Senators issue call to arms on highway bill; House passes four-month extension of TEA-21

Pit & Quarry, March, 2004

At a Capitol Hill press conference, key Republican and Democratic senators pressed the case for quick passage of S. 1072, the TEA-21 reauthorization bill. Many of the key leaders of the reauthorization effort were present, including Senators Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee; Jim Jeffords (I-Vt.), ranking member on the Environment Committee; Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-Mo.), chairman of the Transportation Subcommittee; Harry Reid (D-Nev.), ranking member on the Transportation Subcommittee; Max Baucus (D-Mont.), ranking member on the Finance Committee; and Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.), ranking member on the Banking Committee.

The Senators forcefully argued for Senate passage of the Senate reauthorization package that provides as much as $255 billion over six years for highways and $56 billion for mass transit. They also sought to address critics of the bill by making the following arguments:

* TEA-21 reauthorization is a jobs bill.

* The bill is paid for not by new taxes or general revenues but by the existing highway user fee.

* The financing package reallocates certain existing revenues but does not raise taxes.

* The bill creates one million permanent new jobs over the six years of the program--jobs that cannot be exported.

* The bill does not increase federal spending or add to the federal debt.

While all this activity was taking place in the Senate, the House unanimously passed a four-month extension of TEA-21, which would, if enacted, extend TEA-21 until June 29. The Senate managers of S. 1072 said they oppose that long of an extension and would support a month or two extension at most to avoid problems with the summer construction season. The Republican chairman of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee urged President Bush to reconsider his opposition to bipartisan and bicameral bills designed to address the nation's growing highway safety and congestion crisis.

"It is my view and I believe the view of most of my colleagues in Congress, that you are not receiving the best advice on the issue of how to reauthorize our nation's surface transportation programs for the coming six years," U.S. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) wrote in a letter to Bush.

In the letter, Chairman Young noted that numerous congestion, safety and economic problems caused by the nation's crumbling surface infrastructure system warranted a strong and immediate response by Congress and the White House.

"Solutions to these problems cannot be found by issuing edicts or veto threats," Young wrote. "Finding solutions will require an honest discussion of the issues and a willingness to investigate any potential means to insure the continued viability of the trust fund. I am extremely disappointed with the 'take it or leave it' approach taken by your advisors.

"They have provided no real alternatives to the problem faced by this Congress. I believe that we have a bicameral, bipartisan consensus that a much larger level of funding is needed for surface transportation than the bare bones approach presented in the administration's SAFETEA proposal.

"Creating a strong funding framework will require consideration of all possible options including traditional methods of funding as well as new and innovative methods. No option should be placed 'off limits' for discussion.

"I strongly urge you to reach out for new and creative ways to address the funding of one of the most essential programs carried out by the federal government--the funding of highway and transit programs," Young concluded in the letter.

White house threatens to veto highway package

The Bush administration issued a Statement of Administration Policy on the reauthorization of TEA-21. While reiterating support for a six-year reauthorization, the Bush administration threatened to veto any bill that authorized more than the administration's total package proposal of $256 billion over six years.

The Bush administration stated that that the reauthorization must adhere to the following three principles:

1.) It should have no user fee or other tax increases.

2.) It should have no bonding provisions.

3.) It should be funded exclusively through the Highway Trust Fund not the General Fund of the Treasury.