materials are not available or would increase the cost of the project by more than 25 percent. The amendment was adopted by a vote of 60-36 (D 49-1; R 9-35; I 2-0). [Vote 123, 5/15/13] MISCELLANEOUS XXXX Voted Against $200 Million In Funding For Rural Infrastructure & Development. In June 2012, XXXX voted against Brown, D-Ohio, amendment no. 2445 that would provide $150 million for various rural development programs administered by the Commodity Credit Corporation as well as $50 million in funding for water and sewer projects in small rural communities. The amendment was adopted by a vote of 55-44 (D 50-1; R 3- 43; I 2-0). [Vote 126, 9/19/12] XXXX Supported Making It Easier for Minority Owned Contractors to Compete for Federal Highway Contracts. In 2005, XXXX voted for an amendment that would direct the Transportation secretary to notify state and local governments that receive federal funds of a new law providing that once certain minority-owned small businesses are certified at the federal level they do not have to be re-certified at the state and local level in order to compete for federal contracts such as federal highway projects. [HR 3, Vote 116, 5/9/05] XXXX Opposed Promoting Increased Use of Pedestrian and Bicycle Trips. In 2005, XXXX voted against an amendment that would direct the Transportation secretary to promote a goal of increasing the percentage of pedestrian and bicycle trips relative to motorized trips, while reducing accidents involving bicyclists and pedestrians by 10 percent. It would encourage local action on bicycle and pedestrian safety. [HR 3, Vote 121, 5/11/05]  According to Senator Harkin, the following organizations endorsed his amendment: American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), America Bikes, American Heart Association, American Public Health Association, American Society of Landscape Architects, American Planning Association, League of American Bicyclists, National Center of Bicycling and Walking, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Rail- to-Trails Conservancy, the Surface Transportation Policy Project, and the Association of Metropolitan Planning Associations. [Harkin Press Release, 5/11/05] XXXX Voted Against Retaining a Reserve of Construction Funds for Disadvanted Business Enterprises. In 1998, XXXX Voted against retaining a reserve portion of construction funds for disadvanted business enterprises under the Highway and Transportation Reauthorization bill. XXXX sponsored the amendment. [Vote 23, 3/6/98] XXXX Voted Against Allowing States To Use Federal Disaster Funding To Repair Infrastructure Damaged By Disasters To State Standards That Were Often More Stringent Than Federal Ones. In May 2013, XXXX voted against “an amendment from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) that would have allowed states to use federal funds to restore infrastructure damaged by natural disasters to state standards that are stricter than federal standards.” The amendment was rejected by a vote of 56-40 (D 50-0; R 4-40; I 2-0). [Environment and Energy Daily, 5/15/13; Vote 120, 5/14/13] 302