On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing on the, “Long-term Solvency of the Highway Trust Fund: Lessons Learned from the Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives Program and Other User-based Revenue Solutions, and How Funding Uncertainty Affects the Highway Programs.” The hearing largely focused on the failures of the current highway trust fund system and what steps can be taken to ensure an equitable and resilient future transportation system in the United States. The witnesses generally agreed that the current highway trust fund system needs to be greatly reformed and restructured in order to pay for current operations as well as be expanded to support of the large-scale infrastructure projects that have been discussed as part of President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. Witnesses spoke at length about a Vehicle Miles Traveled tax, the various state pilot programs and implementation challenges they have faced, privacy concerns that need to be addressed, as well as the successes of these programs and how their results can lead to a future federal pilot program. Additional discussion surrounded the use of private funds to offset traditional government investment in infrastructure projects as well as the necessity to ensure equity for rural and low-income residents in any future pay-for structure.
