AGC Tells Budget Negotiators to Address Highway Trust Fund

AGC sent a letter to budget conferees outlining industry priorities, including fixing the revenue shortfall facing the Highway Trust Fund at the end the current fiscal year. AGC pointed out that the latest Congressional Budget Office projections estimate that without new revenue the HTF will not be able to support any new federal highway and transit funding obligations starting on October 1, 2014. AGC also weighed in on taxes, entitlement spending, sequestration and investment in the nation’s infrastructure. The budget conference was part of the agreement reached to reopen the Federal government and is charged with coming to an agreement on revenue and spending by Dec. 13. The conferees held their first meetings this week. The initial gathering began with opening statements by each member, which all centered around finding comity and common ground. The leaders of the conference, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.), will continue to meet privately with each other to lay out parameters and identify areas where principles overlap.