Senate and House Transportation Bills Close to Introduction

Contact with Your Congressional Delegation Needed Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Cal.) informed AGC and other transportation and construction stakeholder groups that she is continuing to meet with EPW Committee Ranking Member Sen. Jim Inhofe (Okla.) to write a transportation reauthorization bill that will have bipartisan support. Boxer also indicated that there are ongoing discussions with Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) about finding additional Highway Trust Fund revenue to maintain the current highway and transit program funding levels. She said that the negotiations are at a critical juncture and that Senators needed to be contacted to develop the ground swell of support necessary to get a bill approved at current funding levels. She reiterated her intent of marking up a bill in Committee the week of July 27. In the House, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) has said that he hopes to have a bill ready to be introduced the week of July 4. Chairman Mica has indicated that his bill will make significant reforms in the current highway and transit programs by consolidating or eliminating programs, streamlining the environmental review process, leveraging existing federal resources and enticing more private investment. Mica has also indicated, however, that the bill will not include a revenue increase and funding, and will therefore be limited by current Highway Trust Fund revenue. You are encouraged to contact both of your senators and representative to urge them to work to complete a transportation bill before the current authorization expires on September 30, 2011. Please visit AGC’s Legislative Action Center to send an email correspondence requesting action. For more information, please contact Brian Deery at (703) 837-5319 or deeryb@agc.org.