House of Representatives Off to a Busy Start

House of Representatives Off to a Busy Start
By: Congressman Lamar Smith

April 8, 2005

It's been a busy few months for the House of Representatives. Since the start of the first session of the 109th Congress, we have considered and passed a number of legislative measures important to you and the nation.

In February, the House passed and the President signed into law the Class Action Fairness Act. This bipartisan, sensible bill restores confidence in America's justice system. It reforms the class action system and addresses the judicial abuses that harm so many Americans.

We've all heard of the lawsuits in which the plaintiffs walk away with pennies - sometimes literally - while their attorneys walk away with millions of dollars in fees.

This problem will be addressed under this bill by providing greater scrutiny over settlements that involve "coupons" or very small cash amounts.

The legislation also ensures that deserving plaintiffs are able to make full use of the class action system. It allows easier removal of these types of cases to federal courts. This is important because class actions tend to affect numerous Americans and often involve millions of dollars. Federal court is the right place for such large lawsuits.

As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, I strongly support the Real ID Act, which also passed the House in February. The goal of the bill is to prevent another 9/11 terrorist attack by disrupting terrorist travel and closing loopholes that the hijackers exploited to enter and stay in the country. One of the bill's major provisions is to reform the process for issuing official documentation.

Driver's licenses are the primary identification document used in the United States. They enable individuals to obtain other forms of identification, enter federal buildings, purchase firearms or board a plane. But lax standards in the current issuance process allow terrorists to obtain drivers' licenses from multiple states and abuse them for identification purposes.

Identification documents are the last opportunity to ensure that people are who they say they are. The REAL ID Act prevents terrorists and others from getting driver's licenses by requiring applicants to provide proof that they are in the country legally. It also mandates that foreign visitors receive only a temporary license that expires at the same time as the visitor's visa.

American citizens have the right to know who is in their country, why they are here and how long they stay. This legislation represents our first real step back on the long road to homeland security.

In early March, the House passed the Transportation Equity Act, which provides $280 billion over the next four years to improve our national transportation infrastructure. The bill seeks to curb traffic?related congestion, enhance highway safety and create millions of new jobs.

To reduce traffic and encourage economic growth in our own region, I secured $16 million in the bill for transportation projects along the I-35 corridor.

The projects I obtained funds for are:

-$6 million for State Highway 130: This funding will be used to complete the southern 40-mile portion of SH 130 from its currently projected terminus at I-35 near Buda to its linkup with Interstate 10 at Seguin.

-$1 million for the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Communication Link: This project will establish a communication link between Transportation Management Centers in San Antonio, Austin and other cities to aid in traffic management.

-$3 million for Cesar Chavez: This project will convert Cesar Chavez, a major route to downtown Austin, to two-way traffic for its entire 2.25 miles between MO-PAC and I-35.

-$1 million for Austin bicycle routes: This funding is for a bicycle and pedestrian program throughout the City.

-$2 million for State Highway 71: This funding applies to the four-lane expansion project from the Oak Hill area in Austin westward to its intersection with US 281.

-$3 million for US 290: This project will upgrade US 290 from east of Williamson Creek in Austin to west of FM 1826.

I was also able to obtain approval for the future construction of a $350 million commuter rail project in the bill. Once completed, commuter trains will run on existing rail lines along the I-35 corridor.

The House also passed the Job Training Improvement Act in March. This bill helps America's workers get the training they need to find good jobs. It streamlines government bureaucracy in job training services and improves opportunities for Americans looking for work or looking to acquire new skills to acquire better-paying jobs.

And speaking of jobs, there is good news to report on the economic front.

The Department of Labor recently released new job figures ?? and the data show steady job gains for another month. Over 110,000 jobs were created in March, and the economy has created over three million jobs since May 2003. With steady job gains for each of the last 22 months, more Americans are now working than ever before.

Rest assured that I will continue my work in Congress to pursue a pro-growth economic agenda so that every person who wants to work can find a job.

http://lamarsmith.house.gov/News.asp?FormMode=Detail&ID=614