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All messages are published
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The general topic of this message is Transportation:
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Subject:
reauthorization of the federal surface transportation programs
To:
Rep. David Price
October 22, 2009
I met with you earlier this year to provide my advice on the failure of the current stimulus package to bring jobs to the economy because of its failure to provide adequate funds for highway projects. Those of us with close ties to the highway industry knew this when the bill was passed in January/February. It could have taken tremendous pressure off of this new democratic administration to have passed a bill that included at least a $100 billion in highway funding with 60 % allocated to non "shovel ready" projects instead of $29 billion for "shovel ready" projects and nothing allocated to actually fixing highway infrastructure projects or completing design drawings on high priority new improvements. It now looks like you could influence the legislation being proposed in the new six-year reauthorization of the federal surface transportation programs. It is very important that this be passed with adequate funds and the gas tax be increased to pay for it. Yes you will hear the normal belly aching that you always get. But this is the time to stand up for the right thing to do and not play the game of smoke and mirrors. Let's fund the highway trust fund with adequate taxes to pay for the cost of our infrastructure and in the process of rebuilding our road system, create the jobs that are desperately needed in this economy.
The information below is a summary of some of the comments coming from members of the House Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Committee.
Democrats from both the House and Senate last week promoted action on a six-year reauthorization of the federal surface transportation programs later this year or early next year as a means to help create jobs and aid in economic recovery. House Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minn.) reportedly told his colleagues the transportation bill is "the future stimulus." House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) told reporters, "Everyone is excited about a robust transportation bill…We have not concluded that everyone is willing to pay for it."
Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the Senate's second ranking Democrat, reinforced Rangel's point to an audience in Iowa: "We have to pay for it, and paying for it may mean an increase in the federal gas tax. Nobody wants to say those words. I've said them to you because unless we're honest about this, we're not going to see an (adequate) federal highway bill."
Congress has roughly two weeks to take the next step on reauthorization before the current 30-day extension of the federal highway and transit programs expires
Raleigh , NC
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