During a speech yesterday at the U.S. Conference of Mayors Conference, House Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Representative Bill Shuster (R-PA), stated his support for passing a long-term reauthorization of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). While details of his proposal with respect to the funding mechanism went without much detail, Chairman Shuster discussed the potential to fund MAP-21 through repatriation of off-shore corporate tax dollars, which would be done in conjunction with a massive overhaul and restructuring of the federal tax code. Chairman Shuster’s comments are in line with other supporters, primarily President Barack Obama, who has called on Congress to support MAP-21 Highway Trust Fund programs through corporate tax reform.
MAP-21 was slated to expire at the end of September 2014; however, Congress passed the Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2014 to extend MAP-21 and provide a short-term funding boost to the Highway Trust Fund through May 31, 2015. With the temporary extension of funding for the Highway Trust Fund set to expire at the end of May 2015, Congress will need to renew dedicated funding to keep MAP-21 federal highway programs operating. As part of the reauthorization efforts, RCRC continues to advocate for a long-term reauthorization of the bill to ensure that counties have adequate time to plan and prioritize projects, and for the renewal of dedicated funding for both locally owned on-system bridges and High-Risk Rural Roads, which were both eliminated under MAP-21.