Earlier this year, Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) and Ranking Member Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure created the Panel on 21st Century Freight Transportation to examine the current state of freight transportation in the United States and how improving freight transportation can strengthen the economy. The Panel, which issued their final report this week, was led by Chairman John Duncan (R-Tenn.) and Ranking Members Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.).
The panel found what AGC and other transportation stakeholders have consistently claimed – that the current state of highway infrastructure does not adequately serve the need of the moving goods throughout the country. Further, they said it was critical for Congress to address the looming shortfall facing the Highway Trust Fund in 2015. In addition to highways, the panel looked at the movement of goods across all modes, rail, water and air. Some of the key recommendations made by the panel to Congress include:
- Direct the Secretary of Transportation, in coordination with the Secretary of the Army and the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, to establish a comprehensive national freight transportation policy and designate a national, multimodal freight network;
- Ensure robust public investment in all modes of transportation on which freight movement relies, and incentivize additional private investment in freight transportation facilities, to maintain and improve the condition and performance of the freight transportation network;
- Promote and expedite the development and delivery of projects and activities that improve and facilitate the efficient movement of goods;
- Authorize dedicated, sustainable funding for multimodal freight Projects of National and Regional Significance through a grant process and establish clear benchmarks for project selection. Projects eligible for such funding would have a regional or national impact on the overall performance of the multimodal freight network identified by the Secretary of Transportation;
- Direct the Secretary of Transportation, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of the Army, to identify and recommend sustainable sources of revenue across all modes of transportation that would provide the necessary investment in the nation’s multimodal freight network and align contributions with use and expected benefit of increased investment in such a network; and
- Review, working through the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Ways and Means, the Secretary’s freight funding and revenue recommendations and develop specific funding and revenue options for freight transportation projects prior to Congress’ consideration of the surface transportation reauthorization bill in 2014.