-PRIORITY PROJECTS WILL REMAIN IN LIMBO. |
| 00:07:41 | SO, I INTEND TO COME TO THE FLOOR AS OFTEN AS I CAN. |
| 00:07:45 | I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER COLLEAGUES WHO WANT TO COME TO THE FLOOR. |
| 00:07:48 | WE WANT TO COME EVERY DAY. |
| 00:07:49 | WE WANT TO SET UP A DAILY DRUM BEAT OF ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT A THREE MILLION JOBS BILL IS BEING HELD HOSTAGE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BY THE REPUBLICAN SPEAKER FOR POLITICAL WASHINGTON INSIDER REASONS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MERITS. |
| 00:08:06 | THIS IS A BILL THAT EVERYBODY IS FOR. |
| 00:08:08 | AND TO CONTINUE TO URGE THAT THE SPEAKER TAKE UP THE BIPARTISAN, FULLY PAID FOR, WIDELY SUPPORTED, VERY WELL-LEGISLATED SENATE MAP 21 HIGHWAY BILL. |
| 00:08:24 | THREE MILLION JOBS FEND ON IT. |
| 00:08:27 | -- THREE MILLION JOBS DEPEND ON IT. |
| 00:08:29 | I'M HERE TO URGE THE SPEAKER TO DO HIS JOB AND I YIELD THE FLOOR. |
| 00:08:33 | MS. LANDRIEU: WOULD THE SENATOR YIELD FOR A QUESTION? |
| 00:08:35 | MR. WHITEHOUSE: GLADLY. |
| 00:08:36 | MS. LANDRIEU: I HAD A GROUP FROM LOUISIANA IN MY OFFICE ON THE SAME SUBJECT, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP. |
| 00:08:42 | IT WAS A GROUP OF THE AMERICAN ENGINEERING SOCIETY THAT WAS HERE IN WASHINGTON TODAY. |
| 00:08:47 | I DON'T KNOW IF THE SENATOR HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH SUCH A GROUP. |
| 00:08:51 | BUT HAVE OTHER GROUPS COME BY YOUR OFFICE TO EXPRESS, AS THIS GROUP |
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