Published in Last Word
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) has introduced a bill to add $9 billion to the Highway Trust Fund, which would provide enough funding to extend MAP-21 through the end of year.
The action would avert the projected depletion of the Highway Trust Fund in late July, which would result in the U.S. Department of Transportation being unable to make timely project reimbursements to states.
Named the “Preserving American’s Transit and Highways Act,” the bill would modify numerous tax provisions in order to offset the additional funds, including an increase in the Heavy Vehicle Use Tax on trucks weighing over 55,000 pounds, as well as several non-transportation related items.
Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), the top Republican on the panel, expressed concern that the bill does not include “a sizeable amount of reductions in wasteful and low-priority spending.”
An extension through the end of the year would leave open the possibility of taking up a long-term MAP-21 reauthorization in a post-election session. Many stakeholders and infrastructure supporters in Congress believe the lame-duck session presents the best opportunity for raising sufficient revenue to pay for a six-year bill.
The Committee is scheduled to vote on the short-term measure on Thursday.
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