A five-month extension of the TEA-21 federal transportation bill prolongs the debate over our nation's long-term transportation-funding needs
Unable to agree on a new, long-term federal
transportation-funding bill, congressional lawmakers have instead settled on an
extension of current TEA-21 programs beyond the September 30 expiration date.
The five-month extension — which ensures federal highway and transit funding
through February 29, 2004 — is free of major policy changes and will provide
more than $14 billion for highways and $3 billion for transit programs over that
time. Additionally, states are given flexibility in how they obligate
their
funds from the highway categories during the five
months.
While the extension keeps state DOTs going for the next
few months, the lack of a long-term spending guarantee continues to hamper their
ability to conduct planning, and hurts projects planned under an expected
increase in transportation funding levels in the coming year. Thus, a recent survey from the American Association of State and Highway
Transportation Officials (AASHTO) claims that the reauthorization delay is
having major economic impacts due to the cutting back of proposed projects and
their attendant jobs.
In the
House, Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman Don Young (R-Alaska)
warned lawmakers that on March 1, Congress will be faced with the same
situation they were facing at the beginning of this month — when the expiration
of TEA-21 threatened to cut off federal funding altogether. The extension
basically extends the ongoing debate over the next bill, giving time to settle
out the differences between the proposals currently on the table. Earlier this
year, the Bush administration proposed $247 billion in spending over the next
six years, a slight increase over TEA-21 but far below the figures being
discussed in the House and Senate.
For
example, members of the House, including Chairman Young and House Speaker Dennis
J. Hastert (R-Ill.), are promoting a six-year spending plan of up to $375 billion
— an increase of up to 60 percentover TEA-21. But as of now, congressional leaders
have not agreed on the funding mechanisms that would pay for the additional
investment in highways and transit. U.S. Rep. William O. Lipinski (D-Ill.),
ranking minority member of the Highways, Transit and Pipelines Subcommittee,
believes that the increase in federal transportation funding is necessary for
many reasons, and contends that the funding gap can be realistically closed with
a combination of many funding sources, including a possible increase in the fuel
tax.
Business Leaders for Transportation and the
Transportation for Illinois Coalition support the levels being proposed in
Congress, provided that dollars are linked to the right priorities . “We are pleased that Congressional leaders recognize the
importance of maintaining and improving the nation’s transportation system and
commend their leadership in putting forward funding proposals of approximately
$350 to $375 billion for the next six years,” said MarySue Barrett of Business
Leaders for Transportation and president of the Metropolitan Planning Council.
“Significant, needed improvements to the Chicago-area highway, freight and
transit systems will be impossible if Congress authorizes a lesser
amount.”
To find out more about TEA-21 reauthorization, attend
one of the upcoming educational forums
being held around the region, or contact
Karyn Romano
at 312.863.6005.