SENATE FINANCE PROPOSAL COMES UP SHORT FOR TEA 21

January 30, 2004

Last night the Senate Finance Committee released its draft proposal to finance TEA 21 reauthorization legislation.  The Committee may mark up the proposal as early as Monday, February 2.  The proposal would use a number of methods including interest on Highway Trust Fund balances, ethanol reforms, spending down of Trust Fund balances, rebates for fuel tax exemptions, etc. to provide some $255 billion in contract authority over six years for highway funding.  

The draft summary calls for the Mass Transit Account to provide approximately $33 billion over six years, and then notes that “because Banking seeks $56.5 billion in contract authority, an additional $20+ billion in funding is needed to meet their goals.”  

The proposal does not provide for that additional funding, other than stating it could be made up from the General Fund in the appropriations process.  Unfortunately, growth in the transit program is not provided for, and would be cut below TEA 21 guaranteed levels.

CMAA is tracking the issue through the Americans for Transportation Mobility coalition which is sending a letter today to all Senators that requests that any funding mechanism approved by the Senate should include a minimum authorization level of $255 billion for highways and $56.5 billion for public transportation.

ACTION CALL!

Contact your U.S. Senators and oppose any Senate Finance Committee reauthorization financing proposal that fails to provide any growth for the transit program and that would fund it below TEA 21 levels.  Tell them to oppose the cloture vote on the highway/transit bill expected to come up this Monday, February 2.  If the Senate cannot get 60 votes for cloture, that will send a message that the Senate Finance Committee's bill is unacceptable.  Please act now!