mr. mica: yes. i wish i didn't have that honor, but as the gentleman who just spoke who is now our chairman was the chairman of aviation when i came to congress and met -- met him first in 1993, he knows the importance of getting this authorization done. now, meanwhile back at the ranch, madam speaker, and members of congress, the f.a.a. bill that the house passed last may has been over in the other body being considered. of course other things have gotten in the way. finally i believe last night they passed the f.a.a. bill. but they -- the other body didn't use our legislation that we had passed in may. they took a ways and means bill and they tacked on the provision that is they want and it's coming back to the house of representatives and scheduled tentatively scheduled before the rules committee is that full bill. what we are debating here now is just an extension to get us to july 3 because they are sending back, they are playing a little bit of games with the entire bill. they took our bill ou

oberstar, and mr. mica, for their great service. and there's too many. mr. coble for his support on a bipartisan basis. their leadership is just critical in resolving this problem. h.r. 4786 a is -- is a simple, commonsense bill. employees were forced out of their job for two days because of political gamesmanship on the other side of the capitol. the federal highway administration, the motor carrier safety administration, the national highway traffic administration and the research and innovative technology administration were furloughed through no fault of their own. they became victims of an arcane practice in the upper chamber that i laos one member's objection irrespective of merit to grind to a halt the work of the american people. as my colleagues recall, an objection by one senator from kentucky led to the lapse of authorization for the highway trust fund, despite the objections of 21 of his republican colleagues, a majority of the republican caucus who supported the ultimate extension on a 78-19 vote. this bill does two simple things. it authorizes

mr. mica: thank you, mr. speaker. i want to thank my ranking member of our subcommittee for yielding me the time. then i want to turn my attention to thanking mr. thompson, the gentleman from mississippi, for his authorship of this legislation. also, mrs. norton from the district for her co-sponsorship and sponsorship of this legislation. on behalf of all the republicans, i'm fortunate to be the republican leader of the transportation and pin fra structure committee -- and infrastructure committee, proud of the work of the subcommittee in bringing forth this legislation to honor three young heroes, three brave students who, in the summer of 1964, instead of playing games and doing whatever young people do that summer, they chose to become engaged in the civil rights movement, in signing up people who previously hadn't had the ability to vote to exercise their constitutional right. you know, most young people today wouldn't know the names of james chaney, andrew goodman and michael schwerner. this is 46 years ago. 46 y

mr. mica. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida is recognized for three minutes. mr. mica: my state with 11.8% unemployment, one of the top 10 unemployment states in the united states, i would love to come before the congress and say pass this bill titled the jobs bill, but i can't do that today for several reasons. first of all, let me say that those who have come before us and said that just getting more money even in a short-term transportation bill will get things going don't know the facts. over one year ago when we passed $48 billion in stimulus money that went to the department of transportation that so far as of march 2 only $8.8 billion has been spent. this is not a six-year bill we're passing, and that's what we should be doing to ensure that states can do long-term projects, not just repaving sidewalks and simple things that we've seen done. this bill does not contain elimination of the red tape and the hoops that states have to go through for compliance to do a projec

mr. mica the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida is recognized for three minutes. mr. mica: my state with 11.8% unemployment, one of the top 10 unemployment states in the united states, i would love to come before the congress and say pass this bill titled the jobs bill, but i can't do that today for several reasons. first of all, let me say that those who have come before us and said that just getting more money even in a short-term transportation bill will get things going don't know the facts. over one year ago when we passed $48 billion in stimulus money that went to the department of transportation that so far as of march 2 only $8.8 billion has been spent. this is not a six-year bill we're passing, and that's what we should be doing to ensure that states can do long-term projects, not just repaving sidewalks and simple things that we've seen done. this bill does not contain elimination of the red tape and the hoops that states have to go through for compliance to do a project

my colleague and partner on this endeavor in the committee and mr. micaas right we had a bipartisan agreement in this committee in december 2008. we had in december 2007 and through much of the year but when the committee's work got swallowed up in a much bigger package and our work was diminished both in size and comparison we had some falloff understandable. >> for the record i might say we also had an agreement on a six year reauthorization bill and were prepared to move forward with that and niche in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion to move forward and other factors intervened. >> until we ran into the can do administration that didn't believe in it. you don't have to say that. i did. [laughter] there's always hope for change. thank you. >> it's coming. under previous agreement we have two minutes for subcommittee chair ranking member ms. johnson welcome, despite your new meckler. >> it will be off soon. >> that's good news. >> for thursday. it's been on since january 4th. i am truly tired of my partner. mr. chairman and ranking member think you for ho

mr. mica: thank you. thank you for yielding.up and talk on the rule here that is before us that would allow the so-called jobs bill to move forward. i had to think long and hard about my position on this because i do favor every opportunity to increase jobs. i have one county with nearly 18% unemployment. florida is in the top 10 with 10 states with unemployment, with 11.8%. and i understand we are going to get some even grimmer news tomorrow on the job front nationally. i have to oppose the rule and reluctantly i'm going to oppose the bill. many people because i'm the republican leader of the transportation committee has asked me how i'm going to vote on the final bill and final passage and it's a reluctant no and let me tell you why. the substance of my opposition really lies in what the rules committee did. if we ever needed a time to amend, we should have had an opportunity to amend this. and we have time to send it back to the senate. the previous speaker, a democrat from the other side of the aisle, i believe the gentleman

mr. micahe speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida is recognized for three minutes. mr. mica: my state with 11.8% unemployment, one of the top 10 unemployment states in the united states, i would love to come before the congress and say pass this bill titled the jobs bill, but i can't do that today for several reasons. first of all, let me say that those who have come before us and said that just getting more money even in a short-term transportation bill will get things going don't know the facts. over one year ago when we passed $48 billion in stimulus money that went to the department of transportation that so far as of march 2 only $8.8 billion has been spent. this is not a six-year bill we're passing, and that's what we should be doing to ensure that states can do long-term projects, not just repaving sidewalks and simple things that we've seen done. this bill does not contain elimination of the red tape and the hoops that states have to go through for compliance to do a project.

the state of florida and i know you already heard it from mr. mica. the state of florida if i'm not mistaken, made multiple requests, bhutto's 150 projects in florida. that included local government and ask d.o.t. the requested only for projects. in florida, which is in the top ten of unemployment numbers, received zero money from t.i.g.e.r. is that correct? >> that's correct. >> so you could not find one project in florida, someone not qualified for t.i.g.e.r. grants. >> no, sir. there were worthy project that did not get funded. and as i mentioned only about 3% of the projects were able to. i would point out that economically distressed areas is something we've paid close attention to. you previously thought if i'd are mr. mica about state unemployment answers. especially the large states, the unemployment varies in different parts of the state. we're tried to the event on the particular pocket of higher distress through the economically distressed areas. as i previously testified, 60% of the projects went to economically distressed areas. >> i unde

dreier: drished ranking member of the transportation committee, mr. mica. mr. mica: thank you, mr.speaker, i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in opposition to this flawed health bill. thank you. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. dreier: the gentlewoman from ohio, mrs. schmidt. mrs. schmidt: mr. speaker, i have ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in opposition to this flawed health care bill. mr. dreier: the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. shuster. mr. shuster: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in opposition to this flawed health bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. dreier: the gentleman from newport beach, mr. campbell. mr. campbell: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks in opposition to this flawed health care bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. dreier: the gentleman from dallas, mr. hensarling. mr. hensarling: meeping -- mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent to revise and extends my remarks in opposition to this flawed health ca

at this time, i would ask without objection the statement of mr. micanior republican on this committee. he had to be out of town and give his concurrence proceeding with the hearing without his presence. his statement will be on the record in full. today's hearing will focus on the work of the federal highway administration, trance, fixed guideway, wastewater trigger programs. but there's also and truck, which i started work on $1.1 billion which is 82% of amtrak's funding. those investments will result in the replacement of 80,000 concretize. restoration to service 60 and fleet passenger cars. twenty-one super liners, 15 locomotives and the improvement of 270 passenger stations. faa has completed work or is work underway on 94% of its $1.2 billion, 663 projects. those projects went up so fast because of the unique contract team authority aviation agencies, airport authorities who can advertise, award bids but withhold work on the project until the funding is available, were able to get further ahead of the work than the transportation agencies. so thos

mr. stearns: i would like to thank chairman filner and ranking member buyer, as well as chairman mica and member brown of the subcommittee on health for bringing this bill forward. i urge my colleagues to support h.r. 4810 and do their part -- do their part to ensure that not a single one of the brave men and women who fight in uniform to defend our rights come home to a life without a job and a home. madam speaker, i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida yields back the balance of his time. the gentleman from california. mr. filner: thank you, madam speaker. a famous president once said that we have nothing to fear but fear itself. the deputy ranking member, i didn't know we had such a title, is spreading fear. i'd just like to make it clear to every veteran, every family veteran and all-american -- and all americans, there will be no reduction of any benefits, of any veteran in the veterans health care system. there will be no taxes or reduction of services. let me make that clear. madam speaker, i'd like to all members may have five legi