GAO Reports States Received More from Highway Trust Fund Than Contributed

The General Accountability Office (GAO) released a report this week reporting that from 2005 to 2009 states received more from the Highway Trust Fund than they contributed in proceeds of the 18.4 cents per gallon gas tax. “Every state received more funding for highway programs than they contributed to the Highway Account of the Highway Trust Fund,” the GAO report said. The report pointed out that Congress provided general fund revenue of almost $30 billion since fiscal 2008 to meet funding demands that once were covered by the Highway Trust Fund. The GAO generated the report at the request of Rep. Nick J. Rahall (W.Va.), the ranking Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “This GAO report confirms that Congress should be working toward crafting a surface transportation bill that meets the needs of a 21st century national transportation system,” Rahall said. For more information, please contact Brian Deery at (703) 837-5319 or deeryb@agc.org.