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have one of the best transportation networks in the world, and I believe we need to keep it that way. However, we are starting to see signs

[Page: S5776]  GPO's PDF

   Meanwhile, the strong growth in foreign trade is putting increased pressure on ports, airports, and border crossings, as well as contributing to congestion throughout the transportation network. According to DoT, U.S. international trade more than doubled between 1990 and 2000, rising from $891 billion to $2.2 trillion.

   Congestion and delay inevitably result when traffic rates approach the capacity of a system to handle that traffic. I do believe increased congestion in our transportation system is a growing threat to the nation's economy. Delays in any part of the vast network lead to economic costs, wasted fuel, increased pollution, and a reduced quality of life. Moreover, in the future new security measures could also cause increased delays and disruptions in the flow of goods through our international gateways.

   To deal with the ever-increasing loading of our transportation network we will need to find ways to use the system more efficiently as well as to expand some critical elements of the system. However, in planning for any improvements, it is essential to examine the impact on the whole transportation system that would result from a change in one part of the system That's exactly the goal of the bill I am introducing today.

   By simulating the Nation's entire transportation infrastructure as a single, integrated system, the National Transportation Analysis and Modeling Program will allow policy makers at the state, regional and national levels to evaluate the implications of new transportation policies and actions. To ensure that all of the possible interrelated impacts are included, the model must simulate individual carriers and the transportation infrastructure used by each of the carriers in an interdependent and dynamic system. The advantage of this simulation of individual carriers and shipments is that the nation's transportation system can be examined at any level of detail, from the path of an individual truck to national multi-modal traffic flows.

   Some of the transportation issues and questions that could be addressed with NATMAP include: What infrastructure improvements result in the greatest gains to overall system security and efficiency? How would the network respond to shifts in population or trade flows? How would the system respond to major disruptions caused by a natural disaster or another unthinkable terrorist attack? What effect would delays in the system due to increased security measures have on traffic flow and congestion?

   Preliminary work on an advanced transportation model has been underway for several years at Los Alamos National Laboratory. As I'm sure most Senators know, Los Alamos has a long and impressive history in the development of computer simulations of complex systems, including the recent completion of the TRANSIMS model of transportation systems in metropolitan areas. The development of TRANSIMS for FHWA was originally authorized in TEA-21.

   The initial work at LANL on NATMAP, funded in part by DoT, DoD, and the lab's own internal research and development program, demonstrated the technical feasibility of building a nation-wide freight transportation model that can simulate the movement of millions of trucks across the nation's highway system. During this initial development phase, the model was called the National Transportation Network and Analysis Capability, or NTNAC for short. In 2001, with funding from the Federal Highway Administration, LANL further developed the model and completed an assessment of cargo flows resulting from trade between the U.S. and Latin America.

   These preliminary studies have clearly demonstrated the value to the nation of the NATMAP comprehensive modeling system. I do believe that the computer model represents a leap-ahead in transportation modeling and analysis capability. Indeed, Secretary of Transportation Norm Mineta, in a letter to me dated April 9 of this year, had this to say about the effort: ``The DOT agrees that NTNAC shows great promise of producing a tool that would be useful for analyzing the national transportation system as a single, integrated system. We agree that NTNAC would provide DOT with important new capabilities to assess and formulate critical policy and investment options and to help address homeland security and vulnerabilities in the nation's transportation network.''

   I ask unanimous consent that a copy of Secretary Mineta's letter be printed in the RECORD.

   There being no objection, the letter was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:

   THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION ,

   Washington, DC, April 9, 2002.
Hon. Jeff Bingaman,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.

   Dear Jeff: Thank you for your letter of January 30 expressing your strong support to continue the development of the National Transportation Network Analysis Capability (NTNAC). The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Office of Policy and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have been working closely with Los Alamos National Laboratory to develop this tool.

   During 1998, Los Alamos National Laboratory developed a prototype NTNAC with funding provided by the DOT ($50,000 from the Office of the Secretary's Transportation Policy Development Office), the U.S. Department of Defense (TRANSCOM's Military Transportation Management Command), and the Laboratory's own internal research and development program. This effort demonstrated the technical feasibility of building a national transportation network that can simulate the movements of individual carriers (trucks, trains, planes, water vessels, and pipelines) and individual freight shippers.

   During 1999, FHWA provided $750,000 to further develop NTNAC and to complete the study ``National Transportation Impact of Latin American Trade Flows.''

   The DOT agrees that NTNAC shows great promise of producing a tool that would be useful for analyzing the national transportation system as a single, integrated system. We agree that NTNAC would provide DOT with important new capabilities to assess and formulate critical policy and investment options and to help address homeland security and vulnerabilities in the Nation's transportation network.

   However, the Department's budget is very limited. It would be difficult to find funding to continue the project this year. If funding should become available, we will give priority consideration to continuing the NTNAC development effort.

   Again, I very much appreciate your thoughts on the importance of continuing the development of NTNAC. If I can provide further information or assistance, please feel free to call me.

   Sincerely yours,
Norman Y. Mineta.

   Mr. BINGAMAN. The bill I am introducing today establishes a six-year program in the Office of the Secretary of Transportation to complete the development of the advanced transportation simulation model. The program will also support early deployment of computer software and graphics packages to Federal agencies and States for national, regional, or statewide transportation planning. The bill authorizes a total of $50 million from the Highway Trust Fund for this effort. When completed, NATMAP will provide the nation a tool to help formulate and analyze critical transportation policy and investment options, including major infrastructure requirements and vulnerabilities within that infrastructure.

   Next year Congress will take up the reauthorization of TEA-21, the six-year transportation bill. I am introducing this bill today so my proposal can be fully considered by the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee and by the Administration as the next authorization bill is being developed. I look forward to working with Senator JEFFORDS, the Chairman of EPW, and Senator SMITH, the ranking member, as well as Senator REID, the Chairman of the Transportation , Infrastructure, and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee and Senator INHOFE, the ranking member, to incorporate this bill in the reauthorization of TEA-21.

   I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the RECORD.

   There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

   SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Transportation Modeling and Analysis Program Establishment Act''.

   SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:

    (1) ADVANCED MODEL.--The term ``advanced model'' means the advanced transportation simulation model developed under the National Transportation Network and Analysis Capability Program.

    (2) PROGRAM.--The term ``Program'' means the National Transportation Modeling and Analysis Program established under section 3.

    (3) SECRETARY.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Transportation .

   SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.

    The Secretary of Transportation shall establish a program, to be known as the ``National Transportation Modeling and Analysis Program''--

    (1) to complete the advanced model; and

    (2) to support early deployment of computer software and graphics packages for the advanced model to agencies of the Federal Government and to States for national, regional, or statewide transportation planning.

   SEC. 4. SCOPE OF PROGRAM.

    The Program shall provide for a simulation of the national transportation infrastructure as a single, integrated system that--

    (1) incorporates models of--

    (A) each major transportation mode, including--

    (i) highways;

    (ii) air traffic;

    (iii) railways;

    (iv) inland waterways;

    (v) seaports;

    (vi) pipelines; and

    (vii) other intermodal connections; and

    (B) passenger traffic and freight traffic;

    (2) is resolved to the level of individual transportation vehicles, including trucks, trains, vessels, and aircraft;

    (3) relates traffic flows to issues of economics, the environment, national security, energy, and safety;

    (4) analyzes the effect on the United States transportation system of Mexican and Canadian trucks operating in the United States; and

    (5) examines the effects of various security procedures and regulations on cargo flow at ports of entry.

   SEC. 5. ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES.

    Under the Program, the Secretary shall--

    (1) complete the advanced model;

    (2) develop user-friendly advanced transportation modeling computer software and graphics packages;

    (3) provide training and technical assistance with respect to the implementation and application of the advanced model to Federal agencies and to States for use in national, regional, or statewide transportation planning; and

    (4) allocate funds to not more than 3 entities described in paragraph (3), representing diverse applications and geographic regions, to carry out pilot programs to demonstrate use of the advanced model for national, regional, or statewide transportation planning.

   SEC. 6. FUNDING.

    (a) IN GENERAL.--There are authorized to be appropriated from the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account) to carry out this Act--

    (1) $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;

    (2) $7,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;

    (3) $9,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;

    (4) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;

    (5) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; and

    (6) $8,000,000 for fiscal year 2009.

    (b) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.--

    (1) FISCAL YEARS 2004 AND 2005.--For each of fiscal years 2004 and 2005, 100 percent of the funds made available under subsection (a) shall be used to carry out activities described in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 5.

    (2) FISCAL YEARS 2006 THROUGH 2009.--For each of fiscal years 2006 through 2009, not more than 50 percent of the funds made available under subsection (a) may be used to carry out activities described in section 5(4).

    (c) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.--Funds authorized under this section shall be available for obligation in the same manner as if the funds were apportioned under chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code, except that the Federal share of the cost of--

    (1) any activity described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of section 5 shall be 100 percent; and

    (2) any activity described in section 5(4) shall not exceed 80 percent.

    (d) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.--Funds made available under this section shall be available to the Secretary through the Transportation Planning, Research, and Development Account of the Office of the Secretary of Transportation .

   By Ms. SNOWE (for herself and Mr. DURBIN):

   S. 2647. A bill to require that activities carried out by the United States in Afghanistan relating to governance, reconstruction and development, and refugee relief and assistance will support the basic human rights of women and women's participation and leadership in these areas; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

   Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce a bill for myself and Senator DURBIN that would ensure that U.S. funded activities in Afghanistan support the basic human rights of women and women's participation and leadership in all areas of society, development, and governance. Importantly, it also specifies that direct aid should be targeted to the Ministry of Women's Affairs, which will play a critical role in the new government.

   Women in Afghanistan have made significant progress since the Taliban was removed from power last year, but there is still a long way to go before women are restored to the place they held in society and government before the Taliban took power in 1996.

   As I told Chairman Karzai when I visited the country in February, if he is truly to restore the people's faith and confidence in the Afghan government, women cannot be excluded from the reconstruction process. The recent loya jirga did make some strides in the right direction. Eleven percent of the participants were women, although only 20 of the 180 total women were elected--with the rest being appointed. Also, the Minister of the Women's Affairs Ministry, Sima Simar, was one of the two Deputy Chairs of the loya jirga. Yet, clearly, much remains to be done before Afghan women will fully rebuild their health, their education, their welfare, their security, and their self-dignity.

   Before the Taliban, Afghan women enjoyed both stature and freedom. In fact, many Americans may be unaware that Afghan women were not only well educated, they constituted 70 percent of the nation's school teachers, half the government's civilian workers, and 40 percent of the doctors in the hospital.

   We are all now aware that with the rise of the Taliban, the lives of Afghan women dramatically changed. Women were banished from the workforce. They were not allowed to earn an living or to support themselves or their family, even if they were the sole family breadwinner. Tens of thousands of women widowed by decades of war had no option to provide for their families. Many turned to begging and prostitution.

   Girls could not attend school and women were expelled from universities. In fact, incredibly, women were prohibited from even leaving their homes at all unless accompanied by a close male relative, even in the event of a medical emergency for themselves or their children. These women were under house arrest, prisoners in their own home.

   And, if that wasn't bad enough, they were prisoners within themselves. The Taliban went to great and inhumane lengths to strip women of their sense of pride and personhood. Afghan women were forced to wear a burqa, a head to toe covering, to make them invisible to the world. And for those who dared tread upon or flout these laws, penalties for violations of Taliban law ranged from beatings to public floggings and executions--all state sanctioned.

   Of course, the Taliban is gone now. Women are slowly returning to school and to work. They are beginning to return to their homes from refugee camps. Some are even taking part in the new Afghan government. But problems still exist.

   Afghan women still make up 75 percent or more of the refugees and internally displaced in camps, urban areas, and villages. Afghan women still do not have access to sufficient primary health care services, including pre- and postnatal care, leading to one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. And it is believed that more than 90 percent of Afghan women are illiterate, which disqualifies them from participation in government.

   Every member of society has a role to play in rebuilding, and the role of women is especially important. Throughout Afghanistan's years of war, it was women who were responsible for food, shelter, and other basic human needs. Now, during Afghanistan's massive redevelopment, impowering women is critical to improving education, primary health, and overall development. Women must be taught the skills they need and be given access to the necessary resources to take control of their own lives and in turn foster full redevelopment of their country.

   The United States has been a leader in assisting Afghanistan, in fact, the

[Page: S5778]  GPO's PDF

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