Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act Motion to Proceed -- Continued
Floor Speech
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Mr. BENNET. Mr. President, I want the record to reflect that I would have voted in favor of H.R. 4348, but I went home to Colorado to be with my constituents, many of whom have lost their homes and are facing severe challenges as several fires continue to rage across the State.
By finally reauthorizing our transportation programs for over 2 years, we will provide some measure of certainty for States, municipalities, and businesses across the country urgently in need of more than just a 2-month extension. The bill includes resources, modeled on legislation that I introduced with Senator Mark Warner, for transit-oriented development competitive grants to help local communities work with private investors to promote long-term transit planning, and the legislation also contains a common-sense modification to the rural transit formula for which I advocated. These provisions will benefit transit agencies across my State as they provide quality service to Coloradans. The bill also maintains continued funding for the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Program and Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination (SRS) Act. These programs are lifelines for financially strapped rural counties and local businesses.
Of course this is not a perfect bill. I am disappointed that the conference committee eliminated the Senate provision funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a program that has been vital to preserving Colorado's western heritage. And I would have liked to see a longer reauthorization, with structural reforms to the highway trust fund to ensure we can continue to finance improvements to our public infrastructure and leave more--not less--for the next generation. That said, I commend my colleagues for all their hard work getting this bill across the line.
I am also pleased that this legislation will prevent loan rates from doubling and averts an increase that would have put the dream of a college degree further out of reach for thousands of Colorado students, and increased an already crushing debt burden on the middle class.
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