Transportation

** Continue support of our request for interstate highway access by funding the continuation of a four-lane, divided highway approximately 25 miles from the Navasota River in Eastern Brazos County to a connection with Interstate 45 in Madisonville, Texas (Madison County).

** Consider southern Brazos County as an alternative corridor for the I-69 Highway plan designated to link industrial centers of Mexico, the United States and Canada. Alternatively, support an interstate equivalent spur connecting Bryan/College Station to I-69.

** Support designation of a high-speed rail corridor which would connect the South Central Corridor to the gulf Coast Corridor.

Education/Workforce

** Support Texas A&M University as the site for the proposed National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF). In addition to providing research for the health and safety of the country, the potential economic impact for the Bryan/College Station area -- the Research Valley -- would be significant for the region (H.R. 1717).

** Support research and development investments in the Texas A&M University System. The rate of federal R&D investments in Texas should be commensurate with our population and our standing as the number two technology state.

** Support Blinn College's efforts to establish a Technology Institute in the Bryan/College Station region to provide training opportunities for residents and businesses in construction trades, manufacturing technologies, and allied health occupations.

Economic Development

** Request enactment of legislation that will establish a federal district divisional court in the Bryan/College Station area. This would relieve congestion in the Southern District of Harris County while giving the residents of Brazos County and surrounding areas an easily accessible forum for cases which must be brought to federal court.

** Pursue legislation to amend Federal Law 1926(b) to allow a city to acquire a rural water supply corporation or special utility district's water service territory as it is annexed as long as the city performing the annexation is willing to pay the pro-rata share of the Federal debt that can be reasonably attributed to the area annexed.

** Support legislation and funding of FutureGen, the "Clean Coal Technology" project in Texas.

** Continue support for the current Farm Bill's structure making funding a priority with the addition of permanent agriculture disaster programs.

** Provide a workable definition for "point of sale" in the collection of sales taxes for companies engaged in e-commerce.

Health and Human Services

** In a community wtih a large percentage of small businesses, rising employee health insurance costs are of major concern. Support legislation which curb the costs of providing employee healthcare coverage (H.R.241, H.R.914, S.397, H.R.605).

** Continue to adequately fund Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates for hospital services provided by medical residents through the Graduate Medical Education Fund.

** Continue funding of a four-year accredited nursing program through the Texas A&M University System Health Science Center and College of Medicine to help decrease a critical shortage of nursing staff (H.R.677).

Source: Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce

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