FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2011

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

My amendment is fairly straightforward. We all understand that small businesses are critical to the economic vitality of our communities and of the Nation. Small businesses, however, face many obstacles in trying to win Federal contracts, especially for transportation and infrastructure projects. For certain small businesses, those led by minorities, women, and veterans, the barriers to competing for federally funded contracts are even steeper, and for many years now Federal transportation legislation has included language to help these businesses even get in the door much less compete for and win these contracts.

I would submit to you that this is very noncontroversial. There are no quotas. There is no spending.

Mr. PETRI. Will the gentlewoman yield?

Ms. MOORE. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mr. PETRI. I thank my colleague from Wisconsin for yielding. And if I might take this occasion to be one of the first to wish her a happy birthday. A big milestone is coming up very shortly, and I congratulate you on reaching it.

We have reviewed your amendment on this side of the aisle, and we agree with you. We feel it is an important amendment and support it.

Ms. MOORE. I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin.

This bill, as I understand it, will authorize $47.5 billion over the next 4 years to improve our Nation's aviation system; and we all want small businesses to be able to fairly compete for that piece of the pie, because we know they can.

I yield to the gentleman from West Virginia, the ranking member.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. MOORE. Mr. Chair, this amendment encourages the development of aerotropolis transportation zones.

Let me start out by congratulating and thanking the committee for including the Cohen amendment in the underlying bill, which would direct the FAA to adopt policies that encourage the development of aerotropolis transportation zones.

I mean, no airport exists in isolation. There are cases where targeted investments in the intermodal transportation system would significantly benefit the airport and make it more profitable, and all other users would need to think about how to do that in the future and make these airports the hubs of their activities.

I so appreciate Mr. Cohen's leadership on this, and recognize the value in his new way of looking at our Nation's airports and the value that that brings to us.

My amendment goes one step further by giving the administration explicit authority to participate in helping to fund aerotropolis projects that he finds would significantly benefit the participating airport. It builds on Mr. Cohen's efforts by making it clear that the administrator can authorize demonstration projects but only if an airport authority makes a convincing case that it has a project that will result in clear benefits to the airport.

Now, a little birdie told me that there will be some objection to this proposal based on the supposition that I'm arguing for a sudden shift in airport funding to be used for other transportation modes. No, no, no. That's not what I'm trying to do. I recognize that airports have a unique need and deserve a sustainable and dedicated stream of funding. What I am saying is, as to that same funding stream, when there are times that intermodal transportation will benefit an airport--maybe bring it back to life and increase profits for it--we should look at it.

I wish my colleague from Memphis, Tennessee, were here, but just let me tell you a little bit about my district, Mr. Chairman.

I live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Our airport is only 90 miles from O'Hare, a global network. The deepest part of Lake Michigan, our port, is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We have lots of parcels of land available for trucking and storage. Our Governor, our very popular Governor, Scott Walker, who just turned down $810 million for high-speed rail, now wants $150 million to improve the Hiawatha between Chicago and Milwaukee. We're only 90 miles from O'Hare, which is overcrowded. So I think the aerotropolis concept could improve the profitability of that airport.

I reserve the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. MOORE. In reclaiming my time, I would just say I really appreciate the generous offer of the gentleman, the chair of the committee, to work with me on it. I think a demonstration project would have accorded us an opportunity to show you this, but I am sure that this is so profitable that many places, like Milwaukee, will continue to work on this.

So I would be willing to withdraw this amendment at this time if you would be willing to work with me toward improving the language and process through which this could be realized.

I reserve the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source