Senator says Senate could take up highway bill this week
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said the Senate could consider a highway bill as early as this week, reports the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA). McConnell also said the Senate would not recommend increasing the fuel user fee to fund the bill.
NSSGA reports Senate Republicans, as well as the Obama Administration, are hoping for a multiyear highway bill. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx hinted at a presidential veto for another short-term highway bill extension, saying, “I think we’re quickly getting to the point where the value of another extension may be less than the value of breaking the cycle.”
Foxx added the delay in Congressional action to deal with highway funding has resulted in delays for transportation projects in Georgia, Vermont, Tennessee, Delaware and Arkansas. The Highway Trust Fund is expected to have a balance of just over $3 billion at the end of July, reports NSSGA, which is not enough to cover commitments.
In addition, the Senate Community Development and Infrastructure Group recently recommended funding the highway program by taxing corporate profits being held overseas and transitioning to a user fee based on vehicle miles traveled, reports NSSGA.
NSSGA President Mike Johnson affirmed the need for a long-term solution to the program.
“Short-term patches of the program are not good policy and only result in increased costs to meet the needs of an aging system that is essential to commerce and the mobility of everyone,” says Johnson. “No more delays. Congress needs to do what is right for America.”
About the Author: Allison Kral
Allison Kral is the former senior digital media manager for North Coast Media (NCM). She completed her undergraduate degree at Ohio University where she received a Bachelor of Science in magazine journalism from the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. She works across a number of digital platforms, which include creating e-newsletters, writing articles and posting across social media sites. She also creates content for NCM's Portable Plants magazine, GPS World magazine and Geospatial Solutions. Her understanding of the ever-changing digital media world allows her to quickly grasp what a target audience desires and create content that is appealing and relevant for any client across any platform.Subscribe to Pit & Quarry
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