On Monday, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee is scheduled to release their long-term federal surface transportation bill to reauthorize the Highway Trust Fund programs, with the bill scheduled for markup next Thursday. The bill has bi-partisan support from both Senator Barbara Boxer, the Chair of the Committee, and Senator David Vitter (R-Louisiana), the Ranking Member on the Committee. While RCRC does not have specific details on what will be included, Senator Boxer has made public statements that the bill would maintain federal-aid highway programs at current funding levels plus inflation for six years. Senator Boxer’s remarks also included references to maintaining and expanding the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan program, which we suspect, based upon previous reports, will include provisions to benefit rural communities.
It is unclear at this time if dedicated funding for High-Risk Rural Roads and/or On-System Bridges will be restored as RCRC has advocated for; although reports suggest that the Senate’s version will focus on a long-term authorization as opposed to one focused on making any major policy changes.
It is still too early to determine if Congress will be able to reach an agreement on a surface transportation bill. The measure to be unveiled on Monday reflects the Senate’s priorities in crafting a reauthorization of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP 21). The House of Representatives has yet to release its version of a MAP 21 reauthorization plan (MAP 21 expires at the end of September). More importantly, the Senate’s deal does not address how it will be funded. That aspect of the conversation, particularly in the U.S. Senate, will be left to the Senate Finance Committee as it also faces a mid-Summer deadline of the insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund, which provides funding for MAP 21 authorized projects. As this deadline approaches, lawmakers have suggested they may need to pass a short-term temporary measure this summer to continue federally-funded transportation projects.
For additional information, please contact RCRC Legislative Analyst Randall Echevarria at (916) 447-4806 orrechevarria@rcrcnet.org.